How To Get Your Dogs To Eat Their Food

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Hello Stephanie,I highly recommend feeding pup their meal in a closed crate in a quiet area at this age.I would also make sure that pup is eating the correct amount of food for their age because food amounts are constantly changing during puppyhood.You can also try switching pup to a different formula, especially one that contains different primary protein or carb sources, in case pup is sensitive to one ingredient.Finally, having pup work for their food via Kongs, kong wobbles, use in training, puzzle toys, and other things that engage pup mentally can actually make some dogs like their food more.Best of luck training,Caitlin Crittenden

Medical Causes For Anorexia In Dogs

Medical causes of anorexia include any condition or illness that causes a dog to not want to eat. They can include hundreds, maybe even thousands, of potential issues. The medical disorders that can cause anorexia include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, kidneys, airway, lung or blood, and anything that can cause pain. Information about some of the most common causes include:

• Gastrointestinal Diseases â The gastrointestinal tract includes the system that takes food in, processes it, and eliminates it. This includes everything from the mouth, esophagus , the stomach, the small intestine, and finally the large intestine. A disease of any of these areas can cause a dog to not want to eat and are commonly associated with vomiting and diarrhea.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract include infections of the bacterial, viral, or parasitic variety. Examples of infections are hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and viruses, such as coronavirus or parvovirus. Additional diseases of the GI tract include tumors, such as cancer, ulcerations, inflammatory diseases, food allergies, ingestion of indigestible objects that cause a âforeign bodyâ, ingestion of spoiled food or trash, or even changes in food. Diseases of the mouth, such as bad teeth or ulcerations, can also cause pain and lack of appetite.

Changes In Your Dogs Environment

Has anything changed in the environment that your dog is used to?

A recent relocation, a new family member, a new pet, change in the feeding bowl location or the absence of a common family member can trigger a change in your dogs feeding behavior.

• Even a new feeding bowl or an adjustment to the feeding schedule can cause your dog to stop eating for a few days.

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Dont Encourage Picky Behavior

Its possible that your dog enjoys the attention he gets when he refuses to eat his food. In order to prevent this, youll need to ignore him during mealtime, and interact with him only after youve removed his plate.

Be patient and praise your dog only when hes done eating his food, even if its just a few bites and some kind words. Until then, stay out of your dogs feeding area and let him enjoy his meal quietly and without distractions.

Common Health Issues That Can Cause Dogs To Not Eat

Checking to see if theyre uncomfortable, pawing at their mouth, or perhaps have gone through recent trauma is the best way to start evaluating your dog.

Here are a few considerations for you to begin understanding why a dog isnt eating.

Food Intolerances and Digestive Issues

Sometimes dogs develop food sensitivities or allergies to foods that they used to love. If you just switched their usual food to a new brand, you might also have unintentionally provided them with a recipe theyre unable to digest well. Your Veterinarian might recommend trying a food elimination diet for your dog to get a better understanding of exactly what theyre allergic to.

Additionally, other gastrointestinal and digestive disorders like colitis can cause dogs to suddenly stop eating. Colitis conditions can be anything from IBD, IBS, pancreatitis, parasites, and more.

Poor Dental Hygiene or Mouth-Related Pain

If your dog is experiencing tooth, gum, or any other mouth related soreness, he or she may also stop eating to avoid the pain.

This type of problem can result from an accident such as a dog chewing on a sharp object . It might also be something more serious related to poor dental hygiene and disease that will need further treatment.

Regular cleanings, dogs chews or toys, and low sugar foods are a good place to start improving your dogs overall mouth health.

Changes of Environment or Increased Stress

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The Food Is Old Or Spoiled

Most dogs aren’t picky about their food, they are fine about eating the same meal over and over again, and if they enjoy it, they will be excited every single time.

However, if the food is old, they may be more hesitant to eat and go on a hunger strike for a fresher diet. âIt is always important to check the expiration date on your dog’s food and to store them properly,â says Sakura Davis, Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Consultant at Catpet.club.

The easiest way to ensure you donât run into this problem is to prevent the food from getting old or spoiling. Before you purchase food in a store, you should check the expiration date and ensure that it is not old.

If it’s dry food, keep it in a tight seal container. For wet food, store it in the refrigerator after opening for up to three days and use fresh ingredients for home-cooked meals.

Examine Your Dogs Environment

A change in your dogs environment could also trigger this change in their eating routine.

These changes could be a change in the location of the food bowl, a change in the house arrangement, a new baby, the presence of other pets in the house, etc.

Your dog may react to the new changes by refusing to eat food.

You should also check the house for missing objects, like toys, torn carpet, house plants, etc. that your dog may have eaten.

• In these instances, your dog may start vomiting while trying to remove the foreign objects.
• If your dog is struggling to vomit, you should rush them to the vet immediately.

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Hide Your Pups Medication In A Dried Apricot

The Technique:

Dried apricots are a great size and consistency for inserting and hiding a pill from a dog. You can use a knife to poke a small slit in the apricot and simply insert the pill inside.

Potential Problems:

This method is not ideal if you have to give your dog multiple pills a day. The excess fiber from an overabundance of dried apricots can cause runny stool.

Also, while dried apricots are safe for dogs to eat, apricot pits are not. Make sure the apricot you are using was pitted properly before administering medication to your pet.

My Dog Is Old And No Longer Wants To Eat What Should I Do

An old dog that wont eat is a worrying thing. Remember that as your dog ages, his dietary needs will change. Make sure that you review your pooches chow to match its phase of life and changing digestion. Your dog might eat less now in its later years than it did when it was younger and more energetic.

Oftentimes, the reason for older dogs not eating is due to dental issues. Get a good dental check-up on your senior dog to make sure theyre not suffering or in any pain that its causing them to avoid eating. Add more moisture to dry food too, so its softer and needs less aggressive chewing.

Of course, be on the lookout for any symptoms that may indicate a more serious problem, and dont delay in getting it checked out by a vet.

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How To Spot If Your Dog Has Eaten Something Dangerous

If your dog is acting differently and you havent been around to check everything it has eaten, there are some common signs that can alert you to potential poisoning.

Common signs of dog poisoning include:

• Drooling
• Pale gums
• Tremors or convulsions

Less obvious signs that a dog can be suffering from eating something it shouldnt include a loss of appetite, lethargy, grunting or moaning and stretching a lot this could be a sign that they are trying to get pressure off their belly.

Ate Something They Shouldn’t Have

Puppies love to get into things and often end up with objects in their intestines/stomachs that they cannot pass this is called a foreign body. âSymptoms of a foreign body include loss of appetite or not being able to keep anything down , and lethargy,â says Davis.

If you suspect that your dog ate a foreign body or toxic object, your first instinct should be to bring them to a vet. The faster you get your dog medical attention, the better odds they have of making a full, complete recovery.

âA foreign body can be fatal and may require surgery or treatment to pass the object, so it is imperative you go to the vet clinic once you notice a pair of socks is missing, and your dog looks quite guilty and miserable!â says Davis.

Check out some common foods that are toxic to dogs so you can avoid them.

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What To Do When Your Puppy Isnt Eating

Remember, puppies dont have the same fat reserves as adult dogs. Therefore missing a meal or two can be problematic and be a cause for concern. Always err on the side of caution and call your veterinarian for advice in these situations.

Below are some things you can do to try and tempt your puppys appetite at home.

My Dog Is Suddenly Not Eating Its Dry Food

If your dog is suddenly very picky about its food, and youve ruled out any medical issues, perhaps consider spicing up their meals with some meal toppers to make them a bit more interesting and attractive?

If your dog wont eat dry food anymore, add moisture to dry food with delicious and super nutritious bone broth or yogurt with active cultures to help with digestion. Other options include goats milk, unsweetened canned pumpkin, and other tasty fruits and veggies.

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Food Issues And Diet Changes

Dogs arent known for being picky eaters but occasionally they will turn their nose up at food that doesnt quite make the grade.

There are some food issues you should consider if your dog refuses to eat. First and foremost, check if the food is spoiled. If its not, consider if you recently introduced new food that tastes or smells differently than the old food. Also, dogs will often refuse to eat when you go from home-cooked meals or wet dog food to kibble.

Another thing you should consider is the food’s ingredients. If your pooch is sensitive to one or more of them, you may find the food untouched. Theres also a chance that you have a picky pet or that youre overfeeding your dog. Also, note the temperature of the food youre serving, whether it is too hot or too cold food, which might be causing your doggo to skip dinner.

Finally, if you havent changed anything in your dogs diet for a long time, this can be an issue too. Dogs can get bored with food if theyre eating the same thing every day for months. After all, who wouldnt get bored?

What to do?

Why Is My Dog Not Eating But Drinking Water

A dog is drinking excessive amounts of water but refusing to eat could be a symptom of many things, including diabetes, liver disease or an infection, among others. If your dog is drinking lots but not eating, contact your vet who will be able to discuss diagnosis and treatment with you.

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Try Adding Dog Food Toppers

Your dog might just need a little incentive to eat. Adding Toppers to their meals often gives them some added flavor and makes the food seem special.

A topper also gives you a number of options to incentivize a dog to eat. You could try adding fruits, vegetables, or yogurt to ensure the topper is both healthy and delicious.

You can also find healthy toppers that give your dog recipes specially designed for them such as:

Dry Dog Food Toppers:

• Meat Protein Boosters Topper For Dogs

Is Your Dog A Senior

While senior dogs may have lower caloric requirements than young dogs, and therefore may eat less than they used to, marked weight loss or a refusal to eat is not normal and can indicate serious underlying health conditions.

These can include, but are not limited to:

• Dental disease

• Stomach upset

• Cancer

Cognitive decline, mobility issues, or vision loss can also cause a dog to not eat if they are unable to find or get to their food bowl. It is important for senior dogs to have a feeding routine, that the food bowl remain in the same area of the house so that they know where to find it, and that they have a rug or yoga mat to stand on while eating to avoid slipping or having trouble standing on hard floors.

If your senior dog has gone longer than 24 hours without eating, they should see their veterinarian for a thorough physical examination and possible diagnostics to investigate the cause of their loss of appetite.

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Try Some Chicken Broth

Most dogs, sick or otherwise, love chicken broth. Do not feed them the store brought stuff- use home cooked broth only. Commercially prepared broth often contains onions and garlic along with preservatives that are not safe for dogs and could further impact their health. You can present them the bowl of broth and also cook something tasty in the kitchen. The cooking smells along with warm broth can help stimulate appetite in dogs.

Adjusting Your Dogs Diet

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Schedule A Visit To The Vets Clinic

If your pup is still not eating despite switching to a different dog food brand, they may be suffering a health condition that needs to be examined by a vet.

Book an appointment with the vet at the earliest time possible to have your dog examined.

The vet will perform tests on your dog to find out if they have any illness that are causing a loss of appetite.

During the clinic visit, the vet may require you to provide a background of your dogs condition such as the number of days they have not been eating, and the observed behavioral change.

Why Wont My Dog Eat In The Morning

If your dog wont eat in the morning but will eat later in the day, it could be due to many factors. It may be the bustle of a busy house in the mornings makes your dog anxious or simply that theres too much going to focus on food.

Free-feeding is often a cause of dogs turning up their nose to their morning meal. This is because your dog has gotten used to having access to food all day and so can eat whenever they wish.

Unfortunately with free-feeding, the food sits out for a lot longer, losing its tempting aroma, not to mention ants and bugs that come to the party for their fair share.

Try taking your dog for a walk first to stimulate their appetite. Try to stick to a fixed meal schedule and avoid free feeding.

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What Causes Dogs To Lose Their Appetites

The first thing you need to do is consult your vet to rule out illness, dental problems or a reaction to a vaccination or allergen. If they get the all clear from the vet, its time to address the pickiness for both of your sakes!

If your dog is consistently disinterested in food, it may be that they simply dont have as much of an appetite as their four-legged friends – whats normal for one dog may be too much for another.

Once youve ruled out illness, and youve checked that your dogs body condition is neither underweight nor overweight, you may need to consider a behavioural reason for their reluctance to eat. You can usually tell if a loss of appetite in dogs is behavioural if they refuse dog food, but miraculously regain their appetite when it comes to human food or tasty treats! If your dog is refusing all food then the most likely cause it that they are unwell.