Help!

[Guest Luther]

I've had a greyhound for one year and the entire time I've struggled with his eating habits. I finally found a kibble that he likes but it seems as if he gets bored with anything really quickly. I found a gruel recipe online that I make for him which is ground beef, brown rice, lentils and yogurt. He loved that and was eating both his meals every day, no problem. All of a sudden he's being picky again. The odd time he'll eat it all but other times he'll eat 3/4's or just half of the meal. Some days the left over breakfast will sit there all day and he won't touch it again.

 

I've tried taking it away after 20 minutes, I've tried leaving it there all day. Nothing phases him. I reward him when he eats it all and I try to discipline him when he doesn't but he doesn't seem to get it or care.

 

I've even tried giving him less than what I want to and he will still leave food there. It's unfortunately getting on my last nerve and I just want this problem to go away.

 

Any tips?

[TheFullHouse]

First make sure he's healthy and has no medical issues. If he's sound then put his food down for 15 minutes, if he hasn't eaten it, then pull it up and put it in the fridge. Do the same at dinner time. A healthy dog will not starve itself to death, but if they figure out that you're going to keep changing things around and offer them different things, then they will continue this behavior. I've used this method on every greyhound I've owned and I haven't had a picky eater among them. The only time I will cook up something different for a dog is when it's sick but once well again, it's back on their regular food again.

[Guest mysymba]

I am sorry...I have found two reasons that my Symba whom I have had for 7 years stops eating....his belly is upset and it is almost like he gets "afraid" to eat the food that hurt him...at that point, I give him a pepto tablet (not the chewable kind...but the caplet kind) and maybe 24 hours later, he will eat...you have to be patient and put smaller portions in without any dog food...put plenty of rice in there too!!! This is what works for us.... The other reason, Mr. Spoiled is "tired" of his food and thinks we are a restaurant....at that point, I put something on top of kibble that is a bit different....if he has been eating hamburger...I will switch to chicken...eventually he will eat...don't get worried please....they are a bit stubborn....stay diligent and more importantly keep with routine..I have also found if we change our routine for any reason, my grey gets highly upset....best wishes to you! Don't worry.....I used to worry but after 7 years...you get used to it!

[MaryJane]

Try adding different things like sprinkling some cheese on top one day, maybe bits of apple another, and some bacon an another day. Maybe some days change the brown rice to white rice and rather than lentils do adzuki beans. You can also add some cooked veggies like carrots or broccoli.

 

I do home-cooked and have a different meal for the morning then I do for the evening and maybe that helps to just mix it up a bit.

[Hubcitypam]

Free feed him. Leave kibble down and he'll eat when he's hungry. Bella would only eat in the dark after everyone else was in bed.

If he is an only dog you can certainly keep track of what he eats (which is a big reason the neighsayers mention about free feeding multiple dogs).

 

Some dogs just really aren't into breakfast but will eat their breakfast portion closer to noon if allowed to do so.

[Guest june]

If you only have one dog, yes, you can free feed just monitor how much you put down vs how much he eats. I have three and I am a strong supporter of what they don't eat in 15 minutes gets picked up and no more food or treats until it is time for their next meal. Mine lick their bowls clean. Also, how much are you giving your boy in treats. It is really easy to lose track of how many treats you are handing out.

[JJNg]

How is the dog's weight? If he's a retired racer, do you know what his racing weight was? And what does he weigh now? Some dogs will start to self regulate when they get a little heavier than ideal. If he's healthy and not underweight, I honestly wouldn't worry so much about how much and when he eats. It's fine if he doesn't finish all his meals or skips some meals completely. Just take away what's left over and he doesn't get any more food until the next mealtime. I'm not a fan of free feeding, but it works for some.

 

I've found that with a picky eater, free feeding can decrease the 'value' of the food and not really encourage them to eat any more. And adding extras to the food and changing foods to encourage them to eat often just makes them even pickier. It's possible that your dog has learned that if he acts bored with his food and stops finishing it, you'll give him something better/different. What happens if you just ignore him when he starts to act picky about the food you're currently feeding him? How long do you let it go before you switch to a different food? If it's a learned response, you may need to wait him out, and as long as he's healthy, it won't hurt him to go 2-3 days without food. Alternatively, if you feel like you need to feed him a variety, maybe try alternating what you feed him and give him something different every week or two - ie. change the food and give him variety before he forces the issue by not eating.

 

I also wouldn't use any kind of reward or discipline associated with him eating or not eating. Eating is a necessity and dogs don't need to be reinforced or punished for it. A healthy dog will not starve themselves, and they will eat what they need if left alone. Making a big deal out of meals can cause stress and contribute to the dog not wanting to eat.

[GeorgeofNE]

What the others have said. Stop stressing over it, first of all. You're really rewarding his picky habits. I have no idea how one punishes a dog for not eating--but forget about that. I had a mixed breed dog once, and he was a very sick puppy, so I had gotten into the habit of feeding him whatever he wanted. Once he was healthy, I realized I had to knock it off unless I wanted to spend the rest of his life handfeeding him, so I started with the 15 minutes with the meal, and take it away. Took two days, and then I had a normal eater again, and in 12 years he never reverted.

[Guest greybookends]

Welcome to the world of Bill. I have had him for over 8 years and I am still struggling with him. there is nothing wrong with him, he's just picky and finiky. I tell him all the time that he is just a big cat in a dog suit. Bill will only eat 1 time a day and then I have to put him in a crate and just leave him be until he decides he's ready to eat and even then he doesn't always do so. Sometimes tough love works on him sometimes he could care less. I have learned to be creative and just to accept that he has my number.