Help, my dog won’t eat his food anymore

At least once a week customers come into the Paw Depot and tell me Fido stopped eating his food and what should they switch to? Don’t our pets always challenge us regarding their food? Sometimes, no matter what you offer to your dogs, they turn their nose up and walk away.

Our pets are, I believe, somewhat psychic. They just seem to know that Mom or Dad will cave in and give them what they want. Well, at least to some degree!

Many times a finicky dog is not born that way; the PET OWNER creates the finicky eater. I personally have never had a finicky cat or dog. I have two cats and four dogs and I never experience the “ I’m not eating until you put something down that I want to eat” kind of dog or cat. I immediately began to train them to sit and wait to eat. I’d have them sit and stay in place for a second and gradually increased the sit time. After I released them, they ate with vigor. I do have two dogs that are slower eaters and if they don’t finish their food in the allotted time, I pick up their bowls and they don’t eat until the next feeding. I know this may sound harsh to some of you, but believe me, they learned very quickly: When Mommy tells me to sit, I’ll sit. When Mommy tells me to eat, I’m going to eat.

Remember, they will not starve themselves. Keep in mind and try to track the treats, pig ears, and bully sticks. This will contribute to a dog not eating. Some treats are equivalent to us eating a hamburger. It would make sense that they’re not hungry at certain times.

Most importantly, don’t panic and try not to give into those sad puppy eyes. As, always however, if this training does not have your dog eating in reasonable period of time, consider seeking medical attention for your dog. An appetite loss can be a sign of an underlying health problem.