Marinepits wrote:Slightly off-topic, but I think single dogs tend to eat differently than multiple dogs -- I've noticed among my own crew that, when we feed them all together, everyone eats quickly and then looks around to make sure there isn't any more food.
When we just had Samantha years ago, she'd pick at her food all day and never have a sense of urgency over eating (unless she was given steak, LOL). When we adopted Katy, Sam suddenly developed a VERY different eating pattern -- when the food was put down for them, they'd both eat quickly and not leave any in their dishes.
Normally we feed the whole crew together at the same time, twice per day. (Of course, they are all separated away from eachother so there is no fighting.) Now, due to Indy's illness and his changed feeding schedule, we feed the four on their regular schedule and Indy is fed upstairs at another time and away from everyone. Indy is usually a HOOVER and the second one done with his food when they're all together. When he's alone, he picks at his food and takes a long time chomping each piece. However, if he hears the other dogs coming up the stairs, he inhales his food.
I think it all comes back to competition for food among dog "packs".
Great post....and when I think about it, it makes sense....which is why it's hard for me to explain Sacha...When it was just sacha, she scarfed down her food...even when it was Sacha and Nisha...she would scarf her food down...but now, it's a whole bunch of dogs, and she eats nice and slow!
mnp13 wrote:Dog_Shrink wrote: I have known a few pitties that if they felt not in tip top shape would definately fast themselves,
Dogs don't have "feelings" about their weight. I don't think they have a concept of "self image."
Dog_Shrink wrote:I don't think that assuming an animal would fast itself if it felt unable to best represent itself physically if it needed to is NOT out of the realm of possible.
If it felt
unable? Don't get me wrong, I adore my dogs and I tend to anthropomorphize them, but animals don't have the capacity to understand what their best physical shape is and then compare it to their current shape is and then gauge their eating habits accordingly.
I'd be very interested in the source of this information.
One thing I am wondering, however...no, I don't think a dog fasts itself as a result of understanding their best physical shape...but I do wonder if fasting can sometimes be a result of some knowledge that food would slow them down?
I say this because, in my house, Cy, Jue, and Nemo are the males...They will all (although Cy more than Nemo and Jue) lose their appetites when a female is in heat....
especially Cy...and I think about how humans feel after a big meal - I feel full and don't want to do much...so, I wonder if Cy stops eating so he will have the energy to breed?
However, I don't think he does it to make himself leaner or more handsome...I just think it's more instinctual....sorry, I don't know if my post makes any sense...