I knew this day would come eventually. Roger has been working up to it for a very long time.

Part of his food ritual is that he must wait until given the "OK" to actually eat. It was my idea in the beginning, but he really ran w/it. He'll wait for 10 minutes with saliva pouring from his mouth and still not make a move for the bowl.

It's great, except...he's waiting longer and longer, and slowly becoming less responsive to the "OK" command. He just looks at me, drooling, and finally today no amount of "OK" or "good" would actually get him to eat. I finally grabbed the bowl, lifted it to his face while he sat there, and then lowered it once he started eating.

But WTF? I mean, what's he asking for? Does he want a different command? Does he want to do something additional to earn the food? He's an extremely food-motivated dog and will eat whatever I put in front of him, and his high-value treats are carrots and broccoli, so this far he has been an absolute dream to deal with on the food front. So how can I solve this strange little hiccup?

How about having him sit with you still holding the bowl, wait for a second or two, then put the dish under his nose and lower it to the floor saying okay?

I suppose he has left me with no other choice at this point!

So, do you think this is Roger testing you Ross, or is it just that he has decided that he didn't want to eat?
I am just very curious.

Well, he's never been one of those dogs that has trouble eating. And the saliva pouring out of his mouth suggests that he does want to eat the food, but he looks at me as though he thinks he's supposed to be doing something (in addition to obeying "leave it" until released) to earn it.

If he was "testing" me--what might he be testing for?

Have you picked up the bowl and held it for him before this?

I don't know?
I happen to have dogs that have issues with eating sometimes.
I have to change up the routines. What I mean is I don't do the same thing all the time to give them their food.
For one dog, my male, I make him go through a series of commands before he gets his food.

Maybe just change up the routine today and make him do something different and see what he does?

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

Have you picked up the bowl and held it for him before this?

Nope, never. This is the first time this has happened, though as I said, I'm really not surprised given the way he's been trending lately.

Joyce I may have to do the same as you.

I wouldn't pick up the bowl again though. You don't want that to become the habit, that he waits until you pick it up for him.

Maybe try setting the bowl down behind him while he's sitting?

Like Joyce suggested...mix it up!

or put him in a sit in a different room?

Is there a possibility the release command has become confused?

Do you have him wait after you put his food down as a way to reinforce his "stay"? Have you had to correct him for not complying, even by something like bringing him back to the same spot and making him do it again?

It sounds like there is confusion here and possibly a little stress.