# Doesnt like Raw meat anymore, help!



## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

My girl Kaiyah, loved raw in the begining. She ate it up, but after about 3-4 weeks, she has less and less enthusiasm for it. I try to keep it interesting, I feed lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, but she eats the organ meat, eggs, sometimes she will eat the liver, sometimes she wont. But she wont eat much of anything else. If I feed chicken backs and breast meat for dinner, she will eat maybe one chicken back, the organ meat, egg and thats about all. One chicken back and the organ meat for her size I know is not enough for her. Its almost like shes too lazy to chew.


She is a very active dog, she is 11 months old. No diareaha, acts just fine, playfull and hyper lol. Will eat kibble if I give it to her, but I am sure she would get tired of that after 3-4 days as well. She has always been a slow eater. I have only had her since January. 

I have been taking her food up as soon as I see she is done, I give her about 20-30 minutes sometimes even a little longer. She is getting leaner and leaner and I really dont like how much weight she has lost due to this. Shes still a pup and I dont want this to hurt her so i am thinking of going back to kibble and seeing how she does. I really not sure though, should I stick it out longer? How long should i leave the food bowl down for her? Any advice is appreciated!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have read on quite a few raw feeder forums to fast the dog for one day every week.
I think this could be helpful to gain back her appetite. If she isn't eating after a fast, check her mouth for injuries or vet check may be in order, her throat or swallowing may be painful. 
Do you ever give turkey necks? My dogs absolutely love them, and Kacie is a picky eater, but will take a turkey neck when offered.


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

Yeah I will check her mouth. She seems very healthy, acts normal and fine but if she doesnt start eating I will take her in to the vet. I have offered turkey wings, not turkey necks yet. I have them on order, and should be in tomorrow. I will try that too. I am trying everything here. It seems she will eat the small stuff, but its like she doesnt care to work for her food. She is pretty much fasting on her own though lol. There have been a few days where she wouldnt touch it at all, she would lick it and lay down (in her crate). So I just took it up and waited til the next day. The most I will let her go is two days before I give in. I just dont want this to affect her growth or health.


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## drkcloud4u (Jan 7, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlI have read on quite a few raw feeder forums to fast the dog for one day every week.
> I think this could be helpful to gain back her appetite. If she isn't eating after a fast, check her mouth for injuries or vet check may be in order, her throat or swallowing may be painful.
> Do you ever give turkey necks? My dogs absolutely love them, and Kacie is a picky eater, but will take a turkey neck when offered.


If I tried to fast my dogs, they'd be knawing on my legs! LOL
They _know_ when food times are, they all come out of nowhere & sit right in front of me & lead me to the kitchen.

Anywho, How many times a day do you feed her?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

This morning I gave Kacie a leg 1/4. She wandered all around the back yard, carrying it in her mouth(looking for a place to hide it). She ended up in the garden with it, and started to bury it. I called her on it and she finally settled down to eat. I have to watch her to make sure she does eat and not store her food for later-Onyx may find it...maybe this is why Onyx needs to lose 5#!
Onyx would be knawing my legs as well when I tried to fast her!


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## Little Red (Jan 10, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: drkcloud4u
> 
> If I tried to fast my dogs, they'd be knawing on my legs! LOL
> They _know_ when food times are, they all come out of nowhere & sit right in front of me & lead me to the kitchen.
> ...


LOL, yes, same here, the dogs start howling around feed time. Since I try to feed them at 6am and 6pm, they act as my alarm clock if I try to sleep in!
And then around 6pm they get very attentive to every moment I make (especially if I open or close the frig)


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

What about grinding the food?


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

My GSD stopped "liking" his raw food. It turned out that there was something medically wrong with him. When I ground the food in a grinder, he ate voraciously. 

I don't say this to alarm you, but a vet work-up might not be a bad idea. Lack of appetite is a symptom of mega-e, especially when pieces of food are large. There are other things that might be going on as well -- some serious, some not so serious. Being in your shoes, I took my dog to the vet and requested xrays.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

Maybe it could also be more of an emotional than a physical problem? Is she a rather sensitive female and gets easily upset, (causing her not to be hungry)? 
You mentioned you only had her for 3 months- so her previous family gave her up or what happened? She could still be upset about that.
I would consider giving her rescue remedy for her past trauma- only for a couple days and see if that helps.
Good luck!


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

I got her because her previous owners didnt want her anymore. They were moving and didnt want to take her with. When I first got her, she didnt know what tile floors were, what it was like to be inside of a car, didnt know there were other dogs on this earth, didnt have any manners whatsoever. They kept her in their back yard 24/7. They did crate her at night, prob to get some sleep since she does bark sometimes. Now she loves to play with other dogs, walks fine on flooring, runs up the stairs, gets excited when I grab the keys and loves car rides.


She isnt too sensitive, she is submissive, but she is so happy go lucky, a big nerd really. She seems happy to me, always bouncing around. 

I feed once a day, maybe i should feed twice a day for her? She also tries to burry her food that she doesnt eat. My girl Cati doesnt have an eating disorder, she will polish off leftovers, she too could loose about 5lbs.

I checked her mouth, she didnt care for that much, but from what i could see no swollen gums or infection that would prevent her from eating. No odor and she has perfect white clean teeth.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

If she's trying to bury food I would say that you might be feeding too much at once... splitting into two meals might help that problems, although I'm sorry to say I don't know much about getting her to like her raw meat again.


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

No I dont think its because of that, because she doesnt eat much of it to begin with.









Today I left her in the crate with her food for 3 hours and she ate all of it... ?????????????

Should I just accept shes a slow eater?


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: JerzeyGSDIf she's trying to bury food I would say that you might be feeding too much at once... splitting into two meals might help that problems


That's what I would do.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: GSD4LIFE21No I dont think its because of that, because she doesnt eat much of it to begin with.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I might still split into two meals if it's taking her THAT long.


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

I will try the two meals a day and see how she does, thank you all for the suggestions!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: GSD4LIFE21I will try the two meals a day and see how she does, thank you all for the suggestions!


Good luck! Let us know how it goes.


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

So far shes doing better with it, so I am crossing my fingers this will be the solution! Yesterday with some encouragement, she ate everything. I split it up into three small meals. She also eats better if theres another dog around, as she doesnt want them getting her goods


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: GSD4LIFE21So far shes doing better with it, so I am crossing my fingers this will be the solution! Yesterday with some encouragement, she ate everything. I split it up into three small meals. She also eats better if theres another dog around, as she doesnt want them getting her goods


That's great to hear!


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## GSD4LIFE21 (Mar 8, 2007)

Yesterday she was her picky ol self. In the morning I tried to feed her a turkey neck and some chicken breast meat. She didnt touch it, so I took it up and didnt feed her again until today and she ate it up. I think I am going into the vets for a blood panel and a checkup!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks for the update. Let us know how the vet goes.


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## The Stig (Oct 11, 2007)

Has there been any conclusive results as to why Kaiyah shows a lack of appetite? 

I am glad you took her for a check-up. It appears that it might hurt for her to chew rather than being lazy, since she goes for the softer pieces of meat and avoids those that need more work. I hope it's nothing serious. 

Also, just my 2 cents ... I would avoid fasting a pup. I know of people who do fast their dogs, but the companions are adults. Also, one of them (a wonderful G.R. and F.C. breeder) gives her adults a recreational bone instead of an actual meal during their food fast. 

I can't fast mine, although I had thought about doing it when she was a puppy ... that is, when she was mature. But she will do Urka Gurka on me, so there goes it.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Update? 

What did the vet say?


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