Dog Doesn't Eat

[EkizUCLA]

Hi, this is my first post here. I have an 11 month old terrier mix which I adopted from the SPCA a couple months ago. He was always a picky eater at first, but now he just stopped eating his food. I give him 1 1/4 cup of nutromax in the morning and at night. Sometimes I mix in the nutro max canned food. He eats less than half in the morning and usually less than half at night. I've tried everything including different types of food, oil, parmesan cheese. He has been eating a little more food with hamburger gravy though, but it's so high in sodium. Any suggestions?

[Renee750il]

A Terrier that won't eat is very strange, unless he's training you. If you can get him to a vet it wouldn't be a bad idea, just to make certain there's nothing physiological going on.

If everything's okay there, start giving him a finite window of opportunity to eat. Put the food down and take it away after twenty minutes or so. Don't offer food again until the regular feeding time, then, same drill.

And he may just have read that NutroMax label!

[EkizUCLA]

What is a healthy food to give him if nutromax is bad? I've only been buying whats in the local pet store.

[Saje]

Originally Posted by Renee750il

A Terrier that won't eat is very strange, unless he's training you. If you can get him to a vet it wouldn't be a bad idea, just to make certain there's nothing physiological going on.

If everything's okay there, start giving him a finite window of opportunity to eat. Put the food down and take it away after twenty minutes or so. Don't offer food again until the regular feeding time, then, same drill.

And he may just have read that NutroMax label!

This is what I'd do too. I'd like to add that I read in a great book (can't remember the name only the book jacket) that a dog trainer recommended doing what Renee suggested only a bit harsher version. It went like this:

Day one: With your dog watching make a big ordeal about getting his breakfast ready. Make yummy noises. Don't put anything fancy in it but you could mix is with soft dog food. Start to put it down for him to eat but just after he has a sniff of it pull it away and get rid of it. repeat for next meal.

Day two: by this time your dog should be very curious about what your doing and probably starting to drool. This time put the food down but if he doesn't start to eat take it away again. He will probably start to eat. Repeat at the next meal. He'll be eating by that time.

This only works if your dog is not eating because he is finicky. You should call your vet and ask. An animal that doesn't eat is often a sign of illness. The author of the book (it will come to me later) used this for a poodle (or some other finicky breed) who's owner had been giving the dog an elaborate meal plan that included something like fancy feast cat food, a jar of baby food.... And the dog wouldn't eat if it wasn't made just to her specifications. The owner brought the dog in for training and he quickly changed the concept of meal time for the pair.

I have not tried this myself as my dogs are hoovers.

saje

[Renee750il]

It would probably give you some good perspective to read through some of the threads in this forum, but the short answer is at http://www.greatdanelady.com/articl...etter_foods.htm

This is a great reference site for so many health and nutrition issues.

[Renee750il]

That is basically the idea. Hopefully the milder technique works since you really don't want your dog to decide he has to gobble, or worse yet, he starts aggressively guarding his dish. With Terriers that's always something you have to think about - they tend to go overboard, lol! With those little dynamos, the calmer the approach the better.

[EkizUCLA]

He isn't aggressive near his bowl at all. I actually have to pick it up and put it near his face so he'll smell it and take a few bites. As im posting this now there is a food bowl downstairs which he refused to touch. He is active and plays if that's a sign of health. I guess I'll take him to the vet.

[Renee750il]

You'll probably feel better after a trip to the vet. It's even possible he's just tired of the food if he's been eating the same thing.

Did he eat well after you brought him home? Did this behaviour start suddenly, or has his appetite just gradually slacked off? How does he act if you offer him a treat, like a piece of meat, cheese or some peanut butter?

[EkizUCLA]

When I brought him home he was eating well, then after about a week it gradually started decreasing. He loves treats, and begs for food whenever I am eating and he's near me (but I never give him any).

[Renee750il]

Try a small bag of Innova EVO. Sometimes you can even get a couple of sample bags. If you'll go to www.naturapet.com there is a protocol on the site that will let you find a nearby seller.

My Bimmer has always been a reluctant eater, never much caring whether he ate or not. He didn't care if Kharma ate his food at all. He is NUTS over this stuff. Walks backwards on his hind legs to the dish! Neither one of the girls dares to even look at the room his dish is in.