Expert: Liz Gregory - 4/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: We have  4 month old.... (love of our lives) Cavalier named Charlie... He is not over weight as I am a beleiver that it is very unhealthy for your dog to be over weight.  We also have a 16 year old Cocker :)and a 9 yr old Lasa :)  Our lil Charlie LOVES to eat and NEVER seems full... He is being fed 3x a day 1/3 cup of Iams puppy food plus treats for training... He is growing beautifully and his stature is perfect and has a georgous smooth coat :)  BUT when ever I feed my other dogs I have to put him away for he will eat EVERY BITE of food left in their dishes to the point where he looks like he will explode... What can I do to help him not become an over eater?  I am currently having him sit until he is relaxed and then I feed him.  If not he will eat every morsel in 2 minutes. PS He is in no way hungry...and has been extremly easy to train due to the fact he will work for anything you give him... LOL
Thank you so much, Jen

ANSWER: Hi Jennifer,
Charlie sounds like a typical Cavalier! People who have multiple dogs in the house, always have trouble with competitive eating with their cavaliers. If he was the only dog, you would be e-mailing me that you can't get him to eat! Cavaliers are all or nothing with food! It is good that you make him wait for his food until he quiets down, one of my girls started to get out of control and would bark and go crazy when we were getting ready to feed them. The other dogs were starting to do the same thing so we had to stop this behavior.
I am not sure if there is anything to do to keep him from going for their food when he finishes his. My males have to eat separate from the girls as they do the same thing, gobble their food down and then run for the girls. I feed them in their crate in a separate room and don't let them out until everyone finishes and the bowls are up. Short of standing there while they eat, I don't think there is a way that you can keep him from trying to get at their food.
From what you are saying Charlie has plenty to eat and 3X a day should keep him quite satisfied. I would suggest using vegetables for training if he likes them. My cavaliers will do anything for a slice of Green pepper or a carrot. That is something that they like and won't put weight on him. It is excellent that you keep an eye on weight, so many people have overweight cavaliers because of their food drive. My mother, who also shows and breeds cavaliers constantly has weight problems with some of her dogs. I am like you with watching the weight of all my dogs.
My husband is planning on bringing his Portuguese Water Dog out to eat with the girls in the kitchen, he is one of the competitive eaters and also a 4 month old puppy. If he can get him to finish his food and leave the girls alone, I will be happy to share the secret with the you! But I don't think he will be able to change this behavior without staying in the room until they are finished.
I also think that dogs that do this are very alpha. You may want to watch that he understands that he is not the alpha dog, that you and your family are alpha. Its very tough to be firm with Cavaliers since they are so cuddly, but they are like any other breed in that they will get out of hand and push limits if they are allowed to believe they are the boss.
I think you are handling things very well actually!
Sorry, if I really haven't given you much help.

Regards,
Liz

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Liz for taking the time to answer my question :)  I am sorry for the late delay, I had to go back to my original e-mail to see your response.

Our Update... :)  I have tried a few things and happy to say we have found a solution. Maybe you can try this at home with your Water dog :)

He likes to be fed before the other dogs ( so he doesn't feel compelled to scarf down the entire bowl in 1 minute)and I still make him wait and calm down to eat and then I leave the room. (I put out other dogs away for the first week)

And the biggest difference... I added a little water in the bowl... I am using a deeper bowl and the liquid deters him from sticking his nose down to the bottom and wolfing his food down with one gulp.  I also went up a size of the dog food from small puppy to reg. puppy so he has to chew.

He loves to chew things of course... and also to help occupy his love of munching we put ice cubes in his water and he spend all day digging them out and chewing on them :)

Thank you for your suggestion of vegetables.  I was using the Bil Jack chicken livers (alot of calories) and then cut back on them and started adding to training using his puppy food. But the veggies will come in handy for when my kids want to give him treats :)

Re: Him feeling he is the Alpha... He is one of the most out going, friendliest cavs I have ever come across. He is so eager to please that we have had no problems training him.  I do have a 9 year old Lasa with issues who keeps Puppy in his place so I don't think at this time I have to worry about him feeling like he rules the roost.

Charlie is being trained to be a Hospice Dog for Children and I am happy to say he is one of the most obedient, loving dogs we have ever had and to make a long story short...

On a Wednesday I was looking for a breed that I would never have to worry about being anything but friendly....

(A Cavalier) fit all the requirements....

I really wanted to find a rescue (they are all but non existent to find) I left my name with two rescue groups.

On Friday (two days later) my daughter works at a very small puppy store (who only uses breeders)and a woman who had bought the dog on Thursday couldn't keep him (?) she had never owned a dog before and her husband was not in agreement to get a dog.  Needless to say she was bringing this beautiful 3 lb tiny little Cav. to the pound.  She was desperate just to get rid of him and had 15 minutes before her husband was due home.  I called her without hesitation and long story short we have been blessed with an amazing lil dog :) Hmm and they say Prayers aren't answered... :)


Have a wonderful Day!
<3 Jen and Charleigh  

Answer
Hi Jen,
I am glad things are getting better with Charlie. I use ice cubes too! We have the ice maker on the door of our fridge and when anyone uses ice they all come running! We started feeding the Water dog with the others. We have to stay there until all the dogs are finished but he is getting better.
When I mean Alpha dog, it doesn't mean that they are real aggressive. You have a pack (more than two dogs) and someone is going to be the leader. Due to the age of your dogs, he will naturally be alpha eventually just because he is young and strong. This is not a problem as long as he know's that you are HIS pack leader. Cavaliers are the sweetest animals on the planet but they are still dogs first. The reason I mentioned him being alpha, is so that you can watch and snip any bad behavior in the bud, like him dominating the other dogs.
That is absolutely wonderful that you are training him to be a Hospice dog! Cavaliers make perfect therapy dogs!
You really did fall into a wonderful find! Your Charlie sounds great!
Liz