New Rescue Dog Afraid of Her Food Dish - Any Ideas?

When we took the foster parent classes we had a section on similar situations...really, just read on....lol.

When a child is taken from their home there is no telling the exact reasons, even if the child welfare worker is being honest, they are not going to know everything or willing to tell everything.

For example:

One child may freak out in the bathroom each and every time you even say the word. You have no idea what has happened to that child in that room. They could have had to sit in freezing water, hot water, held under the water, forced to do any number of things.

The same with this dog. No telling what the previous owners did to this dog while he was in their care. I would just try and find a way he is comfortable eating and go with it, even if it is off the floor. He may have been punished if he ate food at the wrong time, there are so many possibilities.

Good for you! We rescued a dog back in September and had the same issue. I ended up feeding her by hand for a few days, and doing it right next to the dish. I sat on the floor next to it and fed her, and would put on hand on the dish, and slowly move it around a little. She was calm enough being by me and getting food that she hardly noticed the dish moving, but eventually moving it around de-sensitized her to it. After a couple of days I put the food in the dish, but still sat next to it and petted her while encouraging her to eat from it. Worked like a charm. I also had my daughter hand feed her a couple of the times so the dog would trust her and realized she was also 'useful' to have! If she is slow to warm up to that, then start using treats and putting treats in the bowl, but probably the most helpful thing is for you to sit by it and de-sensitize her a little at a time. Good luck with your new buddy!

Awe, your doggie sounds sooooo cute. There are challenges when you take an adult dog into your home, because they can't tell you what their life was like. Dogs are very much like children. We got our dog from the SPCA. He was 5 years old when we adopted him. We had to teach him that it is ok to bark; otherwise, we would have wound up with a barkless dog. (Not something my family wants, because it's just too creepy.) He is a picky eater. If he doesn't like his dog food, he won't eat it. You might want to try various kinds of dog food to see which one your new dog will be crazy over. Our dog likes Dinner Rounds, Alpo steak, (Hard to get.) dry or moist Beneful, and Chef Michaels. Unfortunately he also likes cat food, which is a big no, no. He loves seafood, but dog food doesn't come in that flavor. He hates hot dogs and the brown and serve type of sausage. You can also coax your dog to his dish by offering a really good little treat. Then put a treat in the dish and try to have him take it out. It will take a lot of patience, but he'll get there.

My little yorkie came to us at 7 months old from a family in Oklahoma with 12 other dogs. When it comes to eating, she dumps the dry food on the floor anyway or she puts her paw on it to hold it in place.

You can leave some food on the plate and put a little of it on the floor.....
It will probably take some time. So glad to hear your dog is eating. That's important.

I would get her a rubber or plastic tray, just the kind of mat you'd have under a bowl that you can get for $1 or 2. Then fix it to the floor. They make tacky stuff for putting posters on dorm walls. It should work. Bring her over. Poke it. Show her that it won't move. Put a few kibbles on it and see how she does with it. Maybe move them from your hand to the mat so she sees something she likes associated with it.

She may have been beaten with a dish or had someone yell at her or maybe she had an accident with one as a puppy. You just don't know. Perhaps over time you can put the other bowls on the mat and have her eat out of them, but for now I'd keep it low and steady.

Awwww.....I've had dogs all of my life, but am in now way a 'dog expert'!
Sounds like she's just really skittish. I had a mix that was kind of like that...not with his dish, but with sudden movements, something blown by the wind, etc. What was the dish before the double stainless O.? CAn you go back to that for a bit?
I think she will eventually realize her new dish is sturdy and stable and bears food!--a great motivator for a hungry doggie.
Just be patient, give her some space at mealtime and I would think she'll figure it out.

Is she acting afraid of the dish all the time? Or is she ignoring the dish, unless the food is in it and then acting afraid/stressed when the food is there?

I would suggest trying something like Kade did, if the dog is trusting of you and not completely freaked out by the dish.

Also, I would suggest putting the dish on a rubber mat or other non-sliding surface, so that it doesn't move again when she is finally able to get the courage up to try the food.

Also, while trying to desensitize her, use "high value treats" -- small pieces of cut up hot dogs, cheese cubes, or pieces of liverwurst (our Lab loved that stuff, but all I ever thought was EW! when we gave it to him).

Mom,
Likely you will have to put your hand in her dish while she eats from your hand, and then gradually put the food in her dish, and then just sit with her as she eats, and then start doing more things while she eats.

it's a trust issue. the paper plate was just the catalyst.

She's been on the street for how long? No idea. You're lucky you have a great dog.

we had a dog who was off the street and he also would eat anything not nailed down, even sneaked food off the table by standing on 2 legs!

put a leash on her and tie her to you. get her used to being with you, following you, and she will trust you more. It'll take a week, maybe two.

Good luck!
M.