# I think my two are on a food strike!



## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

My two have suddenly decided that they do not like their food Natural Instinct anymore. They both seem happy, active and healthy and eat their bones and chews but they absolutely have refused to eat their food now for several days. They have always enjoyed it and Bonnie has been up till now a very good eater. 

Since my freezer is chockablock full with NI I am not keen to change their food. It took me ages to find a food that DeXter would eat at all. I am wondering how many meals they will refuse before they get hungry and eat! I could stop their bones and chews but I dont want them to starve! They are both typically cockapoo skinny but I wonder how long they will last out as I feel this is more a clash of wills and they are in league together! Am I being unreasonable? Any advice?


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Sorry nothing constructive really Tess, I'm sure they wont starve though. Have nt others mentioned that suddenly their poos have gone off NI, although cant remember the out comes. Seems a shame when you've found a great quality food that suited the lovely Dexter, hopefully it will just be a blip, good luck x x


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## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Hi Tess. Have you tried a different batch? Nacho went off his kibble the other day (we were about half way through the bag) and I got out a new bag and he gobbled it down. Maybe something was a bit off?

Susie x


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Thanks I will try that.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I just wanted to report when after 4 days mine still hadnt eaten I threw the box away and got out a fresh one ( beef tripe) and they gobbled it up! Now either there was something in the chicken one they didn't like or it's their way of telling me they have gone off chicken!
While they were refusing to eat they chewed up my best fur cushion in protest so I think that is 1 nil to them!


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## designsbyisis (Dec 27, 2011)

How interesting ! They really are funny aren't they ?


Sent from my iPhone 
Lisa - mum of 3 boys, Dexter Cockapoo & 4 hens !


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I hope this doesn't happen to me...I've just been to NI to do a mass shop!!!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Oh Tess, so hungery they're eating your soft furnishings sorry but could nt help but smile, If yours suddenly aren't hungry Colin then hide your cushions


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

wilfiboy said:


> Oh Tess, so hungery they're eating your soft furnishings sorry but could nt help but smile, If yours suddenly aren't hungry Colin then hide your cushions


They'd better not they were £60.00 each


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Tess so pleased your lovely dogs are eating again .. not good about the cushion though 

Oh dear Colin .. hide those cushions from Fudge .. she is a chewer .. no kidding she will chew anything she is not meant too, wouldn't mind but I am falling over puppy toys and stag bars here lol .. she can't be bored, she has me and two dogs to play with, plus loads of toys .. she is a cheeky girl but I am on to her and her chewing now ... good job she is a gorgeous pudding


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## Sam1 (Mar 6, 2012)

With my previous dogs I would buy a selection of flavours in small bags, this enabled me to change their flavour every two days, which made it interesting for them. I don't think I'd want to eat the same flavour everyday either! I'm not sure what NI do so maybe it's not possible to do this. Glad they like the beef and are eating again! Great news! 

Enjoy shopping for cushions.....every cloud!


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

JoJo said:


> Tess so pleased your lovely dogs are eating again .. not good about the cushion though
> 
> Oh dear Colin .. hide those cushions from Fudge .. she is a chewer .. no kidding she will chew anything she is not meant too, wouldn't mind but I am falling over puppy toys and stag bars here lol .. she can't be bored, she has me and two dogs to play with, plus loads of toys .. she is a cheeky girl but I am on to her and her chewing now ... good job she is a gorgeous pudding


So far Ted does not seem to be tooo much of chewer...Betty was much worse...then she was much worse at everything!!!


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## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Ah that's great news!


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Dylan has been on NI since I got him and has never gone off it, but there have been some flavours that he hated - working dog beef and heart and working dog Duck. If you get some pure tripe from them and split it into portions and add some to anything they're not keen on, it usually works like magic. Most dogs will love anything with tripe in. I always get one or two cartons of tripe with each order and just give it occasionally as a treat.
However it does seem in your case as if there may have been something funny about that carton, so probably best to ditch it. Might be worth mentioning to NI as well.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie is a well know fussy eater. One day eating her NI the next refusing to anywhere near it.

I think I've managed to get to a happy medium. I leave Barking Heads down all day and give her SMALL portions of NI twice a day. I find that if I offer her too much it puts her right off  She will then happily eat her NI and a few pieces of Barking Heads.

I know this is not idea as its mixing two different types of food, but it works for Millie and she has a caste iron constitution.

From trial and error I know she wont eat chicken or turkey. She may occasionally eat chicken and lamb, but by and large her favourite is beef & tripe or plain beef. I tried Helen's sensible plan of offering plain tripe mixed in with the chicken. Millie ate the tripe and left the chicken 

Luckily Millie is not partial to a cushion either, so soft furnishings are still intact.


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

MillieDog said:


> Millie is a well know fussy eater. One day eating her NI the next refusing to anywhere near it.
> 
> I think I've managed to get to a happy medium. I leave Barking Heads down all day and give her SMALL portions of NI twice a day. I find that if I offer her too much it puts her right off  She will then happily eat her NI and a few pieces of Barking Heads.
> 
> ...


That's good you've discovered what suits her. Would she eat a raw chicken wing?


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Yes it seems they have just decided they don't like the chicken any more as they are eating lamb and beef and of course anything with tripe in. I will definitely try the carcasses next time as there is nothing they love more than a good meaty bone.


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

I bought some NI carcasses at the weekend - you get two in a pack but they are frozen solid together....I managed to chop them up in to meal size portions before re-wrapping individually for later use. Betty loved it!!


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

colpa110 said:


> I bought some NI carcasses at the weekend - you get two in a pack but they are frozen solid together....I managed to chop them up in to meal size portions before re-wrapping individually for later use. Betty loved it!!


That must have been tricky separating them when frozen together ... did you partially defrost then refreeze one of them? 

I ordered some too but they came individually wrapped which was much easier. I've bought some poultry shears and they worked like a dream cutting through the defrosted carcass. The dogs LOVED it!


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Hi Sue
Not sure about a chicken wing. I tried to give her one once, but she squirreled a whole one inside her mouth and looked guilty not knowing what to do with it  I haven't tried since.

I only like to give raw bones when the weather is nice so I can turf her outside to eat it. If I give her one in the house, she stays on her mat for so long and then decides its time to hide it  This can be in her bed or in mine ! Not good.


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Mogdog said:


> That must have been tricky separating them when frozen together ... did you partially defrost then refreeze one of them?
> 
> I ordered some too but they came individually wrapped which was much easier. I've bought some poultry shears and they worked like a dream cutting through the defrosted carcass. The dogs LOVED it!


It took some doing with my hefty weight cleaver!!!


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

colpa110 said:


> It took some doing with my hefty weight cleaver!!!


Oh my goodness, make sure you don't chop a finger off!


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

MillieDog said:


> Hi Sue
> Not sure about a chicken wing. I tried to give her one once, but she squirreled a whole one inside her mouth and looked guilty not knowing what to do with it  I haven't tried since.
> 
> I only like to give raw bones when the weather is nice so I can turf her outside to eat it. If I give her one in the house, she stays on her mat for so long and then decides its time to hide it  This can be in her bed or in mine ! Not good.


It's funny how they eat differently ... I give the dogs theirs in the kitchen and they take them outside to eat in the garden. Bess has almost finished a chicken wing by the time she gets to the back door, I can hear it cracking and crunching ... and Maisie daintily puts hers on the grass and sits looking at it for ages before she eats it!


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

That's exactly what mine do they take their wings outside straight away. 
Note to self - buy some poultry shears, I struggle even separating the lamb ribs, but where do you buy them from?


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