# Won't eat his food.



## Robert Emerson (Feb 9, 2017)

Hello all, new to this forum so please forgive me if this isn't the right place to ask. I have my Walt for just over 10 days now and he is 13 weeks old. He was eating fine up until last Thursday when he was given his final booster. Vet said he was in great condition. Since then he has been very picky and tends to only eat 1/4 of it and leaving the rest. His weight is fine for his age. I've tried various different approaches but to no avail. 

I was letting him out to go to the toilet and then feeding him. No change. I then started to take him for a walk after the toilet before coming back and feeding him. No change. ( walking is also an issue currently, sits on his bum and refuses to go forward after a bit and as soon as I turn to head back home, he is full of energy and walking great ) 

Is the next step to leave the food out for 15 minutes in the morning and evening and lifting it if he doesn't eat it? Assuming he will finally realise he has to eat after a day or two of that? 

My only other theory is I've maybe went overboard of the treats while training. After he didn't eat all his food this morning, I waited 20 minutes and give him a basic command and a treat. Ate it without any fuss at all. Do I need to restrict the treats until he learns he has to eat?

Thanks all. Loving everything about Walt so far and the training aspect of it all. He's a great pup and so loveable. I just want to make sure he's getting all the things he needs and it worries me that he isn't eating. Or should I take him to the vets straight away?


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## Robert Emerson (Feb 9, 2017)

I should add that we have kept him on the same food as the breeder. Arden Grange.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

Try using his kibble as his treats. If you leave his food in the bowl does he graze through out the day. Eventually eating all of it. It can make it trickier with potty training. But my oldest dog was like that. He would graze instead of eating it up. At two he eats when I give it to him.


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## Swithins (Jan 25, 2017)

Hi Robert, our Sasha who I now 6 months old, went through something similar. The breeder had her on wet food which we continued with but started to add some good quality kibble gradually to the bowl. All was working well with this but now she just eats the wet and leaves the kibble. I treat well during exercise with chicken pieces but she gets a lot of exercise in the woods opposite our house so burns it off. So maybe try some wet with the dry?


As to walking being an issue, when Sasha was first allowed out into the wide world after her final vaccination she was a nightmare, and at that time we were just walking round the block (15 mins max). At 6 months she is better but is still trying to dictate the pace, route etc. A friend of mine is in the police and his dog handler mates suggest that unlike most other dogs GSD's are always testing leadership, wanting to be the alpha leader. I don't think mine is a working dog so don't know if that's why she can be a pain sometimes or whether its her young age, but all I can say is look at all the training video's on youtube until you find one that works and when he's old enough enrol in some training. Most importantly, in my opinion, socialise Walt as much as possible with other dogs of all breeds and if possible children, it will pay huge dividends in the future.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

Don't panic. You pup will be fine if they skip a meal. Both of my dogs might skip a meal now and then. It used to worry my hubby when they were small and growing but our dogs have grown just fine. Keep on the 15 minute meals. Over time, he'll learn. 

We also add a bit of canned food as a topper. 

There is nothing wrong with breakfast coming out of your pocket, especially while they are learning the house rules. Carry a plastic bag of healthy food in your pocket. I try to find treats that don't have sweetener, but that can be tough. I really like Red Barn rolls even though it is sweet. Bits of boiled chicken or a bit of inexpensive cooked beef can be a nice treat. Sometimes I'll use little bits of cheddar cheese. Hot dogs are handy but they are salty and mostly fat so I would not use that all the time. A little ham is good if you watch the salt. 

My vet said not to worry about a missed meal or two. The time to be concerned is if they loose a lot of weight and that shouldn't be a problem if they skip breakfast or dinner.




> As to walking being an issue, when Sasha was first allowed out into the wide world after her final vaccination she was a nightmare, and at that time we were just walking round the block (15 mins max). At 6 months she is better but is still trying to dictate the pace, route etc. A friend of mine is in the police and his dog handler mates suggest that unlike most other dogs GSD's are always testing leadership, wanting to be the alpha leader. I don't think mine is a working dog so don't know if that's why she can be a pain sometimes or whether its her young age, but all I can say is look at all the training video's on youtube until you find one that works and when he's old enough enrol in some training. Most importantly, in my opinion, socialise Walt as much as possible with other dogs of all breeds and if possible children, it will pay huge dividends in the future.


The pup is not really trying to be the alpha or take over the family, but they are smart enough to try to get their way. When they reach dog adolescence you'll see them testing their limits quite a bit. A good trainer is very valuable.


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## Robert Emerson (Feb 9, 2017)

Thank you for your replies. They are very much appreciated. Today is the first day I've left the food out for him to see if he grazes on it as I was in a panic for work this morning due to an unforeseen problem. I will try your suggestions in regards to kibble if the problem persists. 

As for walking, I was considering driving 15 minutes down the road and getting out and walking back to the house as he seems more interested in getting back than leaving. Would that be a bad habit to start?

I completely agree with your comments regarding socialisation. Thankfully my friends have pets and last night I was able to bring him over to a friends who has 2 Labs who are aged 8 and 9 and it went very well. I have had Walt in the park once this week and he interacted very well with a 10month old GSD too. Pleasing.

Beautiful picture of Sasha. Here is Walt.


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## SamsontheGSD (Dec 23, 2016)

Jeep the food down for 15 minutes then take it. Resist the urge to add things to ut in orderbto coax him into eating. Training treats are fine in moderation. Unless their the suze of kibble i typically break them into smaller pieces so they go further and a 15 minute training session doesn't ruin their appetite. 

Of course you have to be sure there isn't a health reason for the change.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Many pups will slow down eating when they finish a growth spurt and then as they hit another pick up eating more again. As long as he is a healthy weight and your vet is good with how he is, don't worry about an occasional missed meal. Like others have said, try using his kibble for training instead of treats. Unless you mean to spend the rest of his life driving him somewhere and walking him home, I'd just walk the way you plan to do. His turning around may just be his way of telling you he is getting tired and ready to head back.


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## Robert Emerson (Feb 9, 2017)

Came home earlier to find he had finished his food at some stage during the day. I arrived home about 90minutes before his next feed and was unsure how that would go incase he had only just finished it but he done pretty well when I sat it down in front of him. Eat over half then took a break, I left it with him while I done something else and he finished it before I got back.

Going to stick with keeping it down for 15minutes then lifting it. He will learn he has to eat it instead of playing with it after a few days I reckon.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A perfectly healthy dog will not starve himself to death. 

Adding stuff to the food, hand feeding, and fiddling tends to create a picky eater.

Dogs like a reliable schedule. They learn that if they do not eat it, it goes away until evening, and they learn to eat it while it is there. This is helpful because most GSDs will not eat when they are sick, and oftentimes our first clue that the dog has something going on is leaving his food in his dish. Babsy didn't eat???? Quick get the thermometer! Check for dehydration! 

Some GSDs are a little pickier. The do not want to eat unless everything is right in their world. 

It is entirely possible that the last set of booster shots made your pup feel under the weather. Hopefully he will be back to his old self quicker. 

As for the exercise, driving down the road for 15 minutes at 20mph, would be 5 miles. No way would I put a baby puppy like this on a 5 mile forced march. The puppy is walking until he feels tired, then he is sitting on his bum, because he is tired and doesn't want to go any further. Turning to go home, he recognizes that you have understood that he is tired, and are going home. It's going to take a few more months before your baby is a hiking buddy or jogging buddy.


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