Occasionally, Scorch decides that he would not like his breakfast. For me, that's the equivalent of not wanting to breathe. Every dog I've owned or fostered has eaten like they'll never see food again.
I've learned to accept it as one of his idiosyncrasies, but that doesn't stop me from attempting to encourage him.
Today, I set his chicken leg quarter in front of him. He sniffed it, turned his nose up, and went to lay down by the sink. I brought him over to it and started cheerleadering him.
"Get the chicken Scorchie!! Get that chicken! Good boy!"
I would praise him every time he touched it or licked it, and all I ended up with was a dog who was enthusiastically targeting the chicken. Great.
So I picked up the meal and brought it to his crate. He leaped into the air, twirling and dancing the happy dance, then ran into the crate eagerly awaiting the leg. I put it in there with him, shut the door... and he pushed it aside, laid down, and sighed.
I left him in there for a few minutes, then decided he wasn't going to eat it and let him out, shutting the crate door behind him. Wolfie, at this point, came up to see what was going on, and why his moronic brother wasn't touching a perfectly good leg quarter. Scorch lay against the closed crate door and apologetically cowered while showing Wolfie his teeth.
I patiently explained to Scorch that he could not guard his chicken if he wasn't prepared to eat it. Apparently, he did not agree. Eventually, Wolfie's desire for the abandoned food overrode Scorch's desire to be a stubborn jerk, and he is currently munching away inside his crate.
...I just don't get it.
