Getting dog to eat his food

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 2:37 pm

We finally got Buddy off the wet food and theres no way he's going back on it. He was only getting a spoon each time mixed in with the nuts but since we took him off it hes way better behaved, calmer and listens to us more.

We switched him to the Select Gold sensitive salmon flavour and he liked it but it didn't agree with him and he put on weight when he was on it. So switched again to the select gold light and the only flavour is lamb. For the 1st while he was good enough at eating it. We'd put a tiny bit of salmon oil on it and maybe a sprinkle of grated cheese and he'd eat it.
But for the past few days he has no interest in it. Its not his appetite as if we're eating something he's sitting by our feet hoping something will fall his way. And we were at training on Sat and he savaged all the treats there.

We're putting down the food in the morning and leaving it for about 20 mins and then taking it back up again and doing same in the evening and he's getting nothing between meals in the hope he'll be hungry enough. But no joy. Any other ideas!

morningsun · by **morningsun** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 2:43 pm

I think you need to persist with putting the food down for 20 mins and taking it up. he is holding out for something tastier, I would avoid giving him any treats or putting anything extra in the food for a few days and he will eat it then. If you are giving treats just use bits of his food with nothing else. He is just hoping that you will give him something nicer instead!

Saying that we don’t have this problem, my cocker inhales her food. She ate something dodgy last week – bit of plastic when we were out walking - and vomited it up with a full gravy bone :eek

doesn’t even chew the treats!

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 2:56 pm

He used to inhale it when there was wet mixed in. His previous owners fed him only wet and its taken a long time to get him off it! Fingers crossed he gets the message that its the food in his bowl or nothing. You're right, he's holding out for something way tastier! Just have to tell myself he won't let himself starve, if hes hungry enough he'll eat it!

morningsun · by **morningsun** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 2:58 pm

Exactly he definitely won’t let himself starve, its just unfortunate that cockers have the saddest eyes and faces when they want something!!

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 3:00 pm

morningsun wrote:Exactly he definitely won’t let himself starve, its just unfortunate that cockers have the saddest eyes and faces when they want something!!

Exactly! He has loads of tricks to get his own way.

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 7:12 pm

Slight result! He ate about 1/2 of his dinner so the hunger must be getting to him at bit!

scorpio76 · by **scorpio76** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 8:29 pm

I've two dogs an on occasions I've left them without food for up to two days in an attempt to get them to eat what I want them to eat and they've done so! I often find that a raw egg mixed in with the dried food entices them to eat it. Just idly wondering if the dog would have a sore throat or anything that would be stopping him from eating?

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 8:44 pm

No he's just a fussy little fecker!! It's the fact that theres no wet food in it thats bothering him. We give him tuna mixed with his nuts once a week and he demolishes that.
Just need him to learn that the nuts are his food and thats it

morningsun · by **morningsun** » Tue Mar 13, 2022 9:50 pm

well small victory for ye this evening!!! but wouldn't give eggs or tuna or anything until he is eating full meals with nothing mixed in or it will be back to square one again!

MinnietheMinx · by **MinnietheMinx** » Wed Mar 14, 2022 12:47 pm

Our 2 are the very same- they try to hold out for treats and ignore the dog nuts.
We put the food down for 2 hours a day and if they don't eat it comes back up. I would say in an average week they eat the full bowl 4 times and just pick at it 3.

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Wed Mar 14, 2022 1:32 pm

Gave him his breakfast this morning and he went over, sniffed it, turned his nose up and hopped back on to the couch. So left it for about 15 mins and then took it up. Made sure he saw me taking it up so he knew that it was gone. He's getting nothing else till later and I'll try it again with him. He can be a stubborn little brat when he wants to be!

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Wed Mar 14, 2022 7:35 pm

Woohoo! He demolished his dinner! He thought about it for about 10 mins and then copped that it was this or nothing so ate every single bit and then even licked the bowl after! :o)ll

morningsun · by **morningsun** » Wed Mar 14, 2022 9:48 pm

SorrentoWife wrote:Woohoo! He demolished his dinner! He thought about it for about 10 mins and then copped that it was this or nothing so ate every single bit and then even licked the bowl after!

well done on the result!! just shows how he was thinking. still would leave him with nothing except his own food for a few days to get him used to it but that is great!!

SorrentoWife · by **SorrentoWife** » Mon Apr 02, 2022 7:57 am

Going well still with the food. Think he knows now that if its not eaten its taken away till later/ next day. He'll generally eat his food now and this morning ate it without the salmon oil so hes obviously getting used to the taste and texture of the dry food.

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