ok my dog won't eat any food i give him!?

Question

well at first he didn't eat the iams then we bought him lamb and rice dog food!he ate it but the second time i gave him some he wouldn't eat it so now we give him ground beef and mix it with the lamb and rice dog food but he only eats the meat and i don't know if that is good for him or if i should try a diffrent type of food!!!!!what do i do????

Answer 1

If he's that damn picky, let him do the cooking.

(Seriously, ask your vet)

Answer 2

Wow, I have to first tell you to be wary of some of the other postings to your question. I see there is a dog breeder suggesting you feed Kibbles'n'Bits...well, I only hope those poor dogs find good homes because I would NEVER feed Kibbles'n'Bits. The main ingredients are corn (low grade filler), soyabean meal (low grade, non-digestible filler) oh yeah and animal digest which is basically the stomach contents of any dead, dying or diseased animal the company can get at a cheap price...and people wonder why these foods are cheap?!

Seriously, as a pet nutritional consultant I get this question so often that it comes natural for me to answer. Your first problem is that you have been feeding low quality foods. Iams (although the company likes to market as good for your dog) is just as bad as the Kibbles'n'Bits described above. Dogs don't tend to prefer these foods because there are not real meats or fruits and vegetables in them.

Your second problem is that you are changing your dogs diet. Like others have correctly mentioned, dogs will eat when they get hungary. It is just our human nature to want to give them a varied diet but all you are doing is telling your dog "just stop eating and I'll get you something new". Especially if you give in and give him people food. Consider this...your dog picks out the real meat that you have been adding to its dog food. So the dog isn't sick, it just wants the real meat instead of the road kill that the company is using. So, logically if you buy a higher end food made with whole fresh meat, vegetables, fruit and grains, your dog will eat it no problem.

My serious suggestion is that you do some research into foods like Innova (currently the healthiest pet food, made in the safest/cleanest facilities in the world), Wellness, Canidae, Evolve, Fromm, and foods with similar ingredients. When you compare something like Innova (Turkey, chicken, barley, rice, potatoes, carrots, eggs, apples, peas) to something like Iams (chicken, corn, chicken by products, dried beet pulp) there is no question about which food would "theoretically" taste better but is also more nutritious.

So, find a high quality food by researching...not automatically listening to company adds or vet suggestions because these are misleading (vet foods contain the same ingredients as low grade commericial foods like Kibbles'n'Bits). You dog will not only like his food more but he will be healthier in the long run.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I think maybe you just need to try an Iam's food without rice. Don't try a number of different foods because that just makes it worse. Try one more kind that is similiar without rice. If he doesn't eat after some time then call you vet and talk to them.

Don't take him to the vet right now. Don't feed Alpo food, it is not very high quality. Don't worry until he won't eat at all.

Answer 4

Take him to the Vet, not only to rule out any intestinal issues but also to get suggestions from an expert. He could just be a picky eater but giving him just meat isn't good for a growing dog. They need balanced nutrition just like us. I use Science Diet for my dogs and split some canned food with some dry food twice a day. Make sure to give him plenty of fresh water too especially if he is just eating the meat right now to make sure his sodium level doesn't get too high. Good Luck.

Answer 5

I know that a lot of people are health conscious about themselves and their animals, and just because the food claims to be better and costs more doesn't mean it is. Most dog food has the same amount of proteins and vitamins in it, than the fancy brands. I have had dogs for over 30 years and I feed my dogs Kibbles'n Bits. The cost is much less. You can go right on their website and see the nutritional values of the food, and my dogs seam to really like it.

Answer 6

your dog might have food alergies to all the products your trying to feed him. alot of dog food have wheat gluten in them and some dogs dont do so well with them. also if it is a puppy or a dog that has eaten people food it will take a while for the dog to understand that the food in the bowl is hos food and not the food you are eating. go to your pet store for some advice some dogs like wet food and some like dry. stick with one type of dog food and let him get hungry enough to consistently eat the food also try dog food topping at the petstore or even place some tuna water in the food. sometime a stropng smell will get the hunger goin then gradually reduce the tuna water and have it as a treat.

Answer 7

Our german shepard did exactly the same thing when we first got her just over a year and a half ago. Try being peristent, try buying different brands and types of foods for your dog till you find one he likes. Other things we tried with our dog was trying to feed her ourselves, by putting a little bit of dog food in her bowl and letting her lick it up, then we woud put a bit more and repeat, but this is a little tedious... Another thing you could try, which we also did with our dog is cook pasta or rice up in gravy powder mix, as the taste of gravy is sometimes appealing to dogs. Otherwise he may grow out of it. Ither thing to do is serve up his food, and leave it. If he gets hungry he should eat it regardless of what it is.

Answer 8

I find dogs don't care much for the lamb foods. If youre set on giving the lamb food, try soaking it with beef or chicken broth, otherwise switch meats.

Answer 9

try a different kind of food ,dogs are just like people they can be fussy , or just dont like something in your case the word lamb is coming up too often try different variety's , but dont be bullied remember ,just like a child if the dog doesn't eat the meal then no snacks and treats , also long walks to make the dog hungry

Answer 10

First, ask a vet. If there isn't anything wrong with him then he could be picky. My dog loved his puppy food and then didn't eat the adult food. I think got him new food that he ate for a while and stopped. Then I added some wet food to. My dog happens to like variety (and unfortunately people food).

Answer 11

I would try a differant type of food-try science diet you can get it at Petsmart, Petco, or some vets offices. That is the only dog food that my dog likes. I also give my dog some canned dog food also by science diet, but I only give it to her two or three times a week.