Dog Training & Health

[seamannj]

I have a 23 week old Female Mini Dachshund that I have had since 11 wks old. She has never been a great eater. I took home a sample package of what the breeder was feeding her (Euchanuba) and she stopped eating it. I then tried many different brands and different ways of preparing it. First, I tried Merrick Puppy Plate (both kibble & canned). She wouldn't touch the kibble, but seemed to like the canned. Then she decided she didn't like that anymore either, just stuck her nose up at it. So then I tried The Dog Whisperer brand and Wellness brands - she didn't eat 1 kibble from either brands. I tried it dry, wet with water, with canned. Nothing! I was really getting worried about her because it seemed like she was going days leading into weeks of not eating. I was giving her snacks which she would eat (sometimes - so she was getting something in her stomach). In the begining I did the pick it up after 10/15 minute thing, but then she wasn't eating, so I'd leave it down all day; that didn't make a difference she still would eat it. After my first puppy class - I brought up my dillema to the teacher - she said go back to the pick up after 10/15 minutes, to not give her any snacks and that she would eat. After a weekend of eating just about nothing - Monday morning I put the benefal prepared meals down and she ate it. Has been eating it ever since, but, Benefal - I know - yuk. She doesn't devour it, but she eats it. I know I should of never put it down in front of her, but I was just so worried about her that I was trying everything just to get her to eat. She seems to shy away from anything chicken flavored, but likes the lamb & rice best. So I thought I would try Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice Small Bites. I had a friend give me a baggie of it before I went out and purchased it. She ate a whole bowl of it, I thought "YES" something she likes. Tried it at her next feeding - nothing! She's killing me. So I tried mixing it with the Benefal - eats around the kibble. She seems to be constipated (only goes once a day if that). She only eats twice a day and never finishes a bowl, but still seems to be hungry. Help. I love her and want her to be healthy and eat healthy. Any suggestions on how to get her to eat the kibble?

[Laika]

Have you been to the vet to assure that it is strictly a behavioral issue?

If it is a behavioral problem, rather than a helath problem...

Some dogs get bored, or figure if they don't eat they might get something better. I know for a fact that if I offered Laika treats because she would not eat her food - she would never, ever eat it again. She is not real keen on kibble unless I mix meat in. But she has learned that in this house, if you don't eat it...another dog will come and eat it themselves.

Some dogs also like or dislike certain foods. When I got a jack russell mix, she was eating Purina...and she hated it. She rarely ate more than two bites (she was free fed). I switched her to Califorina Natural and she is an absolute pig. She goes crazy for it! I always buy California Natural, but I rotate flavors to keep in interesting for them - or will mix the Chicken formula with the Lamb formula etc.

Almost all brands will send you a coupon for a sample bag, or will send you a sample bag. So go ahead and try some different things - and try to find something she likes. If beneful is the only thing she likes, feed it to her. Just try to find some things to supplement the nutrition she might be missing. Sometimes they know what is best for them.

Also look into Flint River Ranch. I fed it to my dogs for a long time, they really liked it. (It is also virtually smell free) I switched them because I could never remember to order it, since I am at the Pet store alll the time it was easier for me to just pick up something they carried.

[uptowndogs]

You could also consider making your own dog food if you have the time and the desire. Just google homemade dog food and you'll see lots of results.

As for potty once per day. She isn't constipated if she is able to go easily and her poo is not really hard. With constipation she would struggle to go and likely very little would come out and it would be hard. She probably is only going once per day because of her limited food intake.

[seamannj]

We have been to the vet and she is healthy and did gain weight at her last appt. I am a first time pet owner and am a nervous nellie. I worry about everything. I am single and I work 9 hour days. I go home every other day at lunch to play with her and let her out. We are taking Star Puppy classes and she is doing well. She is very much "my dog", she follows me where ever I go and will not eat unless I am in the room. She also will not go to other people. My mom watches her 1 day a week for me because I have commitments after work and she still won't go to my mother. Is that a socialization thing or is that only with other dogs? Well I could write all day, but thank you for your help with the food issues. I will keep trying.

[uptowndogs]

We have been to the vet and she is healthy and did gain weight at her last appt. I am a first time pet owner and am a nervous nellie. I worry about everything. I am single and I work 9 hour days. I go home every other day at lunch to play with her and let her out. We are taking Star Puppy classes and she is doing well. She is very much "my dog", she follows me where ever I go and will not eat unless I am in the room. She also will not go to other people. My mom watches her 1 day a week for me because I have commitments after work and she still won't go to my mother. Is that a socialization thing or is that only with other dogs? Well I could write all day, but thank you for your help with the food issues. I will keep trying.

Many smaller breeds tend to bond more with one person as long as she isn't nippy or aggressive it's not a big deal. You can work on socilaizing her more and this can help her overcome this issue. For my small bred I found it usful to hand her to someone as well as having others try to "win her over" in typical fashion of treats and pets. Exposing her as often as possible is really the biggest part of getting her comfortable with other people.

[meezermom]

Hello Seamannj and welcome to SeeFido....

Honestly I think you are training a finicky dog! Too often it is very difficult for owners of very small breeds to understand how very little these dogs eat and what is the proper amount of weight for them! Mini dachshunds are really not big and should be quite lean to be healthy. Those long backs cannot be overstressed even at a young age.... Decide on a good healthy food and I would suggest Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul in the lamb as she does not like the chicken....and that is it! Put out what she should have in her dish and at this stage, she may still prefer it to be moistened. Leave it down for twenty minutes. If she eats, fine. If not. Take it up with no comment. Store in the fridge and give it to her again at lunch. The smaller breeds should be fed three times a day till they are at least six months old. Be sure to stir it for her.......and offer it again. Until she is eating well, she gets nothing else! No treats or any type at all! The only chew type item she can have would be the sterilized bone. No greenies at all as they are dangerous and no rawhide. She is teaching you and herself to be a finicky eater...You really don't want to deal with it all her life!

[johnswhite]

hi there....

I feed my 6 month old pit bull puppy Wellness puppy kibbles mixed with 2 spoons of Wellness canned chicken each time. He use to eat it just fine, but for the past few days he has refused to eat the kibbles. He just licks the chicken off the kibbles and leaves. I get worried so I give him more of the chicken to eat to make sure he's not hungry and give him treats throughout the day as well. He gobbles up all the chicken everytime. Is there something wrong with my dog that makes him not want kibbles? What should I do to get him back to eating the kibbles mixed with chicken again

[meezermom]

John, you are teaching him to be a spoiled picky eater! Cut out the treats completely! treats are only for training and doing what he is told and then only very very small bits. At his age, he does not need puppy food either! Switch him to adult food. If you choose to add some canned food, you can add a bit of hot water too to make a gravy and mix it up well...Then offer it to him. Give him 15 minutes to eat. If he does, fine. If not say nothing at all. Just take it up and refrigerate and feed it at the next meal. He needs to learn to eat what is put in front of him. By now, he should only be eating two meals a day and be sure he is not being over fed.....He may be and that is why he is not eating.

[Jasmer]

Consider cutting out the wet food entirely, in my opinion. Wet food seems to quickly become a favorite for many dogs and it's not uncommon for them to simply eat the wet food and leave the less tasty kibble behind. Feed him twice a day, leave the bowl down for a few minutes then remove it until his next feeding. He'll connect the dots quickly and learn, probably within a day or two, that if he doesn't eat what he's given when it's given then he doesn't eat. Remember, he's a dog, not a child, a little tough love is the best thing he'll respond to on this one.

[meezermom]

Leave food down twenty minutes and then remove....and yes, many dogs will hold out for goodies but if you stick to your guns, they will learn to eat it or go hungry! Tough love is the best way...There is a huge epidemic of obese dogs in this country.....Be strong for what is best for him!

[Jasmer]

Some pits are prone to hip dysplasia, so overfeeding is a very real concern for this breed, especially if he's one of the bulkier ones. Eliminate treats from his diet entirely unless they are being used for obedience training and even then tiny fingernail-sized pieces will suffice. You need to be absolutely sure that you are feeding him the proper amounts at feeding time, and no more. Overfed and overweight dogs are very common and many people don't realize the serious health hazard this poses to a domestic dog. Hip dysplasia and joint problems are painful and if left unchecked can quickly become debilitating and crippling. Be sure he's not getting too many unnecessary "supplemental" treats between meals.