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Original poster

dog hates dog food and would rather starve and wait for a measly scrap to fall on the floor..

63 replies

ggirlsbells · 18/12/2008 13:28

I wouldn't mind feeding her things like actual chicken and stuff but I've tried that and it gives her the squits and she's 13 now and losing control at the back end.
I have tried all sorts of food over the yrs and she may eat it for a few days then stops.
Currently her food has been in the bowl for 2 days.She hasn't eaten anything excpet a carrot ds gave her.
I have tried the lifting the bowl after 30 mins..doesn't make any difference.
She is getting really skinny,spine ,ribs and hipssticking out..which may be old age but unsure.
She is obviously quite hungry as she's sniffing around a lot when food is around.

Dn't know whether to give in and do her some real food and put up with shit everywhere.

OP posts:

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 20/12/2008 15:14

Thanks for all your advice.

Her teeth were fine last time she was seen at vets...about 6 weeks ago.

She is used to eating dried food but as she wasn't eating it I swapped to soft food and she gobbled up that for a while then stopped eating that..classic fussy eater!.
She has always been a fussy eater even refuses the biscuits the vet offers her.

Anyway I have just fed her some rice and fish and she gobbled it up so there is nothing wrong with her appetite.
She has never been a big drinker either that hasn't changed.

Blimey some of these posts make me feel like a neglectful owner..which I most certainly am not!

OP posts:

JingleBellaAllTheWay · 20/12/2008 15:31

If you mean my post, I didn't mean you were being neglectful and tbh I was probably quite irritated at Otter's post when I wrote that, because giving out inaccurate advice in cases like this is at best irresponsible and at worst dangerous.

Saying that no dog will starve itself is bollocks. There are many conditions where a dog cannot or will not eat and require treatment by a vet.

Had she dropped all that weight when you were last at the vet and if so, what reason did the vet suggest?

If she has only lost the weight in the last 6 weeks then I still think you need to have her checked.

wannaBe · 20/12/2008 15:43

jingle are you a vet then?

On the whole NAO is right, a dog will not starve itself unless there is something seriously wrong with it. But if the dog is used to getting something different when it refuses its normal food then it will hold out for that.

This sounds like a dog who regularly turns fussy rather than one that has suddenly and inexplicably gone off its food, and is used to a change of diet when it decides it's had enough of what it's currently eating.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with dry food. Most vets prefer it to the tinned stuff.

The best one for dogs with stomach issues is james wellbeloved.

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 20/12/2008 15:48

I'm not sure about the weight loss,she's a bearded collie so hard to monitor.I will get her seen though..she hates the vets though..alwasy poos in the .waiting room

OP posts:

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 20/12/2008 15:50

Through the years we have tried every single type of dried food .
She is just a dog who hate dog food and knows that her willpower is better than mine

OP posts:

Myrrhcy · 20/12/2008 15:54

sorry, hope you didn't think I meant you were being neglectful

Wannabe's post is a fantastic analysis of my ds who is a fussy eater! Children and animals eh?

JingleBellaAllTheWay · 20/12/2008 16:49

No, I'm not a vet, wannabe. Are you?

I'm a former vet nurse who's had dogs all her life. Even if I was a vet I wouldn't try to diagnose over the internet

When given the facts as old dog, not eating, substantial weight loss and spitting out food I stand by my original advice to see a vet. Dental or other more serious problems could be the reason.

Of course fussiness and an older dog's loss of smell and taste could be the only problem but since the OP is now unsure as to what weight the dog has lost I shall bow out now, and leave you all to it

Lovesdogsandcats · 20/12/2008 18:24

Too many people don't seem to realise how important food, and the enjoyment of it, is to a dogs quality of life. If you keep putting down food that your dog does not like, why keep trying to force it, why not find something she LOVES? Would you want to eat boring food every day?

My little dog is fussy, so I find a food she likes and give her that, she is not turning away from food to piss me off, she is doing it because she does not like it.

One more thought, as a dog gets older, the sense of taste and smell diminish, so maybe food designed to attract might work? This is why smaller dogs like Yorkies are seen as fussy, it is because unless food has a strong aroma it is unnappetising to them. Just look on the Royal Canin website where the different kinds aof foods are adapted to cats and dogs who need their senses stimulated to eat.

A cheaper idea is to keep some ready grated parmesan in the fridge and sprinkle that on, mix it in then one more sprinle on top.

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 20/12/2008 19:58

trouble is she may loveit for a few weeks then she'll turn her nose up and refuse to eat it
she has done this countless times
but the hold out and don't give in doesn't really work wth her either..and she's an old girl now and I feel like mollycoddling her..as long as it doesn't give her the shits.

OP posts:

NotanOtter · 20/12/2008 20:42

? no a dancer

Lovesdogsandcats · 20/12/2008 22:00

I would accept this and as soon as she gets bored and turns her nose up at a food, offer her a different one. I had to do this with my cats as they reached a very admirable age, kind of rotating the few foods they would eat.

if she likes fish what about Chappie as that has fish in. Sprinkle the parmesan/strong cheddar on and bobs your uncle. Bet she wolfs it down. It is also cheap. And good for her. And recomended by vets. nuff said!

NotBigJustBolshy · 20/12/2008 22:16

Hmm. If I were in your shoes ggirlsbells, I would go with the feeling of wanting to mollycoddle her and give her the rice with white fish or chicken diet for the moment until she puts the weight back on. As you say, she's an old girl and she's maybe just feeling a bit iffy for some reason.

NotBigJustBolshy · 20/12/2008 22:20

Sorry, didn't see that your OP stated that chicken gives her the squits - is this even the white meat with no skin? If even boiled white chicken meat is giving a dog the squits I would get the dog checked out by the vet. I say this because my old boy exhibited these symptoms when he was developing liver disease.

Lovesdogsandcats · 20/12/2008 22:57

Fresh chicken can for a few days cause the runs in dogs. If I give mine chicken as a treat, they always have runny ones next day.
After a few days though, it should settle.
I agree with mollycoddling at this age.
I still think some dog food is needed then you know all the vitamins etc are in the diet. Again, what about Chappie mixed with chicken and rice?

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 21/12/2008 13:09

she's had fish and rice for a few days and is quite runny..not nice on the carpet.
Have tried chappie before..she'll eat for a few days then refuse.

She's alwasy had a very sensitive tummy when fed people food,this is not a new thing in old age ,so I am pretty sure it's not liver disease...just a fussy old bitch.

I will persevere with this diet,may add some chappie for the vitamins.If the diarrhoea doesn't settle then I'll think again..I can handle incontinence but not if she's runny as well.

OP posts:

ThisMUTTIsJustForChristmas · 21/12/2008 13:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 21/12/2008 13:41

sorry mutt ,yes I did see it,I have tried that and it doesn't make her eat it the food.

OP posts:

ThisMUTTIsJustForChristmas · 21/12/2008 13:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pamplemousse · 22/12/2008 16:32

Sorry if I made you feel bad, wasn't suggesting you were neglecting her at all, just that taking her for a once over may help you and tbh the vet will probably had experience of it before and maybe have some suggestions you hadn't thought of...
Hope she gets better
NotAn Otter what are the clothes like I haven't heard of them....

SleighGirl · 22/12/2008 16:36

I wonder if it may help if she has to "work" for her food, ie gets small amounts of food as a reward for obedience or in a konga thingy?

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 22/12/2008 18:19

sleighgirl-yes that used to work when she was younger..so far the fish is working out ok..solid stool today albeit on a cream carpet

need some vit drops maybe to put on food

OP posts:

SleighGirl · 22/12/2008 19:46

the joys of an intelligent yet untrainable breed......

my friends decided it was easier to train their visitors rather than their bearded collie in the end ...... this was after a lot of ££££££££££ spent with the dog trainer!

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 22/12/2008 19:58

pmsl...
she is ,or rather used to be a very well behaved beardie...seems to becoming quite an unruly old lady though

OP posts:

SleighGirl · 22/12/2008 20:00

How about you put the dog food on your plate and drop scraps on the floor??? Perhaps she will eat it before realising it?

My friend was really pleased because I already knew to ignore misbehaving dogs so he very quickly calmed down when I went around.

Original poster

ggirlsbells · 22/12/2008 20:05

yeh..we could all sit down to plates of chappie ,then promptly drop bits for her...you are brilliant!
lolololol

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