How to prevent puppy from eating cats food

[RYLEE SCHORN]

Hi! I have posted here before about my Golden retriever Ollie. He is doing really well with leave it and stay. Every time I feed him I practice sit and stay. We also have two cats. Our cat bowls used to be on the kitchen floor where Ollie’s bowls have now taken over. We had to move the cat bowls up on our kitchen table (not ideal) because Ollie would try to eat their food. Ollie is currently 15 weeks and is very smart but also loves food! I am trying to figure out if I can ever have the cats bowls on the floor again and if theirs a way to prevent Ollie from eating their food. I have a feeling that I could distract him and command him to stay or leave it once I initially pour the cats food but the problem is the cats eat 3/4 of their food and then finish it later. I’m guessing the answer to this will just be to feed the cats in another room. I can do this but it’s not ideal as the other rooms are carpeted and we sometimes close the doors so that Ollie can’t go in but we also want the cats to have access to their food at all times… Any suggestions? Thanks for reading! 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

What a cutie Ollie is! Great to hear that Ollie is doing really well with "leave it" and "stay."  Practicing these cues at feeding times are a great exercise in impulse control. 

In regards to the food, this would have been rather easy if the cats were fed the food and then they were done and the food bowls were picked up. In that case, a fluent "leave it" could do, but being that the cats eat only 3/4 of their food, leaving the food bowls out and unattended for a good part of the day is the main challenge. 

Ollie likely feels that they aren't interested in their food anymore and therefore he feels the duty of not putting that food to waste by storing it in his tummy!

Fortunately, there are some astute solutions.

For example, this gadget was crafted for owners of dogs who steal kitty food or eat "kitten Tootsie rolls" from the litter box. If most of your rooms are carpeted or the doors are closed, then I can see this latch put to good use in a bathroom or closet.

 https://www.amazon.com/Door-Buddy-Adjustable-Convenient-Installation/dp/B016QT678M/

This bowl is instead designed to not allow dogs to grab any food:

https://www.amazon.com/Felines-Only-Purrrfect-Veterinarian-Designed/dp/B00NLYC7PS/

A cat door may be installed on a door:

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Corridor-Interior-Medium-Litter/dp/B08PHTJ7QV

Or height can be used to make cat food inaccessible to dogs:

https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-Stainless-Mounts-Windows/dp/B01ERDDPSO

Please note that other than the latches, I am not familiar with or have tested these products. Some of these may only work for when Ollie is older and larger and less capable of fitting through some tight spaces that only cats may get through.