New dog not eating

Penny Less

Penny Less

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10 March 2009
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Took over a rescue dog last week, he was very picky eater in kennels and since coming home wont eat. He came with natural diet meat packs and lamb and rice kibble. Did all the usual things, put down. picked up after 10 mins, dog wont starve himself etc etc. But a week later he is still the same, have tried different dried stuff, cat food, veg with gravy, kibble with gravy. wont eat doggy treats or smoked bone.
The only thing that sparks his interest is cheese ! I have tried sprinkling this on mince, sometimes hell eat it. Seems alert, has slight kennel cough. I have never had a dog that wont eat before. Any ideas ??
 
Is he not eating at all? If he is not eating at all I think you need to take him to the vets for a check up.

If he is eating, but small amounts, and otherwise is lively and alert I would keep doing what you are doing as a week is not a very long time for a dog for him to get hungry enough to try food he seems to not like. Personally I would not be tempted to change his food trying to find something he likes as that may make him more fussy in the long run.
 
If you've only had him one week, he seems alert (you could always check his temperature) and he was a picky eater in the rescue's kennel, then most likely I would say that you have a dog that really needs time to settle in. If he upon that has a slight kennel cough that possibly could make his throat feel a little sore, then all together it doesn't sound that strange that he doesn't eat.


Ideas, well I know I worry if my dogs refuses to eat for more than one meal, so I do know that this is easier said than done, but if you have good reasons to believe that there is no illness causing it (other than possibly the kennel cough), I would say that you have to brace yourself and stop trying to make him eat.
Give him treats, if eats them, when training and when it's mealtime offer him one sort of food, tell him he's allowed to go ahead and eat and either leave it or remove it after ten minutes (some dogs can feel stressed by that the food is removed after only a while, so if you have the possibility to do so, you could try and leave it).
If he still doesn't want to eat that sort of food at all after one week, then you change and try another sort of food.



Also personally, I have had several dogs that only eat what they think they need, so if I need to cut down on the walking distances a while, they soon cut down on the food they want to eat.
 
Custard!
If he has a sore throat then custard is great! Our vet reccomended it to use when something was wrong with ours and it works really well!
 
Agree with boobos, a week is not long to be honest, if he is taking cheese, he clearly takes food
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I would not be tempted to feed him everything under the sun to get him to eat, as even a little taster of each will give him the raging
sh!ts, keep offering him the good quality food and lifting it.

Is he vaccinated or had his first recently?
Was he in a pound based kennel?
Is he neutered?
Whats his weight like?
What breed is he?
Is he passing urine and faeces and drinking water ok?

All the above factors could explain a few things, and he could naturally be a small consumer, some dogs can live off morsils, this is what they are designed to do, hunt and eat basically when they can get it, which could be weeks.
As suggested the kennel cough could have effected his appetite, along with any other viruses he could have picked up or vaxes he has been given, it's all a battering for the immunity.

If he is bright and active in himself and enjoying and willing to exercise, I would persist with the good quality food, lift after your chosen amount of time and try adding a slurp of vegie oil.
If u are worried pop him for a check up.
It's a stressful time going from a kenneled environment to another.
 
Hi. I have had the same thing happen to me in the past. As long as he is healthy, he will not starv himself. The worst one I had didn't eat for 6 weeks!! Very frustrating at the time but one of the worst things you can do is keep offering different food stuffs. If I were you, i would not give any titbits and stick to a rigid feed time and routine. Make sure the dog works for the food as a reward. Teach him to wait for it until you give the green light. Dogs can be very controlling and it can quickly become a control issue. Keep cool and persevere, he will not stave himself. Put ridiculously small amounts down so that he thinks he is being short changed. If he refuses, take the food up after no more than 15mins. Don't be tempted to give him any treats when he gives you "the look". You will get there in the end!
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Thanks everyone, I will try to hold out a bit longer ! he is going to the vet tomorrow actually for second vaccination. I have never had a dog that wont eat before, usually have gannets, I will get a change to weigh him at the vets to see if he has lost weight. He is such a sweetie otherwise
 
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