Mystella Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Okay, Hi, peeps, it's been a while and here I am when I have a problem So Jeffy's picky eating and mysterious weight loss has continued,we've tested thyroid, numerous parasite checks, changed a million foods, cooked for him, checked for epi etc etc etc He seems otherwise good, healthy, clear eyes and nice and fuzzy, no skin probs, plays with his toys etc. Last week we went to Florida for a vacation and Jeffy went to my mother in laws. He is still there, comes home Wednesday night. I called to ask how he is doing and he has gained 5 lbs. They have a dog and a fenced in acre yard. I feel so bad. Is his weight loss because he isn't happy here??? because he is alone during the day? He doesn't have the usual SA behaviours but when I leave in the mornings I always give him a treat and he often doesnt eat it until I come home at night. In retrospect there have been a few times when he goes outside before I go to work, he wouldn't come back in, I had to get the leash and go get him from the yard. Once in though he would go back to normal, go lay on his bed etc. I love my boy with all my heart and am pretty gutted over thinking his problem may be me PS he is 5 and has been with us for 3 years now. Quote Take the time to stop and smell the flowers - appreciate your everyday ordinary miracles Carolyn, Faith, Jeff Gordon (aka Jeffy) and Oscar the chilla. Desperately missing our Stella, we'll see you later sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I personally think if he really did gain weight in that short length of time they must have been feeding him massive amounts of food, or something different then he gets at your house. Please remember that weight loss/gain isn't a psychological thing--it's about calories in and calories burned. Sure, people and the occasional dog or cat might get depressed AND STOP EATING. You don't lose weight because you're depressed. Weight loss is a symptom of something else. If it was really that easy for him to gain weight, I'd say it's a sign that he simply isn't taking in enough calories when he's with you. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystella Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Yes, that is my point, he is eating his same food there, but eating 3 times as much as he does at home, not because I don't give him that much at home but because he won't eat it. Quote Take the time to stop and smell the flowers - appreciate your everyday ordinary miracles Carolyn, Faith, Jeff Gordon (aka Jeffy) and Oscar the chilla. Desperately missing our Stella, we'll see you later sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomDoggy Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 He gained five pounds in a week? Wow! Yes, it is certainly possible that he could be depressed/understimulated if he spends a lot of time all alone at home. Some dogs do fine alone, and others really crave company. And yes, that can lead to inappetence which leads to weight loss. Presuming that you've already been through the wringer with blood tests and whatnot with your vet to ensure there's nothing more nefarious going on, of course. I know you've been trying to plant the seed with your family about a second dog. If you really think it's canine company that Jeffy needs, would it be possible to babysit your in-laws' dog for a while at your place? Just to sort of test the theory that it's company that Jeffy needs? Or maybe even trying a dog-walker mid-day to add some stimulation to his day... ? Quote ~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystella Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) No, almost two weeks, but still a big gain. Aims, I will tell Craig you said we need to try fostering whenever I 'wonder aloud' about anything dog related he says 'what does Aimee say' so maybe your expertise will sway him. I have looked into doggie daycare but there aren't any in my City that I can find just boarding kennel places, which isn't stimulating at all. Stella preferred the company of people and being an only dog, but Jeffy is much more k9 sociable, probably your fault, your pack is his 'gold standard'. Edited February 5, 2013 by Mystella Quote Take the time to stop and smell the flowers - appreciate your everyday ordinary miracles Carolyn, Faith, Jeff Gordon (aka Jeffy) and Oscar the chilla. Desperately missing our Stella, we'll see you later sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) It does sound to me like he doesn't like being an only dog so I think you're on the right track with fostering or trying Aimee's suggestion. Fostering may not be a bad idea though because it will be much easier to convince Craig to say yes to a second dog when that dog is in your house and he's already fallen in love. I think a nice pretty little girl should do just the trick. ETA: I think the DAP is worth a try, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Over the years I've seen it do nothing for most dogs, although for the few for whom it does work, it's pretty obvious. You just need to give it a few weeks to kick in and remember that they only last about a month so you'll need to change it routinely if you think it's helping or to give it more time. If I forget to change Z's, he lets me know by barking in his crate while I'm gone. Edited February 5, 2013 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomDoggy Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 No, almost two weeks, but still a big gain. Aims, I will tell Craig you said we need to try fostering whenever I 'wonder aloud' about anything dog related he says 'what does Aimee say' so maybe your expertise will sway him. I have looked into doggie daycare but there aren't any in my City that I can find just boarding kennel places, which isn't stimulating at all. Stella preferred the company of people and being an only dog, but Jeffy is much more k9 sociable, probably your fault, your pack is his 'gold standard'. Aw, I'm really flattered. I'm happy to put the screws to Craig for you if need be. Quote ~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I agree with the previous responses that Jeffy may be happier and more stimulated when he has a doggie friend. However, some dogs just seem to eat more/better when there's competition (ie. another dog around). So it may be as simple as that and not necessarily anything related to depression or being unhappy in your home. Please remember that weight loss/gain isn't a psychological thing--it's about calories in and calories burned. Quick hijack that's not relevant to the OP's dog... This is mostly true, but I believe that stress and anxiety does affect metabolism. Dogs that are nervous and high strung often require more calories to maintain their weight. When these dogs either settle in, or their environment is changed to allow their stress level to decrease, their caloric needs also decrease. So it's still a factor of calories in and calories burned, but there is a psychological component that can affect the calories burned. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystella Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Thanks peeps, I've been giving it some thought and (those who know me won't be surprised by this) think I may have been slightly over reacting - the thought that he was unhappy and it was my fault just struck me hard. In giving it some thought I think my MIL wants my dog (who can blame her) and is of strong opinions on 'dogs in the city' and therefore I need to take her comments although made with love and good intentions, with a grain of salt. And that although they have the ideal set up there, things aren't so bad at home. I do plan to make some tweaks, get up earlier and take him for a longer walk before I leave in the morning, get a dog walker to shorten the time he is alone all day, try the dap because well why not and try to get him out at least once a week for a free run with some pals either by taking him out to my inlaws or finding a playdate partner in my City with a large fenced yard. I do have a fenced yard but it isn't big enough for a run. Lastly I think I will try a change to his feeding, he rarely eats breakfast, but usually eats his supper so I will feed him more at supper time and maybe just some kong treats in the morning. Once all those are in place I will put more thought into a brother or sister for him Quote Take the time to stop and smell the flowers - appreciate your everyday ordinary miracles Carolyn, Faith, Jeff Gordon (aka Jeffy) and Oscar the chilla. Desperately missing our Stella, we'll see you later sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystella Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Not sure anyone is actually reading this but an update anyway. Jeffy came home last night, he was there when I got home from work and was excited to see Faith and I, giving kisses which is unusual for him, however when my inlaws left he stood at the window and watched their car till it left the street then ran upstairs to our room. He is acting a bit like the first few days we had him, comfortable but unsure. He ate breakfast though this morning, and I took him for a good long walk, put his thundershirt on then got Faith ready for school and left the house with no fuss so hopefully all will be well when I get home. Next week I will start with a mid day walk for him and today I will troll the internet for a playgroup. Quote Take the time to stop and smell the flowers - appreciate your everyday ordinary miracles Carolyn, Faith, Jeff Gordon (aka Jeffy) and Oscar the chilla. Desperately missing our Stella, we'll see you later sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Not sure anyone is actually reading this but an update anyway. Jeffy came home last night, he was there when I got home from work and was excited to see Faith and I, giving kisses which is unusual for him, however when my inlaws left he stood at the window and watched their car till it left the street then ran upstairs to our room. He is acting a bit like the first few days we had him, comfortable but unsure. He ate breakfast though this morning, and I took him for a good long walk, put his thundershirt on then got Faith ready for school and left the house with no fuss so hopefully all will be well when I get home. Next week I will start with a mid day walk for him and today I will troll the internet for a playgroup. I'm still reading How odd! Maybe he just really loves your in-laws? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomDoggy Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 that a few new additions to his routine will help cheer him up. Quote ~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I'm reading. Try not to stress too much - he may be picking up on your anxiety. And it could jsut be that change is a bit difficult for him. He'll settle back in. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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