My dog has OCD.
Let me explain…
So you know those elevated dog bowl trays you can get at any Petco or PetSmart that elevate dog bowls off the ground, so they do not have to bend over to eat off the floor? Well, we have one for our dog, Rocky.
Apparently these elevated trays are specifically designed to “promote better digestion” and “reduce air swallowing”. I assume reduced air swallowing is supposed to reduce dog farts, but no one has explained that to Rocky.
Anyway, when I feed Rocky, I usually put his water bowl in the left tray hole, and his food bowl in the right tray hole, as pictured here:
Rocky Eating Food
Last week, without realizing, I placed his water bowl on the right side of his tray and his food bowl on the left. I then proceeded to sit down at the kitchen table and chat with my wife. As we were talking, we were interrupted by a dog whine. We looked over to see him refusing to eat his food. He just stared at me. So I said, “Go ahead and eat, Rocky,” and resumed my conversation. As soon as I started talking, he whined again.
I got up and checked out his food bowl. Everything looked normal, so I once again encouraged him to eat with a pat on the head.
He just continued to stared at me and wagged his tail.
I was now perplexed. I asked my wife what she thought was wrong. She looked at the arrangement of his bowls and said, “Oh, maybe he’s upset because his bowls are out of place.”
My wife swaps his bowls, pats him on the head, and without hesitation, the dog proceeds to eat every bit of kibble.
What goes through a dog’s head that makes him NOT want to eat because his bowls are not in the “right” order? Do wolves only eat their kill on the right side of their favorite watering hole? Apparently, it doesn’t matter what they eat, as long as it is on the right hand side of a water source.
Anyway, I am now wondering what the marketplace demand is for Doggy Feng Shui? Hey don’t laugh. I now have doggy therapy to pay for!