Need Some Help - Amy Won't Eat

[Guest LRay82]

Hi everyone,

 

I need some help, my girl won't eat. Here's some background:

She's always been a REALLY fast eater (shocking, I'm sure), so for the six months that we've had her, I've been using a small bowl inverted inside of a larger bowl for her kibble - this essentially makes the food go in a ring around the inverted bowl so she has to work a little harder to eat, thus slowing her down.

 

So lately, she's been eating much slower, so I decided to try feeding her like "normal" by removing the inverted bowl a couple nights ago. The first night was not a problem, the next morning and evening I had to coax her to the bowl, but she ate. Then yesterday breakfast and dinner I had to start with the smaller bowl back inside of the larger bowl, then I removed it part way through, and that was fine. But this morning, she wants nothing to do with it. She's gone over to it a few times and sniffed it, but the coaxing her to it and putting the small bowl back in are doing nothing to encourage her. So at this point, she's not eating. I gave her a biscuit because I don't want the poor thing to waste away, and that was eagerly accepted.

 

So I know that the not eating thing COULD be that she's not feeling well - not eating is generally a big clue. But she's otherwise fine, still extremely interested in food in general (just not what's in her bowl), and the lack of interest/confusion/not eating started at the same time that I switched up the bowl arrangement, so I'm pretty sure it's that and not an illness.

 

I also know that at some point, she's going to get hungry enough that she will eat what she can find where she can find, but I'm a little upset over this. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Edit: Here's a picture showing the bowl set-up in case that helps visualize the situation.

 

Edited February 13, 2010 by LRay82

[Guest IrskasMom]

Do you feed her just dry Kibble or what are you mixing in with it. My Boy did not eat much of his Dinner. I am not upset,because even Dogs have an off Day to.But if I am giving twice or sometimes the third Day the same Mix ins,he will not eat it. See if she eats something different today (like boiled Groundbeef,

Chicken , Pasta ) as Mix ins. Hope it works

Edited February 13, 2010 by IrskasMom

[Guest Sweetreba]

I have a male that at times won't eat. What i did find out is Petey does not like any change in routine. I feed him in the kitchen and my female in the bedroom. She intimidates him and he will not eat if she is around. I found if I walk in the kitchen or am moving around he will watch me and then walks away from his dish. So my routine is to make sure I have my coffee or whatever where I am going to be, cause if I go to get it if I forgot he will leave his dish. I make sure I am not going to need anything soon. I give them their dishes and go sit till they are done. If I try to coax him like you did forget it, then he definitely will go laydown and not eat. The routine cannot waver at all. There are times he is not feeling well but now I know if all our ducks are in a row and he still leaves it he is not well. If I would have changed the dish arrangement my dog would have definitely left it. I can't believe what I do for my dogs. My female will eat no matter what or where.

[greysmom]

I would agree that it's probably the change in bowl structure that is causing her to not eat. It sound slike you might have rushed the changeover just a bit. I would return her bowl to it's "normal" configuration and see if she eats OK. If so, keep it that way for a week or so, then try a MUCH more gradual changeover - start by using a slightly smaller bowl for a week, then a smaller bowl, etc., until you can get rid of it entirely. If she goes off her food, go back one level and start again.