# My Dog Wont Eat Treats! Please Help!



## mike031784 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi, my dog is about 5-6 months old. We got her at about 3 months. She is a Shih Tzu crossed with a Schnauzer @ 18 lbs. When we got her, she was wondering in our neighborhood, and no one claimed her, so we adopted her. She would eat anything and everything. She always ate all her food, and any treat I would give her. I honestly probably gave her too many treats, but started to limit it to 5 small ones a day (per the vets orders). My dog has lost about 5 teeth (that I have found) over the last 4-6 weeks, but has new ones coming in, and some are already all the way in. Now (last two weeks) she will not touch treats when I make her do tricks, or potty, or just because. Sometimes, if I leave it on the ground for a few hours, she might come back and eat them. She doesn't chew on her toys, but still plays with us like normal and takes walks and is generally happy. I have tried 10+ different types of treats, big, small, soft, hard, breaking them up, and she just wont touch them. She does eat her food, but is not hungry like she used to be. I use Blue Buffalo and she loves it, but only if it has a little water to soften it up. Otherwise she wont touch it. She loves anything out of a can (wet food) also. Can someone please explain why she wont eat treats? It has always been one of my favorite things to do (training goes with it as well) and now it's just not the same. Please help!!!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Try little pieces of cut up hot dog. Or cheese. They probably need to be super yummy right now since her gums are probably sore, so she doesn't want to eat so-so treats...not worth the pain.


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

I agree. If she is losing teeth, she most likely just does not want to eat. That is probably why you are seeing less than enthuiastic eating of food, too. She will get over it when this teething thing is over. As long as everything else seems good, I wouldn't worry. If she stops eating for a few days and gets lethargic, then worry. For now, maybe try taking a wet washcloth and freezing it and giving it to her to chew on. That may help her a little.


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## mike031784 (Jan 26, 2011)

Thank you for your responses. I had some little smoky's in the fridge and cut them up. She loved them, and ate them right out of my hand! She will eat a very small amount of Kraft cheese, but not more then a bit. It still doesn't explain why she wont eat soft dog treats though. I mean, liver treats, Pup-A-Roni bites, and other various treats she used to love, and eat as many as I could feed her. I really don't like feeding her "people" food at all, cause I don't want her to beg, or get used to it. Maybe I am being to strict about people food? She wont eat any dog treats out of my hand, but will if I leave them on the ground for a while, she will always eat them sometime later. Thanks again for all your input!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Because even the soft dog treats still make her gums sore. The people treats are a novelty, and REALLY good, so it is worth the discomfort to get something REALLY yummy. The regular dog treats just aren't worth it.


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## Pynzie (Jan 15, 2010)

mike031784 said:


> I really don't like feeding her "people" food at all, cause I don't want her to beg, or get used to it. Maybe I am being to strict about people food?


People food can be GREAT for training. Easy to cut up into tiny bits, taste and smell great to the dog, etc. Giving people food during training and giving people food from the table during meals are two different things. The dogs learn to do what gets them the treats. If sitting gets them the treat, they sit. If begging at the table get's the the treat, they beg. It's like training them to beg because you are reinforcing it. If begging doesn't get them the treat, they stop begging. Simple as that. So don't worry about using people food as treats.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

> My dog has lost about 5 teeth (that I have found) over the last 4-6 weeks, but has new ones coming in, and some are already all the way in. Now (last two weeks) she will not touch treats when I make her do tricks, or potty, or just because.


You answered your own question. TEETHING! lol


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## libingni (Jan 27, 2011)

I think your dog is sick


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

libingni said:


> I think your dog is sick


Doubtful since she is acting fine otherwise. I think we have figured out she is teething and eating normal stuff just isn't worth the pain.

I am glad to hear all is better! Like I said, pretty sure it was the teething thing. If she shows any other symptoms, I would get her checked out, but it looks like you have solved the problem.


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## mike031784 (Jan 26, 2011)

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate the input. I am going to try using small pieces of specific people food (that we don't eat on a regular basis), like hot dogs, lil' smokies, etc! She loves it so far, and it is working wonders with the training. I taught her to roll over last night with the smokies!!!

She seems to be getting happier every day, and eating all her food right when I give it to her. I think I might have been giving too much. I was doing 1/2-3/4 cups twice a day, I am now at no more then 1/2 cup twice a day. She is 18 lbs, and about 5-6 months.


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