I'm just so bloody sick of my dogs and their food.

[JustDoneWithDogDins]

So many issues going on over years and I've just had enough.

3 dogs.

D1- Massive allergies. Fussy. Almost seems scared of his meals, backs away from bowl and has to be encouraged like a toddler to eat.

Had intolerance tests done to find out what's causing his itching.

D2- Fussy eater. Has issues with anal glands.

Had a bad impaction with infection few months ago.

Licks her paws constantly

Vet thinks she has allergies too now.

D3 - Just fussy.

Over the years tried everything. Every bloody dry food. Wet food. Butternut box, fresh cooked, raw.

I've put them back on raw because I put them on a dry food that had NOTHING on D1s intolerance list and I suspected D2 was reacting to chicken.

Expensive food. Their itching went off the charts.

So they're on raw.

D1 and D2 are eating well but now D3 is refusing it and only wants the kibble that D1 and 2 react to.

She is a chihuahua so takes forever to eat and I'm trying to stop the other 2 eating hersplus I HATE raw feeding. I have health anxiety really bad and the raw food, spoons, packaging is just making me thing I'm going to make my kids ill. Plus it's expensive.

I'm just fucking sick of it.
. I just wish I had dogs that just ate their bloody food.

I'm not really looking for advice. Just sympathy 🤣

My dogs are my babies but I'm just so defeated thinking about the next 10+ years of dealing with this shit.

No practical suggestions I'm afraid apart from are they suffering from anxiety. I know people who have anxiety & it shows itself in food obsession. Not sure if that translates into doggy world.

I have the opposite- a greyhound who eats anything she can get her paws on.

D1 is generally a very anxious dog. The other 2 are very outgoing but he just constantly looks worried.

I just wish I had a magic wand where I could just find the one food in the world that everyone likes and tolerates physically!

I’m really sorry. Mine are the other way they don’t have a food off switch (labs) they eat poo, anything on the compost, plastic tubs, passports, socks etc

You might find some advice on Facebook, there are lots of dog groups on there. I’ve found useful advice for my puppy but I have experience of an itchy dog with allergies and undiagnosed skin problems. It was very frustrating to not find a vet who could give me any answers. This was in 2020 when it was hard to get to see a vet also. The problems went on for two years before my dog came to the end. She also went through only being hand fed but gave that up when I got another dog and realised her food was at risk of being eaten. It was an attention seeking problem. Try relaxing as dogs pick up on anxiety. They won’t starve if you leave them to it. Many years ago I had a terrier who became very fussy around food and didn’t eat for two days. I kept putting out her food and sometime on day three she started eating. I was worried but she was attention seeking. Maybe talk to your vet or someone who specialises in dog nutrition. My advice might be useless but I know how stressful it can be.

I do think dogs have got more finicky digestive systems thesedays. I come from a doggy family and my grandma raised hers on household scraps with mixer biscuits and human gravy. Those dogs were never sick, or sorry! My own are OK, but require careful management or they are very puky.

I mean human gravy as in oxo, not gravy made from humans!

My DDog came to us with suspected allergies and constant paw licking. Vet suggested putting her on tinned Chappie and waiting to see how she gets on in the short term.

Once she's settled into a doubt one and realised she's not left very often and food and walks are regular occurrences the paw licking and flaky skin went away.

I'd look again at the anxiety.

Have you had a look at hydrolysed food for the ones with allergies?

All 3 have issues? Maybe look at your behaviour?

Unusual all 3 have issues.

Chappy is good for dogs with stomach issues.

Try vegan dog food.

I have a lot of dogs.

Two of mine are on it and they are thriving.

www.v-dog.co.uk

Can you bulk cook your own meals for them? It’s actually pretty easy once you get into it.

My last dog was fussy so I sympathise. She would go days without eating even when we were on walking holidays! Our vet wasn’t ever concerned. She had no allergies though.

It is stressful. Current pup/junior went through a phase of being picky but now is fine thankfully. I’m a bit mean in that I don’t offer anything else. I will mix up varieties of foods within the same range between bags (currently 70:30 Millie’s wolfheart) but if not eaten it goes away. Nothing else offered. You can create an issue sometimes especially for intelligent dogs.

You can create an issue sometimes especially for intelligent dogs.

I totally agree. Our beagle went through a phase of being fussy - of course we worried and started tempting him with human food. Then he refused all dog food. So we worried and gave him human food.

Spoke to our breeder who basically said "What do you expect? He refuses his food because he knows he then gets something even better!"

We had to go down the "mean" route and refuse any other food. It didn't take long and he's never refused a meal since (unless he's been genuinely unwell).

Dogs can have piriton, this may help with the itching (you’ll have to speak to a vet to see how much they’re allowed based on their weight). Must be piriton though, not piriteze.

I have a dog with allergies to dust mites, and storage mites. He is on a dry kibble (Millie’s wolfheart), and we make sure all storage for the food is washed regularly, he has a raised bed and we wash the cover weekly too.
some suggested freezing small portions of the kibble prior to feeding to kill any storage mites.

Wipe their coats down after a walk and wash their feet, that can help with any possible grass allergies.

OMG I hear you! One almost ten year old shihtzu cross who is so so so fussy.

It is my own fault I guess for feeding him steak, lamb, chicken, duck etc.

Trying to get him to eat dog food is almost impossible (I guess like others have said he knows to hold out for better and I can't bear to have him 'hungry' or 'suffering')

I finally after TEN years of trying every dog food on the market found a kibble which he will eat. Not every day but a few times a week which is the best I have done. It's Natures Variety Selected Mini Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Free Range Chicken 1.5kg and I get it from pets at home.

Also after TEN years of trying I found he will eat some Cesar wet food - only the chicken and vegetable in sauce one.

The amount of money I have wasted and food that has went in the bin!
I always wondered who started the rumour that dogs are not fussy and will eat anything.

I bring out his Tesco finest rump steak. Cooked to his liking - medium, rare and sometimes he'll eat it but normally he'll sniff the air then eventually wonder over and have a few bits. Then go for a walk and eat a bit more. It's infuriating.

I had some success with raw dog food for a while - Poppy's picnic was a huge hit when it was came out with my dog but then he went off it. Not sure if they changed the recipe or if he got bored with it.

He quite likes raw duck necks so I buy these. Again though he'll eat them 50% of the time and the rest the go in the bin.

He does have problems with his anal glands too. One does not seem to empty itself and so he has to get it done every 3 months or so.

Sometimes hand feeding him works - like he enjoys the extra attention but I guess with 3 dogs that would be a huge ask.

Sympathy though - I have created a little furry monster (love him lots though!)

P.S. We recently had a visiting dog in the house who came with a tradesman. She zoomed round our house and scoffed his steak, his dog kibble, his water, his treats that were lying about. I gave her another plate of steak which was in the fridge and she scoffed that too. It was cheap steak too. Not the kind I normally buy. So it's not all dogs. Maybe just the spoilt ones.