Why does my dog not want me to watch him eat? Does it mean that they are sick or that you did something wrong? Well, you can quit asking yourself these questions because while it can certainly seem strange and even worrisome, this is not an uncommon issue for dogs to be having. In fact, it happens quite regularly.

But the good news is that with it being such a frequent thing to happen with dogs, there are clear answers to all these questions and many more you may be having. We’ll also tell you how to get your dog to eat in front of you, so keep reading because we’re going to get started now!

How Do I Get My Dog to Eat in Front of Me?

To get your dog to eat in front of you, take a small bit of food you both enjoy into a closed-off room. Break the food into two pieces. Have the larger piece for yourself, eat it, then give the smaller piece to your dog and wait for them to eat it too. Once they do, give them lots of excited pets and praise.

This should help you begin to make progress with your dog, but you still really need to address their issues with fear and confidence. While your dog not eating in front of you is a minor way of it showing, there are likely other ways that’s it popping up that are much more significant (or there will be in the near future).

Left unchecked, you could have a dog that is too timid to go on walks, that hides around the house, barks like crazy when you’re gone, and more. Clearly, these are all behaviors that you don’t want to be dealing with (nor do your neighbors, for that matter). So what do we do then?

Well, let’s think about how dogs work first. We spoke earlier about how dogs are pack animals. In every pack, there will be a pack leader. Your dog has proven that they see this as you since they’ve deferred to you by not eating in your presence.

While that may not seem like a major issue, all the problems that are rooted in the same cause obviously are. By giving your dog confidence and ridding them of their fear and anxiety, they’ll feel free to eat in front of you, go on walks without stressing out, and you’ll be able to leave the house without them going absolutely nuts and worrying the whole time you’re gone.

All of that sounds terrific, doesn’t it? Of course!

“But how am I supposed to do that…”

Well, I’d recommend an excellent free series that covers everything you’ll need to know about raising your dog, including giving them confidence and ending their stress and anxiety issues. It’s by a renowned trainer named Dan who loves dogs just as much as we do. And no worries, because you’ll never have to be mean or even raise your voice.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. It’s not a problem if you have no experience with this type of thing, because his videos are made exactly for regular people like you. Dan explains everything in ways that are very easy to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets right to the point so you’ll start seeing results before you know it.

Why Won’t My Dog Let Me Watch Him Eat?

Your dog won’t let you watch him eat because they are being submissive. You’ve likely heard before that dogs descended from wolves. Well, in any pack there is going to be a hierarchy among its members. This governs basically every interaction the pack members have with each other, including eating.

In a pack, the leader gets the best choice of food and they also eat first. Your dog sees you in this role, so when they see you doling out food, it’s normal and expected to them. And what’s expected on their part (at least, to them), is that they take the food they’ve been so graciously given and eat it privately away from other members of the pack.

While it may not seem like a big deal, it’s still something you should address. The need to be completely away from you and everyone else while they eat is going past just good submissive behavior into the beginnings of problems with fear and anxiety. Go back to the first section for how to handle this so that your dog will let you watch him eat.

Will My Dog Grow Out of Not Wanting Me to Watch Him Eat?

Your dog will not grow out of not wanting you to watch him eat due to the fact that this type of behavior is part of their instincts and showing submission to you. While it’s nothing significant to worry about, it does show that they have some problems with fear and anxiety.

By addressing these, you can give your dog the confidence to know that they can let you watch him eat, while still being a submissive and obedient dog. You’ll also be able to take care of related issues you may be having (or could be soon) like hiding under the table, walking under your feet, or whining at night.

Is My Dog Sick if He Doesn’t Want Me to Watch Him Eat?

It’s possible your dog is sick if he doesn’t want you to watch him eat, but you should only really consider this as a possibility if your dog normally lets you watch them eat. Dogs wanting to eat in private is normal and a sign of submission to you.

But if you feel like your dog might be doing it because they’re sick, look for other clues from their behavior for indications your dog is sick. Are they acting differently, like they don’t have their normal energy? Are they refusing to play or spending more time resting or hiding out from you?

If you’ve noticed changes in your dog’s behavior along with not wanting you to watch them eat, then you may want to consider taking them to the vet for a check-up.

I’m sure you’re looking forward to giving your dog the confidence they need to live a worry-free life, so I’ll let you get started. In case you need to check back later for some reminders, you might want to share this article “Why Does My Dog Not Want Me to Watch Him Eat?” Best of luck with everything!