Because dogs adore food, it’s easy to assume all dogs have a great relationship with their food bowls.
Unfortunately, this simply isn’t the case. There are dogs that run, hide, or cower at the sight of food bowls. While some of these dogs experience genuine fear, others only exhibit behaviors suggestive of fear. At any rate, the avoidance of food bowls can be as distressing to dog owners as it is to their pets, as dogs behaving this way may not be getting the nutrition they need.
So, is your dog afraid of their food bowl? If so, read on as we discuss the reasons behind this weird doggy phenomenon and what you can do to curtail it.
Fear of food bowls: reasons and solutions
Below are the possible explanations behind your dog’s strange fear of food bowls.
1. Allergic reaction
If your dog previously suffered an allergic reaction after eating out of a plastic food bowl, they may learn to fear food bowls going forward.
While allergies can be caused by food, the material the food bowl is made of can also be the source of the issue. In fact, dogs of any breed and age can suddenly grow allergic to plastic.
The symptoms of plastic allergies include:
- Breathing difficulty
- Skin rashes, infections, or ulcers
- Bald patches
- Extreme itching that encourages obsessive scratching and/or biting of parts of the body
- Pawing at the face or rubbing the face on surfaces (e.g. a bedsheet)
- Head shaking
Solution:
If you observe your dog displaying any of the above symptoms after eating out of a food bowl, make sure to bring them to the vet. A vet can determine whether it’s the plastic bowl they’re allergic to or something they ate. They can also prescribe medication to help your dog recover.
As a stainless steel bowl is less likely to cause a dog an allergic reaction, dog owners should consider replacing plastic food and water bowls with such metal bowls.
2. Your dog doesn’t like metal bowls
There are good reasons to switch from a plastic food bowl to a metal food bowl. For starters, plastic can leak harmful chemicals such as BPA, which can harm your dog’s health. It can give water an unusual taste if left in the bowl for extended periods. Plastic also scratches easily, and even the tiniest scratch can become home to potentially dangerous bacteria. And then there’s the aforementioned issue of plastic allergies.
Unfortunately, a metal food bowl may frighten a dog that’s never eaten out of one. Maybe the smooth, stainless steel texture is alien to them. Or maybe they don’t like that its surface feels cold to the touch.
If your dog wears collar tags, the tags may strike the metal during meal time, producing a startling or annoying clanging sound that puts your pet off eating from their food bowl.
Solution:
Place a clean paper towel or washcloth over the bowl, then put the food on this covering. This will prevent all the above issues. Over time, make this covering smaller and smaller so that your dog gets used to the stainless steel bowl.
You could also replace a metal food bowl with a plastic bowl; just make sure the plastic bowl is manufactured by a reputable company, and stay observant of allergic symptoms.
3. Inconsistency
Is your dog afraid of their food bowl? Or are they just reeling from the effects of unexpected changes?
Dogs thrive on consistency. Therefore, any abrupt change in their environment or routine can cause them anxiety, stress, or fear. So if one day they’re eating out of a plastic bowl and the next they suddenly find their food in a metal bowl, they may end up too confused or distressed to enjoy their meal. Keep this in mind whenever getting your dog a new bowl.
Solution:
When introducing your dog to anything new, it’s best to do so gradually.
You can, for example, have them eat out of their original bowl while keeping the new bowl nearby. This will help them get used to the sight and smell of the new food bowl. Every day, place small portions of food in the new food bowl; once your dog eats out of it, keep increasing the serving size until they’re comfortable with their new bowl.
When rewarding your pet for good behavior, you can give them treats while the new dog bowl is next to you. You can eventually progress to feeding them the treat while your hand is hovering over the bowl, and finally to putting the treat in the bowl.
4. The food bowl moves on its own!
Dogs are naturally wary around things they’re not familiar with. And if those things start moving on their own, it’s normal for your poor pooch to nope out of the situation. This explains why there are countless videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok showing dogs being frightened by strange objects that suddenly move.
Of course, a dog doesn’t know they’re the one responsible for moving the object. If a dog uses their snout to touch a stuffed tiger and the toy trembles as a result, they may think the toy has come to life. So it’s no surprise a dog that accidentally pushes their food bowl while they’re eating may develop a fear of said food bowl.
Solution:
A non-slip shelf/feeding station keeps your dog’s food bowl stable during feeding sessions. You can purchase such shelves from most pet stores. If you’re skilled at home carpentry, you can even build the shelf yourself.
Alternatively, you can use Velcro or a non-slip mat to keep the dog bowl in place during feeding time.
5. Scary sights
Is your dog afraid of seeing themselves in the mirror? If so, then the sight of their warped reflection staring back at them from the side of a metal bowl will likely freak them out.
Solution:
Covering a metal bowl with a clean paper towel or washcloth will protect your dog from those nightmarish reflections.
Or you could simply switch out a metal bowl for one made of plastic. However, keep in mind that a metal bowl has several advantages over a plastic food bowl, including being easier to clean and less likely to encourage the growth of bacteria.
It’s also a good idea to train your dog into conquering their fears. Try feeding them treats while you’re near a mirror or metal bowl. A fearful dog will show hesitation at first, but as long as you’re patient, they’ll learn to associate those highly reflective surfaces with positive experiences.
6. Scary sounds
Does a tag loosely hang from your dog’s collar? If so, the tag likely strikes the side of the food bowl whenever your dog lowers their head to eat. If your dog eats out of a stainless steel metal bowl, the reverberating clang! caused by the collision may be particularly frightening for your pet. It may even hurt their extremely sensitive ears.
Your pooch may also not like the sound the bowl makes when it moves.
The scary or irritating noises a bowl makes can discourage your dog from finishing their meal. Worse, your pet may end up forming a negative association between the food bowl and loud noises.
Solution:
Cover a metal food bowl with a clean cloth or paper towel, as this can absorb noises that can startle or annoy your pet.
Alternatively, you can simply remove the tag from your dog’s collar or the collar itself during mealtimes.
To prevent the bowl from moving around and making sudden noises, consider using Velcro, a non-slip mat, or a non-slip feeding station/shelf.
7. Strange, unappealing scents
Your dog’s powerful sense of smell allows them to detect potential safety hazards in their surroundings. And if they’re convinced something in your home is dangerous – whether that thing is an umbrella or their food bowl – they’ll learn to avoid it as much as possible.
If you put food your dog hates in their food bowl, its scent will linger. Your pet may then avoid the food bowl because they don’t want to eat something they consider gross. The same is likely to happen if you wash the food bowl with soap that has a strong, chemical odor.
A proliferation of bacteria can also make food bowls stink.
Solution:
If your dog is afraid of their food bowl because it smells horrible, use a pet-friendly dishwasher to clean said dog bowl. This will leave the bowl not only clean but also smelling great.
Throw away dog bowls with an unappealing smell you can’t get rid of. They may have become home to harmful bacteria.
8. Some other critter has used the food bowl
Dogs like having things and places they can call their own; it’s the very reason they mark items with their scent.
Unfortunately, dogs (and other animals) also have a habit of “stealing” their fellow pets’ things.
When another pet or a pest such as a rat eats out of your dog’s food bowl, they leave their scent in the bowl. If your dog dislikes or fears that other critter, they’ll stay away from the food bowl to avoid a confrontation. Or maybe your dog simply doesn’t like the smell of the offending animal.
Solution:
Don’t put more food in your dog’s bowl than they can eat. With no leftovers in the bowl, no other pets or pests will be tempted to eat from it. Leftovers can also attract insects and become swarmed by harmful pathogens.
Any food bowl that isn’t in use can be covered or stored in a place inaccessible to other animals.
Of course, you can also train your pet dogs to stop using each other’s bowls. Any time you catch a pet licking another dog’s bowl, give them a stern “Stop!” or “No!” then distract them by placing a treat in their own food bowl.
9. The location of the food bowl
Is your dog’s bowl next to a noisy TV? Is it too close to the cat’s litter box? Do you place it in the cramped space between the refrigerator and the wall? Or a damp area that smells of mold?
Like humans, pets like being comfortable while they eat. Food bowls placed in areas that give dogs stress or anxiety can dissuade feeding.
Solution:
Dog owners should put food and water bowls in clean and dry locations that give their pets plenty of space to move. A bowl should also never be placed near anything that can put your dog off eating, such as an item that produces loud noises or emits odors they don’t like.
10. Lack of privacy
Some dogs like eating alone as it makes them feel safe that no other animals will steal their food. An anxious dog may even growl at other pets or humans if they get close to them during feeding time.
If you have such a dog, then they may avoid their food bowl if it’s placed too close to the bowls of other feeding animals. It’s not their bowl your dog is afraid of, exactly, but the confrontation that may arise from eating next to potential food thieves.
Other dogs are so shy that they won’t eat in a high-traffic area, such as a yard where children and other pets are always playing.
Solution:
If you have one or more dogs that behave in this manner, make sure their food bowls aren’t next to each other. It’ll also help if such dogs can’t see each other while feeding, so consider having them eat in different rooms or at different times.
If your dog doesn’t like having humans around while they’re eating, leave them alone during their meal time.
Training can also help undo this unwanted behavior. Have them eat treats out of your hand so that they learn that when it comes to food, you’re a giver, not a taker.
You can also initially sit far away from your feeding dog. As the days progress, try sitting closer and closer to them while they’re eating. Don’t stare at your dog; busy yourself with something else, like reading a book or watching TV. By helping them learn you’re not interested in their food, they’ll get used to having you around during their meal.
You’ll likely need the help of a professional trainer or animal behaviorist to help dogs that show aggression towards humans or each other. However, you can prevent fights by separating feeding pets and help ease the tension by distracting growling dogs with a clicker or a firm “No!”
11. Your dog wants human food
Dogs are curious animals. If what you’re eating seems yummier than theirs, they’ll ignore their food in silent protest until you give them some of your own.
Other pet dogs feel more welcome in the pack if they eat the same food as their humans do.
Solution:
Sprinkling tiny bits of your meal into your pet’s food bowl should satisfy their curiosity about human food. It’ll also assure insecure dogs that they’re an indispensable member of the family.
You can also feed your dog tiny bits of human food as a snack between meals.
Just make sure the food is safe for them to eat and not to give them too much. Many human foods are unhealthy for dogs if eaten in excess. Others are toxic regardless of the amount served. Consult a vet before giving a dog human food.
12. Unappetizing dog food
Is your dog afraid of their food bowl? Or are they simply avoiding what’s in it?
With far fewer taste buds than humans, dogs rarely get bored of eating the same food over and over. But when it does happen, they may exhibit behaviors that’ll make a dog owner ask, “Is my dog afraid of their food bowl?”
Solution:
Try rotating your dog’s food. Maybe give them dry food one day, then wet food the next. You can also alternate between canned food and cooked food, and mix different ingredients (such as vegetables, cheese, eggs, etc.) into their meals.
Another thing you can do is add toppers to your dog’s food. The best toppers are not only nutritious but also tasty; they’ll be a hit with your pet.
Make sure all the food you feed your dog is vet-approved, so consult a veterinarian before introducing something new to their meals.
Also, familiarize yourself with the foods you should never give your dogs – such as grapes and chocolate, which are toxic to canines. Other foods, while non-toxic, are only safe for dogs if eaten in moderation.
13. The food bowl is too high
Dogs evolved to eat food on the ground while standing up, so it’s natural for them to bend their neck down whenever they’re eating out of a food bowl. If the food bowl is too high, your dog is forced to eat in a manner that feels unnatural to them. Its sides could also press against your dog’s neck, making it difficult for them to reach the food. Both issues can put your dog off eating out of the bowl.
Elevating your dog’s bowl is great for pets with mobility issues, such as a senior pooch that has trouble bending their neck due to neck or back pain. However, eating food out of such a bowl can also make them ingest air, which increases the risk of potentially life-threatening bloat.
Solution:
Dog owners should ensure their pets’ food bowls are the right size for them. A tiny dog won’t enjoy eating out of a tall dog bowl.
If your dog is suffering from mobility issues, a vet should be able to determine the best way to feed them.
14. The food bowl is too large
Puppies can’t eat that much food, and senior dogs aren’t as ravenous as they used to be. If such dogs are given a huge food bowl, they may become intimidated by its sheer size and back off. This is especially true for dogs that previously gorged on too much food and had a stomach ache afterward.
Solution:
Get a food bowl that’s the right size for your pet. If you have a large-breed dog, give them a large bowl. If your dog is tiny, a smaller bowl will do.
Also, don’t give your dog more food than they can eat. They may end up overeating and suffering the consequences. Or they may leave some food behind, which can then become contaminated with pathogens.
You can also have your dog eat smaller meals in a smaller bowl more frequently. For example, instead of eating two meals per day, your dog can have three smaller meals. Take note that the total amount of food your dog eats per day should stay consistent.
Ask a vet for advice regarding the appropriate amount of food your pooch needs to eat each day.
15. Attention
Is your dog afraid of their food bowl? Or do they enjoy the attention you give them when they run away from food bowls?
Dog owners sometimes unwittingly train their dogs to do undesirable things. For example, if you laugh or speak to your dog in a soothing voice every time you catch them running from their food bowl, they may associate your positive reaction with food bowl avoidance. As a result, they may continue avoiding food bowls so they can keep enjoying the reward of your happy attention. They may even engage in the behavior whenever they’re bored.
Solution:
Dog owners should be careful about their own behaviors and avoid accidentally rewarding pets that run away from their food bowls.
If you’ve already inadvertently trained your dog to evade their food bowl, resist the urge to react positively whenever they repeat the behavior. You can, for example, give them a stern “No!” whenever they run. Or you can simply ignore them.
You’ll also have to retrain them into eating out of their food bowl. This means reacting positively whenever they do approach and use the bowl.
16. Your training discouraged your dog
Maybe your dog is afraid of their food bowl. Or maybe you unwittingly trained them not to eat from it.
Many dog owners train their dogs to refrain from approaching their bowls until they’re given the go-ahead to eat. While this can do wonders for the dog’s obedience, it may cause them to think you don’t want them to use their food bowl at all.
Solution:
You’ll have to change your training technique to get such a dog to eat from the same bowl again.
For instance, reward them by using a friendly, calming voice whenever you’re putting food in the bowl, then leave them alone so they can eat in peace.
You can also try giving them treats while sitting some distance from the food bowl. Over time, move closer and closer to the food bowl so that your dog gets used to eating treats with the bowl nearby. Once your dog no longer avoids the bowl, have your dog eat treats out of it.
Avoid scolding your dog for any behavior related to feeding time, as this may create a negative association with eating. So don’t yell at your dog for rushing towards their bowl or wolfing down their food.
It’s a good idea to have a dog trainer help you train your dog the right way.
17. Pain
Is your dog afraid of food bowls, or are they simply experiencing pain that causes their appetite to drop? After all, one of the symptoms of suffering is a poor appetite.
For example, if your dog has a toothache, they may stay away from the food bowl. Maybe they’ve realized munching down on food will make the pain grow worse. Or maybe they’re convinced the bowl itself is responsible for causing the pain.
Here are the most common symptoms of pain in dogs:
- Poor appetite
- Grumpiness or aggression
- Trembling
- Flattened ears
- Whining
- Excessive panting
- Excessive displacement behaviors such as licking, digging, yawning, and scratching
- Repeatedly licking a specific part of their body
- Avoidance of exercise, play, or any other physical activity
- Limping
- Flinching, crying, or snarling when touched
- Swelling, redness, or warmth in an area
- Increased heart rate
Solution:
Because your dog’s food bowl may not be the problem, learn to recognize and be observant of symptoms of pain in dogs. If your pooch is suffering, consult a veterinarian. Or better yet, bring your pet to the vet’s office.
Other things to consider
1. Seek veterinary assistance
Any dog that stops eating from their bowl may have any of the above issues, or they may be enduring an undiagnosed medical problem. Plenty of serious conditions, including bladder stones, can cause pain that discourages pleasurable activities – from walks to chowing down on their favorite snack.
For this reason, it’s always an excellent idea to seek a veterinarian’s advice whenever your pooch shows irregular behavior. A vet can determine your dog’s ailment, provide emergency treatment if necessary, and develop a long-term health plan.
2. Treat anxiety and stress issues
Any dog that is acting scared around their food bowl may be suffering from poor mental health.
Sadly, many dogs are prone to anxiety and stress. Some experienced past trauma whose effects continue to burden them. Others are simply wired that way. Whatever the case may be, improving your dog’s mental health is paramount if you want them to eat from their food bowl.
Thankfully, there are many ways to help relieve your dog’s anxiety and stress, including but not limited to:
- Seeking veterinary assistance; vets can treat medical conditions behind your dog’s stress and anxiety as well as prescribe anti-anxiety medication
- Giving your dog lots of exercise, including daily walks, games such as fetch and tug, etc.
- Providing your dog with ample mental stimulation, such as brain-teasing toys and puzzles; trips to new, exciting locations or locations where they can interact with other dogs and humans; etc.
- Training, which improves the canine-human bond and thus your dog’s confidence and sense of security around their humans. Consider hiring a professional trainer to train your dog.
- Providing your dog a safe space they can retreat to whenever they need to relax
- Showing your dog lots of love and affection especially during times of extreme stress or anxiety
- Giving your dog relaxing experiences, such as massages and aromatherapy
3. Stay observant of triggers
Does your dog alternate between eating out of and avoiding their food bowl? If so, stay on the lookout for potential triggers of bowl-avoidance behavior. For example, if you notice your dog avoids the food bowl whenever the cat is nearby, remove the cat from the vicinity whenever it’s doggy feeding time.
If your dog refuses to eat from what used to be their favorite bowl, maybe that bowl gave them an allergy.
If your dog is acting scared around their bowl, they may also start engaging in other weird behaviors, such as:
Eating off the floor
A dog may take food from the bowl, then place it on the floor. This is the natural canine instinct reasserting itself. After all, wild canines, for millennia, have eaten food off the ground. Feeding this way may simply be more comfortable for your dog.
The most effective solution to this issue is patience and training. Don’t scold your dog harshly, but do give them a stern “No!” if they do something undesirable. Keep returning food to the bowl until your dog learns using the floor as their food dish is unacceptable.
Upending the bowl
Another dog may violently flip over their bowl to scatter food all over the floor. As catching all the food that rolls away is akin to hunting prey, the activity appeals to their predatory instinct. In other words, your dog is likely doing this for fun.
As such a dog may be experiencing extended periods of boredom, make sure to provide them with lots of exercise and mental stimulation, from daily walks to puzzle toys. Training can also alleviate a dog’s boredom, in addition to other benefits.
Barking at the bowl
If your dog barks at their food bowl, it’s possible they smell something unfamiliar that’s kicking their paranoia into overdrive.
Remember: when introducing your pooch to new food, do so gradually. So if your dog’s never had cheese, don’t mix a big, fat slice into their regular meal. You might want to give them the morsel between meals so your dog doesn’t miss lunch or dinner.
Conclusion
Whether or not your dog is afraid of their bowl, it’s crucial to determine the underlying cause of their behavior so you can start addressing said behavior.
So pay close attention to your dog, stay observant of possible triggers, and seek the help of a vet and an animal behaviorist. Your dog will benefit from your patience, love, and effort.