I don't breed, but have been wondering about something.

I don't know if it's true but I've heard from a few sources now that feeding puppies together at meal times encourages them to food guard - not at that time, but later in life.  They learn that other dogs are a threat to their food source.

If this is the case, would that be a reason to feed puppies separately?  Or at least to feed them from separate dishes and watch to make sure they don't swap and steal each other's food?

Just musing.

I think many people would agree but I on the other hand think it helps - I always move the dish about etc when my dogs are pups so that they learn not to guard food - I don't mind them lifting a lip to each other later in life because that dinner is rightly theirs however I have yet to have / breed a pup that refuses to eat and I think that a big part of that is down to feeding from a shared bowl.....none have food aggression either ;)

I always feed my litters from separate bowls, holding the bowls at chest height, and they've never guarded their food from each other, or from their new owners when they've carried on this method. When human hands have been near their bowls from the outset they never fear that their meal is under threat, so no growling when children walk near.

It also means that greedy pups don't get more than their fair share! :D It's the slower eaters who tend to lose out in a communal situation, so may well learn to be more defensive.

Always let my pups share their bowls, and always watch out to ensure that they are feeding equally.  Ive never had any problems.

Ditto

Hi 123,

I've only had one litter (more than enough thank you :P ) with 8 pups so not got much experience to call on but I had two trays in the early weeks and three trays as they grew on and just ensured all the pups got enough - one big boy used to lie in the middle and everyone had to eat around him :rolleyes:

That said, when I was down to running on three at 8 weeks they were then fed separately because one was a little madam and decided anything edible was hers alone!  She outgrew that PDQ as she was the one who stayed :D

I think if I was doing it again (shudddder) I'd feed them separately a bit sooner ..... jury's out on that though ;)

I thought it had to do with how the owners feed them.  If I say my dog's name while she's eating her dinner she will immediately stop and sit because she knows that this means she is going to get some scraps off our plates.

Group feeding can backfire too, they may eat well when all the pups are together, but what about pups who go to homes alone?  Without the company of another dog it is more likely to have feeding problems as it isn't used to eating from a bowl alone ;)

We usually individually feed untill the puppies are about 4 weeks and we know that all are getting on with it, the we have 2-3 trays that are divided into 4 sections that we then us and space the puppies round. we have done this for some years and have had no problems

Lynn

I do the opposite! Group feed when they are 1st starting - everyone gets enough because the food's never all gone (unless they fall in it ) Then feed from individual bowls & spend my time scooping pups up, putting them back to their OWN dish until they get the hang of it. I love it when they spend as much time cleaning the food off each other as they do actually eating :)

I have just bought a Weanafeeda.

http://www.cleanafeeda.com/html/weana.html

Its brilliant, but they do still climb over/in/through everything, and I still have to keep returning them to there own 'little stable'.  They are now 6 weeks and this way I know each is getting enough (without them chasing the bowls around the floor) :D Although one has managed to lift the metal bowl and strut around the kitchen with it. They are so comical :)

pups will usually do what they want i had a litter of red cattles about 4 years ago and i fondly remember at three weeks one of the pupies getting out of the play pen while mumma dog was eating and sat in the middle of mumma dogs bowl and ate her puppy food while my back was turned i turned around and mumma dog was licking around her while she was taking up half the bowl and that puppy is now the dog that im breeding now also to you can put down enough bowls for each puppy and seperate them but they will somehow always manage to end up at the one bowl with al there heads stuck in it i dont have a problem with it i think it encourages sharing and less aggressive growlin/biting

THat Weanafeeda looks excellent, Kayc.  That way the pups can all eat together and you can carry the whole thing in, in one go, no pups stand in their food, and pups are separated so can't guard (especially if you get a Maxi one, as the "stable" between them is bigger that way.)