Dog being weird with her food

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Fragglejh

Forums Regular
Georgia is 15 months old and has been eating her Acana Lamb and Apple since before we welcomed her into our home a year ago (wow how time flys!). Last night we went to feed her, she sat as she always does, but when we clapped our hands to say 'go eat' she walked to her dish, smelt it and then walked away.

She has never refused to eat before so I picked up some of the food and tried to give it too her. Again she just turned her nose up at it. We decided to leave her too it but she didn't touch it. As we currently have two sick kids in the house (one throwing up and the other nursing a broken collarbone) we ended up just leaving the food out and then eventually getting off to bed.

This morning we wake up and go through the normal routine. She again refuses her food. My husband picked up one of her treats to give to her (we waited until she had moved away from the kitchen so that we weren't giving her the ' it's alright not to eat, we have a restaurant and you can have whatever you choose' message) and she ate it. I took her out for her morning walk and she peed and pooped (both seemed fine) and when we got back she went to her food bowl but sniffed and walked away. I picked up some of her food and she ate it from my hand. She ate about half of her usual amount but was interrupted by my son coming downstairs and then she didn't want anymore.

I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do. My first instinct is to rush to the vets. However, I know I'm already stressed about my kids being out of action, so don't want to overreact to the dog not chowing down. She is such a lovely girl and I hate the thought of her being sick but as she has eaten some food, I can't really say that she isn't eating now. Think I'll keep an eye on her for the next little while and see whether she exhibits any other changes. At the moment she is in her usual spot, close to me sleeping on the floor. If I move, then she usually goes into shadow mode to keep and eye on me!

Any advice?
 
Not really advice, but maybe a suggestion:

Before you rush to the vet, try changing to a different formula of Acana.. maybe she's bored with the lamb and apple?
 
Watch out for the hand feeding. Layla has me trained to hand feed here periodically -- what a pain! I think she does it to feel special. :rolleyes2:
 
How old is your bag of food? Is it a new bag?

I ask because years ago(both food recalls were a known things) I was feeding my cats Innova and I got a new bag. My cat Tanner nibbled at it and the foodie Stretch walked away. Um curious. That night Stretch ate but only a few bites and Tanner again nibbled. Next day neither cat ate. So I left the food out which I normally didn't do because Stretch was overweight. Next morning nothing was touched. I fed them fresh and again nothing.

I took the bag back as I wondered about it being bad. When I got to the store I immediately noticed the bag was slightly faded from the color of the other bags. I think the bag got left in the sun and went rancid. Replacement bag,opened it up and both cats also drove the sack to get to it.

So now one of the first things I think of if the bag is new or if it is near the end of the bag is did it go bad.
 
I agree with Justicemom, I would check the food. Even if it's a bag that you've been feeding, food can go bad. I would try a different bag or different flavor of the same brand if you think she might be tired of it. I've learned to trust my dogs when they tell me they don't want to eat something. There's a reason, especially if they'll eat something else like a treat.

If different food doesn't get her eating, then I'd make a vet appointment.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Been keeping an eye on Georgia and trying her occasionally with her food. She was turning her nose up again so I began to think that trying her with different food would be an option. The bag we have is not massive but is close to the end so I was thinking that perhaps it was just stale, even though it is in a big Tupperware storage thingy.

However, just as my son has started to eat again I gave Georgia a couple of her small treats. I then put some into her bowl with her normal food and, hey presto, she has eaten the treats AND her food. I've heard of dogs being tuned into their owners feelings, but this seems so funny.

Think I'll be keeping an eye on her still though. What a weird few days in my household. Never a dull moment ;)
 
Not that suprising. Sca is not a velcro dog but does monitor me. When I Southern Sheltie party this year I had a hurt leg and almost every picture I was in you could see him on the fringe :lol: He did get some play time with his pals but he was pretty focused on checking up on me, Spitfire on the other hand had to be lured out of the yard as he enjoyed the party so much he was going to stay :rolleyes2:
 
Fragglejh said:
Georgia is 15 months old and has been eating her Acana Lamb and Apple since before we welcomed her into our home a year ago (wow how time flys!). Last night we went to feed her, she sat as she always does, but when we clapped our hands to say 'go eat' she walked to her dish, smelt it and then walked away.

She has never refused to eat before so I picked up some of the food and tried to give it too her. Again she just turned her nose up at it. We decided to leave her too it but she didn't touch it. As we currently have two sick kids in the house (one throwing up and the other nursing a broken collarbone) we ended up just leaving the food out and then eventually getting off to bed.

This morning we wake up and go through the normal routine. She again refuses her food. My husband picked up one of her treats to give to her (we waited until she had moved away from the kitchen so that we weren't giving her the ' it's alright not to eat, we have a restaurant and you can have whatever you choose' message) and she ate it. I took her out for her morning walk and she peed and pooped (both seemed fine) and when we got back she went to her food bowl but sniffed and walked away. I picked up some of her food and she ate it from my hand. She ate about half of her usual amount but was interrupted by my son coming downstairs and then she didn't want anymore.

I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do. My first instinct is to rush to the vets. However, I know I'm already stressed about my kids being out of action, so don't want to overreact to the dog not chowing down. She is such a lovely girl and I hate the thought of her being sick but as she has eaten some food, I can't really say that she isn't eating now. Think I'll keep an eye on her for the next little while and see whether she exhibits any other changes. At the moment she is in her usual spot, close to me sleeping on the floor. If I move, then she usually goes into shadow mode to keep and eye on me!

Any advice?
Click to expand...

Yep..its her way of telling you one of a couple of things...
1- something is off with the food
2- hormonal

I would tend to lean on #1...check the date on the bag. Check to see if anything looks funky in the bag. Does it smell? I know Acana has a strong odor. But I'm thinking moldy smell?
Could something wet,or possibly a wet piece of kibble fallen in the bag,this can cause bacteria.

I have run this route before with Trapp on a can of Merrick along time ago. Fresh can,I opened and put it in his dish,he sniffed and backed away and would not eat it. to this day,I have not ever offered the brand again. If something is wrong with the food,they will not eat it.

2- hormonal..intact? Well maybe she is a little off because of a pending heat cycle.
I would check food,before ya rush off to the vet~
 
Fragglejh said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. Been keeping an eye on Georgia and trying her occasionally with her food. She was turning her nose up again so I began to think that trying her with different food would be an option. The bag we have is not massive but is close to the end so I was thinking that perhaps it was just stale, even though it is in a big Tupperware storage thingy.

However, just as my son has started to eat again I gave Georgia a couple of her small treats. I then put some into her bowl with her normal food and, hey presto, she has eaten the treats AND her food. I've heard of dogs being tuned into their owners feelings, but this seems so funny.

Think I'll be keeping an eye on her still though. What a weird few days in my household. Never a dull moment ;)
Click to expand...

BINGO!
you said tupperware container. And I suppose you dumped the bag into the container without the bag?

If so,its the container..and being plastic,it can harbor bacteria.

So..heres the thing. Ditch that tupperware thingie...got get a fresh bag or brand of food. Open the bag,and insert the whole bag into food bin. Do not ever dump food out of the bag into a plastic container.

Plus...if there is a problem with the food (recall) you have already ditched the bag,and no referance for batch numbers & epiration dates.
Wash the bin every time,before inserting new bag into it. Make sure it is completely dry,any moisture is a recipe for mold.
 
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