[nagdu] Not eating

Wed Feb 22 00:26:24 UTC 2012

Hi Mark:

Way behind on my emails on this list (like 500 messages behind apparently) I think sheppards and poodles have  quite a bit in common. When I first got bogart home it was hard to get him to eat, especially following the rules from the  school. Sometimes, even to this day, I roll his crockets to him. He thinks it is a fun game and in a way, we are bonding by doing this. Gradually I shorten my rolls until I have them dropping right at his dish. Usually he takes over and eats from his dish.

Also, scheduled feedings soon went the way of the dodo  bird too. Because he wasn't eating I'd buy those sort of gross lightly cooked chicken and rice rols. Yes, he loved them and ate them immediately but they cost $7 and were only good for about 3 meals. After awhile I  decided this was silly to spend so much on breakfast. Now he tends to eat after we've had our supper. Before I go to bed I put food in his dish and I often hear him eating around 4:30am. Other times He won't eat that late night feeding until supper the next day. I've onestly stopped worrying about it. Bogart was at the vet last week and is a very healthy 57 lbs and very fit. So whatever we have worked out seems to be working for him.

My message is that it will all work out eventually. Unless the dog is showing other symptons of being sick, they will eat eventually.

Gary

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012 1:07 pm
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Not eating
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Cindy,
> 
> 
> 
> That is what I have been doing. I take the bole of food out of 
> the dog food box put it down, leave it there for 45 minutes or 
> so, then return it untouched to the dog food box. I only hand 
> fed him once because he had not eaten for 4 meals.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
> Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2012 3:59 PM
> 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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> >
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