Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi all I haven't posted for a loooooong time but I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out with some ideas here - or tell me whether I need to stress over it! I've fed my dogs on a raw diet (meat, veggies, fish etc etc) for about 8 years and all has been fine, however, over the last few months my 2 year old Amstaff has decided he doesnt want to eat ANYTHING I offer him other than biscuits. I haven't fed any type of biscuits to him ever, but in a desperate attempt to figure out what he would eat I gave some a go - now he refuses to eat anything else. After he stopped eating raw meat (and this includes chicken, beef, pork, lamb, goat, roo, veal, camel and probably others Im forgetting, minced or chopped as well as chicken legs which he used to love, any type of fish - canned or fresh) or vegetables of any description, I started trying anything else - I've tried lightly cooking the meat, I've bought every flavour of the 4 Legs balls, "Chunkers", the 4 Legs meat roll, another brand of meat and veggie type stuff in something that looks like a meat tray - the name of it escapes me right now, sausages (really fatty I know, but I was getting desperate) and then, finally, biscuits. Some of the things he would eat on the first day....then after that..nope. The thing is, he doesnt seem to be losing any weight, in fact, it looks to me like he's really starting to fill out and other people keep commenting that he's looking bigger. I'm honestly not sure whether Im just over reacting and I shouldnt be too concerned, if he's not showing any signs of deteriorating health, and just keep feeding him biscuits while offering other stuff to see if he goes for it for now or whether to try and get to the bottom of it. I havent taken him in to the vet or anything like that yet - simply because he doesnt seem to be in poor health - in fact to look at him he looks in great health - maybe even a little too plump if anything. And I kind of pictured myself going into the vet saying "erm, he's really healthy, but he's just too fussy" and getting 'the look' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) you're giving him way too much choice. If he's not thin give him his food, if he's not eating in 10 minutes nothing until tomorrow. No snacks nothing, not even licking other dogs bowls or watching you eat. Remember too the warm weather will decrease their appetite. If he can stand to lose some weight to I would be far from worried. Edited January 31, 2011 by Nekhbet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Maybe he needs a day off from meal time. Most zoos do this with their predators - ie they skip one day a week when it comes to dinner. And I find my dog needs much less food in hot weather. My dog was getting a little bit porky and I've cut back how much food she gets, and she's much keener about food generally now, before she'd quit training, and could ignore treats, but not at the moment. Still can't feel her ribs easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chran Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Any changes in behaviour? How's the stool? If the biscuits are labelled "complete & balanced" it should be OK. Maybe it's high in salt/ sugar/ etc that he's developed a taste of. Or maybe he's just picky because you've given him so much variety I'd still visit the vet just to make sure his digestive system is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks guys You're probably right about the warm weather too - I hadnt really considered that because my other dog gobbles her food up no matter what...but that's just the way she always is. He doesnt seem to have had any changes in behaviour really, although, there have been days where he does seem really tired - but in this humid horrible weather I've felt like that myself - and hes always back to normal a few days later doing zoomies around the back yard and bouncing about in his shell pool. And yes - I probably have given him too much choice and variety I will give the taking the food away after 10 minutes and fasting for a day a go and see if it changes his mind. He always used to be a gobbler, but I have noticed after it became necessary to keep my 2 dogs separated at all times due to fighting he started 'grazing' instead - I guess because theres no threat that any other dog will be taking his food if he walks away for hours at a time! It probably wouldnt hurt for him to go in for a check up at the vet anyway, so I'll take him along and make sure it's a mental thing, not a physical thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APBT Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 dont feed him for a few days, guaranteed to fix that problem quick smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I feed raw but I also noticed my youngest went off it a bit. Because he is rather thin I desperately wanted him to eat so I have tried him on grain free Canidae (he gets the runs on grains) which he absolutely loved ... But the best way I found to get him to eat what he was given was ... I emptied his food into the bowl of other dog while he sat in his pen and watched ... he got very upset as our older dog wolfed down the food that he wasn't interested in 5 minutes before. I didn't offer him any other food that day and was prepared to repeat the next day ... but he decided he would rather eat it first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 he can not graze if the food's not there all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Tilly that made me laugh - I love it. I can picture it and it sounds like you really outsmarted him Yes, persephone that is true, he cant graze if it's not there all the time - I'm sure he will quickly learn there is an allocated time for eating! and... I will no longer have to sound like some idiot trying to convince him to eat "its yummy I promise! Go-on have a sausage!" Seriously, how embarrassing, if I saw someone else pleading with their dog to eat like I've seen myself do I would tell them to get their head read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 But the best way I found to get him to eat what he was given was ... I emptied his food into the bowl of other dog while he sat in his pen and watched ... he got very upset as our older dog wolfed down the food that he wasn't interested in 5 minutes before. I didn't offer him any other food that day and was prepared to repeat the next day ... but he decided he would rather eat it first. Yep, always found this changes their mind pretty quickly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 If the above advice fails, then I'd be looking for a fractured molar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 If the above advice fails, then I'd be looking for a fractured molar. Ooh I hadn't thought of something like that. Although, he does seem to still dig up old bones he has lying around and chew those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Also bad tonsils can make a dog lethargic & lack of appetite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Also bad tonsils can make a dog lethargic & lack of appetite Really? I'll get the vet to check that out, thanks. He has definitely been more lethargic than normal, especially in the mornings when he yawns constantly and droops around the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chran Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) If it's molar or tonsil, he wouldn't be too interested in biscuits. I'm still siding with "too much choice" :rolleyes: Funny how he doesn't realise how lucky he is! Edit: assuming the problem's in his head! Edited January 31, 2011 by chran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 But the best way I found to get him to eat what he was given was ... I emptied his food into the bowl of other dog while he sat in his pen and watched ... he got very upset as our older dog wolfed down the food that he wasn't interested in 5 minutes before. I didn't offer him any other food that day and was prepared to repeat the next day ... but he decided he would rather eat it first. We did similar too 'competition' works wonders! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 My dog is the opposite - refuses to eat dry food! Nothing wrong with her teeth as she chomps bones with no issues. And yes I have sat there doing the 'please eat for Mummy' thing. She doesn't care if I tip her food into the others bowls either. She is fairly fussy with her raw stuff too. She doesn't give in either with eating or rather I have given in first. She went about 4 days without eating at one stage which had me at the vets demanding xrays. Never had a fussy dog before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirra_Bomber_Zeus Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 My dog is the opposite - refuses to eat dry food! Nothing wrong with her teeth as she chomps bones with no issues. And yes I have sat there doing the 'please eat for Mummy' thing. She doesn't care if I tip her food into the others bowls either. She is fairly fussy with her raw stuff too. She doesn't give in either with eating or rather I have given in first. She went about 4 days without eating at one stage which had me at the vets demanding xrays. Never had a fussy dog before. I've never had a fussy dog before either - it's totally thrown me :rolleyes: Yep, Zeus has gone for several days without eating - I wasnt taking the food away but it was all still there when I went to feed the next meal. I put the next meal down and he gives it a sniff and walks away! However, last night, he decided to eat almost all of his dinner. Maybe he heard us talking about taking his food away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Also consider the quantity you are feeding him, think about cutting back a little, he may just be a bit overfaced with food, especially when it is available all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I hate the sniffing and walking away. Grrrrr. Amber sniffs and then trots behind me to check out what the other dogs are getting and then may go and eat some of hers when she sees it is the same or more boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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