Fussy dog and food

[Flip_flop]

Those of you with fussy dogs what do you feed them? My current dog is very fussy some days she’ll eat some days she won’t. We’ve gone through so many different types of dry food and have tried adding gravy but she still only eats for a few days and then stops. We’ve tried just leaving it down or taking it with us sometimes that works sometimes it doesn’t. She is generally fussy about treats too unless they are Bonios she’d live off them if she could. Any ideas what we could try next?

 

[Blazingsaddles]

Tripe, Chicken bulked up with rice/pasta. Pilchards (not in Tom sauce). Rabbit pieces. I’d reduce the Bonios though. ?

 

[CorvusCorax]

What's the longest she will go without eating?

 

[Pointless1]

A healthy dog won't starve its self!
Put food down leave for 10 mins if it's not been eaten take it a way. Next meal time do the same. Most likely within a couple of days she will.eat!

 

[Flip_flop]

What's the longest she will go without eating?

I think she went 3 days once without a proper meal she would pick at it but not eat properly. Now we try and put gravy on it but even then she gets bored after a few days.

 

[Flip_flop]

Tripe, Chicken bulked up with rice/pasta. Pilchards (not in Tom sauce). Rabbit pieces. I’d reduce the Bonios though. ?

Thanks we tried chicken and rice she picked out the chicken and left the rice ? will have a look at the others though. She only has a bonio at night and sometimes at lunch when I remember which isn’t that often at the moment!

 

[CorvusCorax]

I think she went 3 days once without a proper meal she would pick at it but not eat properly. Now we try and put gravy on it but even then she gets bored after a few days.

But she still ate something? What's her age/breed/weight? Are her teeth ok?

 

[Flip_flop]

A healthy dog won't starve its self!
Put food down leave for 10 mins if it's not been eaten take it a way. Next meal time do the same. Most likely within a couple of days she will.eat!

We’ve tried that she went 3 days without eating and lost loads of weight and then ate before going back to ignoring it after a few days.

 

[Flip_flop]

But she still ate something? What's her age/breed/weight? Are her teeth ok?

Yes she picked at it but not enough and quickly lost weight. She’s an 8 year old Springdor who weighs just under the 20kg mark she’s looking well at the moment it’s just frustrating. Teeth are ok though.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our Lab pup suddenly decided that the kibble that she had been eating since weaning was going to poison her. Her litter sister ate it with no problem and I tired more than one bag incase their was a problem with a batch. She was obviously hungry and got very excited at mealtimes but then just looked at the dish, she would sometimes eat some if we hand-fed her but it was reluctantly. After trying putting chicken/ham/fish/eggs/whatever i could think of in the dish with the kibble, we swapped her onto Butchers tripe tins and terrier meal, like the adult Rotter was already eating. She hasn't looked back since.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Are you near her when she eats? Does she show any other signs of stress/is she stressy generally?

 

[Flip_flop]

Our Lab pup suddenly decided that the kibble that she had been eating since weaning was going to poison her. Her litter sister ate it with no problem and I tired more than one bag incase their was a problem with a batch. She was obviously hungry and got very excited at mealtimes but then just looked at the dish, she would sometimes eat some if we hand-fed her but it was reluctantly. After trying putting chicken/ham/fish/eggs/whatever i could think of in the dish with the kibble, we swapped her onto Butchers tripe tins and terrier meal, like the adult Rotter was already eating. She hasn't looked back since.

I’ll have a look at that and see if that perks her interest.

 

[Flip_flop]

Are you near her when she eats? Does she show any other signs of stress/is she stressy generally?

We are around when she eats and sometimes sit with her but it doesn’t make much difference. She was better for a little while when my sisters ex guide dog came to live with her but that soon wore off and now she just stands and watch the other dog gobble hers down and not eat. She’s not really a stressy dog she can be a bit sensitive sometimes but generally she’s a happy mad dog she will wonder off and get a toy instead of eating and shove that in your face if you sit with her. Much more fun that eating!

 

[Pointless1]

Try putting her food in a toy? Ie kong or kong wobbler.

 

[[139672]]

Had terrible trouble with my dog. I tried many things and my dog trainer suggested raw. He has processed raw and he loves it but he does not like chicken wings, I think the tiny bones may put him off. He loves venison ribs and duck necks. He has also eaten and liked Lily’s Kitchen kibble but it is expensive. He also loved Canagan kibble. If you can find something they actually like then you’ll be sorted. It’s finding food they actually enjoy that’s hard and also food that doesn’t cause an upset stomach. Highest meat content kibble can work well but not always and is more expensive.

 

[CorvusCorax]

We are around when she eats and sometimes sit with her but it doesn’t make much difference. She was better for a little while when my sisters ex guide dog came to live with her but that soon wore off and now she just stands and watch the other dog gobble hers down and not eat. She’s not really a stressy dog she can be a bit sensitive sometimes but generally she’s a happy mad dog she will wonder off and get a toy instead of eating and shove that in your face if you sit with her. Much more fun that eating!

That's what I mean. Sitting watching her eat will not help. Leave her alone, she could feel it as pressure.
Try a new bowl, a different room, away from the other dog, in peace.

 

[Rokele55]

I have a border terrier like this. I have tried 'taking it away after 10 minutes because she won't starve herself ' and she took it to the point of collapse! I gave in. She likes fish , sometimes, so JWB fish and rice we go back to with tuna or sardines mixed in and lots of oil. However, at almost 14 I now do anything to get at least one good meal a day into her and find she will eat when out for a trundle. I fill my pockets with all different dry food and feed her as we go along. She will l never be fat but at the moment she is acceptable. I am aware she will probably starve herself to death eventually (vets have said there is no mouth problem). Her dam died of undiagnosed stomach issues at 6 so I suspect something genetic with her but she is much better if I can keep something in her stomach, even if it is bonios. Oh, and she will almost always accept a dental chew. Good luck

 

[Pointless1]

A HEALTHY dog won't starve itself. That's not to say dogs with health issues wont.

 

[Flip_flop]

Had terrible trouble with my dog. I tried many things and my dog trainer suggested raw. He has processed raw and he loves it but he does not like chicken wings, I think the tiny bones may put him off. He loves venison ribs and duck necks. He has also eaten and liked Lily’s Kitchen kibble but it is expensive. He also loved Canagan kibble. If you can find something they actually like then you’ll be sorted. It’s finding food they actually enjoy that’s hard and also food that doesn’t cause an upset stomach. Highest meat content kibble can work well but not always and is more expensive.

We got given a sample of Lily’s kitchen and she wouldn’t even take it off of me when I tried hand feeding her a bit just wondered off. Will have a look at the raw food though.

 

[Flip_flop]

That's what I mean. Sitting watching her eat will not help. Leave her alone, she could feel it as pressure.
Try a new bowl, a different room, away from the other dog, in peace.

I only sit with her in moments of desperation normally we put it down and walk away. It stays down the whole time we are in the house the other dog has learnt to leave it alone. Will try in a different room though and see if that works although I suspect she’ll just stand at the door whine. ?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

P dog can do this, usually resolved with a small bit from a cat food sachet squeezed on top, or a little garnish of ham. Unless she's had a very quiet day, she will eat what I put down, occasionally the biscuits might be left till later but all meat goes.
Wont eat treats unless sliced chicken or ham, has progressed to having the odd cheese dreamies of the cat's.....
Rescue, 7kg and in perfect health gastronomically, tho dodgy back pins these days.

She used to be dreadful, till we got E cat 18 months ago. He is fed about a foot away, seems to work

 

[BBP]

Mine was a super fussy puppy. I did what you are and tried to make it more tasty by adding things but didn’t last long. It seems being a very ungreedy dog he is almost overfaced by a bowl of food. He seems to want to work for his food and is now very enthusiastic now 0% of it comes in a bowl. I throw bits for him to chase, hide bits for him to sniff out, use bits to reward tricks or training. And I do it throughout the day rather than as one or two meals. I worried he would never feel satisfied feeding small quantities all day, but he hadn’t been eating anyway. This is the same Lily’s kitchen kibble he turned his nose up at for ages, even just one piece from my fingers. Now he happily hunts them out in the lawn whilst I work or gets very excited about learning tricks for them.

 

[horselover11]

Try wolf of the Wildnerss soft (it is a semi moist dry dog food) or Bosch soft which has some great strange flavours like
Chicken and banana!

Or you can try pero fussy eater

My fussy Chesapeake bay retriever loves all these and will always devour them but oddly his favourite is a dry dog food from Arden grande fish and potato ?

 

[Flip_flop]

P dog can do this, usually resolved with a small bit from a cat food sachet squeezed on top, or a little garnish of ham. Unless she's had a very quiet day, she will eat what I put down, occasionally the biscuits might be left till later but all meat goes.
Wont eat treats unless sliced chicken or ham, has progressed to having the odd cheese dreamies of the cat's.....
Rescue, 7kg and in perfect health gastronomically, tho dodgy back pins these days.

She used to be dreadful, till we got E cat 18 months ago. He is fed about a foot away, seems to work

That’s interesting as she does occasionally finish off the yard cats food when she is left while I ride but not always so maybe a small bit of that will work.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Weirdly, one of mine preferred to be loomed over when eating, each to his own!

Have you tried adding salmon oil/tinned fish (not in brine) on top? Mine love tinned pilchards.

Blazingsaddles; why not tomato juice? I know it’s contraindicated for arthritis.

 

[Flip_flop]

Mine was a super fussy puppy. I did what you are and tried to make it more tasty by adding things but didn’t last long. It seems being a very ungreedy dog he is almost overfaced by a bowl of food. He seems to want to work for his food and is now very enthusiastic now 0% of it comes in a bowl. I throw bits for him to chase, hide bits for him to sniff out, use bits to reward tricks or training. And I do it throughout the day rather than as one or two meals. I worried he would never feel satisfied feeding small quantities all day, but he hadn’t been eating anyway. This is the same Lily’s kitchen kibble he turned his nose up at for ages, even just one piece from my fingers. Now he happily hunts them out in the lawn whilst I work or gets very excited about learning tricks for them.

I have tried making it into a game sometimes which does sometimes work but I will definitely give it a go!

 

[Flip_flop]

Try wolf of the Wildnerss soft (it is a semi moist dry dog food) or Bosch soft which has some great strange flavours like
Chicken and banana!

Or you can try pero fussy eater

My fussy Chesapeake bay retriever loves all these and will always devour them but oddly his favourite is a dry dog food from Arden grande fish and potato ?

Will look into those feeds she’s currently on Ardene Grange which she has liked the most and has done a few bags of but now decided she’s not so keen but maybe I need to try a different flavour.

 

[horselover11]

Will look into those feeds she’s currently on Ardene Grange which she has liked the most and has done a few bags of but now decided she’s not so keen but maybe I need to try a different flavour.

On zooplus they do a four pack of all their soft flavours which may be the easiest way to test those flavours? You could mix it with the Arden grange?

 

[Flip_flop]

Weirdly, one of mine preferred to be loomed over when eating, each to his own!

Have you tried adding salmon oil/tinned fish (not in brine) on top? Mine love tinned pilchards.

Blazingsaddles; why not tomato juice? I know it’s contraindicated for arthritis.

I haven’t but will give it a go. She has just finished it off while we’ve been eating dinner at the table so maybe she likes human feed time more than dog feed time only 3 1/2 hours after she was originally given it.

 

[JennBags]

I was going to suggest Lily's kitchen, our collie used to be very fussy but she loves Lily's. We mix some meat from a tin with kibble and she wolfs it down now. She's gone from being an underweight skinny minny to a really good weight now.