New Sheltie Jasper won't eat!

A

Admiralbirdy

Forums Novice
Hello everyone! This past Friday I adopted an eleven month old sheltie (Jasper!) I've fallen in love with him immediately. Jasper wasn't eating or drinking initially, but I assumed it was because he was stressed over his change of environment. The second day(Saturday) I mixed in about 1/4 can of wet food in with his dry food, but he only ate a small amount of the wet food. The following day my girlfriend told me I should try to mix water with his dry food. Jasper didn't eat it initially, but before I went to bed I put fresh food out and when I woke up the bowl was empty so I assumed everything was fine. Since then I have been doing the same mixture, but Jasper won't touch the food he just smacks the bowl away with his little head. I would prefer him to get used to dry food, but I do want him to eat and it's worrying me as he is already a bit underweight (he came from a hoarder).

Another worry is that Jasper will not drink water aside from the occasional ice cube. Even after long walks in this 90 degree weather he won't drink. Jasper will try to drink the condensation from the glasses of water I drink and I walked in on him drinking from another glass of water I had left out, but he wont touch the water in his bowl!

I know I haven't had him that long, but his personality has opened up so much in the short time I have had him aside from his eating/drinking habits. I'm worried! any comments/advice would be great!

Kevin&Jasper
 
Is he on the same food he was on at his old house? or is it a new food? Do you know what type of bowl he was fed out of? if its stainless and hes used to plastic that could be freaking him out a bit as well. Same issue with the water bowls.
 
I was going to say the same about the dish. I was using a plastic dish for Emma until she decided she wanted ceramic. I got her a ceramic one for outside and she wanted one for inside. The bedroom one is okay to be plastic - go figure.

Have you tried any cooked chicken and rice or baby food chicken with the food? Sometimes Emma eeds just a little persuasion to eat.
 
The bowls are stainless, and I will definitely try switching bowls. For the eating we did put a piece of turkey at the bottom of the bowl and he just ate the turkey. I'm afraid that if we keep mixing the food he'll just continue to just eat the wet food. I'm definitely going to try switching bowls though because yesterday I took him to my Dads house and put water in a plastic container and he did seem more interested. I didnt know the bowl could make a difference!

Thanks!

Kevin&Jasper
 
Also it is not a long term fix but can you give him a piece of kibble out of his bowl and have him eat it? If so give him a couple then drop a couple and then kind of stir his food with your finger. My previous dog would not eat the first day I left unless someone did this.
 
Welcome to you & your Jasper! Quite a popular name we have here on the forum~

I was going to suggest what everyone else chimed in with.Could possibly be the bowls.
 
I just want to welcome you and Jasper to the forum. Congratulations!! My dogs don't like Stainless so I was going to make the same suggestion as everyone else.
Maybe since he came from a hoarder he isn't used to eating on a regular basis and he is timid about it. Another possibility is she fed him table scraps and he is just not used to dog food. Since he seemed to like the wet food maybe use it to entice him to eat and than gradually decrease the amount you mix with the kibble. just some suggestions. Hope you and he have a happy life together.:smile2:
 
Another suggestion - when Emma went through stages she wouldn't eat, I put kibble in her Kong and she would eat it. I also hide it in her hide-a-squirrel. There are times she likes to go on a hunt for her food.

Also, maybe your pup doesn't like being watched when he is eating. Some dogs don't.
 
Thank you all for the suggestions! I'm going to try to just decrease the wet/dry mix slowly and I will definitely try the kibble in the kong! that definitely sounds like something that would interest him.

Emma you are definitely right he doesnt like to be watched while eating/drinking!

THANKS!

Kevin&Jasper
 
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