Help!! Chinook isn't eating his food!!

[SiberianMaster]

Chaz members,
Chinook this week has started to not eat his food that he has eaten for a while. Our corgi Kelty went into heat two weeks ago this will be her last week in heat. Chinook isn't fixed and is obviously attracted to her. Could his not wanting to eat have anything to do with Kelty being in heat??? Please let me now what you think I should do.
Worried,
Siberian Master

 

[Ash47]

It could have a lot to do with it. His mind is so focused on "hooking up" with Kelty. I'm not sure why you don't have them neutered as of yet, but I'm sure you know it's the best thing for them. So, I won't go into that speech.
As far as your question, maybe try seperating them for the remainder of her heat cycle, and feeding Chinook in a different room. Spice his food up a little with some chicken broth or cottage cheese or even an egg. If he still doesn't seem interested, maybe there could be something bothering him healthwise.
I'm sure others will have great suggestions for you. Good luck.

 

[Giny]

Could his not wanting to eat have anything to do with Kelty being in heat???
Siberian Master

Most definitely the reason. I’ve heard of male intact dogs loose quite a bit of weight while a female bitch is in heat. As for what to do about it I'm not sure, I've never owned a dog that was intact. Hope you find a solution to the problem, best of luck.

 

[SiberianMaster]

Ash,
I don't have him fixed, because his is a purebred and I'm thinking of breeding him and so I have'nt fixed Chinook. They are in seperate rooms and don't see each other unless supervised and kept away from each other. I guess I will try your suggestion on spicing his meal up abit.
PLEASE KEEP UP THE SUGGESTIONS. I DON'T LIKE HIM NOT EATING!!

 

[norskgra]

We are currently going through the same thing. Our bitches have all come into season at the same tim and our males have decided not to eat.

You could also try adding some sardines, bar-be-qued chicken or some grated cheese to his food. Our boys love it when I add any of these to their food.

 

[Ash47]

SiberianMaster,
Let us know how he likes his food once you add a few things to it. I know males can smell a female in heat from really far away, but keeping them away from eachother so that they can not physically see one another is probably doing a bit of good. We just need to get him to eat. I have a feeling if you put a raw egg or some cottage cheese on his food and mixed it in, he will probably dig in.

 

[Mordy]

i wouldn't try to bribe him. dogs don't starve just because they don't eat for a couple days and the fasting isn't going to hurt him either.

offer food as you do normally and take it away after 15-20 minutes. it might just take skipping a meal or two before he decides he is hungry enough to eat.

 

[SiberianMaster]

norskga and ash,
thanks for your tips. I put a piece of meat at the bottom of his dish and then a little on the top and he dug right in It took him longer than usual, but I'm glad he's eating. It is very cold over here right now and all he has right now is like four sheets in his carrier outside. The food helps him stay warm. Does any of you out there now why they don't eat when a bitch is in heat?

 

[norskgra]

The males usually don't eat when the girls are in season because they have other things on their mind e.g. loosing their virginity. The females scent can travel for quite some distance and the males want to do is get to the females.

IMO if your boy is like one of mine, I wouldn't try leaving the feed out for 15 - 20 minutes and then taking it away. One of my boys will easily go for over a week without eating and we have trouble trying to keep weight on him.

 

[bubbatd]

Why is he outside in a carrier ?? My males were always off their food when my females were in heat. They have their minds on one thing. I asked my vet once about feeding, and he told me when he was in vet school one of the students believe in feeding every 3 or 4 days as they would in the wild. Wierd thinking to us humans who feel we have to have a good meal every day. Years ago when we lived in the country and our males " roamed" ... I kept track of what might be going on every 6 months from their past history... If they were off their feed, I'd check the calendar, and sure enough, they'd know that " Princess" 10 acres over was about due !

 

[SiberianMaster]

bubbatd,
He sleeps in a carrier outside, he is free to run all day in our fenced property and then he sleeps in his carrier outside.

Thanks everyone for the food suggestions. He is know back on his food with help from meat and mashed potatoes Thankfully our Kelty has only about a week left of her heat!!! Thanks again everyone for the tips and suggestions.