Feeding Frenzy: Lava, Hela & Lajka's Mealtimes

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my three dogs, Lava, Hela, and Lajka.

Having three dogs, who’ve not known each other since a young age, means being a bit more careful and insightful around feeding times. Luckily, they are pretty good when it comes to respecting each other’s privacy while eating, and there is an established hierarchy based on their love for food. There is also a different approach based on whether they are being fed inside or outside.

Lava Is Always Special

Lava has a strange personality. Don’t get me wrong, she loves food, but usually and mostly when that food is on my plate. She’d kill for a bite of table scraps, despite me never giving her anything. As soon as I’m making something or getting ready to eat, there she is, somewhere close by, but not too close, so I wouldn’t realize she is there. As if I could miss a 77-lb dog next to my feet.

When it comes to her food, Lava often needs persuading to eat. She’s been a picky eater since she was a puppy. This has somewhat improved since she gained two sisters she never asked for, who are now always impatient to clean up her food bowl after she’s done eating. Lava is also a slow eater, and requires her own privacy when she eats. Despite no one really trying to steal her food, there will be a low growl even if there is just a cat a few feet away cleaning themselves, ignoring Lava’s dinner. That’s why, when inside, Lava eats in the downstairs toilet, as the living room and kitchen are one room. This gives her privacy, and no one can disturb her. And when eating outside, I need to supervise the other two so they don’t annoy Lava, who finishes last, cherishing every bite, as if to spite the other two who finished their food more quickly.

Hela Is a Foodie

Hela, due to her history of near-starvation in Greece, is a big foodie. This can be her dry food, wet canned food, treats, or human food, and she will also resort to eating insects and small rodents she finds and catches outside. It’s interesting to see that even after almost 2 years of having a consistent routine when it comes to mealtimes, she still tries to find things to eat outside. There have been many times when I had to try and remove something stinky and rotten from her mouth, which she’s not so tolerant of.

And Hela is like clockwork. If I sleep in or come home late, she will be the one to clearly show me it’s well past breakfast or dinner time, by sitting right next to me, wagging her tail intensely, and having this persistent stare. She may even walk over to where the food is or casually inspect the cats’ food bowls. Hela eats first when they're being fed inside and last when outside. This only means her food bowl reaches her around 20 seconds later than the first dog, but to her, it must seem like an eternity. She is a fast eater, and at times, I use a slow feeder to slow her down a bit. After she finishes, she will clean the other dogs’ bowls until they are spotless.

Lajka Is Not a Morning “Person”

And the newest addition, well, as you could have guessed, also loves food. Not knowing her history, it’s difficult to even guess the way she lived, but based on her similarly gross habits to Hela’s of eating all sorts, it’s clear she hadn’t been fed too regularly. She loves everything I give her and will never leave anything behind, unlike Lava, but in the morning, she will not be super insistent on asking for food. She will eat her breakfast, but slowly. When fed inside, she eats in her crate and will rush inside, knowing food is coming. Outside, she is the first to get fed, as she follows me around so intently that it only makes sense that she eats first.

She also respects Hela and Lava and will only approach both when they’re done eating, in the hope that something got missed in or around the food bowl. It’s nice to see how the mealtimes are quite calm and seem to flow, and to outside observers, it must appear like a well-rehearsed play. Of course, it took us plenty of time to find what works best.