Doggie Piggy

Question
I have a two year old beagle/jack mix who is a pig. In the house also are four cats and another dog. He eats all of his food, the cats food, and the other dogs food. He even takes his rounds throughout the day licking the other food bowls. I know that we could just put the cats bowls up higher, and not free feed the dogs, but I wondered if there were another solution because he is the only animal that causes a problem with feeding. I would also like to add that he is too smart for the special dog bowls, he just dumps everything on the ground. Is there some other technique?

Answer
Hi Chandler,

Dogs are natural scavengers, most will eat whatever is presented to them, or whatever they can find that is inviting.

You don't have a lot of options with your one dog,  who eats everything in sight. It may well be the Beagle in him, but it's not something you can train him out of. The solution is  simple one: prevent him access from the cat's food (and litterbox!) as well as to stick to a scheduled feeding time, rather than free-range feeding.

One option, instead of putting the cat's food up on a counter, is to keep it in a room that has a child gate in it's doorway. The cats will easily jump over the child gate to get to their food and litter box, and your dog will be effectively blocked.

I know how annoying it is when you have a dog who's continually scavenging for something to eat. I have one dog who's well fed, but has developed the habit of licking the kitchen floor.  Dogs can develop these neurotic habits, and they're really hard to break. When it comes down to it though, it's better that a dog passes it's time licking other dog's empty food bowls, or the kitchen floor, than it is if he was to develop the habit of continually licking himself. Some dogs do this, and develop horrible open sores which do not heal, because of the constant licking.  So, for you and me both, things can be worse.

With a little prevention, your dog won't get the cat's food.

Giving your dog something to do if he's left alone during the day, can help too. Using a Kong or BusterCube style toy, which you fill with food or treats not only takes up time, it's also mental stimulation.  Taking your dog on leashed walks, and allowing him time to sniff around as much as he wants is also a form of mental stimulation you can try.

Best of luck,

Patti