My little girl doesn't want to eat.. AGAIN!

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drunkmike

Forums Regular
ok so my little Cali is being a pain in my butt again. She will usually go for a month or two before she gets "bored" with her food and will stop eating until I break down and change to another flavor or brand all together. Most of the switching was due to her mother giving in WAY to easy lol. I always thought that she would eventually get hungry enough and have to eat, but since she is so spoiled we would always given in way before that. I recently switched her back to Wellness Puppy (the vet had us switch to adult food way too early so I went back to Wellness.) and she was doing great for a while. She would get 3/4 cup or so twice a day and for the longest time she would inhale it and then follow me around waiting for more. Now she just does not seem interested in it anymore. She will come running and act like she is starving when she hears the bag, but will take a bite and then just loose interest in it. She is still very active and nothing has changed health wise I just think she is going to be a spoiled brat about it again. What should I do? I really only plan on having her on this puppy food for another 2 or so months so I would hate to switch brands again now. I know she has to be hungry after only eating small bits here and there and I do not leave the bowl laying around. She gets 15 or so minutes to eat and then looses the bowl.. What to do?!?!?!?!

Ideas please?!
 
well I could not help it.. I had a package of Nutro Ultra that I had planned on taking back after I found a place that sells the wellness but have not had a chance yet.. I opened it up and put a bit in her bowl and she inhaled it.. That figures huh? Well I guess I will just have to switch her food around again. Are there any bad things that can come from this or do I just keep on trying different stuff until I find something that she will eat consistantly? I really hate to have all these different types of food laying around to cater to her, but I can't stand to know that she is hungry.. After I gave her the Nutro she followed me around for 15 minutes wanting more. Ideas anybody?
 
There really is nothing wrong with switching her brands back and forth if Cali needs variety, and as long as it doesn't give her digestive problems. Unless you've got a 15 lb bag and a huge amount of food left, assuming it's kibble, you can put it in a ziplock bag and freeze it for later, to keep it fresher. Some foods offer different flavors within the brand, like Timberwolf and Eagle Holistic--that may appeal to her and would be easier on her stomach than switching brands/formulas. If all else fails, try mixing a few spoonfuls of quality canned food in with the kibble. Most picky eaters really go for that! :yes: Good luck, sounds like you have a real Diva in the house! :lol:
 
We go through something like this

every now and then also. I combat it by keeping a container of plain, non-flavored yogurt in the house as well as plain pumpkin. Obviously don't use dairy if her tummy can't handle it. I just glob a teaspoon or so of "the flavor of the day" and mix until the kibble is coated. Always works for us!
You could also try some warm water on top to release the smell. All dog foods are spray coated with flavors or fats to make them appealing to the dogs.
I know some people use cottage cheese, meat drippings from dinner or eggs also.
 
Don't Allow Pickiness?

I don't think its bad to very occasionally switch foods, but I wouldn't give in to her so easily. My trainer told me (with Sadie anyway) that switching foods often only allows them to be picky and not feel sorry for them or give in. That they're smart dogs and know exactly what they're doing. That dogs don't NEED to have their taste buds stimulated the way people do and that we as people just allow the pickiness because we're treating them as humans and not as dogs.

I tried Sadi on Nutro Puppy food which she didn't seem to like at all. After one bag I switched her to an IAMS equivalent, President's Choice Nutrition 1 Premium Puppy food, then PC adult food recently (she's been getting fat from the puppy food since I had her spayed and it was recommended to me to switch since she's done most of her growing). She's never had a problem with either of them and even if she did, I probably wouldn't change her food unless she stopped eating all together.

I suppose thats probably accurate but doesn't solve your problem if your dog isn't eating. I know they can be stubborn.

My parent's sheltie doesn't seem to like dog food at all. Funny, since he hasn't had much exposure to people food due to a sensative tummy. To help the problem, my parent's mix small amounts of less healthy, tastier food with the healthy stuff, he'll gobble everything down since the tastier stuff has touched the less tasty food :smile2: Our vet doesn't like it but allows it since he's limited to which dog foods he can eat. She just said to keep the less healthy food to a minimum
 
OntarioSheltie said:
To help the problem, my parent's mix small amounts of less healthy, tastier food with the healthy stuff, he'll gobble everything down since the tastier stuff has touched the less tasty food :smile2:
Click to expand...

when we originally had switched her to adult food after her spaying, I started mixing small amounts of the new with the old and after a few days of doing that she started to crave the new stuff and would do everything she could to separate the two and only eat the new stuff.. She would tip her bowl over, sniff around the pieces and separate them with her nose and paws.. Stubborn dogs!

So I guess as long as her stomach agrees with switching when she gets "bored" with it, I should not worry about anything? I mean other then the obvious like her gaining weight and what not. I don't mind her being picky, I just don't want to get her sick. I was planning on bagging and freezing the stuff she no longer likes until I have 2 or three brands and then just feed until she stops and go back to the original stuff again. Hopefully this will work and I wont end up with 50 bags of old dog food in my freezer! Thank god she is a small girl and I can still get the little bags and have them last a while!

Sorry for the long post, I just want to make sure it was not going to hurt my pup! Thanks! :D
 
Also, is there a webpage or list of some sort that has types of food that are a no no for shelties? I have heard alot in the past about there digestive systems being very bad with human food so ever since she was a pup I have very RARELY given her anything other then her food. It is good since she has never begged for food and does not sit and stare at you waiting for something to drop while you are eating like all of my friends dogs (I really hate when dogs do that!)

I would really love to give her some goodies every once in a while to spoil her, but I have always been afraid!
 
A treat once in a while

As far as I know its ok to give a small treat once in a while, but be aware that that this opens up the door to begging. One little taste is all it takes!

Make sure if its something she's never had before that its very small, in case it doesnt' agree with her.

here is a link of some of the things dogs shouldn't have:

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1141359
 
Drunkenmike

Keep her on the wellness and use the varieties that they have within the brand. Or mix pieces of Chicken, Beef, pork, Etc in with her meal to make the variety. :yes: If she is like my Kia, she will nibble at it throughout the day. :sleepy: See Kia is just like My Jewel was. I prepared her meal in the am, and she would nibble during the day. Some dogs gobble up all at once and then there are the nibblers.:lol: what I do inbetween if I have a canned food mixed with the kibble is I cover it until she shows interest in it later. If it is just kibble than leave it and let her munch at will.
 
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