Hello Everyone,
Nikki is a rescue dog, had her 3 years now.
Two strange habits started 2-3 months ago & for no reason that I know of.

(1) She started chewing /pulling on her nails. Stops for a few days, then does it again. Took her to vet ($100 poorer!), "maybe allergy, infection?" Gave the the tablets as prescribed. No real change. Yes, she goes to dog groomer on a regular basis.

If all that isn't enough:
(2) She barks at her food when she is ready to eat, morning noon and night!
I have tried ignoring her
I have tried moving dish into my home office
I have picked up and took the dish away, saying "NO BARK!" I then would return the food/dish in a few minutes again saying "NO BARK"!
Round and round we go.

Again... WHY?? Where do I go from here?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask as I need to get this resolved before I go bonkers.
Thank You
Nikki's Mom

As far as the barking at the food..... I'm lost..... sorry.

But the chewing on the nails...... My Gracie does that, and I file the nails about every 2 weeks, esp Gracie, they grow so fast. Though she has done it as long as she has been here. Some dogs groom, groom, groom, whether they really need it or not.

I hope you get things figured out.
Sorry if I wasnt much help.

[Piti Longstalking]

Did the vet say she was chewing at her nails because of an allergic reaction? If so, did the vet recommend a food change? What are you currently feeding? Did the vet say it was a seasonal allergy?

As for the bowl, have you tried switching bowls? Is it a metal bowl that she could possibly see her reflection?

Is she barking at the food when you set it out for her to eat OR is she barking at the bowl telling you she WANTS to eat? If it is the latter then don't let her see her bowl till it is feed time.

Nail chewing is sometimes the result of a fungus. And nail fungus can be difficult to diagnose.

If she's only chewing her nails/feet, and it really is an allergy, you might want to think about what cleaning products and air fresheners you use. A contact allergy is more likely than a food allergy if she's only chewing her nails/feet. Fabreez, Carpet Fresh, or carpet cleaning products could be the culprit.

You didn't mention how old your dog is. If she's getting on in years the barking could be a sign of geriatric cognitive dysfunction. It also might be an eye/vision problem.

Is her dish metal? Perhaps she's getting a static electrical shock if it is. I'd bark at it too if I was getting a shock whenever I got close. Try switching to a crockery or plastic bowl.

maybe your dogs are always hungry LOL