Request: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Archived on 09/15/2009
My 1 1/2 year old Yorkie Poo won't eat dog food, dog snacks, nothing doggy. What should I do?
By Shabon from Staten Island, NY
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RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
The first thing you should do is get him checked by the vet to make sure there's not a physical problem causing him not to eat. If that comes out clean, then here goes the hard part.
The best thing you can do for your dog is to have more persistence than he does. You might start with mixing dry and canned food because it's more enticing. But the dog won't starve himself. Eventually he will eat if that is the ONLY thing available to him. Don't offer any treats--doggy or otherwise. Put the food down along with water and absolutely REFUSE to give him anything else.
I know it sounds cruel, but believe me it's not. He'll eat eventually. He might refuse to eat when you can see him (I have one like that now. He only eats in the middle of the night when he thinks I'm asleep), but he will eat.
It'll actually be harder on you than it is on him. But just keep telling yourself, "he has it available, so if he doesn't want to eat it then it's his own problem".
I've had dogs that were stubborn like yours and have had to do this. But it always worked. Different dogs take longer to break down than others, but they all will sooner or later. Their will to survive is stronger than their stubbornness. (07/21/2009)
By Cricketnc
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I started putting olive oil on my dog's dry dog food because it's good for his skin. I didn't want to do it in both his daily feeding because I was afraid he'd put on too much weight, but I have to now because otherwise he won't eat it without. (07/24/2009)
By TXBetty
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
No more table scraps and goodies. He will be fine if no medical problems are the cause. He will be fine, keep telling yourself and do not let him win. It is a battle and you will be fine too. It is hard to be tough and firm but he will
eat the dog food and then only after a consistent pattern you might add little bits of carrots or green beans
to his food, my dog's favorites, along with cut up bananas for snack time, he prefers this to doggie treats. Good luck. (07/31/2009)
By meoowmom
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I guess it depends on the dog food you are feeding or trying to feed. My dogs like the taste of Iams dog food. I had a cat that loved Iams hard cat food too. It's a little more expensive but it's a healthier choice for a dog. It must taste great cause I've never had an animal not eat it. Also, for years my dogs love the milk bone brand Mar-O snacks, they never tire of it. If this doesn't work, you just leave him to eat it or else starve. He will eat it. (08/01/2009)
By lorraina
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
The above ideas are good and worth a try. But if that doesn't work there are plenty of home cooked dog food recipes online.
What I did for a dog who was allergic to commercial food was cook rice (bought a rice cooker, just for her), boil turkey necks, make a bowl of oatmeal in the microwave as well as cook green peas or peas and carrots (frozen, not salty canned). Mix them all together. I would alternate the poultry with sardiines or canned mackeral, which are good for their coats and skin (tip from vet).
A doggie vitamin would be a good idea since what you cook yourself won't have all the added vitamins and minerals that commercial food does. I would make a big pot, keep a few days worth in the fridge and freeze the rest in 3 or 4 day batches. (08/01/2009)
By tejasridgerunner
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
PS: Forgot to say I cooked the rice in water with low-salt loose chicken bouillon. (08/01/2009)
By tejasridgerunner
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Request: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Archived on 07/21/2009
I have a year old pup that won't eat dry dog food. She doesn't like canned dog food either. She likes treats and canned cat food. Any help would be appreciated. I really want her to eat dry food. I have tried four kinds.catbuttons from KS
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RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I've raised dogs for showing and I've always felt that dogs need "crunch" in their food to keep their teeth healthy and strong, and clean. I believe most vets will tell you the same thing.
I would mix whatever canned food your dog likes with the dry food, maybe a 3-1 ratio at first. Once they are used to eating the mix, gradually decrease the amount of canned food in the mix. I don't think there's anything wrong with letting them have a couple of spoons of canned in the mix eventually, but not mushy. They do need crunch in their food.
Good luck.
From Pat in Nevada (03/16/2009)
By patom
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
People you all need to talk to a reputable vet about why you do not feed dog food to cats and cat food to dogs. There really is a reason despite what you may read on the web. I am a vet, so I see this a lot generally with smaller dogs who tend to be a little more spoiled.
Cats require a large amount of the mineral taurine if they do not get it they suffer from arthritis and their overall system does not function properly. Dogs do not require as much taurine as cats and when they are fed a steady diet of cat food they suffer from arthritis, joint stiffness, and kidney problems. Also cats require a lot more fat in their diet than dogs so their food is higher in it which is not good for your dog.
Do not feed cat food no matter how much they like it, your dog will have a longer healthier life if you do not. If your dog refuses dry food he is being picky due to an improper diet. Either consult with a holistic vet about a raw food diet recipe or choose a good dry dog food brand per your veterinarian's recommendations and your own careful research. Now the hard part, give your beloved friend plenty of exercise, lots of filtered water (no chlorine), and offer him the appropriate amount of food for his size daily.
Eventually the dog will be hungry enough to eat what he is offered. Dogs are opportunists by nature he will eat it eventually. During this time do not feed table scraps or extra foods that your dog likes better. In the future try to limit his intake of table treats, scraps, and dog treats to no more than 15 percent of his diet. Your dog requires something harder to chew on daily to clean his teeth, if you are not going to feed him dry dog food than feed him carrots which help with teeth cleaning and most dogs like them.
I see to many overweight dogs, who are stiff way too young from being fed cat food and an otherwise bad diet of people food, please do not continue the cycle. (03/17/2009)
By tigra
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My dog is really picky. He won't eat anything but peanut butter-flavored dog food. Try that. (03/17/2009)
By catastrofy
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I had a really sick puppy whose mother died. I fed her K9 Puppy Gold Formula and found it at Pet Co. It was $20 but it was worth every penny. After 3 cans (some which I mixed with food and some by itself) she is finally out of the woods and on her way to a promising healthy life with her forever family. (06/10/2009)
By obeachgirl
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Request: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Archived on 03/15/2009
I have tried all kinds of food for my 1 year old Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog. He just won't eat dog food. He's not sick, just spoiled by me. I have mixed butter, bacon grease, olive oil, fish oil, canola oil, and warm water in dry food but nothing has worked. I'm at a complete loss. Can any one suggest a solution? I have bought him different kinds of food from the makers of special dog food.
Bill from Prescott Valley, AZ
Answers:
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I must say that when the dog gets hungry, he will eat. Just like a child, they need to know that there are boundaries and limits. I know you love him so much and want him to be happy, but ultimately it's him who decides when he's hungry enough to eat. Good luck! (02/27/2006)
By smcarney
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I have used in the past a product by Iams called Savory Sauce. It come in many flavors, but the one that worked the best for my dogs was the bacon flavored one. Maybe it would work for yours. (02/27/2006)
By Joely
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Try cat food! That is all my dog will eat. He is 3yrs old. (02/27/2006)
By Ann
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
A lot of people feed their dogs human food and there's nothing wrong with it. It's actually, next to a raw diet, the healthiest for them. I feed mine Wysong, probably the best dog food available for low grain high meat content. I also buy whatever meat is on sale and cook that with a couple/3 bags of frozen veggies. I just boil the veggies in a big pot (they need to be cooked until well done). I either boil the meat or cook it in the oven depending on what kind it is.
I feed this meal for 4 days of the week. But since you only have 1 dog you could easily do it for every day. I would cook fresh every 4 days because I wouldn't give them cooked meat that has been more than 4 days in the frig. You could even cook for the week all at once and freeze part of it.
Dogs are carnivores and digest meat the easiest. They don't digest raw veggies at all so they just go through the body. It's OK to give them to them, I do, but just consider they won't get any nutrients from them unless they're cooked. Grains are predominant in most dry foods and are even disguised by other terms you wouldn't recognize. They are responsible for most things/diseases that make dogs sick.
I learned a lot more when I recently went to a very known/respected holistic/traditional vet. They can also have cooked/raw fruits, cottage cheese, brown rice and a lot of other lean things we eat. When you cook for yourselves just think in dog terms what he could eat. If you want to also feed dry, try the Wysong. Yes, it's more expensive but you get what you pay for. Crappy food means unhealthy dogs and more vet bills. I hope I've helped. (02/27/2006)
By Vic
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Transition him by slowly increasing the percentage of dry mixed into what he is used to. Mix well. (02/27/2006)
By aardvark
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My wiener dog will only eat one brand of dry dog food. So, when I get any other brand, she won't eat it. I finally made some Wyler's chicken bouillon from the little bottles of chicken granules. Just mixed it with hot water and poured it over her dry dog food and she eats like I just gave her a feast. It works every time. (02/27/2006)
By Gail
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Use one kind of food, good studies show that sticking to just one yields the longest life. Use a decent (not necessarily expensive) brand. If in doubt, get vet recommendation. Usually not necessary to use anything as expensive as what the vet sells. Those are for special health conditions. I personally do not trust the bargain basement store brands, but ask the vet. (02/27/2006)
By aardvark
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
You are giving him options. Stop the table/people food and feed him twice per day. After about 30 minutes remove the food bowl, empty or not. Within a very short time, he will be eating what's offered to him (a healthy dog food brand) when it's offered. And if you are diligent about the table scraps, there will be less begging, too! (02/27/2006)
By slw1299
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My cat and dog both eat Purina One. The cat gets Weight Maintenance and Hairball Control, one bowl per day. Sometimes she eats the whole bowl over the course of the day, sometimes she doesn't. The dog gets Adult Chicken and Rice. She gets a 1/2 cup at 9am, one cup at 5pm and 1/2 cup at 8pm. She sometimes says "no thank you, I'm not hungry", but it's not often.
Our dog gets veggies and fruits as snacks, but no people food mixed into her food. Perhaps the oils are too rich for him and that's why he's turning up his handsome spotted nose. Try a middle of the road priced food (like Purina One). If he still objects, maybe some no sugar added apple sauce or pureed carrots (baby food) mixed in will tempt him. Just feed one food consistently and he will eat it. I don't know any animal that will starve itself on purpose. Good luck. (02/27/2006)
By thriftyboo
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Try Bil Jac. I have 2 dogs that are enjoying this food. I told a teacher at school about it because he had 2 very picky Collies. They loved it. It is also very healthy, doesn't smell and they poop less! Good Luck (02/28/2006)
By Gillian
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I agree with smcarney. No dog will "starve to death". A dog WILL eat and dogs can go days even weeks without eating, but they will drink water. You have given your dog forbidden foods that taste yummy, so why would your dog want to eat regular dog food now? It's like giving someone steak every day for a week then all of a sudden start giving them cold oatmeal.
Cat food is formulated especially for cats and should not be fed to dogs. Dog food should be a high quality kibble with no animal by-products. The first two or three ingredients should be meat. I feed my German Shepherd INNOVA which contains three meats, many vegetables, fruits, even cottage cheese, and vitamins. I feed my new puppy Nutra Ultra which is just as good as INNOVA and easily digestible. The more digested the food is, the less poop.
By Anonymous 
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I'd say try Bil Jac, too. It's kind of expensive, so I've started mixing it with the cheaper dog food. All three of my dogs like it...the pickiest eater only eats food with Bil Jac in it. (03/01/2006)
By Elaia
Dogs eating Cat Food
My dog wont eat dog food either, she eats what the cats eat. She's healthy, no harm done. Give your dog what she will eat. You don't eat what you don't like do you?
Editor's Note: Here's a good link about Dogs eating Cat Food: http://www.healthypet.com
It basically says that it won't hurt them but a steady cat food diet deprives dogs of the grains and vegetables that they need. (03/03/2006)
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My husband and I also have a Catahoula, what we have to do is mix dry and canned food. He laps that stuff up! (04/26/2006)
By Amy
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My dog was the same way. He will not eat dog kibble at all. I started a month ago feeding him that Dick Van Patten Beef, Liver or Turkey stick chopped up, with half a can of salt free green beans, carrots or Vegall, mixed with shredded cheese. He loves it. He is only 20 pounds, so this is why half a can. If your dog is bigger maybe a whole can. The stores in my area have cans of veggies 20 for $10. Not a bad deal. The dog beef sticks you can buy at any dog pet store. Hope this helps. (06/20/2007)
By Lisa
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My dog won't eat, but when I give him cooked meat chopped up he eats it up so quickly. Also try pedigree puppy milk, your dog will love it!
(09/20/2007)
By Kymmy
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Your dog has YOU trained. Buy good quality dry and/or canned. Feed once a day, don't leave it out more than a few hours. Allow no treats or human food at all. Always have fresh water available.
Don't feel guilty for being "the parent." You signed on for this when you adopted your pet. Take proper care of it.
(09/21/2007)
By shishi
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Maybe you could try canned food or Beneful, those foods are yummy to dogs. You could also try mixing peanut butter or tuna juice with the dog food.
(11/06/2007)
By Tor
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Simple. Feed RAW! I feed mainly raw chicken legs and wings, whole fish, ground beef, beef ribs, pork ribs, yogurt, cottage cheese, and raw eggs, with a tablespoon of a supplement called Missing Link to my dogs food 4 times a week. (01/26/2008)
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My dog has always been a picky eater, we try to keep her on the dog food and she does go through phases. I think it's important to stay realistic and not worry too much - the dogs probably wouldn't eat every day out in the wild and certainly wouldn't eat 3 times a day! You should take your pooches to the vet to eliminate any tummy or mouth problems though. (03/06/2008)
By Tooty
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I'm wondering if any of you people have taken your dogs to the vet to check the dogs teeth and snout. Bad teeth and breathing problems may be part of the problem. My dog has double teeth in the front and he will not eat out of a bowl that is less than 8 inches across and he likes to eat off plates better. He is a Shitz-tsu. He does get tired of the same dog food over and over, so I started feeding him canned cat food - the small cans twice a day. He also does not like liver. But he loves tuna. He also wants to eat anything I eat. So if I pretend I am going to eat his food - he will eat it. (07/08/2008)
By Diana
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I have a terrier/pit who also is a picky eater. She loves canned food and treats but won't eat dry food. I don't like to feed her only canned food because her stool gets runny and she can't hold it while I'm at work. So a good solution for me was spreading a bit of canned food with her dry. But make sure to mix it well or else the dog will only pick out what they want. Sometimes I take the canned food and put a bit of water on it and the warm it up, that way it takes better to the dry food. Good luck. (07/10/2008)
By scr
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Of course they don't want to eat the dog food. It's disgusting, dry, smells bad, and I am sure it tastes bad, too. You wouldn't want to eat dry cereal day after day. I try to make my dog's food interesting and tasty by mixing dry kibble with other things like canned food, vegetables, chicken pieces, or just pour some lactose free milk over it. (07/30/2008)
By Anna
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
My Shih Tzu and Toy Poodle were so spoiled. I was having the same problems all of you have had. My solution was to make cooked chicken, or beef with carrots and/or yams and/or green beans in a pot with a small amt. of water for broth.
I then mixed it with their dry food (Nutro) to absorb the broth. They love it!
I also freeze this (without the Nutro) in serving size zip lock bags for future use. (I make a 2-3 week supply) This way, they are getting the proper nutrients in a food that is very palatable to them. I was going crazy trying out tons of dog foods and wasting my money - when the solution was SO easy. I also make healthy dog cookies that I give them as a treat. (I make a months supply and freeze) Wow! Do they love these! It has whole wheat flour, carrots, dry milk, beef bouillon, and either beef or liver in it.
If anyone wants the recipe let me know. I am finally enjoying my dogs eating normally. Good luck to all of you!
(08/05/2008)
By Josie
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I have a 2 year old German Shepherd and he is also very picky. I mix 2 scoops Innova dry, as well as, one can of Evengers wet and he eats it up. The best is the chicken casserole, it has carrots, peas, pasta, and chunks of chicken. This is now the ONLY thing he will eat aside from sometimes home cooked meals. All of the Evengers wet cans are great, he used to eat them all. But has just has gotten picky. Try it. You will love the outcome. (01/04/2009)
By Rocky
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
We have a picky eater, just tried Orijen and she loves it. It is healthy and so good for them. (01/25/2009)
By Brenda
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
I had the same problem with my Shepard/Collie - butter worked, but I was concerned about the fat.
My suggestion that worked: If you have a friend that has a dog that is not picky, bring the dog to your house and feed both dogs in separate dishes at the same time. Good luck! (01/30/2009)
By anonymous
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
We have a 7 month old dog that we adopted a month ago. He was very good about eating kibble when we got him, but has gradually stopped eating his food in the last few weeks. In fact, his stomach was so empty, he started getting the dry heaves. After a vet recommendation, we gave him baby food to get him to start eating again (it's gentle on the stomach). He ate a bit of kibble for the next week, but stopped eating it again. FINALLY, we bought some canned food, mixed a few tablespoons in with some hot water and at least a cup of kibble. He's eating like we've starved him for the last few weeks. We feel this is a good compromise to get him the nourishment that he needs from his puppy food. We are holding strong on not feeding him people food because that is a slippery slope (baby food excluded). Good luck! (02/21/2009)
By Nancy
RE: My Dog Won't Eat Dog Food
Please all beware despite numerous posts to the contrary on this site many dogs are allergic to garlic and like many human allergies they can come on suddenly even though the dog has been fine with it before.
Apparently some breeds are more susceptible than others. My English Cocker Spaniel got hold of some garlic and had a very bad reaction. Fortunately my vet realized straight away what the problem was and he survived, sadly many don't. (03/03/2009)
By BCNBoo
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