# Teddy won't eat dog food!!!



## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Somebody must have trained him that if he refuses his dog food, he'll get human food. Whoever did that is gonna have one heck of a time getting him back to kibble. Best of luck!


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

You're going to have to retrain him to eat dog food. No more people food, the bowl of kibble is down for 10 minutes and then it's up until the next meal time. 

I'm a doting dog momma, so I make a chicken stew as a topper for my dogs' food, or use canned, or kefir, or sardines, etc. I usually feed 75% kibble, 25% topper. 
WELL,  Jack came along and he's changing all that. Today he refused his kibble again. 

I have found that I cannot put any toppers on his dry food AT ALL. Not even a dollop on the side of anything, because that's all he'll eat. So, Jack now gets dry food, period. Not even a splash of water because he won't eat it then!

Vet told me I need to get more weight on him. I tried feeding him 100% canned diet but then he gets picky with that, too. 

It's very frustrating. Just this morning he sniffed his bowl, walked away to sniff the other bowls, and then back to his bowl, sniffed it, tucked his tail and walked away. 

Fine. Don't eat! 

I'm really grumpy today, because my chihuahua pooped on the floor and my bichon peed on the porch. They have completely lost their minds today! 

So, I commiserate!


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

I find that Racer may go a day without eating his kibble but would be willing to eat anything else I will hand him. I still offer his meals & if he doesn't eat in 30 mins I take them away. I don't worry about him not eating for a day or two as long as he doesn't have other symptoms. Maybe it's tough love on my part but I figure he will eat when he's hungry enough. I'm not starving him by any means. I guess it's what my mom said to me growing up, "eat what I fix or you don't eat." Lol


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

The only way to do it - it's that or nothing! Don't know of any dog that will starve itself if there is actually food available.

And absolutely *NEVER *look into his eyes... those soulful, starving, pleading eyes! DON'T DO IT!!!

Either tough love or start cooking for your dog 

Mine get half wet followed by half dry. They'd eat our stuff too if I let them, and Pippin still sometimes doesn't eat her breakfast but of course she's got competition for food now.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Spoiled dog, he has trained you well to believe you have to feed him what you are eating. Go cold turkey on anything other than what you want him to eat. If he is your only dog and the food is dry I don't know that you have to do an eat it in X minutes routine. You could consider free feeding, but absolutely no human food treats. I don't believe that a healthy dog will starve itself, but it has to understand there is no choice about what to eat. You could also consider using a portion of kibble as training treats to make him think that the kibble is something special.

I remember some animal planet show years back where a woman brought and afghan hound to the vet claiming that her dog wouldn't drink enough, turned out she had trained it to expect milk to be added to its water.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

*spoilt Teddy!!!!!*

:ahhhhh: Oh my goodness, this is what my husband has been telling me from day one! I have treated teddy like my little baby and let him get away with murder. I do look at his begging eyes and the way he wraps me around his little paws! I shall try to change starting straight away, no mashed potato from now on, LOL. I promise to to try not to get upset when he walks away from his own food and begs for some of mine. It will take a strong person and I am not that really!!!!!

So here goes, why didn't I listen to my hubbie when you have all said the same thing? why this time did it make sense to me?????

I promise I shall not look into his eyes and will harden myself when he begs for our food. Please wish me good luck and I will keep you informed as to whether or not Teddy will eat or starve himself to death!

Thank you all so much, what a silly person I have been! :angry:

love Louloo xxx


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

When I got Tonka, he was already trained. Nothing but the best for this guy in his food bowl. He wouldn't touch kibble! But he never begged. 

It took me a couple of years and an operation to eventually settle on a regular 'mix' that was acceptable to him. And even now, if I pour bacon grease on one meal... he expects it the next nite too. Won't eat if it's not there. 

Oh, and 'pologies for being blunt. I'm also a big tease too. 

I was thinkin' since then *tho it will take some input from the RAW feeders 'coz I don't know much about it* if it might be a good time to start him on a diet like that now. A complete about turn in food bowl food just might help to divert him away from table food and still keep him eating.


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

It's because of Jack that I'm considering just feeding dry food to all the dogs. I do feel guilty about it but... Dogs do survive just fine with kibble. I make it so complicated sometimes to feed the dogs it's ridiculous.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I feed mine a combination of raw and home cooked - a bit more effort than tipping kibble into a bowl, but cheaper and my dogs love every mouthful!


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## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

I have always heard that a dog will never starve itself if there is food available.

The only times I ever got concerned about meals was when my first dog didn't finish his bowl. Usually he would eat every morsel within a minute or two, but if he didn't finish at all, or ate a bite or two then stepped away, I started looking for reasons.

A couple of times I found that there was some problem with the food, usually a funky smell to a newly opened bag or can. When that happened I usually returned the batch to be on the safe side.

Another time it happened when he was being watch by a beloved neighbor while I was out of state for a convention. She called me in a panic because he wouldn't eat! I was super concerned too, until I later found out that she had been feeding him deli/lunch meat as treats! He was right back to cleaning his bowl when that stopped.


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## Rachel76 (Feb 3, 2014)

When I worked as a vet tech we sometimes reccomended to people in your situation to put a bowl of kibble on the table and feed the dog from the table but only from the bowl with kibble. Sometimes that works to trick the dog to getting used to kibble if you feel too guilty about going cold turkey. The problem is of course it doesn't work with every dog. Good luck.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

*teddy!*

I would like to thank everyone for their help and advice and bring you all up to date on feeding time for teddy tonight!

First thing this morning I put a small dish of dried chicken and rice down for him and he totally ignored it as usual.

When shopping today I picked up a new brand of dried food, Purina chicken and rice for small, active dogs. I put some down for teddy when I got home - long story short, he loved it and actually ate a fair bit of it. So I then picked up the dish and didnt feed him again until our meal time at 5 0 clock. 

We sat to eat our own meal at this time and teddy stayed out of the way, as he usually does, until we had finished eating. He then cried and begged for his share, exactly what we had just eaten usually! Not this time though - instead I put down the rest of the Purina chicken and rice he had left from earlier....guess what?.. ....he ate the lot!!! 

This was a first I have to say! I was so pleased with teddy, we had cuddles and I gave him a small piece of meat saved from our meal as a treat. Perhaps I shouldnt have given it to him, old habbits die hard!!!

Perhaps tomorrow he will revert to normal and not eat anything, this isnt going to be easy as I really have spoilt him. Hopefully I will learn not to he such a pushover and stand up to teddy, perhaps then we can get back on track.  I am going to make a huge effort anyway lol.

Again, I have read all your replies and take on board all thats been said. Thank you one and all.

Love Louloo xxx


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

Jack loves Purina Beyond Chicken/rice as well. I have been trying him on Fromm latelythough to try to get him to gain some weight. Maybe I'll go get a bag of it for him again, his beloved Purina! 

Silly dogs. Glad you are having better luck with feeding. Be persistent, because he may eventually decide he's had enough of Purina.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

Jack looks beautiful, I love his colouring. I hope he enjoys his next lot of Purina lol.

I know for a fact teddy will soon get fed up with this new food, hopefully though I have learned my lesson, stop feeding him as I was before, and make sure I persevere with his own food and just give him a treat from our dinner table now and then. Lol

Xxx


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

I still give ours a treat but only _after _they've eaten their own dinner, not instead of! We generally eat after the dogs, so that's easy.

Teddy won't starve and you'll be back in charge :biggrin:


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I wouldn't give him ANY treats from your plate. If you must give him a bite of your food, put a bite aside and when you are finished with your meal, put the bite in the food bowl.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Well said N2M... I should have qualified my post by saying just that!!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

That is very much the rule here, too - a tiny bit of healthy leftovers in the animals' bowls in the kitchen when all the humans have finished eating and I am clearing the dishes!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

That's the rule here too...........Molly only gets the 'last bite' of my dinner too!! Molly is free fed a measured amount every day and will often have kibble in her dish from the previous day, but she eventually will get around to eating it . I have never worried about her starving........only getting too fat when I went overboard with 'the good stuff!' LOL!!!


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

Well day 2 has gone really well. Teddy ate a small amount of the Purina for breakfast again, much to my surprise. I didn't give him anything else until after our own evening meal. This time I opened a small can of beef in gravy, he hates this usually!! I put it on one of our small plates, trying to trick him into thinking he was eating my food - it worked and he cleared his plate, lol. Then after praising him and cuddles I offered him a treat from my plate! He refused it as he was full up. Teddy is not a greedy dog, he eats to live not lives to eat, if that makes sence?

Maybe it isn't going to be so hard to retrain him. Seems to me it is ME that needed the retraining - it is thanks to all of you in this forum that I have seen the error of my ways!!!!

Thank you all again, I am so happy. Poor teddy was presented with so much food choice he just didn't seem to want to eat at all. He is happy and content today and sends lots of love to you all.

Thank you all again.
Love Louloo and Teddy, woof-woof xxxxxx :amen:


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

You've done well. I'm amazed! 

Maybe I'll ship Mr. Picky over 'ome and you can whip him into shape too.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

Lol, perhaps its just a fluke, its all a bit fast, isn't it? But fingers crossed I am on the right track at last. x


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

louloo tough it out. I am glad you are off to a good start on this, but if you have a set back, don't panic just maintain your firm resolve.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks, I will not panic! says me, LOL. Actually teddy is being so good. As long as he waits until we have finished eating, which he always has, I never, ever, fed him at the table anyway, then I can carry on and give him his meal on one of our plates - this way he thinks he is still eating our food but is actually eating dog food!

It's still working at the moment so I am happy, thanks for all your help and advice, I couldn't have done it without you all. 

love louloo xxx


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## Kings mommy (Oct 5, 2014)

When I got King he had bad diarrhea. Vet told me to cook chicken pumpkin , rice, potato and just feed him that until it got better. Well, as long as that's all he eats he is ok. When ever I try putting a little kibble in it he gets diarrhea again. And its been 3 weeks! So now Im thinking maybe a allergy cause he likes the kibble and will eat it, just it makes his stomach sick


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Kings mommy said:


> When I got King he had bad diarrhea. Vet told me to cook chicken pumpkin , rice, potato and just feed him that until it got better. Well, as long as that's all he eats he is ok. When ever I try putting a little kibble in it he gets diarrhea again. And its been 3 weeks! So now Im thinking maybe a allergy cause he likes the kibble and will eat it, just it makes his stomach sick


Kind'a easy to diagnose when you spell it out like that. Probably it's the kibble. 

I'll bet that if you start a new thread on King's diet the girls will have alllll kinds of advice for you.


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## rosanna (Oct 9, 2014)

louloo said:


> :ahhhhh: Oh my goodness, this is what my husband has been telling me from day one! I have treated teddy like my little baby and let him get away with murder. I do look at his begging eyes and the way he wraps me around his little paws! I shall try to change starting straight away, no mashed potato from now on, LOL. I promise to to try not to get upset when he walks away from his own food and begs for some of mine. It will take a strong person and I am not that really!!!!!
> 
> So here goes, why didn't I listen to my hubbie when you have all said the same thing? why this time did it make sense to me?????
> 
> ...


 not silly AT all. You are as confused as the rest of us ? 

but after 40 years of mucking about with dog food ??( dogs not family?) and taking pity " Aw what a shame , let's give them "real" food ? FORGET IT! they start being choosy about that?, I've soaked, I've tried £50 a bag v £10 a bag! I think stick to good quality complete "kibble" with nice dog biscuits, and chews interspersed for good behaviour, plenty fresh water, and your " a the bash" ???


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

What a shame King is reacting badly to the kibble, stay on what suits him and keep him happy, thats whats its all about, isn't it? -

- So far so good with teddy, he is still eating small amounts of the Purina with chicken and rice, he loves it - it is so funny listening to him crunch his way through it, LOL. He is a fussy eater though, he will only eat when he is really hungry, so it is me that has had to learn the lesson and stop overloading his little tummy with everything I can get my hands on!!

We are much happier now and I have accepted that teddy will only eat when he wants to. He is a good weight, his coat is beautifully shiny and he is really active and lively, not much wrong with him. He likes a bit of our food, he gets some after we have eaten, on one of our plates, he won't eat from his own dishes! LOL, fussy little devil.

As Rosanna says, I am as confused as the rest of you, made me laugh so thanks for those words, LOL.

Love this forum, it has saved me from totally pulling out all my hair!!

love louloo xxx


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## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

Glad to hear your training is going well!! LOL


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

Hmmm, back to normal today, he won't eat a thing! x


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## Poodle Lover (Mar 24, 2008)

Sounds like Teddy is one picky little guy and is picking up on the fact that you are really stressed out about his eating. I think you have to decide what you want to feed him and then go from there. My three eat a combination of home cooked, raw and occasional kibble with canned (last resort, when I run out). I don't mind cooking for my guy, as I believe that you are what you eat, for both dogs and humans. But, this is totally a personal choice. My havanese was a really, really picky eat. I mean he would turn away from home cooked chicken with sweet potatoes, carrots and green beans. So I had to be firm. I would put down the food in front of him and leave it for about 10-15 minutes. And I agree with previous posters, no looking in their eyes!!! Just turn away and do something else. After the 15 minutes I would pick up the food and put it away in the fridge. After that no food, treats or anything until next feeding. The longest he ever lasted was a day or a day and a half. I always stick to the 15 minute rule, I promise it will work. No healthy dog has ever died when he has food available to him. I have been lucky with my spoos. They are great eaters, as the only time they don't eat is when they are not feeling well (knock on wood).

Good luck and you just have to remember who is in charge.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

louloo said:


> Hmmm, back to normal today, he won't eat a thing! x


Tough it out louloo!


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## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

I see he is only a year old and a master human trainer!!

I used to fret over Luce eating. I was so silly I would hand feed her so she would eat!!

In a pathetic case of reasoning on my part, she was still a puppy  She will be 2 in January. I also fell into it after she had her FHO surgery in May. The vet said to give her some canned food to encourage her to eat - in encouraged her too much! She only wanted canned and would eat around the kibble! Got her back on track, went away for family emergency for 4 weeks, she had another surgery a few weeks later - I smartened up lol. I gave her canned for a few days , maybe a week and cut it off cold turkey.

Since then, I put food (kibble) out for her before I go to work, she may nibble on the kibble during the day. It's a measured cup. Most of the time she waits till I get home to eat (I leave at 12:30 and get home anytime from 10:30-midnight). Sometimes I'll give her some veggies at night also. 

She gets a few treats during the day from a friend who'll come and take her for a walk but that's all, unless I am training her.

Teddy will eat when he is hungry.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I still think you need to stop feeding him off your plate all together. If he doesn't want to take people food out of his bowl and only off your plate then he doesn't get ANY people food. Its time for some tough love. He is not going to get the nutrients he needs from your plate.


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## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

N2M - I agree 100%!! Luce gets all food in her bowls, I have a separate little bowl for her veggies.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

*teddy!*

Once again I thank you all for the very sensible advice. Trouble is teddy is back to square one - after eating well for two days he no longer has any interest in his food again. It is so frustrating, I hear what you all say but is so hard seeing him wanting food but not what I put down for him.

I will do as you say,. I put the dish down for 15 minutes at a time, then take it away, I do that all day, he isn't bothered until our meal is being dished up, then he follows me around waiting, very patiently I have to say, for his share on a separate plate when we have finished eating!

I agree that our food does not have the nutrients that he needs as a very active year old dog, this is why I am stressing.

As he still hasn't eaten anything at all yet today, including no treats or biscuits, I will put his kibble down again at 5 o'clock, after we have eaten, and see if he will eat that. I am cooking a roast so god help me when he smells the beef cooking!

I know I am being silly, but I love this little chap to pieces, I hate seeing him not eat as he should. By the way, he hates all veggies and will not touch them, he doesn't like gravy either, he is certainly not making my life easy at the moment.

Sorry for coming back to you. I have all the info I should need to feed him and keep him fit and active, if only teddy would oblige!

love Louloo x


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

Is he getting a chance to really work up an appetite? Does he go on walks regularly or get to sprint in an open area? That helps Jack eat better. But he does skip meals here and there. I just don't worry about it.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

What about putting his food on a clean plate that you give him while you are eating, rather than making him watch you eat? And yes a good late afternoon walk to provoke a good appetite, good idea shamrockmommy.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

louloo said:


> As he still hasn't eaten anything at all yet today, including no treats or biscuits, I will put his kibble down again at 5 o'clock, after we have eaten, and see if he will eat that. I am cooking a roast so god help me when he smells the beef cooking!


Not to worry, loulou... Mr. Picky will go a couple of days without eating... every couple of weeks. He sneers at his food, I sneer at him. It's a battle. Has been for five years. 

A little something I've discovered about him tho is that the idea of an appetizer works really well. By the time he's finished his Chicken back, he's more 'primed' to eat his kibble mix.

But he won't starve, and despite my threats, I'm not really gonna 'take the broom to him!'. lol 

And so it goes...


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## Cornishbecky (Nov 21, 2009)

Excellent advise here but I dont see why you need to be making this complicated?

ZERO HUMAN food at all, never, not even after you have eaten or he has played at eating his food, never, he wont learn with mixed signals of you might gets this here and there.

Pick a good quality dry food that you want him to eat (i think you found it, when you said to your amazement he ate most of it), down for 10 or so minutes at only set meal times (not any other time because you feel he maybe hungry)
wait X days until he realizes he wont win and eats what he is given.

I would NOT feed any tasty canned food yet until he has learnt to eat the dry food he is given.

Put it in his dog bowl, no need to bribe him with a human plate. 

And make sure he is getting plenty of walks to build up an appetite.
I have multiple dog so they have learnt FAST to eat before the other dogs eat it. 

Good luck


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

We have a huge park two minutes from home, we go twice a day and teddy runs and runs, off his lead, and really enjoys chasing squirrles lol. We also have a huge garden and he loves it out there, no matter what the weather, he loves chasing the leaves, so yes, he gets plenty of exercise! Xx


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

We have tried feeding teddy the same time we eat, doesnt work, he waits till we finish then cries for his share. Today I have followed advice and only fed kibble after we finished eating, to my surprise he tucked in quite happily lol. When he had eaten his fill I did give him a small piece if beef, sorry, but he had been smelling it cooking and I couldnt resist!

So now I will do as I'm told and only feed kibble, he seems to prefer this to anything that I have bought so far. I will also remove his dish if he shows no interest and put it back in 15 minutes or so and see what happens.

Thank you all once again, I promise to persevere this time, not look into his eyes or let him persuade me otherwise, lol.

Love lynn xxx


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Tough love Lynn. You can do it. I see the root of your problems in your avatar pic. No picking him up at the dining table anymore either! Kibble in a bowl that is his will be the best. My vet is a poodle person and he always says poodles don't get fat and avoid tons of related health problems if they aren't given people food treats.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

louloo, i happen to disagree re only made for dogs treats. first let's ask ourselves, what is human food? it's all the stuff in dog food except better quality and not mixed with "fillers" meant to make dog poop easier for humans to handle and dispose of.

second, what did dogs eat during their thousands of years of association with humans before "dog food" was invented? 

i am not urging the feeding of "human food" across the board. there are people who never feed their dogs anything other than food designed for dogs, and that is their right. and there is a lot of what humans eat that can be bad for dogs - there's a list out there for anyone interested. but i am saying that the idea that it's wrong to give your dog a piece of steak or a chicken neck (raw) as a treat just doesn't make sense to me. if my dog is my companion, why would i not share with him something he enjoys? now i wouldn't necessarily do it to excess, but i would still do it. the fault is not in the dog, it's in the inability of the human to control the impulse to totally indulge the dog. well, control can be learned and both the human and the dog can come out ahead. -- that's a personal opinion, not a judgment of anyone else.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

patk I think she needs tough love until she gets Teddy on a good routine of eating a balanced dog food diet and then later as an occasional special treat something human given in his bowl can be worked back into the scene.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

not against tough love; but if one can get to the same outcome via moderation, that's the route i favor.


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

Several years ago, I took in my MIL's cockapoo when she had to go into assisted living and couldn't have a dog. Rosie had been fed only freshly boiled chicken and milk bones daily, and as much as she wanted - definitely not a balanced diet. :argh: Needless to say, she was grossly overweight, and she refused to eat kibble when I got first her. I fed her a high quality kibble (Wellness Core Low Fat, since she needed to lose half her body weight) and set it out twice a day. It took her THREE full days of not eating anything before she broke down and started eating. After that, she thought the kibble was MIGHTY tasty! Once she started eating (not to entice her to eat, mind you), I supplemented the kibble with no-salt green beans and baby carrots for added fiber to help fill her up, since she was on a very restricted calorie diet. 

Your dog is playing you. Some tough love is in order, IMO. A healthy dog won't starve him/herself. Pick a high quality kibble, and offer it twice daily. After 15 minutes, take up the bowl, finished or not. Try slightly wetting the kibble to increase the aroma. Don't add toppers, unless you plan on doing it forever. 

Also, I found that with my picky poodle, feed less than the dog really needs to eat at first. Sometimes, a dog will feel overwhelmed with a large bowl of food. Increase the amount slightly at the next feeding if the dog finishes the previous feeding, until you reach an amount that the dog finishes, but doesn't leave any.


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## louloo (Sep 2, 2014)

*Kibble!*

All your advice has been very good for me. Yes teddy is playing me and I get so upset when he doesn't eat. Last night at 9pm, when we usually have a biscuit, we gave him a small amount of kibble, he ate the lot and didn't cry or beg for my biscuit, so I know that he likes his food now. I have to persevere with him and won't give him any of my food, except a small chew stick when I leave him for a couple of hours in the day, he looks forward to that - my hubbie says it is food and I shouldn't be giving him anything!!

So rest assured, we are slowly getting into a routine at long last, I won't spoil him or feel sorry for him again! :afraid: It is best this way adn he does enjoy the kibble when he starts to eat.

Another good thing about kibble only is he is no longer constipated and rubbing his bottom along the floor, so that is brilliant news and yet another reason to keep on the straight and narrow. LOL

Thank you everyone that has replied and given me advice, it's very much appreciated.

love Lynn xxx :adore:


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