Whippet's Obsessed With Food

[Guest Whippet]

Yeah, and his obsession isn't getting better either.

 

I feel like I have tried EVERYTHING to make him stop... I tried yelling, water sprays, tobasco sauce on the edge of the counter, everything... But the second we aren't looking, he's up there with his two little feet stretched to the max to reach as far as possible.

 

He just stole a complete steak from the pan while David wasn't looking. David went to the fridge to get milk and Whippet ad time to snatch a nice snack!!!

 

He is OBSESSED... When it's meal time, he goes NUTS, it's crazy. If I don't give him his food fast enough, he jumps and barks! So of course, Ihave to set his food bowl down first.

 

He is more than well fed, he's actually chubby from all the food he steals! The other day, he ate half a Betty Crocker cake WITH cream cheese iciing that wasn't far enough on the counter. He couldn't eat the other halfbecause it was too far but he sure tried!!! And he gets 2 cups of food per day (1 am and 1 pm for a 35lbs whippet)

 

Please, any comments, help, suggestions? David is my roommate and he loves my dogs but HATES the fact that Whippet steals food... Which is absolutely normal...

[JAJ2010]

My parents have a Swiss Mt Dog mix that is AWFUL even figured out how to open the chest freezer and got to the frozen meat. Personally I would slap a scat mat up there and zap his butt. But I may be a bit to evil. I would turn it up to the highest setting to so the experience stuck in his brain. This dog can grab a full glass of liquid off the counter, carry it to the other room and drink it dry without spilling a drop. Although if they even tried 1/2 to train him he might be a lot better about it! My girls aren't counter surfers and usually stay out of the kitchen while I cook.

[Guest kelli123]

 

He just stole a complete steak from the pan while David wasn't looking. David went to the fridge to get milk and Whippet ad time to snatch a nice snack!!!

 

He is OBSESSED... food... Which is absolutely normal...

Oh My I'm so sorry but it made me laugh when he actually took the steak out of the pan?/ I would have to suggest to not leave any food out on the counter. and maybe feed him 3 cups a day. then maybe he wont be so food crazed

[JAJ2010]

Also you can try adding a cup of green beans with eat meal. Maybe if he's impossibly full he will calm down?

[Guest Whippet]

 

He just stole a complete steak from the pan while David wasn't looking. David went to the fridge to get milk and Whippet ad time to snatch a nice snack!!!

 

He is OBSESSED... food... Which is absolutely normal...

Oh My I'm so sorry but it made me laugh when he actually took the steak out of the pan?/ I would have to suggest to not leave any food out on the counter. and maybe feed him 3 cups a day. then maybe he wont be so food crazed

 

 

Yup! Right from the pan!!!

 

With the treats, the extra things he gets, the food he steals, he's NOT hungry. He can't feel the hunger, I'm sure... But he acts as if the last time I fed him was last week...

 

Another example... I went to the grocery with him, put my grocery in the "trunk" of my Grand Caravan. he stretched, reached the bag, got the loaf of bread and ate the WHOLE thing but I couldn't do anything, I was on the highway!!! I kept yelling and trying to get him to understand...

 

Of course, an hour later, when supper time came, he's the one who came begging for me to get up and serve it!!!

 

And the bread thing happens often because when we push the loaf, the LOAF is far enough, but we never think about the little plastic of the bag!!!

[Hubcitypam]

Sometimes you just have to dogproof yourself. Honestly. Quit leaving food unsupervised on the counter even for a nanosecond. Yes, it's a pain but once you train yourself it's just second nature and not so bad.

 

When I had all those teenage farm washouts I joked that I had the busiest top of the fridge in town. That, the microwave and the oven were always full keeping food out of dogs way. Not so much the oven after a while as I'd turn it on to preheat and forget that I had something stashed there

 

It only took me a time or two of going to the fridge to get a drink and turning around to find my sandwich gone before I learned not to do that.

[Guest Whippet]

Sometimes you just have to dogproof yourself. Honestly. Quit leaving food unsupervised on the counter even for a nanosecond. Yes, it's a pain but once you train yourself it's just second nature and not so bad.

 

When I had all those teenage farm washouts I joked that I had the busiest top of the fridge in town. That, the microwave and the oven were always full keeping food out of dogs way. Not so much the oven after a while as I'd turn it on to preheat and forget that I had something stashed there

 

It only took me a time or two of going to the fridge to get a drink and turning around to find my sandwich gone before I learned not to do that.

 

I hear ya... But at the same time, it isn't normal that Whippet acts like that...

[Sambuca]

I know a couple that adopted a grey that was from a track that closed and she was starved while waiting to get out. She figured out how to open the fridge, freezer and pantry. They tried EVERYTHING. Finally as a last resort, they got the invisible fence in the kitchen and it solved the problem. The dog actually became less anxious because she couldn't get to the food and she was easier to live with.

[Batmom]

What Hubcitypam said. Really. Baby gate him out of the kitchen and eating area, but be warned that whippets can jump .....

 

It IS normal. Our whippet was like that his whole life. Little booger was fast and persistent -- turn your back for an instant and whatever food you left would be GONE. Walk across the room holding a piece of toast at shoulder level and say goodbye to your snack -- flyby whippet would grab it and gobble as he ran. He would even fish things out of the garbage disposal if he got the chance.

 

We learned, and as the years went by he had fewer opportunities.

[Guest AmazinGreyz]

I just had to read this! My whippet is such a picky eater. I feel like a world class nag... "eat your dinner.... "go eat!" ..... "If you don't eat, I'm taking the food up for the night"

 

That little guy, when he does decide to humor me and eat something, dawdles around. One kibble at a time... sometimes he'll spit it out, sometimes he actually consumes it. Sometimes he won't even come to me for a treat. At treat time, I sometimes have to walk his treat over to him on the sofa!

[Guest kelli123]

My brothers Jack Russell is the same way, she will eat and beg and steal and bark, Even eat paper. like there is not going to be a tomorrow . I dont know what it is . But the Guy that works for us is the same way

[Guest krystolla]

My theory is that Whippet needs a project. He's not stealing food because he's hungry, he's stealing because it's entertaining for him. It's a mental puzzle to figure out when and how to outsmart the humans and it's immediately rewarding.

 

You need to substitute a different mental puzzle that will be at least as enjoyable to him, and less aggravating for you. I'd suggest starting with hiding his food. Feed him all of his meals in kong toys or other food dispensers. Hide his meals around the house for him to find at mealtime (your more sane, er, sedate Astro can eat his dinner peacefully in another room).

 

Teaching tons of tricks would be good too -- it's also brain work. If he's rolling over for his dinner he's not barking and jumping. Or maybe you start with the barking and jumping and make him jump through a hoop.

 

It's the brainy dogs that act like complete a$$es, and get obsessive. Normal dogs just don't have the creativity to drive you REALLY crazy.

[Sighthounds4me]

If this is something new, and not normal for him, get to a vet, and have him checked out. It could be a metobolic problem.

 

If not, I agree with Pam - dog proof yourself, and remove temptation.

 

Separate him from food - crate him if you are preparing food, eating, etc. Do not eat food when he is around, and clear it off the counters when it does not need to be there. That's the only thing that works for some dogs.

 

I also agree that it may be a mental thing. If so, do more obedience with him, teach him tricks, and find puzzle games for him to mentally tire him out.

[Hubcitypam]

My theory is that Whippet needs a project. He's not stealing food because he's hungry, he's stealing because it's entertaining for him. It's a mental puzzle to figure out when and how to outsmart the humans and it's immediately rewarding.

Excellent point. Certainly worth a try.

[Guest Whippet]

What Hubcitypam said. Really. Baby gate him out of the kitchen and eating area, but be warned that whippets can jump .....

 

 

I can't, my house is all open space!

 

I just had to read this! My whippet is such a picky eater. I feel like a world class nag... "eat your dinner.... "go eat!" ..... "If you don't eat, I'm taking the food up for the night"

 

 

Wanna trade whippets??? lol Just kidding, aside from that, he's perfect.

 

My theory is that Whippet needs a project. He's not stealing food because he's hungry, he's stealing because it's entertaining for him. It's a mental puzzle to figure out when and how to outsmart the humans and it's immediately rewarding.

 

It's the brainy dogs that act like complete a$$es, and get obsessive. Normal dogs just don't have the creativity to drive you REALLY crazy.

 

LOL that might just be it! lol!!! I'll start him on Scrapbooking!!!

 

If this is something new,

 

I also agree that it may be a mental thing. If so, do more obedience with him, teach him tricks, and find puzzle games for him to mentally tire him out.

 

Nope, not new, he has always been like that.

[Hubcitypam]

Seriously, besides scrapbooking if you don't have the time/desire to work with him on projects maybe you could get him a buster ball or the like. Then he'd have some mental stimulation. I used to load Poodles with puppy chow which was sort of like a treat. He'd roll it down the hall and the greys would follow him and pick up the spoils but they'd never roll it themselves.

[Guest Whippet]

Seriously, besides scrapbooking if you don't have the time/desire to work with him on projects maybe you could get him a buster ball or the like. Then he'd have some mental stimulation. I used to load Poodles with puppy chow which was sort of like a treat. He'd roll it down the hall and the greys would follow him and pick up the spoils but they'd never roll it themselves.

 

The scrapbooking thing was just a joke... It was, in no means, something that meant disinterest or lack of time. I DO have both the time and desire to solve this, otherwise, I would not have posted here.

 

And I *am* thinking about the project thing. I just don't see how it would solve the stealing but it sure would make meal time more fun for him.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Whippet

[Guest MichelleRenee]

Goodness, your whippet would get along good with my IGGY. Oh he's an awful little brat at times lol. Steals EVERYTHING.

 

I get the litter box with an entry on top, so he cant get it in, and what does he do.. he learns to be a giraffe and spread all his feet downa nd stretch his neck in.. I hide certain toys in other rooms blocked off by two baby gates stacked... what does he do... climbs it. The little bugger.

 

I would just crate him while I'm eating/preparing food... Or maybe have a plastic microwave covers ( you cover the food in the microwave with it so it doesnt splatter) and the stuff you are preparing just cover it up. But he may be smart enough to figure that out too.

[Guest Whippet]

Goodness, your whippet would get along good with my IGGY. Oh he's an awful little brat at times lol. Steals EVERYTHING.

 

I get the litter box with an entry on top, so he cant get it in, and what does he do.. he learns to be a giraffe and spread all his feet downa nd stretch his neck in.. I hide certain toys in other rooms blocked off by two baby gates stacked... what does he do... climbs it. The little bugger.

 

I would just crate him while I'm eating/preparing food... Or maybe have a plastic microwave covers ( you cover the food in the microwave with it so it doesnt splatter) and the stuff you are preparing just cover it up. But he may be smart enough to figure that out too.

 

At least your Iggy is too small to reach the counter top!

 

But hey, I really do love the cover idea! They actually sell them at the dollar store, I could buy a bunch and use them when we cook because crating Whippet is unfortunately not an option.

 

When he was small, I tried for 6 months to crate him but he would pee and poop in the crate even if he had barely just enough space for him (the crate was big but we eventually got a divider to make it smaller but it didn't work) and made a mess, he would cry, howl, bark, try to eat the crate, etc, NON STOP... And on top of everything, I couldn't find a way to housebreak him. The one day I said "screw the crate for today", that's the day he became an angel (except for the food thing)...

Edited October 12, 2010 by Whippet

[Guest june]

I now own my second "counter-surfer" and the first taught me three things.

!. I am lazy and I just can't learn to keep the counters free of "treats."

2. I can teach my dogs to stay out of the kitchen when I am home.

3. I can gate my dogs out of the kitchen when I am not home.

 

The dogs are happier now that they have boundaries that I can/will enforce without having to run to the kitchen all the time and without yelling all the time. I'm happier that I'm not yelling at the dogs, but am instead am enjoying my dogs. Oh yeah, and I DO actually get to eat my own food.

Good luck,

june

[TheFullHouse]

I have two like that Arrow and our JRT Jilly Bean. If those two ever joined forces, we'd all be in trouble. The only cure I found was to leave absolutely nothing edible on the counters. I also have to block the refrigerator door by standing in front of it and only opening it as far as I need to so he can't stick his needle nose in there and steal something from under my arm. I've also learned never to leave a pan on the stove unguarded because he'll steal food out of a cooking pan, with the burner on, and we now never, ever leave any food in the garbage disposal because he will get it there too!