My dog seems afraid to eat his food

lisa110rry

Agreed.

Until a few years ago, my dog was fed dry complete food (working dog but lowest on protein/fat that I could find as she does not go shooting), 100g twice a day. She started not finishing, sometimes not starting one of her meals, so I stopped offering it, in this case assuming that as she was aging and doing less racing after rabbits/squirrels/hares/imaginary things only she could see/tennis balls, she needed less, unlike Jack, a young dog.

Now she has 100g at breakfast after morning walk and a Bonio after evening walk. If she decides not to have breakfast, that's it until teatime Bonio.

Passed fit for her age (10) by the vet last week, I'm pleased to say.

I like the fact she is still slender, despite the fact she would eat toast, human food if it was allowed, which it isn't (except a sausage roll on her birthday).

zaksmum

Thanks Johnny and Lisa.

I've GOT to get it right Johnny. This whole thing is driving me mad. I've thrown so much of Jack's food out, tried every dog food on the market and every way you can imagine of trying to feed it to him. It's got to be sorted somehow.

Lisa, is your dog a small dog? Jack weighs around 30kg and I wouldn't think 100g dry food and a Bonio all day anywhere near enough for him.

His normal diet consists of about 800g of wet food a day, but he's still very active (when he's eating properly).

Maybe that's too much?

Anyway I'm still getting the pleading looks. I know he wants his food now and am doing all in my power to resist him in the hope that, by morning, he'll be hungry enough to fall on his breakfast with no messing around.

I'd be so happy to see that!

pawsies

800g is a lot.

Can you not put say 100g in. If he eats that then replace it with another 100g etc.

He might be overwhelmed/not wanna get his precious whiskers wet

Babbawah

Johnny_Dangerously wrote: »

Just remember, if you get it right, this is as bad as it gets. The key thing you want is a hungry dog who really looks forward to getting his food. Our boxer is a naturally fussy eater, so if he's getting picky, I reduce his food for a couple of days and he soon starts to really appreciate it.

Food is the most important motivator for a dog and the reason they were domesticated in the first place. Plus wild dogs generally feast or famine, a day isn't that much of a big deal to skip a meal.

None of my dogs have ever eaten 7 days in a row.

Fasting is good for any dog, and the only reason it is not widely promoted is the misguided fear of upsetting the dog owners who have lost the ability to see the dog as an animal and therefore treat it like a human.

Babbawah

zaksmum wrote: »

Anyway I'm still getting the pleading looks. I know he wants his food now and am doing all in my power to resist him in the hope that, by morning, he'll be hungry enough to fall on his breakfast with no messing around.

I'd be so happy to see that!

I really do think that it is you and not the food or the dog that is the root of the problem.

You need to discover a feeding regime that works, your dog relies upon you.

Babbawah

pawsies wrote: »

Utter tosh.

Alpha theory is long outdated. It's like teaching kids from a 1960's schoolbook. Times change, science moves on.

Here's a classic example of your non existant Alpha "theory" in action.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=763_1425268809

The dog see's only the pack attacking another member lower in the hierarchy . . . so it joins in.

I suspect that she was found guilty of maybe stealing other members of the packs food !

But seriously, this is a classic example of where it's all gone wrong, and the dog gets the blame everytime.

Babbawah

pawsies wrote: »

800g is a lot.

Can you not put say 100g in. If he eats that then replace it with another 100g etc.

He might be overwhelmed/not wanna get his precious whiskers wet

What !

The dogs not eating because there's too much food in the bowl?

Fosterdog

Babbawah wrote: »

Here's a classic example of your non existant Alpha "theory" in action.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=763_1425268809

The dog see's only the pack attacking another member lower in the hierarchy . . . so it joins in.

I suspect that she was found guilty of maybe stealing other members of the packs food !

But seriously, this is a classic example of where it's all gone wrong, and the dog gets the blame everytime.

How I in the world did you get pack theory from that clip?

Without being there and seeing the whole scene you have no way of knowing why that happened, the camera was focussed on such a small area you couldn't even see the dog before the attack.

Even some of the scientists who first came up with pack theory (which has only been around since the 70s) have now turned around and admitted they got it wrong.

Street dogs all around the world who have little to no human intervention do not live in packs, there is no set configuration for their groups. Some live solitary or with one companion, others live in small groups but no large packs are found. Multiple solitary dogs and small groups all gather peacefully in areas such as a water source. Yes there will sometimes be fights or scuffles but there are no Alphas and lower pack members.

Babbawah

Fosterdog wrote: »

How I in the world did you get pack theory from that clip?

Without being there and seeing the whole scene you have no way of knowing why that happened, the camera was focussed on such a small area you couldn't even see the dog before the attack.

Even some of the scientists who first came up with pack theory (which has only been around since the 70s) have now turned around and admitted they got it wrong.

Street dogs all around the world who have little to no human intervention do not live in packs, there is no set configuration for their groups. Some live solitary or with one companion, others live in small groups but no large packs are found. Multiple solitary dogs and small groups all gather peacefully in areas such as a water source. Yes there will sometimes be fights or scuffles but there are no Alphas and lower pack members.

I half agree with you. I've visited many countries where feral dogs roam freely, often in solitary and very rarely in packs.

Goa is my favourite, the dogs along Calangute beach fascinate me. I can sit at Tito's for many an hour and watch them.

Please don't confuse feral street dogs with domesticated animals.

There is MUCH that seperates them.

Did you know that many have tried . . . and failed to domesticate the feral dogs along Goa's beaches?

Many "so called" charities have attempted to raise £money using them as the cause, and yet failed abysmally !

Do you own a dog?

Does your dog perhaps try to jump up, try to lick your face, behave extremely excited when you return to your den . . . sorry, come home from work?

Do you have any idea why your dog might be doing this?

Babbawah

Fosterdog wrote: »

Even some of the scientists who first came up with pack theory (which has only been around since the 70s) have now turned around and admitted they got it wrong.

Links to this would help.