Early feeding time

[Shalista]

So many of you know that i only feed bax once a day since previously when he was fed twice a day he would wake me up at 3am to get fed and no amount of walks or sweet talking or pets would get him to back to bed without his breakfast.

So needless to say as 8pm (his dinner time) rolls around Bax gets a little anxious. he starts pacing and whining and stalking me through the house crying and dropping into a sit or a down if i look at him. I feel bad for him since he's clearly distressed. it's also really obnoxious since he starts the parade around 6pm. normally i stay strong and feed him at 8 on the dot with no backsliding but lately, I've given in and feeding him a little early (no more than half an hr) if he's being good and just sitting quietly without whining. my questions on this practice are a few.

Is bax bright enough to even know that this quieter behavior is what's earning him his dinner?

is there any point to doing this if he can't connect the dots?

Am i just confusing and frustrating him by making the dinner time more inconsistent so he's not sure when he's getting dinner?

[Erica]

I think it was who Judy had a similar experience with Jasper -- you could wait for her to chime in or try to search her old posts. I can't remember exactly what helped!

FWIW, our animals have always been on a very loose schedule...Delta gets breakfast between 8am and 2pm, and dinner between 6pm and 10pm. Obviously I try not to do an 8am and 10pm feeding on the same day -- I aim for around 10am and 7pm -- but the more I vary it, the less whiny he is about food. I don't think this helps with all animals; it might distress some to not know when food is coming.

[DianeLDL]

Hi Shalista,

Sandy gets fed once a day, usually between 10:30 and 11:30am. It's his main meal, but we allow for treats later in the day, and for some reason, I think it's the angle of the sun on the room, he seems to know when he gets his special chicken treat.

After his last potty, I put him to bed with treats for his teeth.

But, my husband gets up and takes him out at 2:30 or 3am while he is getting ready for the gym. Sandy gets a small training treat, and goes back to sleep.

One thing we have noticed is that if we plan on having lunch, he senses us in the kitchen and we prepare his mail meal.

Are you preparing to eat when Bax is getting anxious and wanting to eat? Does he see you eating?
There's a Jewish law that states we should feed our animals before we feed ourselves. As humans, we know when we will be eating. Animals, including our pets have no concept of whether they will get food or not. The can't think about anything except if they feel hungry. Unlike even a child who knows when supper is coming and still may be antsy, our dogs don't know this. They can't think that way which is why I believe that the Jewish law makes a lot of sense to feed our animals before we feed ourselves.

So, if Bax is getting antsy while you are eating or preparing food, he may be wondering if and when he is going to get his food.

As to the middle of the night, it might not really be food as the problem. Has he had a check up lately? It might be something else waking him up, and not knowing how to deal with it, Bax may think food is the answer. (How many times have we felt that way?) In Weight Watchers (I've been a member for 29 years), and often when we think it's food we want, our bodies really need water. Our bodies may be thirsty but it is coming into our brain as food if we don't get the message. Make sure Bax has plenty of fresh water before bedtime. If he does wake up, try and see if he may just need some fresh water. Sandy likes his from the refrigerator.

Just a few ideas to think about. Maybe talk with his vet.

Diane

[JudyN]

I'm afraid what has helped with Jasper has really been just maturity and becoming more relaxed generally (which probably can't be said of Bax). He will often start whining half an hour before mealtime, sometimes earlier, but is more likely to settle down - at least for a few minutes - if we tell him it's not time. Or I'm getting better at ignoring him

I don't think a varied schedule would work for him - he'd just start whining at the earliest time there was a chance of getting fed.

[Shalista]

he'd just start whining at the earliest time there was a chance of getting fed.

that's what I'm worried about >.<

Are you preparing to eat when Bax is getting anxious and wanting to eat? Does he see you eating?

nope, Bax usually starts getting his whine game on about a half hr to an hr after we all finish eating and cleaning up. He begs a little at dinner but not bad. He's NEVER been fed at the table so he doesn't expect it.

Has he had a check up lately?

Bax basically lives at the vets >.< He's had the whole thing done pretty recently so blood work, thyroid check, the whole thing

[JudyN]

How about if you fed him straight after you'd eaten? It's possible he won't start whining until he's seen you start to eat as that will be the sign that his food is imminent.

Jasper gets to lick our plates after we've eaten and often appears the moment he hears us put our cutlery down on our plates. It can be a bit of a pain at Xmas when we want to have pudding and linger over the end of the meaI though - and it might be Bax would start whining all through your meal, telling you that you need to hurry up and eat it.

[Shalista]

and it might be Bax would start whining all through your meal, telling you that you need to hurry up and eat it.

ahah yeah that sounds like him

[Nettle]

I feed my dogs before we eat. Would that be possible for you?

[Shalista]

it would but then he'd just start whining as soon as i got home =( the earlier i feed him the earlier he whines

[JudyN]

What if you fed him as soon as you get home? Would he just whine an hour before you were due home & drive everyone else potty? I'm also not sure if there's a risk of introducing SA as he'll have more reason to be desperate for you to come home.

[Shalista]

yeah id be concerned about SA to. he's already.... pretty unhappy being left alone? and VERY excited to see me when i come home..... im a bit concerned about that

[Ari_RR]

Ari is much more relaxed about meal times than the cat. The cat... she demands, loudly.

We ended up defining the objective of finding her meal times this way - "she must not wake up humans in the middle of the night". So now - 1 st meal of the day is at 10 PM of the previous day.... then she is quiet until morning, then in the morning she gets something to eat, then she probably gets hungry during the day, but there is no one to complain to, except the dog.

And then, when humans come back from work, she is one angry cat... So, whoever comes home first, has to quickly give her food before she starts screaming, and then she is good until 10 pm again.

Bottom line, my take on all this - whatever works, there isn't really right or wrong. I would keep trying different things, eventually you and Bax will find a compromise.

[DianeLDL]

Ari_RR,

I'm sure Ari doesn't like the cat screaming
or does the cat just carry on when humans get home?
Maybe train Ari to feed the cat

Diane