# VERY Fussy Eater!



## Mind-Maze (Jan 11, 2015)

Hi Everyone 

So, I have a 7 month old GSD (Bitch) who is extremely fussy when it comes to food.

She won't touch dry food at all, even when that's all I left down for her all day! She'll eat wet food (on and off) for 10 days in a row or so, but then she'll just stop eating it. When that happens I just buy a different brand and give that to her. She'll then eat that no problem at all for the next 10 days or so, but then I'm back to square 1 again, and this keeps happening.

Does anyone have any suggestions, as this is getting ridiculous! 

Thanks in advance.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Usually when I see this it is the owners who have caused it. Stop playing her game. Once you have ruled out any medical issues, put her food down and walk away. If she refuses to eat after about 20 minutes pick her dish up and she gets no more until next meal. I have yet to see a healthy dog starve itself. Keep in mind that some dogs can go days without food.
If it is possible for you, you might consider a raw diet for her. Otherwise I would find a good kibble and let her figure it out.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Don't leave the kibble down all day..if she doesn't eat say within 5 minutes, up it goes.. Also, try toppers.. Shredded cheese, yoghurt, cottage cheese, your canned food.. I too have a fussy eater, he prefers sticks and dirt to eat rather than his food. There are lots of threads about fussy eaters....


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Give her a chicken leg quarter.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> Give her a chicken leg quarter.


Never seen my pooch turn down a chicken quarter.....Gone in 60 seconds


SuperG


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## Mind-Maze (Jan 11, 2015)

Hi.....

First off, thanks to all who shared their suggestions. I'll give the put down/pick up a go and see what happens. I'd really like to put her on a good quality kibble but she simply won't touch it.

I've been told wet food isn't as good for them as kibble, but is their actually any substantial proof to this? 

Also, thanks for the chicken suggestion, but that's not going to contain all of the nutrition that she requires.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Mind-Maze said:


> Also, thanks for the chicken suggestion, but that's not going to contain all of the nutrition that she requires.


Correct....I was thinking more along the lines as using the chicken quarter as a test to see how she takes to raw.....from there of course..yes, all the essentials need to be supplied.

SuperG


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Many of our GSD's are picky eaters and it is NOT something we 'caused'. My dogs that are chow hounds and appear starving all day are also NOT caused by me, they came that way .

Since I've had both (so know what I'm talking about) there are things you can do for peace of mind to see your dog eat. This is NOT a power struggle that we need to wait them out for and 'win'. A picky eater doesn't care about winning, I had a dog lose weight when I was trying to 'win' so know how stupid I was behaving as her ribs began to show. 

This is so common we have a sticky with tons of great tips to get some food down more consistently (nothing wrong with a good canned food other then expense  ).

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/feeding-our-puppy/162644-pup-doesnt-want-eat-picky-eater.html

Good luck! You'll figure it out.


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## VanLee (Sep 6, 2014)

Mind-Maze said:


> Hi Everyone
> 
> So, I have a 7 month old GSD (Bitch) who is extremely fussy when it comes to food.
> 
> ...


Farmina N&D kibble is the most palatable I have tried but I think this dog has you trained. Young dogs this age are often picky but don't make it worse.

If the dog is healthy then it needs a good, consistent lesson in eating when food is offered or else go without.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

I have a VERY picky eater as well. The vet calls him a selective eater and says it's rare. He will only eat one kind of kibble and one kind of wet food. He refuses the kibble or the wet food alone. I give him a mix of a cup of kibble and 1/3 can of wet food mixed. If it isnt eaten in a reasonable time, I take it away. This dog wont touch his food if we arent around . I took a 2 day trip to New York, and left the dog with my husband. He wouldnt eat the whole time I was gone and was at the point of vomiting bile. He refused everything. He is five years old now, and I have tried many different options for food. I have found that he will eat Fromms Large breed kibble, Innova Adult canned food, carrots, green beans, all beef hot dogs, Alpo variety snaps, cheese, but only cheddar, and chicken breast. That's it. He refuses everything else. I think you have to keep trying until you find what your dog likes then stick with it. I am just praying that the companies that make the food he likes keep making these foods.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Mind-Maze said:


> Also, thanks for the chicken suggestion, but that's not going to contain all of the nutrition that she requires.


It's going to contain a lot of what she needs.

The way to start raw is to have the dog on something simple for a couple of weeks, before adding organ meats and other things to make the nutrition complete.

There is probably a reason why she hates her current food so much. Could be making her feel sick.

If you gave her a raw chicken quarter, she might enthusiastically eat it. You may be surprised.


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