She is a 2 year old Cairn terrier. We know she is hungry because she will beg for food, but will not eat from the feeding dish. She will eat only if the food is hand fed to her and many times, only after much coaching. We dont have the time to always do this so she often goes for long periods of low food intake. Are there appetitie stimulants to drive her to feed herself instead of waiting for someone to hand feed her?
2006-07-29 09:39:35 · 15 answers · asked by Marjorie T 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
There are appetite stimulants in the form of a "Doggy Gravy" to make food more palatable. But first, have you ruled out all medical possibilities? That's step one- a trip to the vet. On the other hand, she could be enjoying the spoiled life a little too much, which is what I think is going on. Also, maybe she just doesn't like that food. Purina (in my opinion) is your best bet. Buy the good stuff from a pet store, not that crap from the grocery store. I know of a dog that refused to drink, so in order to get some fluids in him, his owner gave him yogurt. The vet kept him for a few days, ran complete diagnostics, and concluded that the dog was SPOILED ROTTEN. After a little training, and a reminder that he's a dog, he likes his water bowl. One more thought- if it's hot where you live, dogs are just like people, and tend to eat less when it's hot out, even when sitting in the AC all day. But definitely pay your vet a little visit. Good luck!
2006-07-29 09:49:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
This is actually common of dogs that leave their litter too soon. Average rule of thumb... if your dog goes for over 10 days without eating ANYTHING then worry about it. Nature will kick in and they will eventually eat they will not self destruct. If you are feeding her anything else other then dog food you will have to do it all the time or not at all. If there is anything other than dog food being fed to her you will have to compensate the dog food accordingly. Purina dog food (any kind) is crap. Try the Royal Canin Mini Dog foods. these foods are not the Ultimate dog food but being formulated for small dogs the KCal per cup is alot more than conventional dog foods. You then will not have to make the dog eat more then they want to get the same nutrition. ie: if you are feeding 2+ C. Per day you will be able to feed 1-1.5 c of RC Dog food. Good luck!!
2006-07-29 10:40:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A healthy dog won't starve itself, and if she's eating when you give her the food, she sounds healthy. What I would do is give her 15 minutes, morning and night, to eat. Bring her in the room with you, put the bowl down, say a phrase like "time to eat" and place the bowl. After 15 minutes, pick it back up. If she eats, she eats, if not she can wait until the next feeding. After a bit she'll get hungry enough that she'll eat once the food is placed before her and whenever she's hungry afterward. If she hasn't seen a vet for a checkup, though, now is a good time to get her in for one. Even if the shelter claims she has seen one, it's always a good idea to bring a new pet in to see a vet when you bring her home.
2016-03-27 05:54:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your dog will not starve, but you must stop pampering it. Take the advice everyone is giving you. Put dog food in the bowl and don't feed it anything until it eats the food in the bowl. It may go a day or two without eating, but it will eventually break down. You just have to try to not break down first. I know you care for your dog and don't want to be mean, but you're training it to have bad habits that will be harmful in the long run. Stop now.
2006-07-29 10:17:13 · answer #4 · answered by red_hourglass_widow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also have a Cairn terrier, and boy do they have us trained.......Cairn terriers are very stubborn dogs. They want it their way and that is all there is to it. Mine did this for so long till i caught on. They want our food.....not theirs. So, she waites till right before bed and quietly sneakes into the kitchen and eats her food cause she knows there is no more food to be gotten. Now this may take a little while, they are used to us giving them food, so they try to make us think that they are starving, but believe me they won't let themselves starve. When they get hungry they will eat.
Mine stands on the back of the couch with her front paws on my shoulder and sniffs each and every bite i put in my mouth. I though it was cute when she was little but now she is too big and hurts my shoulder not to mention begging gets on my nerves.
Trust me put the food on the floor and he/she will eat when they are truly hungry. Dogs won't starve themselves.
2006-07-29 11:49:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best appetite stimulat for a dog is exercise! Take her for a strenuous(30-45 minutes walk) before feeding time. Or maybe a visit to the dog play with other dogs.
A dog , unless medically induced, will not starve themselves. She will eat it sooner or later.
2006-07-29 09:45:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a problem YOU have created by catering to the dog. It is seen often in small breeds. Seek help from a trainer. You need to be retrained along with the dog.
2006-07-29 10:22:14 · answer #7 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you had another dog around, that would help because it would think that the other dog was going to get all the food.
2006-07-29 09:44:54 · answer #8 · answered by Susan L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hire a dogtrainer. Your dog sounds spoiled.
2006-07-29 09:43:28 · answer #9 · answered by ♥c0c0puffz♥ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She may not like the brand of food. or is picky.
if i were you i'd try some other brands. or just leave her there so she'll stop being picky, and eat when shes hungry.
2006-07-29 11:05:07 · answer #10 · answered by ~H*anna*h~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋