Somewhere around the 15th week give or take depending on the puppy you'll notice they start to become "aware" of their surroundings and the goings on outside the window etc. which they never seemed to notice before being too busy being little pups. This goes hand in hand with the food eating race to finish up until that time. They begin to notice that while they're eating other things are happening in other parts of the house and it's hard to stay put so they have to go check things out and then go back and finish or do as your dog is doing take some along. I wouldn't worry too much about it, the only thing you can really do is pull up a chair or stool and sit down beside the pup while its eating and make it finish. If you sit there beside the pup they don't tend to want to wander off and will finish the food.

The amount of food really can't be judged unless we know what the food is. Not all foods are the same. So presuming that you're feeding the correct amount of food for her age and weight, I'd do one of two things:

1) Feed her in her crate
or 2) Hold the bowl for her while she eats.

The first approach reinforces the crate as a good place to be and minimizes any clean up, the second is simply good bonding for the two of you.

Sounds like she needs to start "working" for food. Make her sit and stay a good 20 seconds before you put it down in front of her. If she doesn't stay at her bowl while eating then take it away.

Your post just makes me smile with happiness. We're longtime Labrador people and each of our dogs have been unique in their habits and characters. Our third Labrador has the unique quality of maintaining his weight through his own eating habits! Does not over eat -- however, he does have the annoying habit of eating all over the house!! He picks up his "nibblies" and wanders around, looking out the windows, etc., waiting for something to happen so he can bark and spew food all over the windows.
Your dog is a food wanderer! Probably a canine ADD. Can't stand to stand and eat because she can't stand to think of what she might be missing while eating! Let her be -- she's a Lab and it sounds like she has lots of character and is full of fun. It's a lot of work, picking up after her; but very much worth it, IMO! Right now, I can't stand the thought of being without that little annoyance. Get a grip and it will be fine!

My thoughts are the same as annie's. I don't have a lab but I have a Spitz and he does the same thing. He gets a mouthfull of dry food, then heads either for the entry, his bed, or the FR, drops it on the floor and then eats it.
He's a very picky eater, meaning he never eats his meal all at one time. He nibbles thru the day and some days hardly eats at all. He's healthy and his weight is fine.

You may also try feeding in a different area to see if that changes her new habit. She may not like the overhang.

I agree with most of what has already been posted.

I do think you should consult with your vet about the food intake. It does seem to be a bit much, but as already stated, the type of food does make a huge difference. Especially if you are feeding "puppy" formula.

Feeding your pup in her crate for a while will be a positive thing that will also help to prevent lots of other "negative" behaviors. I don't think it a good idea to have the water bowl in the crate. Dogs are naturally sloppy drinkers, she could get wet and make a real mess.

Your pup does need all of the water she can drink outside of the crate.

This is one of many challenges you are going to face with you pup. Labs are wonderful dogs, but they do tend to mature slower than some other dogs. They are also known for their incredible energy that they must burn off, lest they get into very serious mischief if they dont. I think the best thing you can do starting now is getting your pup used to regular play time at least twice a day, wear her out to the point that she drops. *A good dog is a tired dog,!

Good luck!!!

SG

Our yellow lab at 16 weeks was getting 2 C. of Purina One Large Breed Puppy Chow in the morning and then two more feedings of 1 C. each and noon and evening. That isn't too much food since your pup is in a real growing spurt right now. In fact, for a high energy lab, that doesn't sound like too much food for the first l8 months.

Our pup is now 8 months old and is still getting that 4 C. of food three times a day -- we watch her weight carefully and she is in great shape.

Some great suggestions - thanks!

About the amount of food: She's eating a bit less now - (maybe 1 1/2 cups per feeding), which I think is probably a good thing. She was being fed Pedigree Puppy food when we got her, and we are completing the switch to the Pedigree Large Breed Puppy food now.

We could go to 3 feedings a day, but we're also trying to housetrain her, and adding an extra feeding would add a few extra trips outside. If you'all think it's necessary, I'll do it, but the 2 feeding routine sems to be OK.

Pkguy - Your 'noticing everything and not wanting to miss anything' observations seem on target, so this morning, I just stood there quietly while she ate. But she still wandered... A bit less, but she still wandered.

Timbulb - I have been making her sit before giving her food or setting down the refilled water bowl -- but 20 seconds? That seems like a long time... Can I work up to that?

Ann & Annie - "A food wanderer" -- That seems to be what it is, and as 'dog problems' go, I'd agree it's very small potatos. But still - if it's a behavior I can change while she's a young pup, I'd like to try it.

Several of you mentioned feeding her in her crate. Aside from making her crate a good place to be, what are the benefits of doing this? Right now, the crate we have is 'puppy-sized' for easy portability around the house (my office, our bedroom to sleep, living room when we're eating or busy), so there's not much 'extra' room in there. If we feed her in her crate, that means a few extra crate-hauls around the house to bring it downstairs for meals, then back upstairs to my office for morning and afternoon naps while I work. Is it really important?

Given the age of you pup, I think you should consult with your vet about the food intake. Pups have a huge amount of energy, the formula for pups is meant to keep up with that.

As for the crate. You should plan on having your dog crated when you cannot supervise for at least nine months. Within this time period, your dog is going to mature and learn new things. All of this should lead to your trust in her, and eventual unsupervised, un crated freedom.

Your pup is going to grow really fast for at least the next 4 months. This means you will need a new crate very soon. The messy food issue may pass with maturity, maybe not. It may or may not be solved feeding her in the crate.

Yes, crating and all of the things that go with it, are very important, for at least the next 9 months.

Good luck!

SG

Both my dogs do the same thing. My Cocker follows my Saint and cleans up after him, thank goodness.

Oh, we've been crating her all right! In fact, she probably spends more time there than anywhere else. Out to eat, play, train, play, and when we're 'right there' but not too busy to watch her every move. Her crate is always kept where I am - either in my office while I'm working, in our bedroom while we sleep, or in the open living area when we're downstairs cooking or eating.

During tonight's supper, I did notice that if I stood close to her food, she didn't wander, and seemed more intent on eating it before I took it away -- but wouldn't this breed food-guarding? Since that's essentially what I'm asking her to do...

One of my babies is a 7 year old Chihuahua. Harley Joe doesn't walk around the house with food in his mouth but he has another habit. He will get some food in his mouth, turn his head away from the bowl and chew. He will always spill some out of his mouth and will not eat any more out of his bowl until he cleans up the floor. He is a little neat freak. Vique.

Go get yourself one of those bowls that have sections...it will slow her down as far as wolfing down food. Next I suggest you add some wet food - Diced Natural Balance meat sticks, or Trader Joes canned dog food. I also suggest you do some leash walking if possible, although it sounds like you are doing everything right and things are going great, leash walking is the best way to train your dog to know who is boss, it offers new scents and a good 15 minute walk a couple of times a day is a good way to help break the monotony of being homebound. Especially for a working dog like you have. Trips to a nearby pond, lake or ocean, will do wonders for her mental health.
It could be your dog is starting to get a little bored with life stuck in the same place with the same smells. Good luck

Maybe try feeding her in smaller increments? I don't mean more meals per day, but put just enough in her bowl that you're reasonably sure she'll eat it all right away before taking off, then ask her to sit-stay (or whatever the ritual is) before putting the next increment of food in the bowl. My thought is that might keep her attention on meal-time until she's had enough to eat? And if it works, you could gradually make each food increment a little bigger until (with luck) you work back up to a whole meal.

My gets a huge mouthful of food, walks in the living room, spits it out and then eats 1 piece at a time. She does this weather we are in the living room or not. She has always done this. It's odd, but I think it's cute. It drives my husband batty ("she's making crumbs!!")

Interesting developments -- Now our Aussie stands guard while she eats. He knows he's not supposed to eat her food, so he'll only eat the 'crumbs' she drops, but he'll stand 4-5 feet away and watch her, and this has helped curb her wandering.

Now when she does wander more than a few feet away, I simply remove the bowl, making enough noise so she knows I'm doing it. Then when she wanders back, I ignore her for a few minutes, then have her sit and wait before giving her bowl back. If she wanders away again, then breakfast is over.

Flowersnow - I think we may be married to the same man! That's Hubby's issue exactly -- (That and the water bowl drool trail...)

My Lab does the same thing. We live in a mild climate so her food bowl and water are outside on the covered patio. She is makes such a mess! Every few months I have to use straight ammonia and a scrub brush to remove her drool stains from the cement.

One more thought as well - if she is fed in the kitchen and you have linoleum or smooth tile floors, it's possible she doesn't like the 'slippery' feeling under her feet. Our big guy will not eat his food anywhere but on a blanket/large mat because his feet slide back on the floors - he will take his food to the blanket/mat or into the living room if his mat isn't down. He only wanders if he is on slippery floors.

Might be worth a try to give her a bigger mat, or move her current mat into a carpeted area, and see if that helps. You never know!

That's a thought Munkos!

It's interesting - older Aussie eats in another room and has a slightly larger mat. The new girl seems to just love eating his food, and our Aussie seems to want to eat hers!

Unfortunately, they're on different brands and both seem to have sensitive stomachs!