My dog will not eat!!! I need help!!?

Question

My dog is 8 months old he will not eat. I've tried every possible dog food there is, I've tried wet and dry food. The vet tells me to mix it together which I do, that dosent work. I put food down when it's time to eat I leave it there for 1/2 hour. But he waits for table food I do not want to give him table food or train him on that.

I do not give him any table scrap at all, and when he does eat it'll be 12 midnight, he'll eat so fast he throws it up.

I do not give him any table scrap. If he eats he waits until we're asleep 12midnight you could hear him eating, he eats so fast he start throwing it all up

Answer 1

Feed him when you are having your food, if he doesn't eat any of it by a certain time (within those 2 hours for instance) you remove the bowl so he has no access to it. This will teach him to be on your schedule rather than on his- also give him a little at a time, don't give all the food to him at once, this will pace him some and avoid him getting sick.
It is not about the flavor of the food, but the smell of your human food- he waits to see if he can have yours before he has his. They do this - many dogs I know do this.
If he has to go to bed at night without food, just leave a treat on the floor but stop letting the food sit there, plus it is not healthy for it to sit too long like that. Like we used to do as kids, we couldn't leave the table unless we finished our food, if we refused to eat, we would go to bed hungry, dogs are just like kids this way. You are the boss- not him.

Answer 2

Get some fairly basic food (Lamb and Rice kibbles tend to be a good choice as few dogs have any problems with it, it is gentle on the digestion, and wonderful for the coat). Wet food can be unappealing, especially to dominate dogs, and it can cause dental problems. Give the dog the food at a set time of day (since your dog likes to eat at midnight, probably later in the evening would be best). If he doesn't eat in a half hour or 15 minutes, take it away. Some people recommend offering it again later, but the dog wont starve and establishing a set schedule will help you in the future.

In the morning, offer the food again. Chances are he'll eat it. However, you said that he'll eat it so fast that he'll throw up. If he hasn’t been eating properly, he probably has a smaller stomach and can't handle all the food you are giving him. Therefore, give him less. You didn't say the type of dog and activity level, but if you are giving him a cup of food at every meal, cut that in half and maybe add an afternoon feeding (or hide the remaining food around so he can entertain himself by finding it). However, work towards two feedings a day (morning and night). If your dog is sedentary, a brisk walk or two a day might also make it more willing to eat when you want it too.

At this point it is important to get your dog eating something. You can increase the food to a more normal level after he eats regularly and doesn't throw up (but increase slowly!). I would recommend also checking with your vet to see how much he should be eating every day (in a show of good business sense but poor regard for animals, petfood bags usually recommend too much food). If you want, you can eventually add some green beans to his food as well; many dogs love these, it increases the amount it gets to eat (which they love as well), but it doesn't significantly increase the calories.

If your dog doesn't cooperate at first, don't worry and just keep on. After a few days (yes, days) he'll get with the program. If not, then there is something more wrong than a picky eater.

Answer 3

Hehe...sounds like he's training you. Put down some dry food (only) and leave it there. Then don't feed him table food, ever. He might hold out 2 or even 3 days, but eventually he'll be too hungry and eat the dry food. Right now he's just holding out because he knows you'll eventually give him table food, which he likes better. But you can't let this go on, so you have to stop feeding him scraps at all.

Answer 4

Ok - how often does the dog not eat?

What kind of food are you feeding him (brand)?

Are any other family members sneaking the dog people food?

Has the vet run any tests/done exams to rule out things like: a broken tooth, something wrong with his esophogus or throat? Acid reflux? Liver problems? and so on. If this is going on, your vet needs to step in and do something more than simply recommending mixing food together. If your dog goes "off" his food just every once in awhile, it might be acid reflux, or he's just finicky. I have a finicky dog. Yesterday he didn't eat breakfast, but he ate his dinner. My vet has him on acid reflux meds now (don't ask which ones, talk with your vet individually).

there are lots of reasons - some benign, some not so benign that can cause a dog not to eat. If this is an ongoing thing its time to visit the vet.

Answer 5

How long has this been going on?
if he doesn't eat his food to you give him table scraps?

Edited: sounds like you need to set a feeding schedule and stick to it. Feed your dog at a specific time, if he doesn't want to eat, take the bowl away within 5 minutes and don't offer the food again until the next scheduled feeding time. (and 12 at night should not be it). If he eats 2 fast, put a large object in the bowl along with the food (like a large ball). This will force your dog to eat around the object and eat slower. When he gets that if he doesn't eat at his scheduled time he doesn't eat at all, he should start eating again on your schedule

Answer 6

Keep doing the feeding schedule. If you stick to it, eventually he'll get the idea that when food is set out, he only has limited time to eat it. I had to do the same with my dog, along with not hand feeding (she would eat that way). Right now he is training you and knows it's not a big deal if he doesn't eat when it's put out cause he'll get to eat later. Also stick to one food.

Answer 7

You could try only putting food down at certain times during the day for a certain amount of time. By doing this, he will learn that if he doesnt eat when he can, he wont eat at all.

Answer 8

It's very simple. Just stop the table food. He will not starve himself, but may go many days out of stubborness waiting for you to give in. Put his food down for 10 minutes in the morning. If he doesn't eat it, pick it up and put it down again in the evening for another 10 minutes. If he doesn't eat, he waits till morning and you go again, etc. Believe me, this method never fails. :)

Answer 9

I will do my best not to sound rude, as that isn't my intention, BUT: You have MADE your dog fussy by offering it so much choice. You are'ny giving him a balnced diet, which is VITAL at his tender age. Hw cannot shop for himself, he can ONLY eat what you give him. If you don't want to give him table food, then DON'T..this is YOUR descision, NOT his, he is a DOG, not a baby!

Answer 10

Leave the food down and don't give him anything else...I know it's hard, but he won't starve and when he's good and ready, he'll eat it!