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Permalink Reply by CorgiLove on April 14, 2008 at 1:07am

It sounds like you leave the food down for her if she doesn't eat it. That basically tells her that she can eat whenever she pleases, so there is no rush. Try taking the food away after 5 minutes if she doesn't eat it, and give her the next portion whenever it's time. Don't worry if she doesn't eat and don't offer and extra feeding because of it. It's ok if she misses a meal or two. Soon she should learn that if she is hungry, she should eat when the food is there, otherwise it's taken away, and hopefully she'll eat every time then. If the problem persists and/or she starts losing weight, a vet trip might be a good idea. Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Kate on April 14, 2008 at 1:45am

What do you do after you put her food down? Do you walk away? If so, have you always walked away? Oakley will not eat unless she has one of her humans around. We don't have to watch her, but we have to be nearby. This is fairly common as it links back to pack behavior. I would try to avoid "baiting" her food as it creates finicky eaters who only get worse over time. A dog will never starve itself to death. I would first look at your behavior around feeding time and see if it has changed. If she still doesn't eat and you notice a dramatic loss in weight I would take her to your vet for a wellness exam (just as CorgiLove previously stated).

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Permalink Reply by Apryl on April 14, 2008 at 2:27am

I had similar problems. After a while of him not completely finishing his food, I left the food out, concerned he'd be hungry later...he ended up still not eating and then losing quite a few pounds. My solution ended up being switching the food - but it took a while to find a food that he liked (which happened to be the same brand the breeder gave us to begin with). He licks his bowl clean now...

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on April 14, 2008 at 9:01am

We alternate flavors when a bag runs out, so if this bag was beef, the next one would be chicken and rice flavor. Don't leave the food out, pick it up and feed her at a later time :)

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Permalink Reply by Charlie on April 14, 2008 at 9:53am

I also agree with not leaving the food down all day. At scheduled mealtimes put it down, then pick up in 15-30 minutes.

Also are you feeding any treats during the day? The "yummier" treats, may be making Bailey hold out for treats instead of his complete-nutrition kibble. If you're offering great treats, try just giving him pieces of his kibble instead of additional treats for a day or two. As Kate said, a dog will never starve itself.

Switching to a better tasting food, as Apryl suggested, is also an option. If you have to add a flavor-enhancer, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or unsalted chicken broth is healthier than peanut butter.

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Permalink Reply by Ju Lo on April 14, 2008 at 2:48pm

You could try a little yogurt or cottage cheese. It's delicious, and coats the kibble nicely. Of course, Theo will just lick it off and leave the kibble behind sometimes. Hehe. Or try any vegetable (except onions or broccoli!!!). Their systems handle the digestion better if the veggies are ground up, or so I've read. Theo like zucchini, carrots, celery, lettuce, etc. Or try some pumpkin. It's good for their digestion, and again, it coats the kibble nicely.

I feed Theo a natural diet with a little kibble mixed in for good measure. He loves the natural food ("people food"), and isn't a big fan of kibble. It's more inconvenient, and requires some research, but Theo loves meat, fish, brown rice, oats, dairy, any ground up veggie or fruit. The only thing I've fed him that he won't gobble right up is kibble. Can't blame a dog for liking good food! :)

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Permalink Reply by John & Ann on April 14, 2008 at 2:35pm

The only problem is that sometimes we leave in the morning and dont get back until later in the day. I dont want to not have food out for her in the morning and make her wait until late at night. I guess are going to have to try taking it away after 15 or 20 minutes and then putting it back out later.

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