# Anyone ever had a non-picky eater suddenly become picky?



## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

So Nubs has never been a picky eater in him life. There has only been one time he's snubbed his food and that was the first few days after he came home with us and snubbed his Science Diet that the shelter gave us (I was easing him over to his new food) so I switched him cold turkey and he was good.

About a week ago I found that he wasn't enjoying his food as much as he use to, but I had chalked it up to the new supplement (Missing link) I started adding to his food. 2 days ago I opened a new bag of TOTW HP and all was done, he refused to eat. So I stopped adding his new supplement and just fed him his food. Still refused. 

Luckily I keep a can of dog food around just in case I need it, and he ate that mixed with his normal dog food just fine. Next meal I try again, and again it's a no go. I do a different brand of dog food and all is well in the world of Nubs. 

So I decided I must have gotten a bad bag of dog food and went out and brought a smaller bag of TOTW HP and TOTW PS for back up. Brought them home, and he eats both of the new bags without issues so I figure it's just a bad bag, and life is good again.

This morning I get up and get him a cup and a quarter of the new bag of TOTW HP, and we are back to stage one, no eating. He's drooling like mad, you can tell he is starved and wants to eat but is refusing to eat this. I switch things around a few times seeing if it's something, but nope, nadda. Finally I grab a snacky and toss it into his food dish, and he eats the whole thing! 

Ok, so now he's just being picky, and that makes me mad. WTH? Anyone had this happen to them? I'm going to just start letting him starve himself until he decides he eats what I tell him to. I'm not playing this game. His appetite is just fine, he's just picky as heck out of nowhere!


----------



## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

If he's drooling because he wants to eat but refuses, the first thing I recommend is a visit to the vet. He's not usually picky and his appetite is up and down (or pickiness off and on) so that makes me think nausea. Dogs don't just suddenly go off their food for no reason.
What are his gums like? Good colour? His poops? Does he have any grumbling in his tummy? Have you checked his teeth? Any change in eating or sleeping/exercise habits always makes my radar beep.


----------



## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

See that was my first thought as well, but, Everything else is normal. Softer poops then normal but that's because of the weird diet changes. He's a bit more laid back which is weird not as "OMG OMG OMG PPPPEEEEOOOOPPPPPPLLLEEE" but more like "OMG HIII! Ok, now you can rub my belly and I'll just sit here and not try to clean your face with kisses for once", but energy level is normal, everything else is normal. You say walk and he's "NOW? YES!", it's only with food and just a tad less enthusiastic about things (not much, but it's just that edge that is gone that to be honest makes training and everything else so much nicer). He's also itching a lot more right now because of the season changing, but it doesn't seem to bother him that much.

I'll keep an eye on him for a bit longer and if things don't improve I'll stop by the vet.


----------



## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

How old is he now? Cherokee skips meals when he's gained a tad of weight. We had to reduce his food once he was fully into adulthood because he would skip breakfast every day. He really does like to maintain his lean body. He is always up for treats, even if he's skipped meals because, you know, they are exciting!

Another idea is that he may have hated the supplement and since he associates it with his food, he is suspicious of his food. Do you have the ball you gave Cherokee? When he doesn't want to eat out of his bowl we put the food in the ball and he loves it then.


----------



## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Darkmoon said:


> See that was my first thought as well, but, Everything else is normal. Softer poops then normal but that's because of the weird diet changes. He's a bit more laid back which is weird not as "OMG OMG OMG PPPPEEEEOOOOPPPPPPLLLEEE" but more like "OMG HIII! Ok, now you can rub my belly and I'll just sit here and not try to clean your face with kisses for once", but energy level is normal, everything else is normal. You say walk and he's "NOW? YES!", it's only with food and just a tad less enthusiastic about things (not much, but it's just that edge that is gone that to be honest makes training and everything else so much nicer). *He's also itching a lot more right now because of the season changing, but it doesn't seem to bother him that much.*
> 
> I'll keep an eye on him for a bit longer and if things don't improve I'll stop by the vet.


Dude goes off his food if it's very hot, or during the season changing. August-October is his worst itching time of the year, and (thankfully) he hasn't started in yet (knock on wood). Hope Nubs feels better soon  I'm with you, if he doesn't improve soon I'd take a trip to the vet. It could be something simple out of balance or out of whack. Dude wasn't eating well this past spring and his energy level was low, he was dx'ed with hypothyroidism, which is easy and inexpensive to treat once you know the dosages for your dog. (His energy level is better now, but lately he's been acting kind of crappy so back we go tomorrow). 
(FTR, when it goes from 95 to 70, I eat like a horse!!! )


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm not generally an alarmist, but every single time that's happened to me there has been something wrong. Some minor problems, some major problems. It's one thing to have a picky eater, it's another thing to have a good eater suddenly become picky.


----------



## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I think you're on the right track with waiting him out (after you rule out any medical reasons). If he wants it bad enough, he'll eat. No reason to make him picky by spoiling him.

If Kit ever turned down food, I'd be at the vet pronto. I'm not one to run in there with every little symptom, but her food motivation is so extreme that if she turned down food, I'd know that there was something serious going on.


----------



## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

Poca didn't eat regularly for the first two years of her life. We went through so many food trials, meds etc. until we found something that works. Now I can tell instantly when she's not feeling well and it sounds a lot like how you described Nubs. No obvious signs like lethargy or vomiting or anything anyone else would notice. But you notice the difference. 

Eating a tidbit of something else is no sign of health, either. IME, dogs have a hierarchy of food and will always eat the high value stuff over the lower value stuff, on a sliding scale based on how well they feel. Not sure if that makes sense. IOW, even if sick, most dogs will eat a little steak. And if ill, they won't touch kibble unless it's been days since they ate.

I would guess something is up and get him to a vet if it continues. Going off food when it's hot or a little gas or upset tummy once in a while is normal. But suddenly getting picky about eating isn't. It's possible the supplement soured him on the food - saw that happen with meds mixed with foods for my dog. But dogs won't starve themselves without reason. Good to check it out.


----------



## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

GottaLuvMutts said:


> I think you're on the right track with waiting him out (after you rule out any medical reasons). If he wants it bad enough, he'll eat. No reason to make him picky by spoiling him.
> 
> *If Kit ever turned down food, I'd be at the vet pronto. I'm not one to run in there with every little symptom, but her food motivation is so extreme that if she turned down food, I'd know that there was something serious going on.*


That's how I feel about Tag, too. Auz, I'd give him a meal or two, and Dude...it's just how he is sometimes. If I suspect Tag isn't feeling well, I usually offer him a bite of food he takes it, except for one time when he had his first flea medication reaction.


----------



## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

Yeah, Nubs has ate the last 3 meals without issues, including the old bag of dog food. Guess he just wasn't feeling well or something. His energy has returned as well, he's his crazy nutty self again.

It wasn't like he wasn't eating, he just wasn't eating his food. He'd eat anything else you set in front of him, just not his food.
*shrugs* weird dogs.


----------

