# I'm playing "tough cop/mom" today!



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark has stopped eating his food again.

Two days without touching his meals, he did however eat a whole knuckle bone in one sitting, which can contribute for the not eating at meal time.

So yesterday I put down his MM and OM in the morning (ground beef with calf liver) and he didn't touch it. I locked him in the crate and he fell asleep without even tasting it.

I had scrambled eggs (his favorite) for breakfast and decided to give him a little. So I mixed it in his dish with the meat, he smelt it, licked at it and left it.

Okay, so I put it away.

Now it's about 10pm and I figure he MUST be hungry, he hasn't eaten anything all day long. I try his RBM (chicken quarters) this time, thinking maybe the ground beef is off or he is tired of it.

Nope, still not touching it.

So I took it up.

This morning, I offered both meals to him. After an hour of it being down he didn't even sniff the stuff!

So, not I am being a "mean mommy or tough cop" as you say and taking away all his bones and food for the day.

I am wasting all of this food and becoming extremely fustrated! 

I have even tried giving him straight lamb, nope. Fish, nope. Pork, nope. Chicken, nope. Beef, nope. Rabbit, nope. I'm done!

So, my question is - how long can he go without food before I should be REALLY concerned?

He has been to the vet recently and everything has checked out fine. I am really at a loss as to why he isn't eating (this has happened even before the knuckle bone was given).

He went awhile with being picky, then started eating like a machine, now he is back to not even touching his food!

I even seared his meat a touch on the stove thinking that might intice him to try it - nope.

Any suggestions? Opinions? Help?!

Should I play "tough mommy" and withhold his food for a day or so? See if that helps? I really DO NOT want to do that, but I am so fustrated that I am willing to try anything!

Side note:
Poops are solid and normal (besides today because of the knuckle bone)
Acitivity level is normal
Behaviour is normal
Water intake is normal
No other treats besides the bones are given (have been trying to use his food as treats but he won't touch it, so I have been using the tug and ball for his reward).


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Blockage and/or upset stomach perhaps from knuckle bone?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

TitonsDad said:


> Blockage and/or upset stomach perhaps from knuckle bone?


That would be my main concern but this has been going on before the knuckle bone was given too.

He is pooping normally (soild but a lot lighter due to all the bone he digested from the knuckle bone) and his stomach doesn't feel distented or tight.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

My next suggestion would be, "brat mode"?


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## SandiR2 (Sep 15, 2009)

Cherry is a picky eater too. She hates pork and ground turkey but will occasionally eat a pork neck if it has less meat and more bone. Beef heart is a complete turnoff. She will eat chicken with bone and ground beef but occasionally turns her nose up evan at that. 

I vote for brat mode also.


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Anna does this from time to time, usually in the morning. Sometimes she'll go over and gobble it up, other times I have to...so embarassing what I do for this dog...spoon feed her. Then she'll eat every little bit! Literally, have her MM/OM morning meal and put it in a spoon and she'll lick it off and eat it.

DH says she is so spoiled. He's right. Sigh. :blush:


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

As long as he is still drinking, playing, pooping then I wouldn't get concerned. Jax does this to me on occasion. I just put her bowl back in the fridge instead of throwing it away. I usually will mix her MM with yogurt if she doesn't eat it. Sometimes I end up throwing it away but not usually.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> I am wasting all of this food and becoming extremely fustrated!


Why is the food wasted? I would think it would be put away and fed at a later date. . .

Penny became a picky eater around 1 yr old and it was due to me over feeding. Once I adjusted the amounts she began eating normally again. Strange that he doesn't want to eat anything at all though, especially the rmb which is a fav in my house.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I did adjust the amount too, I thought that would help but it hasn't.

It's considered wasted because after two days of leaving it out, it doesn't look so good.. would it still be okay to feed? It usually sits out for about an hour each meal - so about 4 hours total between 2 days. This is with me taking it up, putting it down, taking it up, etc..


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't leave it out that long. I usually give the dogs 15-30 minutes to eat. Jax is either going to eat it or not and I'll know right away. I've seen dogs eat some pretty disgusting things but I still have an aversion to feeding food that's been out awhile. 

maybe, in the future, give him just part of it to see if he's going to eat it before putting it all out?? Especially when you know he refusing to eat. Will that work for you?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Yeah, that's what I think I am going to start doing.

Thanks guys!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

So good news!

I seared Stark's meat tonight and he ate it!

All of it, he even went back to his bowl and started to lick at it when everything was gone.

I am going to try giving him his RBM a little later, like around 11:00pm and see if he will eat that too.


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## UConnGSD (May 19, 2008)

natalie559 said:


> Penny became a picky eater around 1 yr old and it was due to me over feeding. Once I adjusted the amounts she began eating normally again.


That's what happened to Wolfie too. His eating was normal again after reducing the amounts, once he was done fasting.



elisabeth_00117 said:


> It usually sits out for about an hour each meal - so about 4 hours total between 2 days.


I give Wolfie 5 minutes. If not eating in 5 minutes, I will try holding it in front of his mouth. If no interest, food is put away immediately.

Also, Wolfie was being very picky like Stark since the Spring semester started (I teach 8:00 AM classes mon-thurs this semester, so no time for morning walks and hence the lack of appetite in the morning). I got sick of running around after him with his bowl at 5:00 AM and I'm sure he thought I was being a pest. Started him on one meal a day (weekdays only) for the last couple of weeks and his interest is back again. Does walking Stark before a meal make a difference?


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## rover51 (Apr 21, 2009)

Stark and Panzer are close in age. We've been dealing with food problems as well. He was eating the Nature's Variety patties just fine until about 2 months ago. Then he started not eating that. So we started giving him real raw along with his kibble. But he refuses to eat liver, etc. (And then he got the dermatitis and the vet suggested it's either the food or fleas. He's been itchy off and on.) So because he wasn't eating a balanced raw diet (no OM), we have now gone all kibble. (for now) Now there were days when he didn't want to eat the raw and now he has days he doesn't want to eat his kibble.

Could it be a combo that they're not as active (rain, blizzards) and they aren't growing as much? Our friend's white shepherd will sometimes not eat for 2-3 days and then she'll go back to eating. That has become the norm for her.

Kids! I tell ya . . .:crazy:

Oh yeah, he was drinking normally and he still pooped through all this. 

Yesterday he ate fine but the 2 days before that were not good eating days.

I have a question. Do you think they should be fed only once a day??


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

How old is he?
Keys went through a stage of where I would have to PRAISE him for every bite he took!
He HATED to eat his food!
Very frusterating!
Try mixing some cheese in with his food, or something you KNOW hes loves.
I would have to do it with dog bones.....
He will grow out of that, Kilo did!
Good Luck


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

rover51 said:


> I have a question. Do you think they should be fed only once a day??


No. Not if your dog is active. Kilo hs to be feed 3 (small meals) , or he throws up.
He also gets 3-4 hours of excersise.
On the other hand, my girlfriends GSD only eats one time day, IF THAT bc she is inside most of the day, so doesnt burn as many calories.
It HIGHLY depends on the dog!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Excerise doesn't seem to make a difference either.

I can run him good for 1 hour and then he comes in and still doesn't want to touch his food. I can have him laze around the house and food still doesn't interest him. 

I gave him his RBM this morning, nothing. I seared (sp?) the chicken quarters on the stove so it was nice and smelly (actually made me hungry.. lol) and he sniffed at it and left it.

So I took it up. Gave him 5 minutes and then I put it away. I will try again at 2pm.

Our excerise and training has actually increased in the past little while due to a burst in energy and stamina with Stark.

We have also added another class (agility) per week, so now we have 2 classes (obedience and agility), plus home training (about an hour daily spread out), we track 4-5 times per week, we hike about the same amount for a good 1-2 hours, plus normal walks and he has a puppy play date every night at 9pm which consists of 4 other large dogs running non-stop for about 1 hour sometimes more. I don't think it is lack in excerise.. lol.

I am hoping this is a phase he is going through. He is at that age where he has started to fill out and so I am hoping this is hormonal more than anything. 

I mean he is physcially fine, behaviour is good, stamina is good, poops are good.. lol.. 

I'm not use to this, all of my other dogs were so food driven that having a dog who isn't is very strange to me!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

rover51 said:


> Could it be a combo that they're not as active (rain, blizzards) and they aren't growing as much?
> 
> I have a question. Do you think they should be fed only once a day??


I think it has a lot to do with age and hormones to be totally honest.

About feeding once per day, I like to feed twice per day. It decreases his chances of bloat (gorging) in my opinion but lately that's all Stark has eaten is once a day.. ugh.. lol.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Raziel said:


> How old is he?
> Keys went through a stage of where I would have to PRAISE him for every bite he took!
> He HATED to eat his food!
> Very frusterating!
> ...


Stark just turned 10 months old.

I have been doing that too.. "oooooh, look what I have Stark.. yummy! Good boy, one more bite! YAY! Good job Bubba! Now one more bite..." I swear I have a picky 2 year old toddler in my house... lol.

That's the thing I have tried putting cheese wiz on the meat and inside the meat and still nothing...

He has not had any bones scine the knuckle bone and will not be getting any more treats (besides his food being used as such) or bones until he starts eating again.

Thanks for the luck!


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## rover51 (Apr 21, 2009)

Sometimes I have to stand right there to get him to eat. Once in a while I will just crate him with his food. Sometimes I think he either would rather play or just be with me. This is the same puppy who when was a "baby" ate like he was starving and would want more! OK, enough hijacking. Good to hear we're not alone in this! (we've been feeding twice a day since he was 3 months)


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

He is crated when he eats too, I have now resorted to putting a cover over the crate so he can't see us.

I think Stark just wants to hang out with us too, doesn't want to miss out on anything.

Ugh.. these puppers!

And no worries about hijacking... go rigth ahead.. I like hearing about others with similar issues! Makes me feel less fustrated!


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## rover51 (Apr 21, 2009)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> He is crated when he eats too, I have now resorted to putting a cover over the crate so he can't see us.
> 
> I think Stark just wants to hang out with us too, doesn't want to miss out on anything.
> 
> ...


Yeah! I hear ya!!

I just went to feed him now. I was scrambling his egg to mix with his kibble and he seemed ready to eat. Sniffs it and then walked away! I told him to come back and he ate one bite. You know, if these were teenage girls, I would understand.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Try borrowing Sienna for meal time LOL. Obie was an indifferent eater until we got Dottie. Now he pretty much vacuums all his meals even though I feed each in their own crates. Nothing like a little pack/social pressure to get the appetite going ...


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

no advice here but a do offer :hugs:

I know how difficult is it with thee teenage boys. And on a side note, you can always sent that hunk my way. :wub:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Jason, that is what I did when we were at my parents house. I sat on the floor with Beau and Senna and gave everyone bits of his meal. He ate right away!

Unfortunately Senna doesn't live with me anymore (she and my sister moved to their own place) so I can't try that!

Thanks Kira - I appreciate it!


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Ship him to Colorado. I'll take care of him for a few years.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

TitonsDad said:


> Ship him to Colorado. I'll take care of him for a few years.


 nope... Sorry I already claimed him. ha ha ha!


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

GSDSunshine said:


> nope... Sorry I already claimed him. ha ha ha!


:teary:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Hahaha..... You guys are hilarious!


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