Dog refusing to eat

[HandbagsnGladrags]

My 6 month old puppy has decided he's not eating kibble any more unless I mix it with something like chicken or a bit of ham. We're currently having a stand off and he hasn't eaten anything at all today. I changed brands of kibble recently, he was enthusiastic at first, I mixed it gradually etc. But he's just lost interest. Sometimes he'll eat a bit if I scatter some on the lawn. He's not ill, acting normally, he's just being a stubborn little sod.

What would you do? Stick it out til he gets hungry?

We had this. Now I mix wet and kibble. She loves it. Otherwise she just picked out the nice bits and left then kibble. Tried all sorts like yogurt or wetting the kibble. Everything worked for a day or two then back to no eating. No she pretty much eats up most her food. She is a fuss pot poodle though.

Forthglade 90% is suitable for 2months plus, although only comes in big trays so depending on size of pup may not be the best solution (we use 1 tray for two days/6 meals).

Please don’t just feed dried food—no human would want to eat dried food day in day out. Many dogs prefer wet food and it is more natural for them.

Just a tip for the tinned sardines in tomato sauce (my cat loves them); 60p a can at The Co-op, 80p a can at Tesco!

Obviously depends which supermarkets you prefer.

Is it ok for them to have them in tomato sauce?

Try to stick it out. They do get fussy. Mine goes off his kibble every now and then, usually when I’ve just bought a fresh new big bag!!
we have changed brands about 4 times now, my dog has just gone 2.
we had him at vets last week as he was refusing to eat breakfast and sometimes all day and being sick coz he was so hungry. The vet just said to feed him later/before bed….
sometimes i do add cottage cheese to his kibble to get him to eat it, and it’s good for his coat! Ours gets a home cooked mea every now and then too

Definitely leave him to stick out, a healthy happy dog will not starve itself. I don't get concerned unless it goes to 72 hours (as hard as it is) offer it for 20 minutes, then lift it, offer again at lunch or dinner depending on how many meals a day your dog is having. Kibble won't go off within 3 days.

I feed kibble for mine and occassionally the supposedly 'eat anything' breed is the one who does the 'I don't want this..' and won't eat it.
By day 3, hunger wins.

I empty a tin of sardines or Mackeral over it twice a week or an egg or even a tin of dog food that I use as a topper (lasts me three days) mixed in, but only once they have eaten the plain kibble as otherwise your encouraging the fussy behaviour.

I know lots of dogs eat kibble happily but I always feel sorry for them, mine are really fussy too.

I use the kibble as a base and then add random things. Some wet food, veg, pasta, mince, leftovers, fish, eggs, rice. It barely costs anything to do but I feel like it makes mealtimes a million times nicer for them. I also soak them in boiling water.

We tried the hardline approach but pup just lost weight (a kg in a couple of weeks) and who wants to think that the only reason their dog is eating their food is because the alternative is starvation.

It's so much nicer now we've hit on a balance where pup actually sits nicely and looks interested whilst I prepare her food when previously she wouldn't even be coaxed out of her bed for it! (She's a Labrador ffs!)

It's so hard isn't it. He literally used to hoover the stuff up. He's had some salmon oil on his kibble tonight and he's eaten most of it. He also used to go mad for scrambled egg but now he turns his nose up.

We tried throwing handfuls his kibble across the kitchen floor and he ate it all up. We also got one of those puzzles in which you hide the food and he had to find it a- that worked too. Now we buy salmon oil from Costco and put it on her s kibble with a half tin of sardines. Sometimes we put plain yogurt on his food too or a raw egg cooked veg scraps.

We've noticed that he doesn't always eat his dinner when we give it him but as soon as we give him his dinner at the same time as us he eats it all plus scraps on top.

Is it ok for them to have them in tomato sauce?

Well, the vet recommended them for my cat. Maybe google to check for dogs? Or ask your vet?

Tomatoes are absolutely fine, if you're worried about tomato sauce in the tin of sardines.
As this is a young dog, please try and do the minimum in terms of changing his diet as he may well revert to eating his standard food. Only so you don't make more work for yourself.
Also I would say he should still be on junior food as he is still growing.
And no treats outside meal times in any way, shape or form.

Hopefully it will get better.
In general, you can always give him the odd items when available but reduce the normal food. For example, mine get raw beef if I'm cooking stake and there is some going spare, but it would be added to their food, not a treat on its own.

I don't know anything about gravy toppings. Maybe cook a light clear bone broth and freeze in icecubes to use as and when? Without any salt.

Thanks @Branster, he is still on puppy food. When he eats it 🙄

We've thrown kibble on the lawn and he sometimes snuffles that out.

I didn't expect that getting a dog to eat would be this difficult!

Does your puppy usually only have dry food all the time? It probably gets boring for him. Why not give him meat?

We mix it up with a scrabbled egg on a morning, sometimes some cooked chicken mixed in with kibble. But I'm trying not to rely on the 'extras' - I'd like him to eat the kibble when there's nothing else available.

My 3 dogs get mostly dried food with some vitamin mix and salmon oil. And then a few times a week they have some tuna or chicken but not every day. I find wet food gives them the runs no matter what brand, but they are small (2 chihuahua & a daschund) so they don't have huge portions anyway!

Ooh maybe try the next stage up? So i instead of puppy, the junior version? Not sure if might taste a bit different.

My mother prepares fresh food for her dogs nearly every day. And they are not fussy eaters. But she is convinced it is better for them (she's probably absolutely correct).

I really couldn't be doing with all that. Dry food all the way. (And I don't like the concept of wet food at all) No mess, no washing up.
But we are in a way lucky to have so many options because everyone has their own perception and knowledge on feeding dogs.
I guess as long as they are healthy, active with a nice coat, it doesn't matter what they eat as it clearly works.

I always had very active and healthy dogs that lived good long lives. I'm starting to think I've been lucky with this dry food only choice.