Why won't my dog eat food from a bowl but eats it off the floor?

I would first encourage you to consider whether Norik is actually having appetite issues and not bowl issues. If you're sure that he has a strong/normal appetite, that's good, but remember that sometimes reluctant eaters actually have gastrointestinal issues - for example, intestinal parasites are very common in puppies - and make sure that you and your vet have ruled out potential medical issues first, especially if there are other concerning signs such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. Also think about whether he might have neck pain that is keeping him from wanting to lower his head all the way to the floor. If Norik has a great/normal appetite, and you've made sure that any potential health problems are ruled out, but he truly doesn't like bowls, then I would recommend trying to feed him on something extremely shallow, such as a plate or cookie sheet. You might also consider an elevated feeding bowl to see if getting the bowl up higher is more appropriate for him.

Stop hand feeding your puppy, as he might get used to it and then generally refuse any food that is not being fed to him by hand. Depending on what type of bowl you are using, there may be an odor that he does not like. Plastic bowls often emit chemicals which could be uncomfortable for the dog (and also can cause skin problems). Change his food bowl to either ceramics or metal and keep it meticulously clean, ie wash it and rinse it well after each meal. Make sure he is hungry when you feed him, ie feed small amounts more often. Take away any food he has not eaten within ten minutes.

This is one of those things we may never be able to answer. I suggest you just get a different type of bowl and see if he likes that. I would recommend a low, flat, shallow bowl (kind of like a tray). Some cats develop an aversion to their whiskers touching the sides of a deeper "normal" bowl.

There are a few things you can try: One is trying a different type of bowl such as ceramic or plastic, or one that is wider or flatter, as sometimes the feel or sides of the bowl can be scary or irritating, especially if Simba is interested in eating still. The other is to start offering a piece of kibble from your hand with the bowl in your lap, and alternate one piece of kibble in hand, one dropped in bowl, back and forth, while praising each time he eats from the bowl. You can also sneak in a few tasty treats to make it extra fun for him. As he gets used to "eating" from the bowl with you there, you can gradually add more to it and then distance yourself from the bowl to encourage him to eat more on his own.

This can become a very frustrating problem! You can try adding a very small amount of low sodium chicken broth (assure that it does not contain onions or garlic) or a tablespoon of canned food to Yahoo's kibble to tempt him to eat. He may simply be trained to eat from your hand and may require a bit of coaxing to eat from the bowl. Start by feeding him from your hand over the food bowl, then gradually move your hand down to the bowl, eventually removing your hand from the bowl altogether, but you may still need to sit with Yahoo while he eats. It may take a week or so to gradually leave Yahoo alone to eat. I hope this helps!

Some pets get in the habit of eating a certain way. They become conditioned in a sense to doing things a certain way and feel safer with their owners there for them. Cats in particular like to have flat dinner trays to avoid any rubbing of their whiskers when they eat. They are still very much un-domesticated in a lot of ways and so they want to make sure they can see around them while eating as a defense mechanism. This may be why your kitty likes to eat from your flat hand that is raised off the floor, because he/she feels safer in that position. You can try a flat dinner tray that is slightly raised off the floor and see if this encourages your kitty to eat on his/her own.

Add warm water or a couple teaspoons of baby food to his food to stimulate his appetite. Check his mouth and gums for injury or signs of periodontal disease (redness, swollen gums, bad breath, visible plaque/tartar build up). Discontinue hand feeding. This may worsen his being finicky. Changing the food bowl may reignite interest. Prepare his food at mealtimes and leave it down for 20-30 minutes. Pick it up afterwards whether he has eaten or not. Repeat this at the next mealtime. Do not offer any other food or treats between meals. Zeus will not starve. He will eat when he is hungry as long as you are firm with him. Regular mealtimes are recommended since dogs thrive on routine. If he develops any other symptoms (lethargy, vomiting,diarrhea, loss of appetite), then have him examined by your veterinarian.