Thanks..if jeter was the only dog int he house eating this food I would consider that.

I feed them Wellness Core...this is supposed to be one of the best quality foods.

Please keep in mind that his stool has been very loose on and off for the last week or so.

he pooped in the bathroom right in front of my wife a few mornings ago which is very unusual. he probably has an upset stomach.

I cant keep running him to the vet every time the slightest sign of anything. Its a fortune!!

I would get a different batch, and I would give the dog absolute freedom from anxiety about food-interlopers.

Neither step is burdensome, and I really betcha it's one or the other (now that we've seen the additional posts).

I will have to move the feeding area because it is within view of the crates. No big deal.

Weird because he doesn't do this with the dinner feeding.

But I definatly sense some underlying issue with meal time with him lately.

I dont think that would explain the loose stool or pooping in the bathroom but maybe the stress while eating is creating part of this.

Kind of a broad point, but "one of the best quality foods" means little, IMO, with regard to contaminated food.

Yes, I trust that brand MUCH more than many others, but remember all the top-quality brands recalled in 2006?

And some dogs refused the tainted food, while others didn't seem to notice or care.

Also, a batch of the best commercial food in the world can have a split seam with contamination of any of several possibilities introduced.

Maybe (probably) not the issue here, but I just wanted to mention again that I would trust the dog, trying another batch, if I suspected the food.

You guys are the best. I don't know what I would without you all.

 Quote: Alec S. Garrison

... But I definatly sense some underlying issue with meal time with him lately.

Yup. I'd for sure eliminate the easy factors asap: a new bag of food in a different brand or recipe (even a small bag) and removing all food-anxiety triggers.

Hi Alec, I can relate with your problem. Jethro "buries" his bones when I give him a bone at the same time as Skipper (I don't do this anymore). He uses his nose to try to bury it - as if he was sweeping imaginary dirt over it. At one point I was giving him his bone on a tea towel and he would wrap it up with the towel. I interpret the behaviour as instinct, as a way of protecting, hiding, or removing a treasured object from sight.

We used to feed Jethro and Skipper in the same room side by side. Then we fed them in the same room but at opposite corners of the room. Now we feed them in separate rooms and they can barely hear each other eating. As Jethro ages, the power dynamics are shifting and we are taking better care to manage potential flare ups.

I now give Jethro his bones in his crate with no fanfare or special treatment. When I come back, the bones are chewed and the marrow sucked out. He has been doing a lot less of that burying behaviour. At one point I was afraid he was going to injure the top of his nose.

It sounds to me like Jeter is not having enough privacy to enjoy his food and not have eyes in the back of his head, fearful of an attack. The morning might be worse than the evening because they are starting a fresh day and have to re-negotiate their positions vis a vis power, boundaries, and safety.

This is my first time learning to live with two dogs and maintain healthy boundaries and interactions. So far, so good.

My Grace sometimes did weird things with her kibble before we switched to raw. She has EPI and her stomach was often upset (it was often obvious to me and I am sure it happened even more when I didn't know it).

All three of my GSDs sometimes get "empty stomach syndrome", meaning in the morning, they have an upset stomach because it was empty too long. Usually, there is some bile vomiting and a reluctance to eat. I make sure this doesn't happen by feeding a bedtime snack.

I am wondering if Jeter actually has a little bit of an upset stomach in the morning only and this behavior is the display...ultimately, he eats it because he knows the other dog will possibly get it.

Speculation, of course, but those are my thoughts

Hi, a newbie here .. but i had this issues with a GS years ago, jsut tossed his food round in the am and listless kinda, showed interest but was like .. "meh" when it came time to eat.. all other meals where fine.. turned out he had a suger issue - not quite diabeties- but in the am after so long w/o food and the body in lax mode over night he was nautious in the am which was why he just poked at it. After he actually got something in his system his eatting was better IE evenings. .. not sure but maybe worth a check?

 Quote: Alec S. Garrison

Its always something with Jeter. What does it mean when a dog takes his kibble and picks a few pieces up and drops it outside his bowl and then nudges the kibble with his nose moving it towards the bowl?

He also makes the same movement (like he is sweeping the floor with his nose) when there is no kibble there. This happens while he is eating breakfast.

He never does it with dinner.

This has been going on for a few weeks.

I should mention that his stool was very loose for a week or so while this was going on.

My wife said it was lose again a couple of days ago and again he is playing with his food but only the morning feeding. I think he doesn't feel well (probably got into something that is upsetting his stomach)but I am trying to find out the connection between not feeling well and using his nose to push food that's not even there.

Tenzin will do this when I give him a bully stick or treat he really likes but does not want to eat right away or wants to take a break from it. After he has chewed on his bully stick he will take it to his bed or corner of a room and try to like Jenny said to bury it with imaginary dirt he gets frustrated when he can't bury it and starts crying a bit. (I know I'm horrible but it can be super funny at times) I would probably change the bag of food as well if he has a loose stool, but maybe he is not that hungry in the morning and wants to save some for later.