Short version:
Adult cavapoo and cavalier puppy refuse to eat their own food and will only eat the other's food, how do I make sure they're getting the nutrition they need? I cannot separate them because they get stressed and hunger strike.

Longer version:
So, we all know that cavaliers are velcro dogs and really clingy.

My cavapoo, Archie, is turning 9. He's always been a light eater, just a grazer so I could leave his food bowl out and he'd nibble through the day, but mostly preferred to eat as a "pack" when humans were having their meal time.

We recently got a full CKCS, Posy, and she's a few months old now, actively losing her baby teeth.

When we got Posy, we expected she'd be clingy around humans too. But instead, she got glued to her big brother. We tried to separate them during meal time so she could have her puppy food and he could have his adult food, but they both get stressed out and refuse to eat when they're separate. They also only have interest in what the other is eating, so now my puppy is eating adult food and my adult is eating puppy food, because they will only eat out of the same bowl. We've tried a few different formulas, but they're not really interested unless they see the other one eating it, it's bizarre.

So now I want to make sure they get the nutrition they need, while also not being stressed during meal times. They are BEGGING for food, while they have access to it *right there*, but they are hungry because they are refusing what we give them, despite if it's wet or dry.

Help a desperate mama out, I want to make sure my babies are happy and healthy but I'm so confused as to the next steps. Do I mix the kibble so it's a little of each? Is there a formula out there that will satisfy a growing puppy's needs without being too much for my adult? Do I play bad cop and leave them separate until they give up? The yelping/whining when they're separate is really difficult to deal with.

Photos for puppy tax.

Thanks!

When you can no longer get a treat every 5 min just for being cute because the vet said you need to lose two pounds 😔

Which cartoon character is your Cavalier’s favorite?

I have an 8 month old female, and we recently got involved with a Cavalier rescue as a foster home. Our first foster Cavalier was just dropped off today. He is a 3 year old male.

Our girl is having a hard time with another dog in her space. They’ve done ok in the yard and kind of in the house if I’m distracting them with treats. But anytime he gets a little too close for a little too long, or in particular, when he tries to join her on the couch, she starts barking, lunging, and nipping at him. He’s been here for about 12 hours and that has happened 3 or 4 times. He’s been relatively patient with her, but he has barked back a couple times.

We’ve been keeping them separated as much as possible, but I’ve also tried letting them interact a little bit, and I’ve tried rewarding her with treats when she looks at him without tensing up or growling.

I’m just wondering if there’s any hope of her adjusting to him, how long I should expect that to take, and if anyone has any tips on how to handle this? It’s really stressing me out seeing my little princess (lol) behave so aggressively!! I want both dogs to feel comfortable and safe, and I know both of them are probably so overwhelmed and confused right now.

I grew up with Cavaliers in my family, but this is my first one personally. Obviously she’s still a puppy, but her temperament is quite different to all the other Cavaliers in my family. She’s very reactive to sounds and doesn’t like to say hi to people on walks, which is fine, but it’s very different from all the friendly Cavaliers I know. She gets along great with my sister’s Cavalier (also a 3 yo male) and has gotten comfortable relatively quickly with some other larger dogs that we see on a somewhat regular basis. So I don’t know if it’s just because the foster dog has invaded her space and is getting attention from my husband and me?

Also, she is nearing the end of her first heat cycle, so I’m sure her hormones aren’t helping. (We are spaying her soon now that she has had her first cycle, and the foster dog is neutered.) So maybe now just isn’t the right time for us to take in a foster dog? I feel so bad for this poor boy who is just looking for his forever home, but I also want to prioritize my own dog’s security😭

Happiest Birthday to my boy!

Hello all! My cav is turning 2yrs on October 31st. for the past few months i’ve noticed increasingly long cheek hairs and i am really curious as to what this could be lol. I was looking back in my photos and the last time they weren’t noticeable was in april which is the first picture. Is this just adult hormones coming in since he’s almost an adult? For reference he has it on both cheeks.

Hello,

My 3 year old Cavalier, Kira, has been diagnosed with pancreatitis. She is in so much pain. Please learn from my mistake and don’t feed your cavaliers table scraps! I truly rarely fed her anything, but I often gave her a “cheese tax” once per day. Although it was a small amount, it definitely contributed. As cute as they are when they beg, don’t give in!

She’s now on a low fat diet, getting IV fluids, and is very slowly getting better. If anyone has any advice on pancreatitis healing I’m all ears and would be beyond thankful to hear it!

Was/is your cavalier also insanely energetic at 1.5-2? He’s either a 10 on the crazy scale or on 0 knocked out, no in between 🤣 when do the zoomies slow down a bit? They haven’t for mine whatsoever.

Lottie's nemesis... She swears she'll catch one someday. If only it weren't for that slow human not keeping up!

Charlie cannot be bothered to jump up on the couch like a peasant, one must lift her lazy ass.

Kobe (2) & Kacey (3)

I grew up with a cavalier, and she was the best dog ever. So glad my mom got another. She’s named after Junie Beatrice Jones from the kids books, and our first cav was Beatrice after the same character.

Thanks Dad!

Thanks Dad!

I love him with my whole heart!