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Something is eating my dogs food at night??? Any ideas??

41K views 236 replies 33 participants last post by  GallopingGuitarist 
#1 ·
Hi,....... well, recently my husband has noticed that at night our dog is in the bedroom with us, door closed and in the morning all his food is gone. I have three other dogs that sleep behind a gate and cannot get into this area and they eat the same food anyway and still have food in the morning anyway.
What the heck do you think it could be?? We have a dog door but the other three would not let anything come in and run a muck without notice.

Mice is a thought but wouldn't we notice and how the heck could they eat that much food?? We are talking a bowl at least 10 inches around and 2-3 inches of food. I am freaked out! We confirmed last night that it was there at 11 pm and gone by 3 am.

Any ideas??
 
#37 ·
You must set up a camera!!! We need to see what it is!!!
 
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#41 ·
Seriously I'd be on stealth mode all night with the camera and vid camera!! Just like the guys on Discovery channel!!! Lol! (Haha no reference to the song....)
 
#47 ·
All I know is that I appreciate that we do not have the diversity of varmints in the UK as the USA!

I do know that the terriers we have would have a go at anything that is remotely smelly and wild if not told to leave it.

A mink was trapped on the fishing lakes and my Border Terrier knew better than to touch anything in a cage. However she was curious to what this smelly creature was and put her nose to the trap.
Silly *****!
The mink bit her through the lip and nose. Never before have I seen a dogs eyes turn scarlet. The biggest bit of the mink would have covered your thumb nail and the trap was annihilated.

It is unlikely to be mice, you would small them and they will only carry off a little food and nibble at the rest. You would find a lot of crumbs.
 
#51 ·
Ok but not until hubby gets home!!! Do not want to find what ever it may be alone! I know that sounds funny but for some reason I just don't, lol. And I can handle a lot when I need to, but I just don't wannaaaaaaaaaaa! :cry:

I am thinking if its mice, behind the appliances will be the first place to look. Stove, fridge, freezer, washer and dryer. All places to hide. Just hope I do not find anything bigger than a mouse!!
 
#54 ·
When I lived in SE Washington up in the dryland wheat country, the mice are really bad. When I packed up to move I must of found 50 lbs of dog food and mouse poison stuffed in various things, the bottom of my dresser where I stored my summer clothes, boots I hadn't worn, closet corners, behind the washing machine...everywhere! LOL!
 
#56 ·
Can you buy some sort of a video recorder you could set up?
I opened our mud room door to go into the garage one night and there was a possum sitting on the top step - he ran off though, seemed more nervous of me than I was of him
Can you fit a walk in trap over the opening?
It could be a whole herd of mice (not sure what you call a group of mice) Your kitchen could be party central for the local mouse population - or rats!!!
Squirrels are another possibility, my dogs ignore them for some reason and my father in law woke up one night to find one sitting on his bed - it had come in through a small top window that was open a crack - they are really smart and very agile, can climb pretty much anywhere
 
#62 ·
Can't believe no one said it yet.
It's OBVIOUSLY a poltergeist. Like Paranormal Activity.
You know that tickle you felt? *whispers* That wasn't your hubby....

:lol:
Oh shut up with that thought
You could read Broken Harbor (Tana French) though - the hubbie there was hearing something in the walls and in the loft and ..............
 
#61 ·
Do you have a trail camera or know someone that would loan you one? There's always the option of putting the food in a live trap. But I will warn you, if you use a live trap be prepared for poop all over... and if it's a skunk, you have yet another issue. We live trapped a couple skunks last year. Always so much fun getting the live trap moved without getting sprayed.

We had a rat that used to come into the kitchen in an older farm house years ago; he'd clean us out of pasta... NOTHING left. He wasn't quite as large as the one Face posted the picture of, but was pretty big...

My guess is a possum or raccoon...They tend to be creatures of habit and if they are making it to the bowl that is not protected.... But you bring up a valid point. Why aren't the other dogs going crazy? Perhaps it is a ninja raccoon?
 
#65 ·
^^^ What was even creepier, is it isn't a full sized rocking chair - it's a lovely little white child's rocking chair that was given to my girl when she was born. Try keeping your composure when it starts rocking like mad and nobody else is home.
 
#67 ·
Subbing also!

A couple years ago a packrat got in the tack shed. Ate some of tack (not enough to severely damage, but did depreciate them), and so we started laying out traps. Took a bout a month before we caught it! But at that point, we barely did.

It was in the live trap and somehow managed to get halfway in, and halfway out, like it was fused to the cage... I have a picture, too. ****** froze to death me thinks.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#73 ·
I'm not a fan of ghosts, in fact I'm a right chicken. lol!

The yard I used to keep Bandit at was built into the back of a castle, which was down a very long private laneway with a graveyard half way between the road and stables. Incredibly beautiful, but incredibly creepy in the dark.
 
#77 ·
For flips sake WS! My curiosity wants me to watch that, but bein such a chicken I'm afraid to! Now I'm confused as to what I should do lol!

I'm certain if i watch that, jaydee and myself will both be here all night with insomnia!
 
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#79 ·
Why am I not totally believing you?
I think I'll wait till the DH gets back and has a good long time in between trips or I'll be begging someone to come and have a sleep over with me!!!
You're too far away Maple - my Grandads house just outside Cork was soooooo creepy and yet beautiful. I thinks its now a housing estate!!!
 
#80 ·
We have several freeloaders at our place too :lol:I know at my house the magpies & bluejays are always swooping down & eating my dogs food:evil:.Don't think they do that stuff at night though:wink:.The deer come at night to the front & back yard eating out of the bird feeders,but don't think they like dog food?? Stray cats come in to our barn & eat my cats food too. Oh & then their is mr squirrel that lives in my grainery & has his smorgasbord:lol: Yup feeding the neighborhood!!:lol:
 
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