You come back from work, university or shopping and notice that your dog hasn't eaten anything yet. Moreover, it is likely that he will start eating right after greeting you and that this behavior will be repeated every day. This problem is much more common than you think, but Why won't your dog eat if you're not with him? Why does your dog eat when he sees you?
If your dog refuses to eat when you're not around or only eats from your hand, you can't miss this article on our site. We tell you what this behavior may be due to and we give you the keys to get your best friend to eat when he is alone.
Why does my dog only eat when I'm home?
There are several causes that can explain this behavior and not all of them require treatment. Here are the most common reasons:
He is a social animal
A dog is a social animal. Due to domestication, he has lost many of his wild instincts, but still retains some of them, such as the need to have a pack. Like wolves, dogs prefer to eat with the family So, if you're wondering “why doesn't my dog eat if I'm not with him?”, one of the answers may be this. In this way, your furry friend enjoys your presence while he feeds, so he waits for you to eat. It is a frequent behavior if, before reaching this situation, you have accustomed him to eating with you.
Besides, dogs are animals of habits and routine. For example, if your dog only eats at night, it may just be because he has gotten used to eating at that time. You may have related it to your presence, but that's not necessarily the case.
Your relationship is based on food
Some guardians build the relationship with their dog around food For example, they give too many unnecessary treats, show excessive emotion when the dog eats, they get stressed when they don't eat or constantly change their schedules. This often occurs when the animal has had problems eating, such as a gastrointestinal illness.
This obsession with food leads us to a situation in which the dog feels better when he eats with us, since he thinks we like this behaviorTherefore, we should avoid getting emotional, angry or praising our dog when he eats. Likewise, our relationship with him should be based on the activities we can do together, in addition to eating.
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You have separation anxiety
Some dogs experience a lot of stress when we leave the house, because they don't like to be alone It is a behavioral problem that we know as anxiety by separation. Your dog may feel so bad being alone that he loses his appetite. In this way, when you get home, he feels a great reward and wants to eat. It is the main reason why your dog only eats when you are not with him.
If your furry suffers from separation anxiety, you will identify it because Other strange behaviors usually appear, such as barking, breaking objects or even self-harm In the article on "Separation anxiety in dogs" we give you some tips to solve this problem.
He is afraid
Your dog may also not eat just because he is afraid. When you leave, he feels unprotected and any noise seems like a threat, so he goes into guard mode. he's too busy guarding the houseto eat. When you come back, the dog feels safe again, relaxes and can finally eat.
You will identify this behavior because the dog waits on guard behind the door or remains always looking out the window until you return. It is common when they hear strange noises in the building (new neighbors, etc.) or after a move.
Other dogs are not satisfied that we are at home; they need us to be in the same room as them when they are eating. You ask yourself: “Why does my dog only eat when I am there?” It is usually due to fear. When a dog is feeding, it puts itself in a vulnerable position, that is, it decreases its response capacity in case a danger appears behind it. Your presence makes him feel calmer, so he needs you to eat.
Fear is very common in adopted dogs and those who have had unpleasant experiences. To put an end to it, we recommend this other article on “My dog is afraid, what to do?”
Why does my dog only eat from my hand?
Sometimes, when our dog doesn't eat, we just try to feed him by hand. Thus, little by little, he gets used to being fed and we are forced to do it all the time. But why does your dog only eat from your hand? Normally, a dog not eating alone is not due to one cause but to several of the following:
- He is afraid of the environment: if the food is next to a noisy appliance or he has had a bad experience, he will avoid approaching to her.
- You reinforce his behavior: If he was distracted and you hand-fed him, you rewarded his behavior and hope that keep doing it. Also, if you say “okay” when he takes the food from your hand, the dog thinks you like that behavior and repeats it to please you.
- You are his role model: if he is used to eating in your presence, as a role model or guide to follow, he expects you to offer food.
- He's full: If your dog doesn't get enough exercise or treats between meals, he may not be hungry. When you give him food by hand, he only takes it because you give it to him, not because he wants it.
- There are other dogs at home: if other dogs live at home and try to steal food, the dog may only feel safe if it eats from your hand.
- You're sick: Many conditions can cause a lack of appetite, such as a blockage, depression, or periodontal disease. Hand-feeding makes it easier for him to pick up the food.
What to do if my dog won't eat by himself?
Now that you know the main reasons why your dog does not eat if you are not with him, you can try to solve it. To do this, it is recommended that you go to an ethologist This behavioral professional will help you discover the causes of your behavior in order to modify it.
If it is not possible to consult an ethologist, these tips may help:
- Set a regular meal time.
- Share more time with your dog and base your relationship with him on the activities you do together, not just on food.
- At each meal, move further and further away from him until he can eat when you're in another room. Then, try going out for short periods of time and increase the time you spend outside.
- Get the dog to associate loneliness with good things. Use intelligence toys to keep her entertained and add an irresistible treat to her meal before you leave.
- Don't drag out the farewell, don't make it look like a party or a drama.
- Tire him up and relieve his stress thanks to daily exercise. If the dog is tired, he will be more relaxed when you leave
- Make him feel safer at home. You can try to shut him out from the noise by leaving the TV or radio on.
- Work on her confidenceso that she loses her fear
- Change the location of the bowl if you are afraid to eat there.
- Prevents other dogs from bothering him while feeding.
- Teach him to eat from the bowl; feed him by hand into the bowl until you can put it down and he picks it up himself.
To help you establish a meal schedule, in this video we explain how much a dog eats a day:
