# 6 m old puppy -- Not an eater???



## Panzer213 (Aug 12, 2012)

Hey everyone. I had posted quite a bit ago how my 6 month old female did not like her eukanuba and would not eat it. Sometimes going ALL DAY without eating. Plus she was throwing up phlegm quite often. We switched her to Halo and the first three days she scarfed it down. (mixed with her old food of course so she wouldn't get the poops) and then she didn't want it anymore. So we went to just Halo and she ate it the first day, only once. Now it's day 2 of just Halo puppy food and it's 6:30 pm and she's eaten half a bowl all day. Could it be she doesnt like it? Or is she just not a big eater? She's not losing any weight at all and doesn't seem like she's starving throughout the day. We're trying to find a good (doesn't have to be the best in the world) dog food made in the USA!!! No china please!!! I don't want to feed her less quality foods like dads or anything. Not that there's anything wrong with dads, it is made only in the USA but its cheap and that usually means one thing! Our vet has always said "you get what you pay for." so if anyone has any suggestions or can help that would be GREAT! And no we can't make her food for her. I'm a full time stay at home mom to a very needy 1.5 year old and a full time college student and my fiancé works 60-80 hours a week. Plus I wouldn't know where to start or if we could afford it. 


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## barnyard (Jun 21, 2012)

Could she have a sore tummy? If she is throwing up, it's probably not phlegm, it's more likely bile. Is it yellow? If so, probably bile.
In case her tummy does upset her, I would consider using slippery elm. I use Perfect Form from Honest Kitchen. I put it in a bowl with water, and our pup drinks it like tea. But you can also syringe it in.
One of my dogs loves Fromm. The other has tummy upsets and is on Honest Kitchen dehydrated for now. There's lots of good foods out there, but I wouldn't keep switching. I would boil some chicken and rice for a day or two to see if it helps her tummy. Then try a kibble, introduced a bit slowly.


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## m1953 (May 7, 2012)

A lot of GSDs can be picky eaters. I finally solved this problem with Nala by adding a cup of water to her kibble, warming in the microwave just so it's warm to the touch, add a heaping table spoon of plain pumpkin to help loose stools and she starting eating with no problem. After a few weeks, I skipped the water and warming and she eats fine now.


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## barnyard (Jun 21, 2012)

It just hit me that you're dealing with a puppy. You might want to ask the kibble questions on the puppy part of the forum. I know some use Fromm Gold puppy (I use Fromm Gold Adult), but there's a variety of foods out there. 
Is she throwing up only in the am? It could also be a sign that your pup is hungry, but since she's not eating much it could be a sign of being picky or having a sore tummy. Sometimes a bit of honey on a spoon can get a dog eating, too.


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## Panzer213 (Aug 12, 2012)

Yes she throws up in the AM but hasn't done it for awhile. Vet said its prob empty stomach syndrome but even when she doesn't eat, she doesn't throw up. And yes it's yellow bile. She was throwing up when she was eating the eukanuba. Hasn't done it since we switched. We don't feed her table food at all except for what falls off my son when I take him out of the high chair. Guess I can try adding some water to her food and warming it. That might work. Boy, the things we do for our dogs! Haha. Didn't realize there was a puppy part on the forums. I'll have to check it out! 
Thanks guys! 


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

My 14 month old is a picky eater. I've posted your question numerous times, myself.

The ONLY way she eats, is with a topping of some sort. It doesn't matter what kibble it is.

Currently on Fromm Adult Gold, topped with a couple tablespoons of Wellness 95% chicken, beef, or lamb.
She licks her bowl. I happen to like the Fromm. (It passes the poop test)

Also, just an FYI.... The few times Kira vomited yellow bile in the morning, it's been on an empty stomach. They must feel queasy when they're hungry.


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## Panzer213 (Aug 12, 2012)

Well, she did NOT want to eat this morning. Instead she wanted to go outside and dig for bugs. I brought her back in and added some warm water to her food, stirred it around till it made a small amount of "gravy". She was so excited. She thought I was giving her something special I guess bcuz she never gets table food or anything on top of her food. Well I guess I tricked her cuz it worked. She ate it all. Licked the bowl clean!!! 
Thanks for the ideas!!! Hope this one will keep working!!! 


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## jewels04 (Jul 20, 2012)

My pup is the same way, won't touch dry food, so I started soaking it in warm water and he loved it, than stopped loving it and went back to snubbing his nose at it. Now I mix in some canned food and he is fairly good about eating again. Might want to try maybe some plain yogurt or a little cottage cheese mixed with the food if the water trick stops working.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

My pup is the same if you just plop kibble down in a bowl. She won't eat from a bowl unless there is some seriously delicious topping on it. But if I use kibble as a trainign treat in the house or put it in a kibble ball, she loves it. Maybe yours would enjoy working for food too?>


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Panzer213 said:


> Hey everyone. I had posted quite a bit ago how my 6 month old female did not like her eukanuba and would not eat it. Sometimes going ALL DAY without eating. ...........Or is she just not a big eater? She's not losing any weight at all and doesn't seem like she's starving throughout the day. We're trying to find a good (doesn't have to be the best in the world) dog food made in the USA...............
> 
> .


You read thru this yet? --->> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/diet-nutrition/164205-picky-eater-help.html

:wub:


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## Panzer213 (Aug 12, 2012)

@MaggieRoseLee no I haven't but I will in the morning. Already brought it up on my phone! Thanks!!! 


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## Woof_Terrorist (Aug 3, 2012)

Hello,
Even my pup is a picky eater. And honestly I feel your pain. Here are a couple of pointers:

1) People will say : a healthy dog will eat on its own accord. Let it "not" eat and when its starving it will eat.

I cant do that. I love my pup too much. I honestly tried it, and when he did not touch his kibbles for more than 12 hours I caved. He is my kid, my baby, my MR. NOSE... and I would do anything for MR. NOSE.

2) Changing your dog's kibbles. Good idea, but some of us are on a budget or perhaps some of us went through a lot of research to find the right kibble (and provided it does not cause allergy), and we want to continue on that kibble.

My best suggestion to you is : spike the food.

I buy whole chickens from the grocery store. The skin, meat, bones and parts which dont make prime cuts are excellent to be chopped up and added to kibbles to add taste to the food so the pup eats. You can also add things like chicken stock, dried fish, eggs, etc. I personally always make it a point to add "turmeric" and "flax seed oil" to the food. And I sleep easy knowing the raw chicken bones and cartilage are helping prevent Hip dysplasia.

I wish you all the best. 

PS: Please also add turmeric to food for humans. It is just... a wonder food.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

kibble and cold water sounds blah. kibble and warm water
sounds much better and probably taste better.



Panzer213 said:


> Well, she did NOT want to eat this morning. Instead she wanted to go outside and dig for bugs. I brought her back in and added some warm water to her food, stirred it around till it made a small amount of "gravy". She was so excited. She thought I was giving her something special I guess bcuz she never gets table food or anything on top of her food. Well I guess I tricked her cuz it worked. She ate it all. Licked the bowl clean!!!
> Thanks for the ideas!!! Hope this one will keep working!!!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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