Being A Little Diva Due To Time Change?

[Guest FloridaGirl]

As soon as the time change hit, BAM, Claymore was no longer interested in breakfast at our normal time. I had been putting Olewo carrots on his meals and he would BOLT it (usually he's a stolid chewer). Then suddenly, no carrots allowed. Whatsoever. Even with dinner. He would just go crazy nuts and push it around with his snoot. It was the weirdest thing - it almost looked like an obsessive habit, as he would just zone out and frantically push the food around until I removed it. I'm sure he'd still be doing it now after days and days.

 

I gave up on the carrots for now and switched to just straight up dry - nothing added - and he's slowly getting back to his schedule. He's still being a little princess in the morning and eating like four mouthfuls before he wanders away and whines for no good reason (we've already done our brief morning walkies, it's just his habit when he can't think of anything else to do - he does this for other events as well). At first I was worried about mouth issues, but he eats dinner just fine (again, though, no carrots or he will refuse outright). I took a good look in his mouth and prodded around with a toothbrush and no reaction. He still chews on his himalaya chew (which is infrequent and special) and his nighttime milkbone. In the morning hen he's a diva, I give him about 15 minutes before I return the kibble to its container, and he seems content to go hungry. His energy levels are normal, his personality is sweet and pointy as ever, and his appearance is trim as usual.

 

Did anyone else go funny after the time change? Also, anyone ever have the same situation of OMG I LOVE CARROTS no just kidding i hate them?

[greysmom]

No advice about the carrots, but he might be more interested in the kibble with a bit of water added.

 

Weirdness happens every time we change the clocks here. Sometimes just one, sometimes all four. Pretty normal. I just wait it out. When he gets hungry, he'll eat.

[Roo]

I'll second the water suggestion - we always used just enough warm water over the kibble to make a lovely, soupy gravy type dish that was never refused unless the recipient wasn't feeling well. Mmmmm....

[Feisty49]

There's a subject on time change in Everything Else Greyhound titled "Clocks Changed but the Sun Didn't." (I tried to copy/paste the URL here but it doesn't take.) Quite a few of us have made comments about changes in sleep habits and/or eating habits

 

Also, it's not unusual for a dog to get weird about meals. Annie will have weeks where she eats her b'fast right down. Then she'll have weeks where she ignores it for an hour, eats some, goes for a walk, eats some more. The recommendation for diva eaters is to take up the food after 15 to 30 minutes. He'll eat better at his next meal, which you've discovered. I admit that I leave Annie's breakfast available for an hour because that suits her and me and avoids "that look" two hours before supper time.

 

Olewo carrots: It's mostly used to help firm up poo. Does he need it? Personally, I'm not into often adding extras to food because I think it can make for a picky eater. I do use Olweo sometimes. The way I read your post, it sounds like you put dry Olweo on his food, or am I reading it wrong? It's supposed to be hydrated with water and then the squash-like consistency stirred into the food. I mix Annie's meals with warm water and stir the Olweo in so you can't even see it.

 

I think all of us have a dog, or had a dog, that LOVED "this" at one point and then turned her/his nose up at it. I assume that, short of a medical problem indication (such as limping), pretty much anything Annie does in her every day life is normal and don't get upset about something different. I've had Annie for 3-3/4 years and she continually changes.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Feisty49

[Guest FloridaGirl]

Oh no, I put the correct amount of soaked carrots on his meals and he loved it! And when he stopped loving it I thought - maybe he prefers it cold? Nope. Maybe less carrots? Nada. Or just regular water now? And nothing. He refuses anything but dry food, and even then it's a small amount. I can't add anything to it (not even water) or he'll turn up his nose.

 

I was using Olewo to firm up poo and to help his coat. His poo is firm-ish without it, I just wanted to help it along. Scooping firm-ish poop always leaves a bunch behind even if I do my best, so I feel bad about leaving the streaks/excess. Even though my neighbors don't do a thing about picking up their dogs' messes, I try to be the change I wish to see in the world!

 

Thanks for the comments about weird changing habits. I will just assume he immediately started "hating" the carrots and continue on this diva journey.

 

Does anyone else have experience with that weird obsessive kibble-pushing he was doing with his nose? He wasn't searching for something or sniffing something out - he was actively trying to move it away from where he was standing but it kept rolling back into the center of the bowl - sisyphus style. He kept going and going in the same repetitive movement (again, no eating or searching motions) until I took it away He did a similar thing with a stuffie in his crate the other day - kept trying to poke it with his chin/nose like he was trying to mush it away. It was not a play activity - the closest I could call it is nesting on a tiny scale, but more of a frustrated nesting. Maybe it's just a weird quirk of his - something like a weird habit he developed in the kennel?

[greysmom]

My spooky girl will do this with her food when she's not feeling comfortable enough to eat. If the bowl is loose - like sitting on the floor - she will actualy tip her bowl over and cover up her food. I think she's trying to save it for later??

 

Cash will eventually eat. Either hunger or an abatement of "whatever" is her bugaboo at the time (there are many in her case), and she will eat a huge meal. I've learned to just go with the flow with her. She's getting older so she's in fair condition, though she doesn't have a lot of extra pounds to spare. I try to give her calories in other ways - treats or a special extra feeding when it seems she's hungry. But if Claymore is doing fine in the weight department, and he's checked out OK medically, I might just wait him out, at least once or twice, to see what happens. It could be he's still feeling a bit unsettled in his new home, even though he appears to be doing well.

 

If he continues to have trouble beyond a few weeks, and definitely if he begins to lose weight, it will be worth a vet check, and perhaps a discussion of a short course of anti-anxiety meds.

[Guest FloridaGirl]

greysmom - yeah, I would venture a guess as to the fact that Claymore may have spooky parts of his personality, which may be the things that draw me to him. Even though he's game for pretty much everything we do (in a sort of "Ok, I'll take your word for this." way), I can see mannerisms and reactions to things that would make him uncomfortable in a boisterous or busy household. That burying thing may be exactly what he was going for - to tump it over and cover it.

 

Update: He ate 9/10ths of his breakfast this morning and all of his dinner! Oh the saga of the princess and the kibble. I'm going to hold off on Olewo carrots for now because he's eating, but hopefully he'll get into them again when it starts to be sunny when we get up - I hate leaving behind poograss.

[Mercsmom]

Even though my neighbors don't do a thing about picking up their dogs' messes, I try to be the change I wish to see in the world!

 

Yes, but after adopting a greyhound ("you can't change the world by adopting a greyhound but you can change the world for that greyhound"), and the foul-mouthed motherless bunnies, and doing your part to ambassador the breed, do you think bouncy poops are really necessary?

[Sundrop]

I don't want to turn this into a scary post, but our first greyhound started doing the same thing with her food - she would (kind of angrily) push it around the bowl but not really eat it. Maybe a bite or two. We tried switching her food, or giving chicken w/ rice, canned food, etc. - and she would eat it once and then start the pushing it around. It was really odd.

 

After multiple kinds of food, offered at different times, we resorted to the vet - and after multiple visits with blood tests, urinalysis, etc. - we finally took her in for an ultrasound. Turns out she was suffering from acute peritonitis, and they found multiple masses in and around her abdomen. Again, not trying to scare you, but she was gone quickly thereafter and I have felt a lot of guilt about getting her to eat when it actually hurt her to do so.

 

It could be more than just picky eating, it could signal a problem.

[GeorgeofNE]

A newly adopted dog is still testing you on many fronts. This is most likely a play to see just how far you'll go to cater to his every whim!

[Guest sireltonsmom]

Oh no, I put the correct amount of soaked carrots on his meals and he loved it! And when he stopped loving it I thought - maybe he prefers it cold? Nope. Maybe less carrots? Nada. Or just regular water now? And nothing. He refuses anything but dry food, and even then it's a small amount. I can't add anything to it (not even water) or he'll turn up his nose.

 

I was using Olewo to firm up poo and to help his coat. His poo is firm-ish without it, I just wanted to help it along. Scooping firm-ish poop always leaves a bunch behind even if I do my best, so I feel bad about leaving the streaks/excess. Even though my neighbors don't do a thing about picking up their dogs' messes, I try to be the change I wish to see in the world!

 

Thanks for the comments about weird changing habits. I will just assume he immediately started "hating" the carrots and continue on this diva journey.

 

Does anyone else have experience with that weird obsessive kibble-pushing he was doing with his nose? He wasn't searching for something or sniffing something out - he was actively trying to move it away from where he was standing but it kept rolling back into the center of the bowl - sisyphus style. He kept going and going in the same repetitive movement (again, no eating or searching motions) until I took it away He did a similar thing with a stuffie in his crate the other day - kept trying to poke it with his chin/nose like he was trying to mush it away. It was not a play activity - the closest I could call it is nesting on a tiny scale, but more of a frustrated nesting. Maybe it's just a weird quirk of his - something like a weird habit he developed in the kennel?

 

 

We put a paper under our kids' bottoms when they commit. It saves lots of work - especially if it isn't firm. Don't have any experience with food being refused for ANY reason LOL.

[XTRAWLD]

Keep in mind he is still new, and new to you. He will likely encounter many many things that he's trying to put right in his braino. You may fall victim to being wrapped around tightly in his little paw.

[Guest FloridaGirl]

 

Oh no, I put the correct amount of soaked carrots on his meals and he loved it! And when he stopped loving it I thought - maybe he prefers it cold? Nope. Maybe less carrots? Nada. Or just regular water now? And nothing. He refuses anything but dry food, and even then it's a small amount. I can't add anything to it (not even water) or he'll turn up his nose.

 

I was using Olewo to firm up poo and to help his coat. His poo is firm-ish without it, I just wanted to help it along. Scooping firm-ish poop always leaves a bunch behind even if I do my best, so I feel bad about leaving the streaks/excess. Even though my neighbors don't do a thing about picking up their dogs' messes, I try to be the change I wish to see in the world!

 

Thanks for the comments about weird changing habits. I will just assume he immediately started "hating" the carrots and continue on this diva journey.

 

Does anyone else have experience with that weird obsessive kibble-pushing he was doing with his nose? He wasn't searching for something or sniffing something out - he was actively trying to move it away from where he was standing but it kept rolling back into the center of the bowl - sisyphus style. He kept going and going in the same repetitive movement (again, no eating or searching motions) until I took it away He did a similar thing with a stuffie in his crate the other day - kept trying to poke it with his chin/nose like he was trying to mush it away. It was not a play activity - the closest I could call it is nesting on a tiny scale, but more of a frustrated nesting. Maybe it's just a weird quirk of his - something like a weird habit he developed in the kennel?

 

 

We put a paper under our kids' bottoms when they commit. It saves lots of work - especially if it isn't firm. Don't have any experience with food being refused for ANY reason LOL.

 

Claymore cannot commit to one spot, he's a turd-per-foot sort of dog. Whilst squatting, he inches forward as he drops each one. The man doesn't leave a pile, more like a trail! I have recently switched to grain free and novel protein, and it has firmed up his poo very nicely. And if I tried to put paper under him he would immediately stop and wander away. I try to discourage him from pooing in places where it's difficult to pick up, but if I discourage it he simply stops and never starts again like he's protesting. HE MUST PLACE HIS TURDS IN THE EXACT PERFECT SPOTS.

[Bogangles]

I don't want to turn this into a scary post, but our first greyhound started doing the same thing with her food - she would (kind of angrily) push it around the bowl but not really eat it. Maybe a bite or two. We tried switching her food, or giving chicken w/ rice, canned food, etc. - and she would eat it once and then start the pushing it around. It was really odd.

 

My boy would do this, push the food away with his nose. It was very difficult to figure out why. One thing for sure he was not a "diva" in any way. It may have been allergies but there were other things going on as well.