kitty Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Well, as per the title, our 9 week old Cocker pup REFUSES to eat her dry food, and has done so since the day we brought her home. I've emailed the breeder, she's given me some advice, but none has worked, so i've emailed her again today, just waiting to hear back, but thought i'd ask the lovely DOLers for some opinions. I'm getting a little frustrated at pup, because meal time is turning into a bit of an argument between the OH and i. He thinks i should just feed her wet food so she'll have something in her belly, and i think i should offer her the dry food and if she doesn't eat it, then try again next meal time. This is what we have tried so far... Regardless of the combination I try, she will not eat it. I have tried. Ø Soaked kibble (and also tried mixed with wet food) Ø Kibble soaked in gravy (and also tried mixed with wet food) Ø Soaked kibble with a teensy tiny bit of vegemite to change the flavour Ø Kibble with gravy & a tiny bit of shredded roast chicken. (which is the ONLY thing I’ve had minor success with) I have noticed that when she is eating her dinner, if the kibble is mixed in with the wet food, if a piece of kibble gets in her mouth she jumps back, spits it out and does a weird funny dance around it. I have tried using the kibble as part of her training treats (5 minutes twice a day before her breakfast/dinner) and she will accept the kibble, but about a minute later she will spit it out. Her breeder originally thought it was to do with the dry food being to hard for her (thus the soaking) but she eats her treats (which are rock hard) without a worry at all. I don’t know if it is unappetizing to her, or whether she is just testing me, and trying to get nice food. I only give her a very very small amount of the wet food (depending on what it is that night) and still leave the majority of her food kibble, and she gets kibble only for breakfast and lunch, but obviously she’s not eating it. Eventually i want to ease her onto a combo of Royal Canin and raw (as this is what our Rotty eats), and i know she likes the smell of it because she tries to pinch some of Eva's food. For the last 3 days, i have not let her so much as SNIFF Eva's food, and she still refuses to eat her dry food. Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Stop mixing it up If you want her to eat kibble... offer her slightly soaked kibble. ONLY NO treats!!!!!! Simple. If you want her to eat what the other dog is one... offer her that. Small quantities. NO conversation .. put her somewhere... Do not stand and watch....walk out. Come back in 10 minutes... no conversation... pick up bowl... carry on as normal. If she will chew bones, eat hard treats, grab toys.. then it would not seem to be a physical thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APBT Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 put her food down at meal times, if she hasent touched or finished in in about 15 min take it back, then give it to her again at the next meal time, its the only thing that works, if you start adding all difrent sorts of gravy ect to it, then she will expect it all the time dont worry your pup wont starve itself, it will eat when its hungry enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 all good advice. Trying to convince the OH is a different story. So should i only offer her kibble for training as well until she starts eating it? What baffles me is the behavious she exhibits when she has a piece of kibble in her mouth. Drops it, jumps a mile backward, comes up to me, then pounces on it, picks it up, drops it again, and walks away. I'm going to start her on a chicken neck soon as well. Just for some variety, but i'm hesitant to give that to her until she starts eating her kibble. I can't give her any of the RC because it's the special Rotty RC, so i don't want her eating that. She loves the dog roll though, and keeps stealing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 She is playing with the pieces of food !! She is NOT hungry If she is getting treats at training. stealing the odd bit of dog roll ( and I BET getting scraps from OH) she will not want to attack with gusto a bowl full of kibble Can you just use praise when training? and NO other food at all for a few days......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 i do about 5 minutes of training she will literally get maybe 3 pieces of treat (which are about .5 cm long) before her dinner. Definately not enough to fill her up. At night when we do half and half she will eat whatever else is in the bowl, but if a piece of kibble gets stuck to the wet food, she exhibits the same behaviour. Definately not getting scraps from the OH either... we're both piglets at dinner time and never have scraps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 In our house training treats arent what there feed. Why not buy a small bag of royal canin & try it .Ask the breeder whether there is any issues with the brand & cockers. There is also no reason why you cant add some raw now No one in this house gets pandered too but did have a pup that wouldnt eat the suggested diet & with consultation switched to one which pup ate & enjoyed.The dog is a hoover. We never feed just dry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 thanks settrlvr - i had always intended on feeding RC and raw - so i guess now is as good a time as ever to change her, but i don't know if i can do it gradually because she wont eat the Advance Puppy that she has.... so i might have to deal with an upset tummy for a couple of days (not that she eats the dry food anyway) I use the happy paws treats for her training, and sometimes a tiny bit of roast chook if i'm attemping something a bit harder (but at the moment it's still only sit, drop, down and come) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I'd start her on a bit of raw and then once she is used to that, swop over the kibble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I think simply sometimes the puppy just doesn't like the food, you can try the whole leaving it down for 15 minutes and picking it up but if after a week you still have the same problem that would indicate the puppy isn't just being a pain in the ass and it may be time to try a different food. A trap not to fall into though is giving in and giving a whole range of different foods because then you can end up with a very fussy eater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 well, i bought some RC yesterday and mixed it in with her existing..... and SHE GOBBLED IT ALL UP!!! (and actually went back to see if there was more!) think it was time to try and new food, and she loved it. I also bought some BARF patties, and when she's proved she is a good little girl, and provided she eats her breakfast and her lunch today, she can have some of the BARF for dinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 good news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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