My dog seems afraid to eat his food

Babbawah

Result.

What do you think turned him?

zaksmum

Babbawah wrote: »

Result.

What do you think turned him?

I think it was maybe because I ignored his breakfast time, to begin with. He usually goes in the garden with my other dog, Lucy, as soon as we all get up about 8am. Stays out for 10 minutes or so then I call them in and put a bowl down for each of them.

It was bad enough that he didn't eat it. But when he started avoiding the kitchen where he knew the food was, and even hiding, it was ridiculous. I'd then try to persuade him to eat and he'd be trembling and looking really scared.

When I ignored breakfast time he was giving me puzzled looks and by 1pm was too hungry to refuse to eat. I didn't offer any other food all that day and he kept coming to me and whimpering. It was awful. I wanted to feed him but needed to change his mindset somehow so that maybe he should realise food isn't always available.

Since then I have been amazed at the change in him.

Today he was in the kitchen straight from the garden actually bouncing around his food bowl like a puppy before I had the chance to put his food in!

He's eaten both today's meals with not a second's hesitation and licked the bowl clean each time.

I'm absolutely so relieved! Let's hope he stays like this:)

Johnny_Dangerously

That's the key to it, the dog understanding that the next meal isn't guaranteed. What you should have now is natural scavenger mentality, of knowing they better eat while they can as the next meal might be a way off.

You should be able to use this to reset hus behavior multiple times, but the trick is to try and avoid it for the future.

Glad to hear you are feeling better. When animals are off their food it can be a real emotional strain.

zaksmum

Johnny_Dangerously wrote: »

That's the key to it, the dog understanding that the next meal isn't guaranteed. What you should have now is natural scavenger mentality, of knowing they better eat while they can as the next meal might be a way off.

You should be able to use this to reset hus behavior multiple times, but the trick is to try and avoid it for the future.

Glad to hear you are feeling better. When animals are off their food it can be a real emotional strain.

It was such a worry. I had to keep a sharp eye on Jack's uneaten food because my other dog, who's 12, would scoff it first chance she got! She has arthritis and I'm trying to keep her weight down and some quality of life for her.

But scavenger mentality would be a godsend for Jack and if he gets the message that when there is food, he should eat it, I'm very relieved about that.