# Fuzz only eats off of the floor???



## fuzz (Apr 13, 2009)

Hey all,

Well, it appears as if Fuzz only likes to eat off of the floor. His new habit started roughly a month ago. Before he would chomp away at his food, but now it's a struggle to get him to keep his food in the bowl. I've tried elevating his bowl, keeping it flat on the ground, holding it for him as he eats, hiding 1 or 2 treats in his food, but he only eats if I take the food out of the bowl and put it on the ground. AND I can't put too much on the ground or else he doesn't touch it, it has to be about 5 kibbles at a time. If I leave him with the food in the bowl for one minute, I'll return and the bowl will be upside and he won't touch the food until I remove all but 5 kibbles. What's going on? This is so weird. There have been no drastic changes in his lifestyle besides getting neutered 2 weeks ago, but this habit started before he got neutered. He's turning 7 months old this month. Is he getting tired of his food?

Any advice? Thanks


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## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

LOL nevermind, I didn't fully read your post before(was in a hurry). I agree with littlemissy.


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## littlemissy (May 19, 2009)

Sounds like he's got you trained and you are not alone in that one believe me


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## fuzz (Apr 13, 2009)

QUOTE (littlemissy @ Jul 9 2009, 12:11 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=802966


> Sounds like he's got you trained and you are not alone in that one believe me [/B]


i agree with you  but it gets annoying when I'm in a hurry to go somewhere and I have to spend 15 minutes feeding him, OR even when I get home and he hasn't touched his food.


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## littlemissy (May 19, 2009)

If he is hungry he will eat when he sees you will no longer hand feed him. I would get a heavier bottomed bowl leave it down for fifteen minutes at a time or however you normally do it and ignore. Do you really want to be feeding him this way for the rest of his life? One of my dogs loved it when I hand fed her but as soon as she saw I wasn't her food slave anymore she got back to eating out of the bowl after a few days. I am sorry this is happening because I understand the frustration and time constraints if you have to leave etc. How much does he weigh? Don't give any snacks or extras until he begins to eat out of the bowl or however you want him to again. If he is a healthy weight now I would nip this in the bud or it will go on forever.


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## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

One of my fluffs is doing similar thing but I know it's my fault. Whenever my hubby feeds him, he seems to eat from the bowl just fine. But when it's me, the little fluff just sits there and stares at me until I put some food on the floor. And he just won't eat until I give in. He has me trained!! :blush: 

PS He also won't eat if no one's home. Weird!


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## littlemissy (May 19, 2009)

QUOTE (cleooscar @ Jul 9 2009, 02:26 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=803198


> One of my fluffs is doing similar thing but I know it's my fault. Whenever my hubby feeds him, he seems to eat from the bowl just fine. But when it's me, the little fluff just sits there and stares at me until I put some food on the floor. And he just won't eat until I give in. He has me trained!! :blush:
> 
> PS He also won't eat if no one's home. Weird![/B]


I hear you. These littler rascals are certainly smart at getting their way :HistericalSmiley: and who they can get what to do.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (fuzz @ Jul 8 2009, 11:15 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=802942


> Hey all,
> 
> Well, it appears as if Fuzz only likes to eat off of the floor. His new habit started roughly a month ago. Before he would chomp away at his food, but now it's a struggle to get him to keep his food in the bowl. I've tried elevating his bowl, keeping it flat on the ground, holding it for him as he eats, hiding 1 or 2 treats in his food, but he only eats if I take the food out of the bowl and put it on the ground. AND I can't put too much on the ground or else he doesn't touch it, it has to be about 5 kibbles at a time. If I leave him with the food in the bowl for one minute, I'll return and the bowl will be upside and he won't touch the food until I remove all but 5 kibbles. What's going on? This is so weird. There have been no drastic changes in his lifestyle besides getting neutered 2 weeks ago, but this habit started before he got neutered. He's turning 7 months old this month. Is he getting tired of his food?
> 
> Any advice? Thanks[/B]


Personally I don't expect Matls to eat large helpings all in one sitting. They have tiny tummies. I free feed both of mine which means keeping food down (kibble) at all times. So they get the daily amount all at once and they graze all day on it until it's just about gone and we start again the next day. YoYo came to us as a rescue and he wasn't used to free feeding--you'd put his food down and he'd gulp the whole thing down which didn't seem healthy at all to me. Gradually he began to free feed just like Ollie. They are both at perfect weights and their poo/pee schedule is very regular. 

As far as eating off the floor, etc, you set the rules. Put his food in his bowl and when he gets hungry enough he'll eat it.

Ollie sometimes likes to eat his off the floor--he'll take a few out of his bowl, drop them on the floor, and then eat them one at a time. No big deal.


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## fuzz (Apr 13, 2009)

THANKS ALL FOR THE SUGGESTIONS!!!! 

Now my question is how do I keep him from turning the bowl over when I'm not home? Someone suggested weighing it down, how? I could somehow tie it down but he chews anything he can fit his mouth around. 

Someone mentioned his weight. He weighed in at 6.8 pounds 2 weeks ago and is currently 6 months and 2 weeks old. I stood him up and measured 9 inches from his shoulders to the ground and 17 inches from his nose to his butt. Is that an ideal weight?

THANKS AGAIN


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

Sassy went through a phase when she didn't like the strong smell of kibbles in her bowl. I found that if I poured her kibbles in advance so that they could "air out" she would then eat them from the bowl. Just a thought.............hope this helps.


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## 3malteseboyz (Feb 6, 2008)

QUOTE (fuzz @ Jul 8 2009, 11:15 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=802942


> Hey all,
> 
> Well, it appears as if Fuzz only likes to eat off of the floor. His new habit started roughly a month ago. Before he would chomp away at his food, but now it's a struggle to get him to keep his food in the bowl. I've tried elevating his bowl, keeping it flat on the ground, holding it for him as he eats, hiding 1 or 2 treats in his food, but he only eats if I take the food out of the bowl and put it on the ground. AND I can't put too much on the ground or else he doesn't touch it, it has to be about 5 kibbles at a time. If I leave him with the food in the bowl for one minute, I'll return and the bowl will be upside and he won't touch the food until I remove all but 5 kibbles. What's going on? This is so weird. There have been no drastic changes in his lifestyle besides getting neutered 2 weeks ago, but this habit started before he got neutered. He's turning 7 months old this month. Is he getting tired of his food?
> 
> Any advice? Thanks[/B]


Have you tried using a flat plate to see if he will eat from it? Some Malteses will only eat from a flat plate. My first Maltese did this. If you try the flat plate put a treat on it first (not at the time of his normal feeding) and them him good boy in an exciting tone if he takes it and then praise him (Good Boy).

Try not leaving his food down even if you leave the room for a few minutes. Don't leave food when you are not home. If he doesn't eat his meals after 30 minutes pick it up and try again later. When he is hungry he will eat. If you think you may want to try a different food give it a try using a flat plate. I think in time he will out grow this if you don't give into him. Do you give him a few treats between meals and does he eat them...if he does at least you know his tummy isn't empty.

When my little one didn't want to eat his meals he knew what the trash bin was for and I would fake putting some of his food from the plate into the bin....he would bark and I would place his food down and then he ate it....They have us trained - lol


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