# Fussy Pup is Not Eating



## LittleLisa (Jun 15, 2012)

Hi Everyone, badly in need of some help today about our fussy pup Mable who is 14 weeks. I think unfortunately this is a situation we may have created and we should have been more consistent in the first place ! I bought 3 KGs of Natural Instinct puppy food on Friday and despite some initial enthusisam for this on Friday evening she will now not go near it and is refusing to eat anything vaguely dog food like. I don't think she's ill as she's been on a long walk and is happy to except treats. 

She started off on Royal Canine from the breader and we have tried various puppy pouches of wet food which she seems to like for a few days and then turns her nose up. 

This weekend it almost feels like she is holding out waiting for something else to be offered. 

I've read such good things about Natural Instincts on here - I'm wondering whether it's the constitency that she can't handle as it's a large mass instead of small pieces. I know that she'll eat when she's hungry but I really do want her to give the NI a try and then keep her on this instead of messing around trying to find something she likes.


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## LittleLisa (Jun 15, 2012)

Mable is definately not ill. She's just eaten scrambled eggs (as many suggested here) - she almost ate the plate and is running around with a mad wagging tail. 

I just need to find a dog food she will eat - help 

I've got 2 fussy children, there's a pattern forming here


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## KCsunshine (Apr 16, 2012)

If you really want her to eat the Natural instincts I'd be tempted to just keep trying. I'm not sure how strict one can be, I'm sure there will be people here with more experience. When it's a child being fussy they say the child will never starve itself, it will eat when it's hungry. Does that apply to dogs? You may be right, she now thinks, I'll wait and see what else is offered. I think if it were me I'd choose one food and stick with it for a few days at least.


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## benson (Apr 18, 2012)

Benson is on fish4dogs and has been since we brought him home except for when he had an upset tummy and had 3 days on rice and boiled chicken, he really didnt want to eat his own dried food again so I cut very small peices of chicken in with it and occasionally mix with a scrambled egg, he always eats more if mixed with something else but will eat eventually if nothing else is offerered so I would persist until she is really hungry if she still refuses it when you know she is really hungry you may have to try alternatives.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Try adding some gravy from your own meals. My dogs would eat chicken food if it was covered in mums gravy!


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

She knows what's what 
I would cut out the treats and do not offer something nicer if she turns her nose up. I would put food down for 20 mins and take it back up again if she doesn't eat it and offer nothing until next meal time. She will soon get the idea but it's important not to give in even if it seems too long, by eventually giving in you will reinforce her tendency to hunger strike for human food.
I know others have other ways, this is just how I dealt with my dog when he was fussy puppy. Best of luck!


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Snap, I have a 'fussy' eater.

I have had to learn that Millie is just as hungry as I think she should be. She is also on NI food. A couple of tips to help encourage good eating.

Don't give too much food, it can sometimes daunt them. Add a little hot kettle water to the food to get the odours working, NI can be a bit low odour. Some say lift the food if its not eaten within about 20 mins, but I find that if I leave it down she will get to it in her own time. Having said that, if she doesn't eat her morning food after about an hour I will cover it up and put it back in the fridge. She will often eat it again, at the evening meal time. I also leave a bowl of kibble food down, its partly for my own peace of mind. If Millie does get really hungry she'll eat her kibble, or eat a little after her NI, but honestly given a choice, she eats her NI every time. One final thing, Millie likes her NI food fresh, so I can't keep it for longer than 3 days in the fridge and therefore defrost it a little at a time.


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## LittleLisa (Jun 15, 2012)

Thank you for all the helpful tips ! We are still trying with the NI food - she's eaten some but I've had to mix it up with a bit of grated cheese or something else to tempt her. We've cut back on treats and are trying hard to be consistent and not give in ! Would like to make some progress with the NI but it's hard when she's eating such tiny and disguised amounts.  I will give the hot water and the gravy a whirl today. 
Mable has gone from 2.2Kgs at 8 weeks to 5.4 kgs yesterday at just over 14 weeks so there must be something going into that tummy ! 

Thanks again, it was all getting a bit stressful.
Lisa


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## Kody&Beau (Aug 18, 2012)

She definitely sounds like shes gaining a good weight Lisa so wouldn't worry too much just keep going with what your doing, I have to add tasty bits to my twos food if it works and gets her to eat a bit more then that's great, Kody is on kibble (Royal Canin) and I purchased a treat ball that I fill with the kibble he quite likes playing with that and eating at the same time I also got a kong type toy that I fill with kibble too, if hes outside and its nice i just put the food straight on the grass you wouldnt believe how much they eat this way its just a big novelty for them eating straight off the grass...lol. If you are going to use gravy avoid the human kind it's very high in salt so not good for dogs, pets at home do a dog gravy. X


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## TraceyT33 (Jun 25, 2012)

Millie is 12 weeks today and I have the same problem.... I moved from IAMs to Barking Heads and at first she was enthusiastice about feeding but now its not. She just looks, sniffs and walks away, maybe has the odd biscuit. I have been tempted to try mixing it with another brand but don't want to cause tummy problems. She has been a little constipated recently which has worried me. She drinks lots of water, maybe that is filling her up. Arrrrrgh.... other than that she is a darling and is doing really well. x


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie has eaten all different types of food, including random kibble meals when she's on NI. I have to say, she's never shown any sign of tummy troubles. She must have a cast iron constitution


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