Prefers to work for food

oliwa

So I've been noticing a trend with Snickers...if she doesn't work for her food she doesn't seem interested in it.

I've been noticing that when we put her food down she looks at it, sniffs, it, and walks away. I normally put her food down around 7:00 pm and pick it up at 9:00 pm. She will eat and when she does she eats between 1 and 1 1/2 cups each morning and night (2 to 3 cups total).

Here's the funny part. I'll put her food down and she'll act uninterested. I pick some up in my hand and she'll eat it. I make her sit, get a handful from her bowl, and she'll eat it. This morning she was not interested in her food. I brought a small pyrex bowl in my bedroom and I normally have her in a down-stay as I get dressed. My clothes are not chew toys! So she was laying down and I gave her the bowl with about 1/2 cup food in it. She gobbled it up, licked the bowl, and then tried to eat the bowl.

I'm not sure if I like that she has taken the "nothing in life is free" mantra to a whole new level.

Thoughts?

Criosphynx

I read a reference to an experiment Skinner did where his pigeons were conditioned to work for food.

I believe the birds had to peck som'thing or hit a lever or whatever..

in addition to the food dispensing device, he then added a bowl with "free" food.

every bird continued to word for their food even though they no longer needed too.

Iam trying to find a link...

fawkese1

ditto what crio said....i've read that as well! i can't remember what they call that... but the pigeons kept going for the food they would have to work for...

Criosphynx

neither can I...I can't think of the keyword, so my link search was fruitless!

fawkese1

i found something about superstitious behavior... but not this one...

Criosphynx

hahah you too eh?

I have a behaviorism book at home, maybe I'll flip through it

fawkese1

it is like you are reading my mind again crio!

oliwa

Update to this.

I've noticed that when I put her bowl down rarely will she start to eat immediately. If I take a little bit in my hand and offer it to her she will eat out of my hand and then she will eat about 1 cup of food.

Another weird thing. Last night she wasn't too interested in her food. I gave her a piece of chicken jerky and when she finished it she went over and at some more.

Criosphynx

huh...maybe the bowl wierds her out? I actually have to rotate Critters bowls because she becomes afraid of them over time, but shes not *right* in the head. :P


Now that you mention it, Chili hesitates a bit on the bowls also...