Timi Talks

Posted By Timi on July 29, 2010

In an earlier post I wrote about the frustration, and provided tips, for when a healthy dog won’t drink. Just as nerve wracking is the distress a parent feels when their canine child won’t eat; and with just cause. Just as obese dogs are at risk of diabetes, dogs that go too long without proper nutrition are also at risk; but it need not be too stressful. There are several tips and tricks that I’ve found effective when dealing with a variety of breeds that simply refuse to eat…or eat infrequently.

Are you certain that your dog’s teeth are not causing him pain?
If it hurts to eat, he won’t eat. Decaying, diseased and/or broken teeth can cause enough discomfort (if not down right pain) that an animal that lives to eat, won’t even glance at soft food. Dental hygiene is extremely important for many reasons and will be a topic of a future post but for this subject, please inspect your beloved’s mouth. Check for funky odor and other signs of infection. For more information please see my post: Is my dog’s bad breath normal?

Are you certain that your dog is NOT ill?
First and foremost you must be able to rule out that your dog is not ill. There are many underlying health reasons that could cause your dog to loose interest in eating and it’s important that you are aware of other symptoms, behavior changes and signs. If you know your canine child to be healthy, then I offer the suggestions below.

My dog is healthy, s/he just suddenly started turning his nose up at mealtime.
If your dog has been a member of your family for a while and “suddenly” seems finicky about eating, it might be because he’s bored. Dogs, just like the human animal, like a variety. It’s boring to eat the same old thing day in and day out - especially when they catch whiffs of the savory food on the stove, or are aware of how yummy table scraps can be and are holding out for that option. If boredom is the culprit, then some of the suggestions below will benefit you. {Side note: Table scraps are NOT always good for Fido’s health. Naked food - FRESH food can be but certain foods are dangerous, and certain spices and sauces a health risk. Please visit my “Nutrition” section under Blog Topics, and check out these Food Warnings.}

I’m babysitting a dog who’s family is on vacation, why won’t he eat?
Dogs can loose their appetite if depressed and/or feeling separation anxiety. Keep reading for ideas to entice his taste buds.

I just adopted a new dog and he won’t eat!
Now this is the most common cause (outside of health issues) for a “lack of appetite”. Despite eating being the favorite pastime for most dogs, there are several reasons why a particular pooch may shun the food offered. There are the causes mentioned above, acclimation to a new living environment - not to mention, there are some dogs motivated by aroma (something most kibble lacks) and others that just have a smaller appetite. A woman who adopted one of my rescues once told me that she read online an individual claimed a dog might simply be “fasting”. NO. Dogs do not fast. If they have an upset stomach they may munch on grass and not eat normally. Or if they have problems with their teeth or other health issues, they may not eat at all but dogs do NOT make a decision to “clean out their digestive track by fasting”. Dogs are simple and if we spoke their language better, we would benefit from the logic of that simplicity in our own lives. BELOW, are suggestions to hopefully help get your beloved to eat…

So what can I do to encourage my loved one to eat?!

Here are some options that have worked for me with a variety of dogs:


• Chicken broth - you can try warming up a little PLAIN broth and pouring it over the kibble. Choose a LOW SODIUM broth, or better, make your own by simply filling a bowl with filtered water and soaking chicken bones, meat and skin overnight. It’ll carry the chicken flavor…without the salt! (WARNING: don’t ever allow your dog to consume chicken, turkey bones!)
  
  
• Crush the Kibble and Add Protein - I’ve also crushed kibble into a fine grain-like texture and then mixed it with Fresh Salmon (again, if you choose canned salmon - make sure it is LOW SODIUM - Trader Joes carries a low sodium option). Salmon has a strong aroma and flavor that many dogs love. They lick up the crushed kibble by default, receiving the nutrition they need. You can also try chicken and lean turkey.
  
  
• Shavings of something Tasty - I’m going to offer this suggestion because I’ve had success with it, but I have to admit, I’m not a fan of the ingredients in this food - though the company can to be trusted. Dick Van Patton’s Natural Balance has “Meat Rolls”. I ONLY recommend the Turkey. As I said, I’m not happy with all the ingredients (like Sugar, brewers yeast and some of their protein selections) BUT getting Fido to eat is what’s important and…this has worked in my experience. My friend Dedee turned me on to it. We simply shave a bit of the roll, like one would Parmesan Cheese, over the kibble and mix. If your pooch still eats around the kibble, I would crush the kibble up as mentioned above and then mix with shavings.
  
  
• Cream Cheese. The yummy spread that many human animals enjoy is also loved by many canine friends. Good old cream cheese has never let me down…even when the above suggestions have failed. Please choose LOW fat, plain cream cheese…and a little goes a long way! Don’t over do it. Over doing anything isn’t good - or healthy. I simply take an amount the size of my thumb pad (for 1/4 cup kibble), put the cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl. Heat it for about 10-12 seconds so it softens, and THEN I add the kibble. Mix it up with a spoon so that the cream cheese coats each piece, and serve it up. Please make sure that your dog knows he likes cream cheese first. There’s no point in mixing it with kibble if he doesn’t lap it up off your finger first.
  
  
• Canned Food - again, I’m not a fan of canned food. Most contain brewers yeast, sugar and/or gluten. I personally make my own WET FOOD; however, there is ONE canned food that I would approve. It is by a company called “by Nature” and is the 100% Organic Turkey or 100% Organic Chicken. The ingredients are simply Organic Turkey (or chicken) and Well Water. You can heat some up a bit to bring out the aroma, and then mix with kibble.
  
  
• Join Him! - Don’t underestimate the allure of your company. I’ve (sadly) known families that don’t spend enough time with their canine children, and so the poor dog will walk away from a meal simply to follow his family member in hopes of being near them wherever they wander to. Even if you shower your dog with love, sitting down and encouraging him may be just what the doctor ordered.

Here’s to your success and a healthy, happy and FULL baby!!

Categories: Health, Nutrition
Tags: cuisine, dog wont eat