# Refuse to eat...



## Bryan Morris (Oct 8, 2009)

My dog has a few days that she just refused to eat her food. I've been monitoring her for a few days as she was not eating her food but was taking part in her regular daily activities like normal so I didn't rush her to the vet. Yesterday I've decided to purchase a wet "flavorful" dog food and she ate all to the point of licking the bowl clean. I'm now convinced that she's not sick but she grew tired of her dog food. Should I just surrender and try and find another dog food or is there another suggestion to get her back on the regular food?

Bryan Morris


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## Roxy_Nie (Oct 10, 2008)

I would find another dry food to feed her.

What are you feeding her now? How old is she?


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## Bryan Morris (Oct 8, 2009)

She's currently 5 months and I'm feeding her Eagle Pack Puppy Formula.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

I don't know if I would try a diffent food or not. Chalice adn Mikado both would go a few days with out eating. I even feed them raw for over a year and there would days when they wouldn't eat. I sometimes think a dog know it doesn't need the food.


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## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Like people some days a dog just doesn't feel well. 

However with young pups I'd be more concerned if they refused food.


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## Bryan Morris (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks for your response. As mentioned, my conclusion is not that she's not feeling well because she really eats up a wet Pedigree that I've put down for her. I'm thinking that she's probably sick of eating the food that she's currently receiving. 

Quality food besides raw or BARF are not easy accesible to me and I'm not really willing to change her food at her will. In 6 months she might want to change again and then there I go at the Dog's mercy. Someone told me to just let her go hungry and she will eventually realize that that's her food and nothing else. I just wanted to know if this is the right direction to go. I personally find it to be a bit cruel but in the wild animals usually stick to the food that they know, albeit that there are isolated cases where they go off and get something else and most times I think it is because of lack of what they're accustomed to. 

Bryan Morris


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## belindabone (Mar 4, 2009)

maybe try scrambling an egg(shells and all) and mixing it in with the food,and maybe add just a little bit of water to give it some gravy.ive never met a dog that did not enjoy eating eggs,and the shells are good for cleaning out the digestive tract,and adds some extra vitamins and stuff


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## Roxy_Nie (Oct 10, 2008)

You could also try adding alitlle water and mixing it up. 

Maybe my dogs are slow but for some weird reason they really like it when I do that. Even though their water bowl is right next to the food bowl...LMAO


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Don't change foods. We as humans create pick eaters in dogs by trying to feed them what they "like". If you change foods now you will create a pattern and will make a picky eater. Now that you know she was not sick just offer her food (the same kind) and when she gets hungry enough she will eat. This dog I have right now as a board and train client has not eaten in 4 days (today being the fourth). He is a picky eater and his mom caters to his needs. Well now he is way over weight and has to have ACL surgery and has to lose weight. So I offer him food in the morning and he was knocking the bowl over and trying to bury it in the hay. So I didn't offer him any more food for that day, and this pattern went on till today. I hoping today he will be hungry enough to get on a schedule and start eating. If you do something like this you have to watch for low blood sugar and you can hand feed a few (like 5) kibbles to keep the blood sugar up but over all you just hold out. Dogs are not stupid animals 99.9% of dogs will eventually eat when they are hungry enough but that could be 5-6 day later for some. This dog is really overweight so I am not worried at all by him not eating he has plenty of reserves. But if I give in and try and baby him to eat I am creating a pattern. I have had tons of rescues and clients dogs do this and eventually they all eat and they eat on a schedule and they are not picky anymore.
So if you have a good quality feed and you know it is not a medical issues then just stick it out till your dog gets hungry enough to eat, just don't start changing foods or you will make her picky.


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## Bryan Morris (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks again for the feed back. Performanceknls, I did just as I thought and now you've reconfirmed my thoughts. She got up this morning and she still didn't want to eat when I put out her food but a few hours later she ate it all up. Hope the pattern is broken. I'll be able to determine that later tonight as I feed her again. I feed her half her recommended dosage in the morning and half in the evening as she's a puppy and she seems not to be able to eat her entire portion in one sitting.

Bryan Morris


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## jeep lex (Jan 29, 2009)

Roxy_Nie said:


> You could also try adding alitlle water and mixing it up.
> 
> Maybe my dogs are slow but for some weird reason they really like it when I do that. Even though their water bowl is right next to the food bowl...LMAO


i do the same thing and lexi loves it, i always add water to kibble now she never had trouble eating tho shell eat a hat if i put it in her bowl


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Bryan Morris said:


> Thanks again for the feed back. Performanceknls, I did just as I thought and now you've reconfirmed my thoughts. She got up this morning and she still didn't want to eat when I put out her food but a few hours later she ate it all up. Hope the pattern is broken. I'll be able to determine that later tonight as I feed her again. I feed her half her recommended dosage in the morning and half in the evening as she's a puppy and she seems not to be able to eat her entire portion in one sitting.
> 
> Bryan Morris


how old is she? this is important because some puppies go off food a bit while growing then come back and eat everything in site! My last few puppies did that and it only lasts a few weeks then they go back to normal.


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## Bryan Morris (Oct 8, 2009)

She's 5 months going on 6, She has since got back into eating it is not perfect as sometimes I still see her leave a little for about an hour or two after but most times she eats it all like she's used to.

Bryan Morris


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## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

im glad things are going well for her! just keep to a good routine and she will be fine


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