# Puppy won't eat kibble anymore - 3 days now!



## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Hi all,

Sam is 14 weeks and spent last week at a friend, who's a breeder, where he just played with puppies and dogs all day. On the last day there my friend was feeding another dog some canned food and she decided to give Sam a couple of spoonfuls because he really wanted some. Well, since that day I haven't been able to get him to eat!

I brought him back on Friday and he refuses to eat. He's seems a bit depressed since he no longer has other dogs to roughhouse with and he's now lost a bunch of weight - I can easily feel his ribs now! I took away any bones haven't given him any treats and even tried mixing in some Iam's. His regular kibble, which he won't eat, is Orijen large breed puppy food so it's high quality! 

Today was the most he ate which was just over half a cup both in the morning and at lunch - but we had to feed him by hand! His appetite is fine as he will search for rabbit poo in the yard and he'll eat cat kibble. The vet didn't offer anything really worthwhile other than switching foods.

I'm going to hit the pet store tomorrow and find some samples of other organic food to find one he likes. After feeding him the new food I plan on slowly transitioning him back to Orijen as we just spent $80 on the new bag he won't eat.

Does anybody have any other ideas? I don't want him to think that I'll keep switching his food everytime he gets bored with it.
We tried adding rice but he still wouldn't eat until we added yogurt, then all he did was lick the yogurt off.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I've found usually just mixing a little bit of something else to the kibble will get my dogs going (as long as there's no health problem going on and it sounds like you ruled that out). A tablespoon or so of canned cat food with alot of water to make a broth usually works great...

But so does most anything in the fridge, grated cheese, yogert, leftovers. A very small amount of scraps to my regular amount of dog food usually gets the food eaten in my house.


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## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion MRL!


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## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

I started adding a bit of canned into Zeva's food. Just a scoop or two. She was on the lean side and while on good kibble, she just didn't care for it dry. So, a scoop of, believe it or not, she likes the cheaper stuff, Pedigree canned and she gobbles it up. In fact, she's put on enough weight in the last wk and a half that I had to loosen her collar, TWICE. She's had to have put on at least 4 lbs!

I can no longer see her ribs which is nice. She's a short coat and is black and shinny so they could be seen easily.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I can share what is working for my pup (now 7 months) - 

As Hondo is growing, he seems to go on spurts. Some days he'll eat like he is starving, and some days he shows no interest in food what so ever. He WILL eat his treats. He has no change in behavior, and continues to act like his normal goofy self - he just decides he doesn't want to eat. He doesn't have any medical reasons - as we had him vetted when this behavior first began. 

IMO - the longer he doesn't eat, the longer he won't eat. It seems like the signals his tummy gives his brain is telling him it hurts but not telling him it's because he is hungry. When he is going on a food strike, he'll drink more water, and eventually throw up yellow bile. The longest he has done this was three days. 

So - the trick I've learned, is I have to keep him eating. If he misses his first meal (I take it away after 15 minutes) I'll add chicken broth to his second meal. To date - chicken is the ONLY thing Hondo can't turn down. The next feeding, he eats as normal. If he skips his last meal of the day, I'll feed him a few extra treats when it's bed time, in an effort to avoid a tummy ache - and then in the morning I'll add the chicken broth. He'll go back to eating normal again for a few weeks. I also add pumkin to his food as he loves it. 

Hondo is a very sensitive dog. If he is corrected harshly during the day, I can put money down on the fact he won't eat that night. So I am careful to make sure that I give him a lot of praise through out our training and to keep everything light and fun.


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## ShepherdHeaven (Feb 12, 2010)

My Panga is really finikey with her food if I dont mix it up a bit. I usually do an egg mixed in with her kibble in the morning and then her salmon oil at night to mix up the flavors so she will stay interested.


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## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions. My fear of adding in different foods is that I will create a picky eater. He was eating him kibble really well prior to this. 

So I picked up some samples of Now!, Innovo, and **** Van Patten's food. 5 different types and he won't eat any of them. Not even the cat kibble anymore. He will still eat rabbit poo and he ate a small biscuit I gave him (to test his appetite).

What worries me is not only the weight he has lost but his energy level. For a 3 1/2 month old dog he really does not act like it. He doesn't like to walk too far anymore but he will play "lightly" with a tennis ball. The only time he gets excited is when he see's another dog but there are no dogs around here that he can play rough with.

It really seems like he is depressed about leaving his dog buddies that he played with last week. 

I don't think switching brands will help at this point. I would love to add canned food but am fairly certain once he tastes it again there will be no going back. I will try the chicken broth for now and see what happens.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Along with his sensitivity to missing his buddies - he could be teething. 

Dang, where is Dr. DoLittle when you need him.....


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

have you weighed him to KNOW that he has lost weight? feeling his ribs isn't entirely accurate when they are young as they so easily take off in growth spurts. He could be looking really lean, but only because he's getting taller.

He could be missing the other pups or he could be teething. I would consider checking with your vet and doing at least a basic check-up.

As far as the canned food, I will add a teaspoon or so to the dogs' bowls on occasion. Just enough to perk up their attention. If wouldn't hurt to try it; then you would know that is why he is snubbing the kibble.


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## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Dainerra said:


> have you weighed him to KNOW that he has lost weight? feeling his ribs isn't entirely accurate when they are young as they so easily take off in growth spurts. He could be looking really lean, but only because he's getting taller.
> 
> He could be missing the other pups or he could be teething. I would consider checking with your vet and doing at least a basic check-up.
> 
> As far as the canned food, I will add a teaspoon or so to the dogs' bowls on occasion. Just enough to perk up their attention. If wouldn't hurt to try it; then you would know that is why he is snubbing the kibble.


He had his appointment yesterday for his third vaccination and, while he hasn't lost any weight, his weight gain from a month ago is much less than it should be. I've given him a rib bone and he will go to town on that. When we added some of my cat's kibble to his food yesterday it was the most attentive I have seen him about his food in quite some time so I'm certain it's not a loss of appetite. 

I've been holding out on giving him anything but his food but it doesn't seem to be working as he is very stubborn. With limited exercise (his doing) he has been very low energy and hasn't even gotten the zoomies once since he's been back. The only time he seems excited and active is when he see's another dog and wants to play with it.


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## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Oh, and I just tried the chicken broth and it did not work. (


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## Sambuca (Mar 13, 2010)

Just a quick update that we added a couple of spoonfuls of canned food tonight as a last resort and voila - his appetite has returned! He still leaves a bit of kibble behind though. Once his weight and energy returns we will have to ween him off the canned food. Hopefully it goes well!


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