Dog just doesn't like to eat

[N Smith]

I think she looks good - maybe she is not eating because she does not need that much food. Especially if you are feeding a high fat, high protein - she will not need as much.

She is young and so should be kept lean - feed her twice a day, start with 2 cups/ feeding of a regular adult maintenance food(save the raw add ins until you have figured out her preferred amount). Then take away or add from there. You will know you have fed the right amount when she eats everything and is still searching (not panicking though). Put the food down, leave her for 15 mins, then take whatever is left up. She will soon learn that if she doesn't eat then, she will have to wait until her next meal. Keep the meals as structured as possible, so they should happen at the same times each day and in the same place.

[Tim Connell]

If all medical issues are ruled out:

Try making the food as delicious (to a dog) as possible, if a dog is a finicky eater.

Kibble+frozen Bil Jac+hot dogs+tripe (canned or raw) and a spoonful of canola oil. This can pack the pounds on a hard gaining dog. It's pretty irresistible.

My older GSD sometimes gets a little finicky since he doesn't run as hard as he used to. I throw a spoonful of canned tripe and water in with his kibble and he gobbles it down.

[BritneyP]

If she's been on the same kibble since she was a pup, have you ever considered switching her food? You don't necessarily have to feed her a crappy food, just one that she likes and is very palatable to her.

I have a very finicky eater too, and he does not "wear" thin well at all. If he loses a pound, it's noticeable. I've gone through every dietary issue you can possibly imagine with him and I will just warn you, as soon as you start "doctoring" her food, be prepared to have to do that for the rest of her life. Fortunately, my guy is eating his kibble 2x per day very well right now. *knock on wood*

Canned tripe is pretty irresistable and healthy, and a spoonful goes a long way.

I even tried free feeding my guy when I got really frustrated, but I noticed that he only ever at at virtually the same time every day anyway, so I stopped doing it. I've done lots of food trials with him and there very much ARE things he just doesn't like, so I don't force the issue and just try to stick with a food he likes, even if that means I can't offer him as much variety as my other dogs.

[Delilah's_Human]

Originally Posted by jax08

from the wet picture she does look pretty thin. The top picture really needs to be taken with you standing directly over her shooting straight down.

Are you in the us or overseas?

usa

[Delilah's_Human]

Originally Posted by N Smith

I think she looks good - maybe she is not eating because she does not need that much food. Especially if you are feeding a high fat, high protein - she will not need as much.

She is young and so should be kept lean - feed her twice a day, start with 2 cups/ feeding of a regular adult maintenance food(save the raw add ins until you have figured out her preferred amount). Then take away or add from there. You will know you have fed the right amount when she eats everything and is still searching (not panicking though). Put the food down, leave her for 15 mins, then take whatever is left up. She will soon learn that if she doesn't eat then, she will have to wait until her next meal. Keep the meals as structured as possible, so they should happen at the same times each day and in the same place.

she will eat one cup a day total if left to free feed an if I let her play an run like she wanted she would drop weight (about 2-3 pounds a week) it was after the first time of her losing weight I switched her to the crappy food which she will eat a cup and a half of but nothing more.

If I time her and give her her food twice or even three times a day she will eat every three days She dropped to almost a 1 body score. thats when I started feeding her raw with free choice of kibble. she gets 1-2 pounds of raw a day and she eats about a cup of kibble and now what you see is what you get. I keep it a variety of meats and I figure the kibble should balence out any vitamines she may need. to feed her any pills I'd have to shove them down ther throat as she chews EVERYthing like a cat.

[Delilah's_Human]

Originally Posted by BritneyP

If she's been on the same kibble since she was a pup, have you ever considered switching her food? You don't necessarily have to feed her a crappy food, just one that she likes and is very palatable to her.

I have a very finicky eater too, and he does not "wear" thin well at all. If he loses a pound, it's noticeable. I've gone through every dietary issue you can possibly imagine with him and I will just warn you, as soon as you start "doctoring" her food, be prepared to have to do that for the rest of her life. Fortunately, my guy is eating his kibble 2x per day very well right now. *knock on wood*

Canned tripe is pretty irresistable and healthy, and a spoonful goes a long way.

I even tried free feeding my guy when I got really frustrated, but I noticed that he only ever at at virtually the same time every day anyway, so I stopped doing it. I've done lots of food trials with him and there very much ARE things he just doesn't like, so I don't force the issue and just try to stick with a food he likes, even if that means I can't offer him as much variety as my other dogs.

well it was the crappy food she liked at the time and she never "likes" anything for more than a few days of feedings. also I have no idea what tripe is or where to get it

[LisaT]

Originally Posted by BritneyP

If she's been on the same kibble since she was a pup, have you ever considered switching her food?

This was my question to. If not, you can add all you want, but if the base food isn't right, you're not going to make much progress.

Also would work on gut rehab.

[Delilah's_Human]

Originally Posted by LisaT

This was my question to. If not, you can add all you want, but if the base food isn't right, you're not going to make much progress.

Also would work on gut rehab.

gut rehab?

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by Delilah's_Human

If I time her and give her her food twice or even three times a day she will eat every three days She dropped to almost a 1 body score. thats when I started feeding her raw with free choice of kibble. she gets 1-2 pounds of raw a day and she eats about a cup of kibble and now what you see is what you get. I keep it a variety of meats and I figure the kibble should balence out any vitamines she may need. to feed her any pills I'd have to shove them down ther throat as she chews EVERYthing like a cat.

For my 62 lb girl on RAW, she gets 20 oz per day plus eggs, tripe. That is when she is getting plenty of exercise and I adjust what I give her depending on her activity that day for calories.

If you want to balance out the vitamins, I would spend my money on a food supplement with vitamins and minerals instead of feeding her kibble. My dogs are loving Carmen's (carmspack) Feed Sentials. (carmspack.com). I think Nupro sells another food supplement. Then you could increase the amount of RAW you are giving her. Will she refuse to eat the RAW?

How are her stools? Animals will not intentionally starve themselves so if she's not eating then I would look into a medical reason.

[Delilah's_Human]

Originally Posted by Jax08

For my 62 lb girl on RAW, she gets 20 oz per day plus eggs, tripe. That is when she is getting plenty of exercise and I adjust what I give her depending on her activity that day for calories.

If you want to balance out the vitamins, I would spend my money on a food supplement with vitamins and minerals instead of feeding her kibble. My dogs are loving Carmen's (carmspack) Feed Sentials. (carmspack.com). I think Nupro sells another food supplement. Then you could increase the amount of RAW you are giving her. Will she refuse to eat the RAW?

How are her stools? Animals will not intentionally starve themselves so if she's not eating then I would look into a medical reason.

her stool never changes except when I started her on the raw venison. now its completely normal. she's never refused raw. the kibble she will eat through the day a nibble here and there (and this is the one she likes the BEST) eating about a cup total. if you give her a time table....it takes her three days. then she will finnish the bowl. if I lock her up in the outdoor kennel her plate is licked clean an she will eat 4 cups a day. the vet has run full blood panels, xrays, tried various meds and other tests but cant seem to find anything. Im out of money trying to find the root of whatever it is. Ill look to see if I can get some but if I cant get it locally I prolly cant get it.