Picky picky

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

After enjoying a bland diet in late June and the better part of July, Yeti has now become extremely picky to his kibble. He will eat it but it takes FOREVER. We cannot establish a grazing kinda thing here with my work schedule. Any tips and tricks to get him to eat?!

Before the bland diet experience, he ate like a champion. Usually took him about 5-8 minutes and never walked away from the bowl.
During the bland diet he would gobble that bowl right down. He LOVED it.
Now, he is eating a mouth full and then laying down. 3 minutes or so later will get up for another mouth full. We are pretty confined here in the kitchen. No toys and limited distractions and I am always here with him. It's been happening for a week straight and it was happening a couple of days before we had to put him on the bland diet (although I chalked that up to not feeling well). Lately he seems to feel fine and his stool is pretty awesome (fingers crossed).

The only way he will eat consistently is if I basically sit next to the bowl and force him to eat (holding the bowl under his nose or letting him sit with me, which I know are bad habits but I'm desperate).

Does taking it away at 10 minutes really work? I'm nervous that he won't be getting enough especially since he has been sick lately.

Today is his 5 month birthday! And this is a picture of him with the first tooth we found of his yesterday!

[Karin Frydman]

He's a cutie. We're having the same problem with our 6 month old. She starting not eating about a week ago. She would pick at her food. I would take it up and then give it to her later in the day. At first it worked, but by Wed, she wouldn't eat anything. She's on Fromm puppy gold, and I ordered the Heartland gold grain free and some Fromm canned food. I plan to add a tablespoon of the canned food to her kibble. Last night I added a little canned chicken to her kibble and she ate it all right away, but I don't want her to get used to people food. I hope it works. I'm not used to a picky eater. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is the perfect illustration of how we actually teach dogs to be "picky" about food. Prior to the bland diet, Yeti had no idea that there were such tasty other options. Now that he knows, he's holding out for something better. 

I would give him ten minutes to eat, keeping him company as you have been, and then pick up the bowl and do not offer any food again until his next scheduled meal. A normal healthy dog will not starve himself.  It shouldn't take more than a day or so for him to get the message that if he wants to eat, he needs to eat what's in his bowl when it's given to him. 

[gigi d]

When I read your posts I think our pups are living similar lives! LOL

I'll be following your post as well!!  

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

I was thinking the same thing this morning hahaha :) They are so similar if bet they would be fast friends haha. I really hope gracie is feeling better and back to normal soon.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

What Karen and Jackdoodle said. The dog won't starve himself. Take away the food if he doesn't eat it within 10-15 min and give it to him for the next meal.
He's adorable BTW.

[debbie stevenson]

Daisy was like that too, she waited til end of day and then would eat all her food for day in the evening. I am not sure its a good thing for her to eat that much at one time?? Do most of you split up the food? I too was working and am going back to work soon. If she didn't eat she was offered it when dog walker came. most of the time she still did not eat and ate when I got home. she is 10 months old. how often do you all feed your dogs? twice a day? once a day?

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Thank you all!!! I was wondering if it could be because he is loosing his teeth? We have found 2 in less then 24 hours

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My new doodle came to me with tummy troubles, parasites, sensitivities, etc.  He takes foooorrrrreeeevvvvveeeerrrrr to eat. In the mornings he will start eating, stop and go outside to go potty, come back in to eat a couple more bites, wander around,then another bite, another wander, and on and on until I pick it up and save it for dinner. I have to be right there also. I don't know what his previous life was, but we think food was left for grazing or, because he burps and sometimes throws up, I wonder if he has an internal structure that makes this kind of eating best for him. It drives me crazy! One of my other dogs is a good eater - put it down and he eats - we use a slow bowl for him.  My other doodle takes his time deciding whether he will eat or not, but when/if he decides to eat, he lays down and eats!  Charlie's  bite-and-wander technique drives me nuts!   I putter around the kitchen and allow about 15 minutes, then I am done and pick the bowls up if Ned hasn't chosen to eat and whatever Charlie hasn't finished. Has it sped things up or make Ned for-sure eat the next time? - Nope, but both seem healthy, so that is what I do.  I do not offer incentives except as a once in a while thing.  Incentives would work for Ned if I chose to go that route, but I can't see the point in it.  Incentives  would not work for Charlie.

[Christy&Riley]

In our case, I don't add toppers/treats at mealtime. I use them as a reward. The "if you don't eat your dinner you don't get dessert" concept. If toppers are used as bribery to get them to eat then they will expect it every time...at least that was my concern. I've seen Riley pick the treat out of the food and leave the rest. If Riley turns her nose up to food, we pick it up and she gets it at the next mealtime. As Karen said, she has never starved herself so she'll eat what is offered if she is hungry enough. Food is another way they learn who the leader is. If we give in, they think they run the show and it can affect other behavior. I do rotate the protein in her food brand to give her a little variety and have treats that are also different flavor than the food.

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

So frustrated. I'm taking his bowl away for the second time today with more than half of his food left. I know he isn't getting enough calories but he simply just won't eat.

[debbie stevenson]

Daisy use to do that. I started putting 1 tsp very small amount of walk about canned dog food Goat recipe on it and she is eating it all. she has never eaten all her food since she was a young puppy.