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Help! She's scared of her food!


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Hi.  I have an 8.5 yr old black beauty that has developed a fear of her food/bowl.  She will cautiously walk around it, barks and whines at it and eventually eats about half--no matter what I put in it including good stuff (steak, salmon, chicken, etc.)  The lady that watches her when I go out of town says she licks the bowl clean!  I am worried because I can see how skinny she has gotten.  

Here is what I have tried so far:

metal bowl

glass bowl

plate

different room

different food

raised/lowered

inside/outside

she will eat from my hand

Any other suggestions?

 

 

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Just a question does she have tags on her collar?  Sometimes when they hit the side of the dish it is enough to make them hesitant.  Could also be something she hears while she was eating that she now associates with her dish.  If she gets hungry she will eat.  Set it out and if she does not eat take it up and try again later.  I would move it to the floor by her bed and if she has not eaten in an hour (or overnight) toss a small handful on the floor and try again.  Try not to stress out to much as they can pickup on that too.  If I need to jumpstart an appetite a piece of bread or peanut butter toast in the dish helps here.

mine sometimes gets spooked by the cat but will eventually eat when she is hungry.  

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No collar or tags  (I know this is a touchy subject).  No other animals.  My kids are older and stay in their rooms.  I can hear her barking loudly across the house while I'm in the shower.  This is the only time she barks.  

As far as jumpstarting, she will bypass salmon, steak, chicken, peanut butter, etc.  She will definitely eat out of my hand!

I did manage to get her to clean the bowl just now.  I brought it with me to the couch.  It took several different approaches, but she ate it all.  I am worried because I can see WAY too many bones.  I know if she is hungry enough she will eat, but if she is too scared to eat steak???

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8 minutes ago, EllieDad said:

I did manage to get her to clean the bowl just now.  I brought it with me to the couch.  It took several different approaches, but she ate it all.  I am worried because I can see WAY too many bones.  I know if she is hungry enough she will eat, but if she is too scared to eat steak???

Then spoil her and feed her on the couch with the method that worked.  Then when she eats without hesitation fed part of it that way then set the dish down and work slowly to move it back where you want it.  They are so sensitive to the environment it is hard to say what makes the dish or area scary.  

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It may come to that.  I think the dog sitter feeds her in bed.  I don't believe this is the issue because of her skiddish behavior.  She is my 4th grey.  The other 3 lost to the dreaded....so I understand how quirky these weirdos are!

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Try a wider, plastic bowl.  Wash it really well if you buy a new one so it doesn't smell "plastic-y" and maybe soak some kibble in warm water in it for an hour or so before you try and feed her out of it.  Something like this one (sorry for the size!).

 

812Hbb8HKGL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

Heavy weight non skid bowl

And let her eat wherever she feels comfortable - especially if she's losing weight.  You might also try putting some DAP diffusers around to see if that alleviates some of her anxiety.

I will tell you I fed one of my own twice a day with a spoon - like a baby - because she would not eat standing at a feeding station out of a bowl, so I am maybe not the right person to ask!!  ;)  

Good luck!

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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3 hours ago, EllieDad said:

It may come to that.  I think the dog sitter feeds her in bed.  I don't believe this is the issue because of her skiddish behavior.  She is my 4th grey.  The other 3 lost to the dreaded....so I understand how quirky these weirdos are!

Have the dog sitter come round at their usual time when only you are at home without the kids and just watch, without interacting too much, what they and your dog does at feeding time.

Grace (Ardera Coleen) b. 18 June 2014 - Gotcha Day 10 June 2018 - Going grey gracefully
Guinness (Antigua Rum) b. 3 September 2017 - Gotcha Day 18 March 2022 - A gentleman most of the time

 

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I forgot to add above, (another) one of mine suddenly refused to eat out of his usual bowl in his usual spot - where he'd been eating for several years with no issues - after he was there when a large metal pot got dropped on the floor.  Not anywhere near him, and it wasn't dinner time, but he was leery of the whole kitchen for the rest of his life after that.  

He ended up using a plastic bowl like the one above and eating in an open section of our living room - away from all walls and furniture so he didn't feel trapped at all - the last two years of his life.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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What sounds could she be hearing in the kitchen? Ice cube maker dumping, timers beeping, freezer or fridge making popping sounds, dishwasher rumbling? Any differences in the flooring in your house and your housesitter's?

 

Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto
Angels:  Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella),  Charlie the iggy,  Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt.

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My first greyhound got weird about eating. What worked for a while was holding her bowl while she ate in the living room. Then holding her bowl while she ate in bed (not spoiled at all :rolleyes:). Then a paper plate, that worked up until she died. I just kept trying until I found something that worked. Whoever said a dog would not starve themselves never met a greyhound.

Lila Football
Jerilyn, missing Lila (Good Looking), new Mistress to Wiki (PJ Wicked).
 
 

 

 

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I have had good luck with giving a little bit of buttermilk in a dish to jump start an appetite.  Journey loses hers due to hookworms so not sure if it works for other reasons too.  She can not lap it up fast enough then moves on to her regular food.  It also adds weight to her too so we have to be careful.  Might be worth a try.  Start slowly to see how her stomach and bowels handle it.

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If like mine she's a mooch for anything I'm eating, have you tried putting her food in a people bowl/plate, putting it on the table or wherever you eat and pretending it's your dinner, doing the whole "mmm, tasty!" act then giving her it? She might think she's getting jackpot human food and fool her into eating it? 

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  • 2 weeks later...

VET CHECK!

she can have a bad tooth that is resulting in discomfort and she is avoiding food. 

have you tried just canned food? something junky like little ceasers or another junk food that will spike her appetite. it soft doesn't then talk to your vet, maybe blood work, definitely a full exam.

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