I have a question about my dog's eating habits, but I haven't put it in 'health' as she's in fine fettle.  She's a nine month old Lab, absolutley lovely temprament, still very mental at times and ocassionally goes completely loopy and needs ignoring for a bit to calm her down.  However I've noticed something about her eating that I'm assuming is because she's a social animal and just thought I'd ask here to check. 

I feed her twice a day.  Her morning feed is after we've had a long walk and the humans have eaten breakfast.  Then I feed her and go upstairs for a shower.  When I come back down she hasn't touched her food.  Some days I go out to work after my shower and at lunchtime she still hasn't touched it.  A few days ago I twigged that if she's in the same room as us and watches us eat then she'll have her breakfast afterwards providing we're in the same room as her (but not if we leave.)  Even more weirdly is that on the odd ocassion she's had her food down while we've been eating she won't touch it until we've finished.  Is she enforcing her own position as submissive one in the pack?  It seems very weird behaviour for a (supposedly greedy) lab. 

I'm not worried about her, she's the love of my life and is a happy little thing - but it just seems very odd and I wondered if it was normal?!

>Even more weirdly is that on the odd ocassion she's had her food down while we've been eating she won't touch it until we've finished.  Is she enforcing her own position as submissive one in the pack

No. she isn't enforcing her position in the pack.. you are human, she is a dog... therefore you do not belong to the pack... what she is most probably doing.. is waiting to see if she is going to get a more interesting and tastier titbit, than boring old dog food ;)

None of mine will eat their food if I am nibbling something... but when my last peice is gone.. they dive into their own... and I feed raw... probably tastier than boring old toast lol... BUT... the grass is supposedly greener :D

so, to answer your question... yes, perfectly normal :)

My youngest dog, a cocker spaniel, is definitely bottom of the pecking order (I have two more spaniels) and wouldn't eat in the presence of the other two, therefore, I feed him in the kitchen, away from them.  He won't eat unless I am in the kitchen too.  If I am watching TV for instance, he will pick up on small biscuit, bring it to me and sit at my feet to eat it.  He then repeats this, one bit at a time.  He's slender (although not underweight) and it can take 45 mins for him to eat a bowl of Autarky, made worse by the fact he gets more than anyone else!

I have tried bringing the whole bowl in the sitting room but he then eats lying down, biscuit at a time.  If I go upstairs then it's guaranteed he won't eat.  If I feed him in his kennel alone, he won't eat.  If the other dogs are around, he won't eat!  If I offer him (or any of them for that matter) treats as a reward when training, he won't eat.  If he's out working, he won''t eat!  It's a nightmare.

He doesn't beg as I believe he sees himself as too far down in the pecking order to even consider being given food that way.

However, he's perfectly 'normal' in every other way and a happy little soul although a bit of a baby!

When a dog is on it's own it certainly does accept humans as being part of it's pack also cats and whoever else it lives with in the household, not the same as a dog pack, but still a pack. And being such, a lot of dogs will only enjoy eating with their human counterparts in the same room, as eating is a social event.

Though I do agree he is not taking the underdog stance and is waiting for any titbits from your food first before attempting to eat his own, it is a perfectly normal thing though for your dog to want you in the kitchen with him/her whilst eating.

When I leave the kitchen especially when I have my mum's dogs, the alpha bitch will stay to eat and the others will follow me and not eat, so I stay in there until they have all finished, with me in there they will all equally eat together, when I am not they won't.

My alpha bitch is pretty much the opposite, she will stand back and let the others eat (if) she feels so inclined... especially the youngsters even though they are not her own.... or allow them to eat from her bowl

I suppose it depends on what you consider a 'pack' but in my opinion, a single dog looks to you for companionship.. they relies on us for food and pretty much their every need...dogs are sociable companionable animals

I have what most people would call a pack... none of them regard me as a member of their pack, nor do they regard me as alpha... but they rely in me for everything... food, companionship, etc...

My dogs will eat anything, anywhere, anytime... but, if I am eating, they will wait... not because I am alpha, not because I am a part of the pack, but simply because what I have is so much more interersting, whether it actually is or not, is neither here nor there to them ;)

Much of it is down to how we allow them to behave.. what is normal for one owner, may seem pretty restrictive to another... however... if it suits you, and you are quite happy for the dog to behave this way, and there is nothing else untoward in behaviour etc... then I cant see any wrong with it :)  Personally, if I just had the one dog, I wouldnt find a problem in this