It tastes like DOG FOOD!

[AndyM]

Our dog is a pretty healthy dog. However, she goes through periods where she quits eating. She has only eaten three out of the past ten days, which causes my wife to worry excessively. Personally, I think she is holding out for something better and she will eat when she gets hungry enough.

After a while, my wife will by her a new kind of dog food, and she begins to eat every day again. This lasts for about two months, and then she quits eating again, repeating the previous cycle. Does she simply get tired of eating the same food day in and day out and is waiting for a handout or new food?

 

[sassafraspete]

Andy , does your dog roam outside? If so, she may be coming across something more interesting to eat out there. She doesn't visit the neighbors does she?

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Andy, I think something else is going on, take the dog to the vet. To some degree maybe a dog will "con" you but holding out for something better for three or four days is not in the cards. If the dog is roaming it may be eating some other dogs food.

 

[btolle]

3 out of 10 days sounds pretty typical to me if it is a large breed.

Do NOT keep changing brands of dog food, you will keep the dog's stomach upset.

I had problems with my wife wanting to do that and I finally explained to her that dogs are not like humans, they do not like variety in their diet.

If she doubts that they are different than humans ask her why a dog can eat rotten meat that has been in a garbage can in the heat for days. It would kill your or I but dogs are immune to the food poisoning you and I would get.

You didn't say what breed the dog is but many larger breeds will go 2 or 3 days without eating and then fill up. Especially if they live outdoors.

I had 2 Siberian Huskies (outside dogs). Food bowl full of dry food for 3 days, 4th day, licked clean.

It also depends on the weather. Dogs have to eat more to keep their body temperature up in cold weather. In warmer weather they eat a lot less.

When the dog is hungry she will eat. Always keep a full pan of dry food for her and she eat it when she wants it.

BTW, I did once have a Lhasa Apso that didn't want to eat Alpo, KenLRation, and all the other expensive dog foods. Got really mad one day and bought him the cheapest, stinkiest dog food I could find. He loved it and lived happily on it ever after. If it smells rotten to you she will love it.

Bill Tolle

 

[SPIKER]

some dogs are like that they get tired of same thing, lost of vets & peple say stick to one brand, which is OK we do stick to 2 brands of low protien food as our pup has some kidney probs that reture it to be lower. we change about every 3~4 bags of food she gets the other stuff... will wolf it down for a long wile loving it and keeping good consistant back yard adventures to keep everythign moving. if they get sedentary as in not moving running much then they can get constipated and will not eat needing something to help it along. a bit of grease mixed in the food will be a treat but not too much couple tsp at most ... also need to keep good track of stools when big dogs get older and start to slow down the running & playing then the system can shut down too..

anyhow getting tired time 4 bed night all (dang work have to get up at 3 am. )

/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
MarkM

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> Andy , does your dog roam outside? If so, she may be coming across something more interesting to eat out there. She doesn't visit the neighbors does she? </font>

No she's a big baby... she spends most of her time in the house or in the 50 by 100 fenced in area outside the back door, except when she follows me around the property when I'm on the tractor.

I just think she's holding out for something REALLY tasty to fall on the floor. She'll eat her dog food when she finally realizes she's not getting any "people" food!

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Our dogs do the same thing. The larger one (Akita) can skip meals for days. I often wonder who the master really is.

 

[DocHeb]

We used to put just a little something in with the dry food - sometimes a raw egg, sometimes just an 1/8th cup of water used to rinse out a cooking pot - just a little something to change the taste.

 

[stevenf]

Andy I know this probably isn't in the cards but my wife and I work together, play together and sleep together "BUT" we each have our own dog. We have raised protection oriented dogs since 1979 for our own use only (all large breeds doberman, rottweilers, shepards and mastiffs including great danes) and I'll have to say after all these years of raising them we've never had a persnickity eater but have always had at least two. I think what you need if you want to cure your pups eating habits is a pal. It doesn't have to be a big one just someone else to eat or compete with. You'll be amazed how their eating habits will change when there are two you put the food down and it will disappear, frankly I'd rather them eat out of the same bowl but currently my wife has a Rott and I have a mutt (blue healer+anatolian shepard+great pyrenees) no doubt mine is the pretty one but the Rott has issues with her and occationally gives her a nip that would kill most dogs so we feed them in seperate bowls the last time the Rott penetrated my dogs skull. I am certainly in the don't feed your dogs table scraps and never change their food unless for health problems old age etc. camp. We take these dogs to work with us every day and I can tell you if my wife points her finger at you, you should run and find something really tall to get on they will disassemble you and believe it or not our customers have no idea they will come and bring their friends just to see them and give them a pet. The one in a thousand customer that walks thru the door and either one of the dogs voice their opinion of them that customer is watched carefully and both dogs are on guard we've never had a problem and I'm sure its the pups when you can look over the front counter and see hundreds of pounds of dogs and teeth the most determined crook will change his mind regardless of what caliber he's pointing at ya.
steve

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Changing dog foods can cause stomach problems for some dogs, but unless it does cause problems, there's no particular reason to avoid it. In fact, from what I've read, it's a good idea lest some deficiency on one dog food result in a life-long deficiency in your dog.

If you switch dog foods, it's best to do it slowly, however, mixing a bit of the new in with the old until the mix is all new.

It's not unusual for a dog to go a day without food or to eat every other day.

The thing to watch is their energy level. If it starts to drop, then you may have a bigger problem. The other thing to watch is if they are eating their own poop when you're not looking. Wild dogs do this and wolves do this especially in the fall and early winter -- getting that last bit of benifit from everything they eat. If you find the dog is suplementing it's food with poop, I recommend papaya pills. They are good for the dog and make their poop unappetizing.

By the way, raw eggs should probably not be given to a dog (nor should they be eaten by people) because of the risk of salmonella poisoning. If you decide that you want to give them raw eggs anyway (though I can't really imagine why), you should at least know the symtoms and be ready deal with it. I know people will say "I've eaten raw eggs all my life . . ." or "I've always fed my dog raw eggs and never had a problem . . .", but anecdotal evidance is not really helpful. Salmonella is dangerous and you should try to avoid it for yourself and for your dog. Just personal opinion.

Cliff