[nagdu] Not eating

[Peggy]

I haven't read this whole thread so sorry if I repeat information.  My sirst 
shepherd was a very picky eater and I eventually just left her food down all 
day long.  We didn't have any other dogs then so it worked for us.  My 
shepherd now eats like a lab though!!  It's just a shepherd thing, most of 
the time, they can be very picky eaters.  Unless you want to keep hand 
feeding him though I wouldn't keep doing that!!  Try adding a little warm 
water to the food to make a gravy, sometimes that works.  Throwing up on an 
empty stomach is pretty common, as suggested you might want to give him a 
treat or two between feedings to keep this from happening but don't over 
feed on treats either.  By all means if you think he's sick see a vet but 
shepherds are notorious picky eaters.



-----Original Message----- 
From: Cindy Ray
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 2:59 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Not eating

I suspect you might not want to start hand feeding your dog. I suspect it is 
well to leave down the food a period of time and then put it away; then feed 
at the next feeding time. I have to think eventually the dog is going to 
eat. Neither of my GSDs were dogs with a huge desire to eat, though I think 
one started out like she might be. Not sure about that though because I'm 
old and it was a long time ago.

CL

On Feb 12, 2012, at 2:42 PM, Meghan Whalen wrote:

> I know you haven't had him long, but has he done this before?  It took 
> four months with my second shepherd to get her on a reliable eating 
> schedule.  It was really hard for me, but I decided she would eat when she 
> was hungry, so I gave her about 20 minutes to eat, and if she didn't, 
> tough cookies until the next meal.  If she had a completely empty stomach, 
> she would throw up bile, so if she missed breakfast, I would just give her 
> a treat around lunchtime so her stomach was not completely empty.  I gave 
> it later in the day so that she would not learn that not eating earned her 
> a treat.  When we were somewhere where would have a very full/busy 
> schedule, like a convention or something, I would maybe crumble a treat 
> and mix it into her food if she did not seem interested, but that was only 
> when I was worried she would be working too hard and burning too much to 
> be held over by one treat.  This is a shepherd thing, and if you have only 
> had him for a short while, he could have reached a phase where he realizes 
> this is not short-term, and the stress of the new adjustment has caught up 
> with him.  You could also try feeding him half as much as he usually eats 
> for a few meals to get him in the habit of emptying his bowl.
>
> Just a few tricks/ideas that have worked for me in the past.  Of course, 
> if you think he is sick, disregard all of this and take him to the vet. 
> Good luck!
>
> Meghan
>
>
> On 2/12/2012 2:35 PM, Mark J. Cadigan wrote:
>> Not eating
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>>
>>
>> My dog is being extremely picky about eating over the past 10 days or so. 
>> He has gone a few days without eating anything. He is still drinking 
>> water, and will eat treats with no hesitation.
>>
>>
>>
>> As you may know, I am feeding him Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food, Hi 
>> Prairie Canine Formula with Roasted Bison & Venison.
>>
>>
>>
>> Out of desperation I tried filling his bole with some of the remaining 
>> natural balance salmon and sweet potato, Fidelco provided with the dog, 
>> with the same result.
>>
>>
>>
>> I will fill his bole with food, put it out, leave it there for 45 minutes 
>> or so, then put it back in the food container untouched. This will go on 
>> for 4 meals, and then I decided to make him eat. I sat there, and fed him 
>> out of my hand for the entire 2 cups of food. This has happened twice, in 
>> the past 10 days. One would suspect that after the 2nd day, he would be 
>> quite hungry. I am concerned there is something more going on hear 
>> besides him just being picky. Instead of eating, he chews on his bone and 
>> stares at the food.
>>
>>
>>
>> Suggestions, comments, ideas?
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
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>
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