She never wants to eat - help!

[h~chan]

I've had Roxie, my pomeranian puppy, since early June, she's about eight months now, and lately she doesn't seem to want dog food. I'm starting to wonder if all she was fed while I was out of town for almost three weeks was "human food", because I pretty much have to sit down with her anymore, put the food on a spoon, and put it in her mouth for her to eat, otherwise she just turns her head the other way.

I keep telling my mom to stop feeding her "people food", but she does anyways, and I think that may have something to do with it? Does anyone have any ideas? Please help! I just want her to eat like the rest of our dogs.

 

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Someone may have finally broken down and hand fed just so she would eat. I used to work for a boarding resort and some dogs just wouldn't eat until we handfed them; maybe she just got used to it. Poms seem to be pretty easy to spoil anyway.

What sort of people food is she being fed? What dog food are you feeding her? Maybe try grinding up her dog food a little and adding some water to it so it's different?

Otherwise just put food down for 15 minutes, then pick it up until the next meal. Put it down for 15 minutes again. If she doesn't eat, she doesn't eat. No treats or anything in between. Sooner or later, she will eat. There are very few dogs who will willingly starve themselves. The rest are just holding out in hopes of something extra.

 

[bubbatd]

^^^^ agree ! No food unless she eats her own . She could go 3 days without starving . Plenty of water though . Don't feel sorry for her !! She's being a brat !

 

[h~chan]

She used to eat fine, but then she decided to be picky, and if I try letting her go without eating for a while, mom gets mad, sits down and hand feeds her.. which drives me insane. She needs to learn to eat on her own!

We feed her canned Pedigree, and sometimes Alpo. My mom pretty much feeds them everything she eats.. stuff like parts of pizza and sandwiches.. she even makes extra pancakes on the weekend, puts syrup on them, and sits down and feeds them to the dogs.. and it irritates me so much! I keep telling her to stop, and she does it anyways. I even told her that if she's going to keep doing it, not to give Roxie any, because she wouldn't eat her canned food, and she did it again right in front of me anyways. I'm sick of it.

 

[bubbatd]

She should learn that she's not helping them !!! That sure isn't being fair to you !! I figure that there are more dogs , but Roxy is yours . Sorry that she won't listen to you .

 

[showpug]

She used to eat fine, but then she decided to be picky, and if I try letting her go without eating for a while, mom gets mad, sits down and hand feeds her.. which drives me insane. She needs to learn to eat on her own!

We feed her canned Pedigree, and sometimes Alpo. My mom pretty much feeds them everything she eats.. stuff like parts of pizza and sandwiches.. she even makes extra pancakes on the weekend, puts syrup on them, and sits down and feeds them to the dogs.. and it irritates me so much! I keep telling her to stop, and she does it anyways. I even told her that if she's going to keep doing it, not to give Roxie any, because she wouldn't eat her canned food, and she did it again right in front of me anyways. I'm sick of it.

This may sound strange, but your Mom's table scraps are much better for her than Pedigree and Alpo at this point.

Maybe consider looking into a better quality dog food. There are many human grade canned dog foods that look and smell like human food. The Evanger's line is a good example. I would be shocked if a dog refused them...

 

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^^Agreed. But do try to get a good balance of nutrition anyway.