After a very busy weekend with lots of attention from visiting relatives, I left a my dog alone for a few hours on Monday while I went out shopping. I have left him alone before with no problems, but I think that because he'd had so much attention previously, he really noticed the difference this time.

When I returned he was pleased to see me at first, but then he started sulking. Then he didn't eat anything for two days. Thankfully, yesterday he returned to normal (he'd obviously forgiven me for leaving him). During his sulking / not eating period, I was a bit worried about him.

This is my first dog and I've not had him long, so I just wondered if he really was sulking and on hunger strike, or could he have been ill? Do dogs play these games like humans do?

Hi Beany,
Something that I notice with visitors, they sometimes sneak food and treats to the dogs. Then when they leave, the dog is either completely full or just doesn't want to deal with "plain" food anymore :D :D

I can always tell when my two have been fed -- Chienne will look away and just wag her tail when I put down her dinner. She won't eat until she gets hungry again. Samm is the opportunist -- anywhere, anytime: food is friend

Also when Chienne's overtired, she'll prefer to lie around in a quiet place than eat. I think dogs sometimes need "alone" time to recover from excitement

Yes, I think you could be right about the visitors treating the dog behind my back. I have a Cavalier KC and carefully monitor his food and limit treats as I have heard the breed is prone to easy weight gain. When my visitors arrived, one of them had brought him a packet of human biscuits! They looked quite offended when I said he couldn't have them.

And I think you could be right that he is just recovering from the excitement and getting back to reality. After a house full of people, just being with me and my hubby playing the usual games and going for the usual walks probably seemed a bit dull for a dog.

Beanie,
His actions sound rather normal. He's just catching up on the 18-22 hour daily snooze time that dogs need. I wouldn't worry about him "sulking" -- bit too anthropomorphic . He's probably just adjusting to the quiet again and relaxing into his normal scheduled self. He does sound like a real sweetie
Human biscuits (I'm just shaking my head and smiling about that one) :D
:cool:

Tell me about people feeding your dog when they shouldn't:D I have now banned Dollar from our local pub:D Too many crisps.....and it doesn't matter how many times you tell people.......
Anita

Well, it's happened again, and I can see how it happens now!

We had visitors again last weekend. One of them was a two year old baby who kept on holding out her food for the dog to eat. He also had great delight in demolishing all food she dropped on the floor. Altogether he had sausages, cheese, crackers, chocolate biscuits and cheesy wotsits. No matter how hard I tried to stop him, he still managed to sneak at some.

Yesterday he wouldn't eat his food. He just looked at it as if to say "oh no, we're not back to that rubbish again, are we?" and just walked away. He must have been really hungry though, because we could hear his tummy rumbling really loudly all day, but I think he was hanging on and leaving room just in case that baby appeared with the tasty grub again. When we ate our food, he sat on the floor next to us wagging his tail eagerly, but he didn't get any.

When I put his breakfast down this morning, he gulped it all down really fast. He'd obviously realised he wasn't going to get anything better so he may as well eat it.

Clever little things, aren't they, dogs?

Hi Beany,
Glad to see that you 'sussed' your dog out :D Gotta watch him like a hawk, the little opportunistic whelp :D :D :D Ah, but that's the nature of the breed I mean this in the nicest of ways, of course
:cool:

Well you think your have worries? just had a call to tell me Zac ate a beam in the bath room and this was all because I varnished the kitchen floor so he showed off was only left an hour. Zac really pushing his luck this week-end terror walks
and the trimmer has made him look like a complete mug he now has a full skirt
looks like a hula hula Girl walking along I am so embarassed.

Pat x