# Inconsistent eating habits- Help!



## bmilla35 (Sep 13, 2012)

Hello!

My dog, a 3.5 y.o. Pitbull/Husky/Shepard mix hasn't been consistently eating in quite some time. I've tried different dog foods: different flavors, kibble size, adding oil, adding wet food, etc. It seems as though nothing is working in the long run. He might eat for a couple days and then one day go over, smell it, and walk away.

Does anyone have an idea as to what is going on? I have a feeling he is bored, but this habit of getting "bored" with food can't go on if that's the case. Especially if I keep buying the good stuff! I know he's hungry, because he's more than willing to gobble up any napkins or paper towels that happen to be lying around. Additionally, he will get into bread and eat scraps my parents give him (much to my dismay). It's also possible he won't eat his dog food because he's tasted what us humans eat. He somehow manages to keep a healthy weight and ample energy. I just don't know what to do...

Thanks for any help!

I should add, I've ALWAYS been interested in the RAW food diet. I think i'll look into that..


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

Dogs are smart. If a dog refuses kibble and then their human puts something delicious in it...well then that's awesome. Maybe in 2-3 days he gets bored and refuses again...so you put something better in it. Now he is beginning to learn the longer he waits the better the food he gets. 

I would stick with one food that you are planning on feeding him and at his mealtime, put down the amount you want to feed him in his bowl. If he isn't eating it in 15 minutes, pick it up and take it away. At his next meal time feed him his usual amount and put it down. If he eats, great. If he ignores it and 15 min rolls around, pick it up. A healthy dog will not starve itself. He will eat when he is hungry. Sometimes you just gotta go the tough love route. 

It doesn't matter what the dog is eating. If there is a possibility of getting something better, well then by golly they will certainty try.


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## bmilla35 (Sep 13, 2012)

Nil said:


> Dogs are smart. If a dog refuses kibble and then their human puts something delicious in it...well then that's awesome. Maybe in 2-3 days he gets bored and refuses again...so you put something better in it. Now he is beginning to learn the longer he waits the better the food he gets.
> 
> I would stick with one food that you are planning on feeding him and at his mealtime, put down the amount you want to feed him in his bowl. If he isn't eating it in 15 minutes, pick it up and take it away. At his next meal time feed him his usual amount and put it down. If he eats, great. If he ignores it and 15 min rolls around, pick it up. A healthy dog will not starve itself. He will eat when he is hungry. Sometimes you just gotta go the tough love route.
> 
> It doesn't matter what the dog is eating. If there is a possibility of getting something better, well then by golly they will certainty try.


Thanks for the reply.

This dog is especially smart. I tried that for a day but think my dad bailed on it. That's what makes it so hard. I just can't trust him! lol


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

Our last dog would stop eating her food every so often and I would change it up or add wet food and she would be OK. Sometimes she would go a couple of days and not eat. When she hit about 10 YO she did it again and it was so frustrating that she wouldn't eat. I decided that if she needed human food then so be it, I went to the local grocery store, picked up store roasted chicken thighs and added it to her kibble. I figured the added taste entices her and the kibble was giving her nutrition - it was a win win situation. She lived on that for another 2 years until she died ... didn't have to change her kibble and she ate with gusto. Ironically, I never believed in cooking for my dog and truly believed that the dog will eventually eat as another poster mentioned but for some reason my dog being 10 YO and the thought of her not getting a sufficient amount of food worried me.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

If the dog isnt a senior, or ill dog, I agree with Nil. And if you stop playing the game now, it will be easier later, as many old dogs get picky. Put the food down and take it up after 15 minutes. He may put up a fight and not eat for a few days, but when he realizes its that or nothing, he will eat when he is hungry. In the wild, wolves/dogs dont necessarily eat every day. He may just not be hungry too. A healthy dog will eat when they are hungry.


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## Donna5503 (Mar 13, 2009)

I see your dog is part Husky.....that's the problem right there, Huskies are known for not eating for a few days, other days they can't get enough


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## bmilla35 (Sep 13, 2012)

My apologies for the slow response. I sort of got caught up in actually being on break and forgot about this!

For a few days he ate his food when I mixed the left over chicken scraps from my mom's cooking (she has OCD-there can be no tendons, fat, etc). He ate the chicken first, but did end up eating the kibble after. However, when my dad fed him, he wouldn't eat! I think anxiety has a lot to do with it. As a puppy he had SEVERE separation anxiety, but he has been much better as of late.

I'm continuing to pursue the RAW diet, and asked my brother, who works at a grocery store, if he could see if the butcher would hook him up with any beef or chicken scraps, in addition to organ meats.


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