Questions Regarding My Timid Girl

[Guest RobinAZ]

I've had Layla for 9 days now and she's making a little bit of progress almost every day. She wants to be around us and will travel from the couch to the bedroom (her two safe spots) to be close to us. She doesn't like it when we are walking though, she will run the other way if she sees us walking. Found out yesterday she is terrified of belts. My husband took his belt off and she instantly panicked, ran to get away from him. But she's taking food from our hands, and she loves to be cuddled.

 

Anyhow, question is: she will only eat either when we are not home or at night when we are in bed. She will come into the kitchen if we are in there, but she runs back out. She might do this 2-3 times. I really don't want to separate her from the other dogs for feeding (they are all grazers). I think she's eating enough because she seems to eat all of what's in her bowl each day. Do you think she'll ever feel safe enough to come in to the kitchen to eat when we are around? Mostly she just lays on the couch or bed all day. She won't get up to go outside unless we aren't around (uses dog door) - although if the other dogs run outside and I open the door and go out and hide where she can't see me, she'll come join them. She has no fears of the dogs, just people.

 

Also her coat is terrible. I try to get her to take fish oil like I did with GreyCee - hiding the pill in peanut butter or a pill pocket. But she's so dainty she finds the pill and spits it out. Is there anything else that's good for coats that comes maybe in a snack form or something?

 

Thank you!

[TheFullHouse]

You can break open the fish oil capsules and dribble the oil straight on her food. You can also use Flax seed oil or Salmon oil if you wish.

 

I know you have 3 other dogs, are you free feeding everyone? I guess I'm confused because you say she eats while you're gone or at night when you're in bed.

[Guest RobinAZ]

Yes, I am free feeding all the dogs. So the food is left out all the time and they all just eat when they want, but she's the only one that won't eat when we are around. I want her to eventually feel comfortable enough to go in the kitchen and eat when she wants, when we are around. I know she's hungry sometimes but she won't go eat unless we are in bed at night or at work.

 

I think she's picky. I tried opening the capsule of fish oil - didn't work. Flaxseed she wouldn't take either. I don't want to force her to take it right now so I'm hiding it in treats. I did go to Petco and found some bite-sized chicken flavored treats that have omega 3 in them but she wouldn't take that either!! Other dogs loved it. I'll try again later. Her coat is so patchy and she has bad dandruff - when I started my other grey on fish oil all that cleared right up.

[TheFullHouse]

First off I'm amazed you can free feed with that many dogs! How can you tell if it's her eating the food in her bowl if she won't eat when you're in the room? I give you credit, there is no way I could free feed around here. I'd have some dogs really fat and some really skinny because the fat dogs would be eating their food. Mine all eat, twice a day and if they don't eat when meals are served, they wait for the next one.

 

If she won't eat while you in the room but eats when you are out of the room, as long as she's eating I don't see the problem. I would watch though and make sure she's not losing weight. Since she's the newest, some of the other dogs may be helping themselves to her food.

 

I just thought I'd throw this in there too, the only fight I've had among my pack were over food.

[Guest sheila]

Having had two shy girls in the past the best advice I can offer is just to give her time and don't push it too much. 9 days really isn't that long and it could take several months until she really feels at home.

One thing I wouldn't do is change any of your normal routines. If your husband normally takes his belt off in front of the dogs, he should continue to do so. She will learn by watching the other dogs that this is nothing to be afraid of.

Neither of my shy dogs ever became totally at ease about eating while I was in the room, though they would do it if I was 'vewy vewy quiet'. I do schedule feed though, so when food is put down it has to be eaten within 15 minutes or it gets picked up. If I made too much noise in the kitchen, the shy girls will go stand in the doorway and give me the stink-eye until I left them to eat in peace. I began the scheduled feeding when I had a boy that was a chow hound and would eat all of his and chase the other away and eat that too and was quickly becoming a sausage.

As far as the flaky skin and patchy coat. This is also something I would give her a little time with. It could be with a better diet this condition will correct itself. If after a month or so she still needs some help then I would try the supplements.

[greysmom]

I too am amazed that you can free feed with that many dogs! Not that any food stays around long at my house! Toni would look like a keg with legs and Cash would be skin and bones!

 

It may be too much commotion for her at feeding time. If she's a bit timid anyway, then the hubbub of eating and kitchen noise will overwhelm her. If you can, put her bowl in a more out-of-the way spot. Give her time and patience and she will hopefully come around. Watch her weight carefully. She won't starve to death if she misses a few meals but if she starts to lose too much you may need to go to scheduled feeding times to make sure she is getting enough nutrition.

 

You can use any food-grade, high omega-3 oil to help her coat. You may find olive oil works with her as it doesn't have as much aroma as fish oil. Don't try and give her too much at once or you'll have a dog with diarhea.

 

If you don't have a Zoom Groom, you should invest in it. It really gets down to the skin and helps loosen the dead flakes and hair. Plus, it feels really good!

[Guest RobinAZ]

I can tell it's her eating at night because the other dogs are in the bedroom with me and I'll hear her go in the kitchen and crunch. And sometimes she'll bring mouthfuls into the bedroom and eat. Maybe I should try a schedule. Might be easier all around. The dogs do eat out of each others' bowls, but it's like they all just pick a bowl - although GreyCee's is raised. If I do a feeding schedule would it be better to put her in a different room?

[Guest RobinAZ]

Okay, I just fed them and put Layla in a different room and added a little bit of sauce to their food so they would eat right away. Layla finished every piece of food! Yay! So I guess that's what I'll be doing from now on. Guess it will be better anyhow, that way I can see who is eating and who is not. I had to carry her to the bedroom though. She won't come when called yet or walk on a leash even. But I feel so much better that she ate all her food during daylight hours!!

[TheFullHouse]

:yay :yay She's probably used to eating on a schedule and was thrown off by every thing.

[Guest OffLead]

I've also found over the years that picky eaters get less picky when there is a combination of scheduled feeding and "competition" from other dogs eating nearby at the same time. Not that I ever let the dogs eat another dog's food. I stand and watch everyone eat, sending each dog outside when they are done. (I've always had at least one dog that has to potty immediately after meal time, and sending them outside keeps them from even thinking about going for another dog's bowl.) But having the other dogs around seems to trigger a competition-for-food thing that gets them eating. At my house, a dog not eating a meal is cause to head to the vet, because something is most definitely Not Right.

 

Once they have settled in, of course. New dogs are more likely to be confused by the new-to-them schedule, along with the normal settling-in stuff. It took Lizzie 3 weeks being here before she was eating regularly, and now she will actually finish up before Lene does. Though for some reason I can NOT figure out, Liz (8.5 yr old Wolfhound) always leaves at least 2 pieces of kibble in her bowl. If I put 12 pieces of kibble in there, she'd eat 10 of them. Sometimes she leaves as much as 6 pieces, but always at least 2, and there's nothing I can do to get her to eat those last few pieces.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Well what I did with my little girl that was terrified of men was to hand-feed her. In my case my girl was so scared of me I had to sit, turn my back to her, and hold my hand out behind my back for her to approach the food. This took about a week before I could look at her. Another 3 weeks and she was eating out of my hands in my lap. Is this a lot of work, you bet. Does this method take a long time to feed each meal, you bet. Is it worth it, YOU BET!!! Olive is my little sweetheart. She will roach next to me in bed. I can pick her up when she is sleeping and she wont even open her eyes. She totally trusts me and my wife. I would strongly suggest this method as it will help with the shyness, as well as the bonding. Also, with free feeding, you may find as she gets more acclimated to your home, she may become more food motivated and possibly there could be fights that break out over food when you are not home, or not in the room. With 4 hounds, you definitely have a pack and it just seems to me that there are too many variables that could cause tension without supervision during feeding. JMO.

 

Chad

[rschultz]

barleans brand makes a fish oil for animals and it is liquid form. I put a tablespoon in lexie's dry dog food twice a day and mix it in there . Lexie was extremely shy when we got her. I am sure in time your dog will go in the kitchen.