About a week ago I adopted a Pommeranian Chow 8 year old dog from a shelter.?

Question

It's been a week now and I can't get him to eat. I've used the food the shelter gave me and mixed it gradually with another brand they recommended. I have taken him to my vet and she said to give him time. At this point, should I try a soft type of dog food or stick to the dry food?

Answer 1

Stick to what you have been advised..hes got a lot of adjusting...it will take time...good luck for the future with him...

Answer 2

Just because the shelter gave you food doesn't mean that it's the same food they offered him and if it is it doesn't mean he actually ate it there either. A lot of shelters get "new home" bags from dog-food companies (small sample bags of food with coupons and maybe a book about caring for your new dog).

Keep in mind your poor little dog is pretty stressed out. This is all new to him. New sounds, new smells, new everything. He probably spent a lot of time out on the street all alone and then a long time stuck in this little cage at the shelter with little to no human interaction and then suddenly got thrown into your home where he's getting attention and love. As needed and wanted as the attention and love can be, it's still pretty scary for him. I've had dogs take a month or more to adjust to the new life and open up.

I agree with the poster who said to try a different food. But be careful if you're going to use wet food or the sauces on top of dry. Dogs will become spoiled with it and then turn down anything that's not the wet or sauce topped food.

I'm not sure what the other poster is talking about with the shot to help eat, at least I too don't know the name, but it's a B-12 shot (which helps stimulate appetite). They are very inexpensive.

Answer 3

I would continue to give him the food that has been recommended by the shelter. After all they have been the ones caring for the dog and probably know him best. It isn't good to change a dog's food very often as they can become picky eaters. I think you should just be patient all dogs take different amounts of time to adjust to their new surroundings. It also matters how much traumatic stress a dog has had in their life. It may take him a while to trust. If you want to try something my dog loves it when I mix some vegetable oil in with his food. It is really good for their coats and reduces dander and shedding. Good luck with your new dog.

Answer 4

I would try a little bit of soft food in the dry food.
He's going to eat when he gets hungry, trust me!
Another thing that worked for me were these "sauces" just for dogs you can pour over the food. They have all kinds of flavors and a little bit might interest him.
He could just be nervous and that's causing him to retreat. He'll come around. You just have to show him lots of love and attention. The eating thing is hopefully just a phase. If he doesn't eat within the next two or three days, try just wet food. If that doesn't work, you might have to give in and let him have a little people food. Just to get him started. You have to remember, he came from somewhere totally different and he could have eaten different food, maybe he wasn't even allowed in the house! We'll never know. All we know now is that you have him and he needs some love. You can help him through this.
Good luck with everything! And thanks for adopting such an "old man"!

Answer 5

You have already answered your own question. You were sent there and found her for a reason. You have given her a wonderful loving home and she can pass in peace knowing she is loved, if it were not for you she would have left this world without knowing that. bless you, bless you. Don't be sad when she is gone, feel glad that you were able to share in the love that she gave and that you gave, what more could she have ever had? I would do exactly as your vet says, and when the time comes, let her go, hold her head and tell her how much you love her, dont cry, that will make her feel she is doing something wrong. love her and let her go. The vet should give you some food ideas that will be easy on her stomach. Bless you again!

Answer 6

Thank you for taking in an older model. Those are so hard to place.

I had this problem with a collie. I was recommended to add chicken broth to his food. Others recomended mixing in cheese. Dogs love cheese. I also found my problem child would eat better if he was right next to me. Finally I went to the vet and got him a steroid shot to make him eat and gain weight. (He was way too skinny.) I can't remember the name of the shot, but I think it had Wind somehow in the name.

What food did the shelter recommend? Try bumping up the quality. If you want to try some really high quality food with a really high price tag, get a brand called Innova EVO. It has no corn or filler. It's just meat and veggies. It has twice the protein of your average high end dog food. My dogs ate it like candy.

He will eventually eat, be patient.

Answer 7

Good for you! There are so many dogs that need a home, I'm glad you went to a shelter. I would try maybe a different kind of food, or like the vet. said give him time, he's probably been through alot. I would try dry food, soft food gives my dogs diarrhea.

Answer 8

I know it's only been a week, but I can understand your concern that the dog isn't eating, I would be concerned too! Try mixing a little canned food into the dry and see if that kick-starts his appetite. If he is a small dog, and being 8 years old, I would guess his former owners probably gave him either table scraps or canned dog food. Don't do the table scraps, but a little canned food in his dry won't hurt him. Consider it "comfort food" as Rachel Rae would say.

Answer 9

Its up to you what you feed the dog, my fussy eater will only eat wet food, however when she was eating dry food when we first got her i had an invaulable bit of advice given to me, place the food in a dish and place on the floor with the dog, back off and leave it for no more than 20 mins, if the dog does not eat it, lift it off the floor and place out of reach. DO NOT feed treats, chews, tit bits of any kind, later in the day place the same food on the floor, this teaches the dog, its all i got, sorry mate! a dog will never allow itself to starve, within a couple of days the dog will have got the message that this is what he/she is going to be fed in this house, but don't over labour feeding time, you eat first, then without much fuss place the dogs food down, if its not eaten don't fuss the dog nor punish it, just lift the bowl and try again later. It will take time for the dog to settle in, if you are worried about the dog you might want to get its teeth looked at, however it sounds to me like the poor thing is just unsettled, take it easy, one step at a time.
IF you decide to go on to tinned food, don't forget to use a mixer and remeber a sudden change in diet is likley to bring on an attack of the runny tummy, nothing to be worried about but be aware dogs tend to impersonate a windmill when they have a jippy tummy, which can take some clearing up!

Answer 10

This dog does need an adjustment period, especially given his age, but at this point what I'd try is mixing in either a little canned food, or you could mix in a little lo-fat cottage cheese, or no-fat, no sugar added yogurt (which is also good for the digestion). He's got to start eating something now, so it wouldn't hurt to encourage him along.

Spend as much time with him as you can, walking, playing in the yard, or just sitting with him to help him feel more at ease.

Answer 11

You can mix about half a can of soft dog food into the dry dog food. You want mix it in the hard food because if the dog isn't used to the soft food he will have soft poop. If that doesn't work you can also cook up some bacon and take ONE piece and let it cool then break it into small pieces. sprinkle the pieces onto the dry food. The smell of the bacon will make him hungry and bacon fat is actually good for their coats.