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Pup doesn't want to eat (picky eater?)

89K views 51 replies 40 participants last post by  Ringhram 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Vet says she is healthy, nothing is wrong but she seems so bored and not into eating. We started her on the RC German Shepherd puppy formula and she liked it for a few days and now she will eat a couple bites at both of her meals for a few days then she will scarf 1 morning after she hasn't eaten for a few days. I called the store and they said I could exchange her food for something else but my husband tried to feed her some of the Beneful she was on before and loved but she ate barely more than with the RC. I am thinking Wellness LBP because it is a stronger smell so she may be more attracted to it and maybe even some wet food. Anyone else have this happen or have any tips? Am I overreacting? I should say she will eat her treats, Pet Botanics dog roll, like a mad woman, but we don't give her enough to make the treats be the reason she isn't hungry/wont eat.
 
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#2 ·
If you had your puppy checked out and the vet says everything is fine. And if your puppy WILL eat treats, just not interested in regular food.... then is sounds like you have a picky eater on your hands.

I had one too! My GSD Elsa Rose was a picky eater for most of her life. Initially everyone said 'Don't let her be the boss'....'Hang tough and take up the food she won't starve to death'...... 'This is a control issue and you can't give in'.....

So I picked up the food everytime she wandered off from the bowl for over 3 days and watched my already skinny girl dog lose weight (over 5 pounds) and she could care less. Still would enjoy eating her training treats though!

I decided that the recommendations I had been given were ridiculous for my situation. It appeared that regular dog food just was boring and uninteresting for Elsa, so she'd pass. Rather than me continuing to hang tough to 'show her' and prove something (not sure what at this point except that she could indeed still walk around and appear healthy with all her ribs hanging out), I decided to come up with a solution that would get her eating.

It appeared that any regular kibble, ANY type, would quickly become boring to her so she'd start skipping the meals. It also appeared that adding something yummy to the 'boring' kibble would get her to not only start eating but FINISH eating.

My goal became to figure out the least amount of an additive to add to her normal kibble amount to get her to eat. Fairly quickly I determined that any of my leftovers in the fridge would work. A surprisingly small amount (1/4 cup or less) of cut up teeny pizza/chicken/spagetti/beef/cottage cheese/yogurt/mashed potatoes/buttered green beans....... almost ANY human food....... MIXED WITH WATER to make a gravy to coat the kibble with the flavor would have my dog eat her meals.

Another really easy go-to for me was found in the cat food aisle. I would buy a bunch of cans of CAT food that were on sale, different flavors and brands cause variety seemed to be a key element to keep my dog eating.



This sized can. The amazing thing about cat food is the companies know cats are finicky so they have to make the food super stinky and yummy. Well those same stinky/yummy factors worked for my dog. Plus ONLY 1/4 or 1/3 of this can, MIXED WITH WATER, and added to the kibble pretty much guaranteed the meal would be licked up to the last drop.

So easy to store the rest of the can in the fridge with the plastic pet lids you can purchase. And easy to travel with and store if you are away from home!

 
#3 ·
Thank you, I think that she is just picky and bored. Today I bought her the Wellness LBP dry food and some Wellness wet food since they have great ingredients and they are pretty smelly compared to RC. I only gave her the dry food to see if she would eat any and she ate about 1/4 cup so that is better than usual, and she will get just dry for dinner as well. Tomorrow we will mix a little of the Wellness Wet food and see if we can get her to finish a full meal. We have learned that she is crazy for pig ears so i was thinking about giving her a pig ear when she finishes a whole meal to maybe associate eating a full GOOD meal will result in her favorite treat ever. :) I have never had a picky eater for a pet before so its all gonna be trial and error I think.
 
#4 ·
Picky eaters are tough. I had a shepherd years ago (RIP Zeus), who was picky and I did pretty much the same as MaggieRoseLee (not the canned cat food, always thought it was bad for dogs) and as long as I gave Zeus variety he would eat his full meals with no problems. Usually used my dinner leftovers to mix in with his dry kibble with a lil water :)
 
#5 ·
Take into consideration the heat.

My male has never missed a meal in his life. Yet the past two days it has been in the 100's and he has skipped his breakfast but eaten dinner. He too will still eat treats if they are high value. But the heat has made him apathetic along with the rest of my dogs (I assume they are eating their meals because they get fed only once a day. He's as healthy as a horse.

Just something to keep in mind
 
#6 ·
Yeah I have considered the heat at well. It hasn't been too hot here in the high 80's low 90's and the house is always a crisp 72ish but I lose my appetite in the summer months when i get hot so i figure it could be the same for her. She is supposed to be in the middle of growing though and she is getting a little skinny so I would like to spike her interest and get her eating more so she can keep growing.
 
#7 ·
I have been exactly where you are and am actually in the middle of fighting a picky eater right now! Stoli is the absolute worst when it come to being picky and we have tried EVERYTHING I swear. However we have found a few things that work and yes the heat is getting to my boy here in Boise as he only ate about half his normal food today but I know he's ok since he just went to the vet also and is all playful and liking his treats. Some examples of things I tried was raw hamburger, cottage cheese, peanut butter, sprinkle of my roommates cat food (lol) we also now mix a bit of tripe with his kibble and he seems to like that...tonight he got some tuna fish and hte oil just for the smell. Hang in there with a picky boy there are days I can't stand it and wanna scream but it's ok it'll work out I promise :D or at least that's what I hope lol
 
#8 ·
She is doing bettter now. She still doesnt eat much in the mornings but she is more than willing to chase around the huge Kong, the one they have to roll around and work to get the food out, for hours. Its funny I put some food in her bowl and some in the Kong and she just looks at the stuff in the bowl and plays with the Kong. At night we mix wet food and she eats it all, and then chases the Kong around somemore :rolleyes:. I love watching her little puppy antics.
 
#9 ·
This is exactly how my Stella is! I have switched her to Simply Nourish and she does seem to like it a little better than the other brands we have tried. I know it isn't grain free, but I just did not know how to choose a grain free for a puppy that didn't have too high calcium in it and I finally just picked something and stuck with it. It might not be the "best" food but I do think it is high quality. What's funny though, if I use it for training treats, she eats it right up!
 
#12 ·
I am having the same exact issue with Donner, our 12 week old GSD. He LOVES his soft and chewy treats; but I've been feeding Blue Buffalo Wilderness for Puppies and he really doesn't eat it until he has to. We started adding a little bit from a can of Nutra lamb or beef puppy formula and it is only marginally better. After reading this, gonna try some good ole cheap alpo for an additive to see if that's better. Cat food is ok for a puppy? Thanks, John
 
#13 ·
I started mixing in some chopped up (cooked) chicken, and also a little water into her dry kibble, and my puppy is eating better. She is underweight so I felt like I HAD to do something! I think she is starting to teethe so the water helps with the dry kibble.
 
#14 ·
Yea i know how you feel about having to do something. I have a picky eater as well and he has been picky since i got him. I recently told myself that he wouldn't starve to death and that he'd eat but i felt like he was starting to prove me wrong after he only ate 1 cup of kibble in 2 days.. i know im awful... but i gave in and gave him eggs, cooked chicken or beef broth in his next several feeds.. sigh lol :eek::hug:
 
#15 ·
Kona has finally started eating her kibble on a semi-regular basis without any additives. Most days she eats the full recommended daily amount. Love progress. :wub:
 
#16 ·
thank you for this post! If one more person asks me if he's a rescue because he is so skinny I may go postal!! Rocky is 7 mo and 60 lbs which is just 2 lbs off but his ribs show. Healthey otherwise. Vet calls him a gangly boy lol. I went to Natural balance which is rated at 4 star and started added a small amt of wet w/water to make a gravy. I feed him in his crate but right now he is crying wanting out to PLAY!!!!! Thats more fun. :p
 
#17 ·
I'm reading all these posts with interest because am getting worried about our 13 week old Kobe. He was eating really well until recently and then suddenly went off his kibble; I added some tuna in and he loved it for about a week and today he hasn't touched any food at all. It has been fairly hot here recently (90-100 degrees every day) which may not be helping but I just don't know what to try next as I want to make sure he is getting all the nutrients he needs. Any advice please!!!
 
#23 ·
Abby was/is a picky eater so I put her on free feeding. I kept/keep a cup and a half of kibble in her bowl and when that is gone I put in another cup and a half. I don't fret because I know she won't starve herself. She has maintained a perfect weight for her build since she was a pup, so says the vet. She is slender but her ribs and hips are well padded. Evidence is the photos in her album attached to my avatar.
 
#21 ·
Bear can be picky too. I finally found a decent puppy food with a kibble big enough for him to chew.

The last one had tiny little bits, and he sucked it up and swallowed by the mouthful. Every third or so mouthful he choked and had to spit it out and try again. ChompGulpChompGulp Chomp *hack* (repeat)

What I do to increase interest is to supplement weekly with sardines in oil a couple of times a week, and deglaze my cooking pans. "Aha!" you say,
"Wot is that then?"

When I'm finished cooking whatever it is that we are eating, I will pour a bit of water into the pans and boil off the sauce/grease/meat stickies into a thin soup and pour that over the three bowls of food for the doggies.

Not for anything super spicy of course, but those nights when pan boilings are not suitable the sardines come out. Cheap sardines in oil, bulk pack buy about a dollar a can split amongst three dogs.

Three benefits,

One - doggies eat dinner with interest,
Two - it doesn't cost anything extra in time or cash, and
Three - It makes my two teenagers happy as well. It SAVES time in the fact that the dishes are easier to do.
 
#25 ·
I've modified this a bit now.

They were doing all right on the plan, but it was a bit hit or miss on the practicality.

What I graduated to was to get a good quality dog roll and for feeding times I will take a slice of this, mash it, and mix in a cup or so of hot water to make a mush, divide it into the three bowls mixed with the kibble and go from there.

Three different kibbles for now. Light/Mature for the little old dog, Regular large biscuits for the big Lab, and a good quality puppy kibble with larger bites for Bear the 8mo GS.

Still supplementing with sardines in oil for the coats.

Healthy puppy bowels, cold noses, shiny coats, bright eyes, and a happy Daddy.

 
#22 ·
Pup doesn't want to eat...

Hi Everyone,

Rex is my 13 week old puppy and he has suddenly stopped showing interest in his food. I brought him in to see our vet because of a runny nose and itch that he had, but those symptoms are going away and the vet noticed that he was getting a little skinny. :confused:

Right now the only way Rex will eat is if I have his kibble in my hand or I drop the kibble onto the kitchen floor in front of him. I tried mixing in canned food with his kibble and that worked for a few days but now he is back to not wanting to eat. The only way he would eat this morning was when I had his canned food mixed with his kibble on the spoon I used. He ate about a quarter of his food then stopped.

Since Rex is still a puppy, I do not want him missing out on his meals and the nutrients that he needs, but I do not know what to do. Should I go back to taking away his food bowl after 15 minutes even if he hasn't touched his food? Should I try a different brand of food?

When I first got Rex, he was eating Kahoots Lamb mix and I switched him over to Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy food. Should I try going back to his old food? I have had him now for 6 weeks and it seems odd that he would suddenly not want his food anymore.

As far as his behavior goes, he is still his high energy self. He loves playing with his toys and was running around the house last night even though he didn't want to eat his food.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :help: I love Rex and just want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to make sure he is a healthy and happy GSD puppy. Thanks!
 
#24 ·
I see that having a picky eater is a common problem.
my 6 month old GSD mix, Sophie, was eating all of her puppy kibble, Now! by petcurean, within 10 minutes of placing it in the bowl. A week ago, I bought a new bag of Now! and she barely sniffed it. I took her food away 30 minutes after i placed it in the bowl and did not give her any treats for 2 days and it didn't work. Today I am trying the free feeding method, but she has only eaten 1 cup. Every time I have food she comes to beg for food, but i don't give her any. What is troubling me is that I am flying to visit my family and I can not take her with me on the plane... Too much money and I don't want to traumatize her with the change in pressure. I am leaving her behind with a friend that has 2 dogs, but i am not sure if he will take the time to feed her, or if his dogs will eat her kibble.
I will go buy some wet puppy food from Petsmart to mix with her kibble. Hopefully that works until I come back and test some more methods.
Btw, I have given my puppy Nutri-cal for her the necessary nutrients, is that contributing to her pickiness?
 
#26 ·
Thank you for this thread! We have my GSD on Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy, and he is just not into it. However right now he is on boiled chicken and rice for an upset stomach. And he LOVES it. I am going to try (once he cleared for kibble again) adding some sardines or chicken to the kibble.

Poor puppy has lost 2 pounds in a week, so I worry about him. Healthwise he has been cleared by the vet, no worms, no parasites, etc.
 
#27 ·
I think they are too smart for kibble sometimes. They know there is more to life than that.
Regarding the heat I am considering feeding my 6 month old pup (on a raw diet) once a day in the evening to keep him eager for food. can't believe he leaves a chicken back alone.
 
#28 ·
Thanks to our vet found the perfect solution for our picky eater.. 1 3/4 cups RC puppy food , table spoon pumpkin, small spoonful Iams lamb and rice, 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water, heat in microwave 12 seconds, so warm not hot, and she scarfs it down now. Gets this twice a day,...sometimes it's is some left over chicken breast instead of iams .. Each microwave is different so tst time until its just warm and not hot..The warming really did the trick as the mixture has not changed since we got her at eight weeks. Our vet said a
Ot of GSD's are picky eaters.
 
#29 ·
Mine is also a picky eater

Thank you for the posts on ways to resolve the picky eater. I finally dropped the Royal Canin and picked up a bag of Blue Wilderness puppy food. He ate the first bowl but it was late in the afternoon so he is not eating his evening meal. I can't wait until tomorrow to see how he likes it. I am now going to breakdown and do what I said I wouldn't do - that is buy canned food to get him to eat.

Keep the ideas coming. Please tell me this to shall pass!
 
#31 ·
My german shepard is 1 next month and has reduced himself to one meal a day which the vet has said is fine, he used to always eat all his main meal in the evening but the last few weeks he has only been eating his food every other night, he is showing no signs of being ill .but I get worried when he does not eat. Any ideas? He has no tit buts during the day and only one or two small biscuit treats
 
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