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This is how many food related problems arise (and its most often the humans who exhibit the problematic behavior like insisting their dog needs to be hand fed).
You already tried different brands of food, so it isnt that your dog is picky. Maybe he just wants a short digestive pause. Maybe hes ok with eating just until hes no longer hungry in contrast to eating until hes full. Maybe he needs less food than you estimate because hes a little less active or because of his genes. Maybe its not at all about food and hes manipulating you into giving him more attention.
Whatever the reason for his behavior is, I totally agree with your vet. He will eat when hes hungry. As long as you dont deprive him of food, hell grow up healthy.
There are 2 possible solutions here:
After trying multiple combinations of dog foods mixed with human condiments, we finally tried Purina Pro Plan Puppy Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Dry Dog Food in a feeding toy ball after seeing several recommendations for the same “picky-puppy” food issues on reddit/puppy 101. I might add that the Purina Pure Plan puppy chows are easier for him to masticate at 12 weeks; this was a big problem with other brands- as noted in the question, we also tried:
This resolved our problem- he now enjoys his food in the feeding ball toy (1/3 cup of Purina Pro Plan 3x daily). Thanks!
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There may be an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. Your dog could be avoiding his food due to liver disease, infections, a blockage, tumor or kidney failure. If your dog isn’t eating but seems otherwise fine, that’s likely not the issue. However, if he doesn’t start chowing down within 24 hours, it’s time to seek medical help.
For most dogs, mealtime is their favorite part of the day. Therefore, it can be concerning for pet owners when their dog’s not eating, or his appetite seems to have decreased. Luckily, the most common reasons are easily fixable—especially if your dog is not eating but seems fine otherwise. Here’s why your pup may have lost his appetite and how to get your dog to start eating again.
The Ollie blog is devoted to helping pet parents lead healthier lives with their pups. If you want to learn more about our fresh, human-grade food, check out MyOllie.com.
A toothache or mouth sore can ruin any meal. If your dog starts to eat but quickly loses interest, it could indicate discomfort in his mouth. Be careful trying to inspect this yourself, since pain could cause your otherwise docile dog to react with a nip or bite.
If giving your dog fresh food doesn’t help, wait a day or so, then take a visit to the local vet to get your pet checked. Make a note of any other symptoms that will help your vet get to the root of the problem.
How to give medicine to a dog that won’t eat?
Giving medicine to a dog is a tricky business. While some dogs are more compliant than others, this is one element of pet ownership that can test the craftiness of most humans, made worse when the dog in question is refusing to eat, largely stripping you of all the sneaky hide-it-ham tricks you had up your sleeve.
Check out our helpful article on giving your dog a pill. Share this Article
My Dog WON’T EAT Their Food What to Do About It
Wild dogs and wolves are scavengers and eat when food is available because they don’t know when they might find their next meal. They adapted to eating vast amounts in one sitting, gorging while they had the chance. Leftovers (if there are any) are then buried in the ground to try and preserve them for a later time.
Domestic dogs have evolved considerably from their wild counterparts – a tiny chihuahua with its small stomach probably tends to graze a bit more daintily than a wolf, for example. Veterinarians recommend feeding your adult dog twice daily, with puppies needing their daily rations divided into three or more meals a day. This tends to help with satiety (the feeling of fullness), leading to less begging for food between mealtimes, as well as ensuring your dog is receiving adequate nutrition.
When you give your dog his meal, you should make sure he is somewhere quiet so that he can eat undisturbed and without competition or distraction from others. Fresh water should always be available too.