My Dog Won’t Eat!

One of the most common concerns I receive from clients is that their dog won’t eat. We talk about what they are feeding and when and how much, etc. I personally have a dog that eats and gets distracted and needs encouragement to return to their bowl.

I told her there are a lot of starving dogs in China that would love her food. She took a few more bites; however, I don’t think she grasped the meaning of what I said. So, I added a little roasted chicken to her kibble and that seemed a much better solution. Tough love and “they’ll eat when they are hungry doesn’t always work!”

Think about the times that you are cooking dinner and a piece of meat (or anything) falls to the floor. Most dogs are readily available to help with clean up. They’ll eat – it’s a matter of what. Being pack animals, most dogs eat better and more when either they are with us or other dogs. Dogs will also eat quicker when they think someone else might get their meal.

There are also a lot of gravies that can be added to a dog’s kibble for flavor. It may take a teaspoon to a tablespoon of warm chicken broth in a bowl of kibble before the dog will find it worthy of eating. You can also add some raw ground turkey to their food or add a little graded cheese.

You may be thinking you want your dog to eat kibble and only kibble so that you aren’t catering to their tastes at every meal. Unfortunately, some dogs have allergies to grains and meals or they just don’t like it. It is far removed from what they would naturally eat.

If your dog refuses to eat and misses more than a meal or two, rule out any other health issues and try adding something a little more tasty to their food. After all, the hunt, chase, and kill for their kibble dinner isn’t all that exciting!

Great Danes Put Down Their Forks

Most Great Danes I have had the pleasure of training and spending time with, know how to eat. They eat slowly when compared to other dogs (and some humans). It is more of a process for them.

I can almost hear them saying “this is good!” or “this doesn’t taste right.” Looking back to make sure they are being acknowledged for their thoughts and comments regarding dinner. Their plate is full and as if to know that no one would even consider slipping in to get a bite as they stroll away from their meal to take a breath.

If they hear something that needs addressing as they eat, they will leave to investigate in case it is a matter that needs their attention.

I think of it as them putting their fork down. Don’t be fooled into thinking they have had enough just because they take a break and walk away. They will in time circle back to their dinner and continue where they left off. We can learn from them. Not that we should leave the table and circle back; however, putting our fork down between bites, is a much healthier way to eat.

A Great Dane makes kibble drizzled with warm water worthy of eating slow and enjoying every bite – unless, of course, they are called to take action! (Wait, they’ll be back)

The Strangest Things a Dog Ate

I am a fan of healthy dog treats; i.e., some of the chicken jerkies, lamb and rice, and there are others. I also recommend Nylabone chew toys and Kong products. Treats for your dogs are just that – treats. They shouldn’t be large enough to replace a meal. We can save that luxury for the humans!

I’ve told you some of my favorite treats. Listed below are some of a dog’s favorite treats.

• plastic water bottles (the noisier the better)
• nice underwear (don’t ask me how they know)
• “things” that should remain in the garbage
• “things” a woman really wishes had stayed in the trash
• lizards
• baby quail, doves, and/or bunnies
• the sock that has no mate (hmmmm?)
• flip-flop sandals
• sponges
• children’s toys
• cat poop (a special treat)
• wash cloths
• shoes (stiletto, flats, dress, cheap, expensive, etc)

Fear not when one of the above “chews” gets swallowed. Usually, with no assistance, within about three days the object of their consumption will pass. That’s if it hasn’t already come up. I recently heard of a Labrador that took 9 days to pass a very fluffy sock.

You can just pretend that you are on a special assignment with CSI as you follow your dog around praying for the site of something that resembles what went in their mouth. If, of course, within reasonable time it hasn’t found it’s way out or your dog stops eating and/or eliminating, see a veterinarian immediately. There may be a blockage and it can require surgery if it is stuck or twisted in the intestine.

While I recommend the natural treats in the first paragraph, be aware that your dog may have other ideas!

Here are some other dog “treats!”

Dogs Love Cat Poop

As I cleaned out the kitty litter box this morning, I thought of how cat poop is such a wonderful delicacy to most dogs. They would never pass on a serving of “kitty rocca!” Makes me wonder. Maybe I could start a recycling program. I’ll save that for another blog post!  For now, I’ll write more about dog food.

This is a common concern among dog people. So many questions. What if I’m not feeding my dog the “right” food? What if they suddenly act as if they don’t like their food?

If they become ill we can wonder and speculate that we contributed to this by not choosing a different dog food. I am not going to minimize that, but I do like to be the or at least a voice of reason. If your dog is eating the food, their coat looks good, they are healthy and active – be grateful and stop questioning.

If your dog has suddenly decided to skip a meal, that doesn’t mean the food is bad or that they are deciding to be picky, they may have other issues. Maybe it’s just too hot to care about food or they ate something in the yard yesterday and they need to let things settle before a meal.

There are things you can add to their food to make it more tasty, but wait on that and see if they don’t return to their food. If they have other symptoms along with not eating, then there might be reason for greater concern. Maybe some won’t relate to this; but, most of us don’t worry and stress if we skip a meal because we just don’t feel like eating.

Remember, as your dog quickly swallows that morsel of “kitty rocca” –  they can’t be that picky!