Food Behavior

Question
I have a female almost 2 year old Boxer. She is UTD on shots and topical treatment for fleas and heartworms. She was fixed a young age. The question is about her food habits. She Shares our home with a 4 year old male Boxer. When we feed them there are always two bowls put down. The food is the same in both bowls. She will eat out of the male's bowl and not eat her food. This doesn't bother either of the dogs so that is  not really the issue. The issue is she pushes the other bowl around the house trying to hide the food. We have watched her push the other full bowl under the shared dog bed, under rugs, and under tables all in an effort to "hide" it. This just started about three months ago but it happens every time we feed her. Is there something wrong with her or is she just nesting?

Answer
No, she isn't nesting-- females that are spayed do not nest. Only pregnant females do.

My females are the same way around their males.

Females are selfish and greedy and the dominate of the species. Males are not and are the submissive one.

As long as they get along, it shouldn't be a problem. She's just wanting his share for herself.

But........

It is not acceptable behavior. So modification is in order.

When she starts to scoot and hide his bowl, pick it up and take it away from her immediately.

For 2 weeks, try this with both of them to establish that you are the alpha and she is a submissive like him:

Put both food bowls on the table and have them sit in front of you, watching. Place a cookie or cracker on the table behind the bowls. Pick up the cookie or cracker-- it will look like you removed it from the food bowls, and stand and eat it. Do not look at them. Just eat and look around while eating.

When you are finished, place their bowl down on the floor in front of them and tell them "okay, eat."

What you are doing is done in the wild with wild dogs and wolves. The alpha always eats first and eats what they want leaving the remainder for the pack, and the alpha tells the pack when they can eat.

Once 2 weeks have passed, they both will see you as the alpha and themselves as the submissive.

This will probably stop her from hiding his food. If it does not- then feed them and take hers away when she is finished and remove her from the area that he is eating. Leash her if necessary and push her down on her back into a submissive position. This is what an alpha does when displeased. Makes the submissive on lay on their back.

Let me know how it helps.