Not eating

For the last week, Bailey has BARELY been eating his dog food. He doesn't as much on the weekends anyways (I think it's cuz he's not locked up where his food bowl is, so he doesn't think about it).... He usually eats 2-3 meals a day and has both canned and kibble.... and right now he's at ONE meal, if that. For example, he didn't eat anything on Thursday and then he ate a bowl of food on Friday morning..... and now, he hasn't eaten any of his food since and it's SUNDAY!!! HOWEVER, he will eat his treats and any table scraps I've allowed him to have. I don't normally give him much people food, but since he's not eating his normal food, I'd rather he ate SOMETHING than nothing. And it really hasn't been A LOT of that....

He seems to be his normal self -- happy and bouncing around.... so I don't think he's sick.......He's also always liked his food before, so not sure if he's just being finicky now (did I jinx myself on the other board?? argh)......

Any suggestions? Has this happened with any of you with your dogs?? If he's still not eating by tomorrow, I'm calling the vet......

 

Sebastian sometimes skips a meal but I can usually get him to eat canned food if nothing else and sometimes I can get him to eat by making a big fuss over his food. I give him a few peices by hand and then act all excited when he eats it....after that he will usually eat some out of the bowl on his own. Keep us posted.

 

are his stools normal (amount per day, color, and consistency)?

if everything is normal you might want to try some plain white rice or like nern suggested make a big fuss over his food and act like you are going to eat it all up if he doesn't.


when bella doesn't want to eat my boyfriend feeds her the kibble by hand. but then she gets spoiled and wants to be fed by hand everyday :roll:

 

My dog did this a few times, she was bored with her food. I would put some gravy in it or mix with canned food. I finally switched her and so far (fingers crossed) she is happy.

 

How much does she eat in one sitting? Maybe she just eats too much at one sitting. If you think that. Try cutting it in half and then give her the other half in the evening. Ours eat morning and evening. Plus a little snack inbetween. Try to stay away from table scraps or your bailey will outsmart you and never eat his food.

 

is he still on nutro?

which food exactly is he on?

how much do you feed him?

do you use a measuring cup for feedings?

bella is 10-12lbs. i give her 1/4 cup of innova, dry dog food, twice a day.

i find that measuring out her food works out great for her.

 

Okay, let's see if I can remember the questions. :wink:

Yes, he's on Nutro Natural Choice Puppy formula....(both canned and kibble).... altho I JUST BOUGHT A BAG OF ADULT (chicken/rice/oatmeal) yesterday to slowly start him on (he's 10 1/2 months)!! If he's changed his mind about his food, I'm going to knock him out cuz I bought Nutro! LOL....(j/k cuz if that's the only problem and not something serious, then that's fine by me!)

He eats about 1/4 a cup of kibble (yes, I measure w/a scoop) and just a spoonful of canned food -- two times a day (sometimes three if he had a really active day). So he's definitely not eating too much at one sitting. I put more canned food in his breakfast today to try and coax him to eat ANYTHING and then I locked him in the kitchen w/his food. That was the first time he's eaten his food since Friday morning (almost two days!) and he ate the canned food and a little of the kibble.

I tried the feed-by-hand method and that didn't work either.... and usually that would in the past.

His stools are normal, but just not as often..... twice today (don't ask me WHERE he got the "goods" tho, cuz he surely hasn't eaten anything! LOL)

I did feed him a couple of canine carryout treats tonite and he GOOBLED them up. And no people food at ALL today! I agree.... don't want him getting smart on me and thinking that's what he gets if he doesn't eat his own food! I think you all may be right about him just deciding all of a sudden that he doesn't like his food..... cuz he's acting normal (not sick or lethargic) but did nap a lot this morning (AND NOW).

Do you think I should start him on the adult and maybe the change of pace might do him good?

 

Okay, I was bound and determined for that little fella to eat!..... so after reading the boards earlier tonite, I decided to open up the "new" Nutro kibble that I just bought (even tho it was Adult food). So I sat on the floor next to his bowls and pretended to eat it (making noise out of the bag and all)!! So, of course, the little monster :x wanted to try what mommy was eating. I tried feeding him by hand all week, but I never pretended to eat it myself like you guys suggested and I definitely didn't make a big deal out of it!!! Thanks guys!! It is amazing how that worked!!!!!! He would eat a few pieces and then stop and just look at me on the floor .... so then I had to pretend all over again, making a big deal and saying stupid stuff like "oh yummy, Bailey, lookie what mommy is eating." :lol: .

When all was said and done, it was me that stopped. Since it was still NEW Food to him, I didn't want his tummy to get upset. So, he ate probably 1/5 cup or less from my hand.... I'm sure hoping he does okay since it was the new food (and adult food at that!) ....good thing I bought the oatmeal formula which they say is good for sensitive tummies!!

 

yep that's the same way we get bella to eat if she doesn't want to. haha.

hope that bailey does well with the new food.

 

Yep, I agree with the above posts.

Adding a little bit of the new food is definitely what I would have recommended as well. (I know, I responded too late :roll: )

That provides for a great visual...LOL! Oh the things we do for our dogs! :lol:

Glad it's working though!!!

 

Okay ladies, no laughing at ME and the visuals allowed! LOL

UPDATE: Bailey is still not eating..... I put his FRESH breakfast down this morning -- even an extra doll-op of canned food, with a mix of the new and old kibble. He didn't touch it at all! argh.... :| So, again, I sat on the floor and fed him by hand tonite. THAT is going to get old real quick. :x

So in the past THREE days, he's maybe eaten 1/2 cup of food. And, I definitely am abiding by the advice about not feeding him any people food...... it's pretty clear that it's not his appetite. 'Cuz he'd eat his treats up if I let him. He's just being a spoiled brat...... I really wish he'd knock it off, cuz he's worrying me to pieces. It's going on over a week now..... and mommy just can't play these games ever meal, ya know! LOL

 

Have you tried some vitamin B or nutri-cal ,either or both can make him want to eat .A little chicken broth or beef broth may help too .He could have a sore throat or an allergy causing him to not want to eat.

 

what food are you feeding him? his new food or old food?

what is the wet food? new or old?

did you change the bowls you were feeding him out of? have you changed the location?

 

Ilovemaltipoos:

No, I didn't even know about either of those (what is nutri-cal?). Do you get them from petstore? The thing is he seems to have an appetite... cuz he'd eat his treats and people food, just not HIS food. Today is the first day since Friday morning that he ate a FULL BOWL of his food! I'm not sure if it's a phase or not.... but he's going to be the death of me.! LOL

Bellasmommy:

I'm feeding him BOTH... new and old.... of both the canned and the kibble. Funny thing is he will eat the NEW stuff out of my hand, but won't have anything to do with the old stuff that way. He also will eat the canned food (both kinds), but not the kibble. However, tonite we went for a longggggggg walk and when we came home he finished the rest of his breakfast (including his old kibble). I've been giving him 1/2 and half -- even tho that seems to be a BIG step going to the new food. But so far, no problems at all (I did buy the oatmeal formula for sensitive tummies so I really think THAT is helping)
I didn't change the bowls or the location...... do you think I should??

 

Nutri cal is a vitamin supplement that sometimes enhances the need or want to eat .I use it with puppies to keep them from being run down ,not eating right or if they feel bad with a sore throat or other things .I get mine at the vet ,I am unsure as to if you can get it elsewhere ,you can call and ask .
Vitamin B is another thing he may need ,that comes in a shot and is used to help restore lost nutrients also and help perk them up .Your vet would know best about that one .I would ask and see if he /she thought either would help .Always best to ask your vet beofre giving any meds anyway ,but I have used both many times with those that picked at food until they started to perk up and eat like they should .On both adults and puppies .

 

I don't want to put words in bellasmommy's mouth, but I don't think she was suggesting that you do so. (Please correct me if I am wrong bellasmommy.)

To explain, some dogs react by not eating if they, for example, get a new food bowl, their bowls changes location, and so on. A dog not eating because such changes have taken place, is his/her way of showing their disapproval.

That's just my two cents!

 

you hit it right on the nose mybabyshihpoo. i was thinking that if the bowls had changed or been moved then maybe bailey was showing disapproval. not too long ago we got bella some really nice stainless steel bowls, but she can see her reflection in them so doesn't like them too much. lately she wants us right there next to her when she's eating just incase the bowl decides to attack her :wink:

 

My American Bulldog use to pull that on me once in a wile back when I was still feeding kibble.

But all I had to do was to put him up on the tread mill for about 30 min and problem solved. After a good work out my dogs would eat sawdust if that’s all there was.

The point being I’ve notice at least with my dogs that inactivity can sometimes cause eating problems. When they haven’t had any real exercise they would get kind of finicky
And would turn there nose up at there food. It’s as if they needed to get really really hungry before they could eat the same boring food every day.

You can’t really blame them if all I had to look forward to at the end of the day was a bowl of cold cereal I’d get a little annoyed as well.

Canned dog food (OMG) lets just say it puts a whole new meaning to the phrase (MISTERY MEAT)

Here are a couple of links for you reading pleasure enjoy.

Mystery Meat
http://www.workingdogs.com/vcmysterymeat.htm


Dead Dog Food
http://www.users.qwest.net/~carrielc/dogfoods.html


Canine Nutrition
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/riverien/nutritogether.htm

 

Hello....my dog LOVES food and always ate her food no problem! Then for a week she was really picky and hardly ate and went a couple days with eating hardly anything, well it kept happening, and then after a week or so she just started eating agian...I think sometimes they just are not really interested. Winnie was not sick or acting any differnt, just didnt feel like eating as much! But like Walt said I also started exercising her more around the time she started eating agian, so she probley needed the food and so she ate it...goodluck i hope he eats soon

 

THat is the cutest cat picture ,looks like he /she is ging to blow up ....LOL !
How is Bailey today ? eating well still ,I hope .