Are your dogs carrying their food away from their pet place mats? This can be puzzling and even frustrating behavior. However, there are a few reasons your dog may be doing this, and some easy solutions to help prevent your dog from carrying food away from their pet feeding mats.
Multi-Dog Households May Need Separate Pet Place Mats and Food Bowls
In multi-dog homes, your pet may carry food off to help avoid fights. Carrying food away from pet place mats may be an act of submission to another one of your dogs. This comes from their ancestry of living in packs. Rather than confront the leader, the other dogs would simply take small pieces of food and transport them away from the leader. Your dog may be exhibiting a similar behavior in a multi-dog household.
The solution: Get pet place mats and bowls for each of your dogs and separate them during meal times.
Your Dog Wants Companionship
Did you know that dogs get lonely just like people? Dogs are social by nature. They crave companionship when they’re alone. This behavior is also instinctual, as their ancestors lived in packs for safety. If you’ve noticed your dog carrying their food into the room where you are, this might be the cause of the behavior.
The solution: Try moving pet place mats into rooms where you frequently spend time, or stay in the same room while they eat.
Unpleasant Smells Coming From Bowls or Pet Place Mats
Another issue that might cause your dog to carry food away from their feeding mats is that they’re smelling something off-putting. Have you ever tried eating a meal while sitting next to someone with overpowering perfume? Most people lose their appetites in this situation. The same thing might be happening to your dog. Even scents we find appealing can be unappetizing to your dog.
The solution: If it’s been a while since you washed your pet place mats, give them a good cleaning to remove any unpleasant odors. If this isn’t the case, they might not like the smell of the soap you use to clean their bowls and dog food mats. Try switching to unscented soaps and detergents if possible.
Noises from Metal Feeding Bowls
Also, the type of food bowl you have may be to blame for this odd eating behavior. Metal bowls might clink when dog tags and collars hit them, or they might make strange noises if they move around on the food mat. These sounds can scare or irritate your dog and make them want to avoid their bowl.
The solution: Try switching to a plastic or ceramic food bowl that doesn’t make as many noises.
At Curtis Wagner Plastics, we specialize in designing and manufacturing plastic and cork home products. From pet products to floral products like clear corsage boxes and plant saucers, our team creates items that make your life easier. We make all our products in the U.S.A. to ensure the highest quality manufacturing. Call us at (713) 937-3784 to place an order today! We are here to serve you.