I'm looking after a dog who is really fussy food wise. It's to the point he is sick bile from what must be hunger. I've tried different food. I looked after him before when my last dog was still alive and he would eat at set times like she did and finish his food off no problem when he saw her eating. She's passed away and now this time around he's back to being fussy. His owner just free feeds so I've done what she said and leave it down and it goes untouched. He's been to the vet and is fine health wise and not underweight. Is there anyway to entice him to eat. All my 4 dogs were pigs when it came to food so this is new to me. I hate seeing the little fella being sick. There was one food he stuffed down and loved but it gave him the runs which was no good.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
Can you get him some chicken or something?
Rather than, I presume, dog food?
Sometimes they just go off food anyway when they're out of their normal environment
Rather than, I presume, dog food?
Sometimes they just go off food anyway when they're out of their normal environment
He's been here since the start of December plus I look after him a lot and got him as a pup so he's used to it here. Yes he'll eat chicken and treats which I have had to give him. He finally gave in and ate his dog food earlier so that's good.
Thats where your going wrong, the dog is manipulating you, do not let it happen, put his food down, and after 10 minutes if hes not touched it, take it away, a dog will NEVER starve itself to death if it can help it as they are scavengers, he knows whats coming hence why hes making a pass at his food waiting for the good stuff.
Honestly that is what I have always done with my dogs. It goes down they eat it and the bowl is removed but his owner free feeds and insists I do the same. I know he's waiting for better but I have to abide by what his owner wants at the moment. It's up in the air whether she will be able to have him back when she moves into her new property as they may not allow pets it seems. Then he will stay here and I will do what I would normally do. My dogs always just ate it as soon as it was weighed and dished up. He seemed to take this lead from my last dog when he stayed before but now she's passed he's not watching her and doing it.
I'm thinking what his owner doesn't know won't hurt her and to remove the food if he doesn't eat it.
I’d just do it how would they know? If they somehow find out just say the free feeding wasn’t working
Well turns out he's staying with me for good. His owner can't have pets in the place she's being housed. It's a place for the elderly.
Are you feeding kibble? ‘Fussy’ dogs tend to prefer wet food, usually due to their teeth in older dogs. A bit of dog gravy and boiled veggies/spoonful of sardines on the meals or bone broth will soften them and make wet food more appealing. Some dogs are worried by metal bowls too so sturdy plastic ones might help. Feed in an area with low traffic. If you can afford to try it, food like Butternut is good. Not all dogs who go off food are finicky, it’s can be due to stress, allergies…
We had a rescue dog who would refuse to eat and her stomach would make terrible noises so in the end we resorted to picking up chunks of her food and letting her lick it off her fingers. I don’t know if this is ‘good advice’ as such but it worked for us and no, we didn’t get stuck hand feeding her forever haha.
No wet as that's what his pervious owner gave. I tried kibble as that's what I prefer and my dogs always loved but he won't eat it. He will will not eat out of a bowl lol. Only on a side plate! He's super fussy. He's no longer going back to his owner btw.
---
I don't really want to start hand feeding. I have had to do it before when one of my dogs was ill and he did go back to eating normally after but I'd just rather not. He's not underweight. 2.8kg but he's a small chihuahua.