dog off food?

Question

My 6 month old Golden Retriever has gone off her food. Usually she can't eat it fast enough but this week shes been walking away and then gradually picking at it during the day. She is on Hills science food. Could it be thats she is bored of eating the same food everyday or that there is something wrong with her? She seems abit dopey and is spending alot of time asleep in her basket but other than that shes fine.?

Answer 1

I doubt that it is boredom of the food, most bigger dogs don't really get "bored" with their food. If all else fails, OR you simply wish to try it.....try putting a couple of teaspoons of broth (almost any kind will work) on her food. ((but be warned, she might come to expect it all the time and refuse to eat unless she gets her broth first))

I would guess its moreso the fact she is a puppy. You say she is 6 months old....she is possibly going through the beginning stages of another growing spurt. She will be tired a lot, not eat a lot and then BOOM...she will eat like a horse and run rampantly crazy for a bit.

I still swear by the fact that dogs are a lot like children, they go through little spurts where they want to sleep more and then others where they wish to eat more. Their small bodies are changing...this is just one way they cope.

IF she doesn't start eating soon, or seems to be showing signs of sickness, take her to the vet. Otherwise, save the vet bill costs until truly needed and allow her to go through the changes she will.

If you are worried about worms, you can check her bowel movements for them. Sometimes they will show up in the feces as small, white worms. IF you find worms, go to the vet and get the deworming medicine. If you don't find the worms, I wouldn't worry a whole lot. (Although a dog can have worms that you won't be able to see in the bowel movements, but most times you CAN see them).

Answer 2

Try putting a little milk or water on her food.
It could just be that she is not ready for dry food. Some dogs take a long time. Also try a different food, the food she is eating now may take her energy away. Another thing you can do is put a treat or some cheese in her food bowl with her food. If you should happen to try another type of food remember that you have to mix half of the food for 2 days, then 1 quarter of the food 2 days then none of your old food. Glad to help and I hope your dog is okay. If this does not help in about 2 weeks take her to your vet or simply call your vet. (the new food should be puppy or high energy)

Answer 3

She is probably going through a growth spurt. Her sense of smell and taste are also maturing. Try using a a little oil on her food as another person suggested. You could also mix just a little bit of canned dog food with the dry. If she continues with the loss of interest in her food and the sleeping alot, by all means take her to the vet. She may have worms or any host of medical problems that could cause these symptoms.

Answer 4

Dogs do not get bored with a food, they either like it or they don't.
You say she used to like it so the possibilities are:
(1) She has been overfed.
(2) Something is wrong with this batch.
(3) She is unwell.

For #3: If she avidly tucks into meats, cheese and/or table scraps she is not unwell.
For #2: If some other dog enjoys at least 3 meals in a row from that bag the batch is probably okay.
For #1: A Golden Retriever has a bit too much coat for the "condition-by-eye" test to be reliable, but with a correctly-coated GSD you should be able to see every rib outlined while it is working or panting, but never more than the very last rib when it is rested. You will probably have to resort to feeling her ribs and trying to decide whether each rib feels muscular or coated with fat. (I am confident that she is not going to feel like "a bag of skin & bones"!)

If she is unwell, not just too fat & lazy, the vet earns his/her keep! A dog properly vaccinated at 16 weeks old is MOST unlikely to catch any virus disease, but there are are plenty of other problems that might develop to take effect at 6 months - heartworm (if she's been in a heartworm area), panosteitis, elbow dysplasia being just 3 of them.


I am not a fan of kibbles. The dog's digestive system developed to have animal flesh - fresh-killed or carrion - as a high proportion of the diet, as per its predatory-wolf origins. Over the centuries, domesticated dogs adjusted to supplementing that with cooked table scraps.

All kibble-feeders should read http://www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm
and particularly think about this quote from the 1999 report:
"the incidence had increased in dogs by more than 1500% over the past 30 years"

Now, what do YOU think is the biggest change in the dog world during those 30 years? Well, when I came into GSDs in 1967 no-one here had even THOUGHT of kibbles. The first kibble I am aware of in NZ was Rollies (actually, more a pellet than a kibble, but definitely not the meat that NZ dogs had previously had as the core of their diets), supplied by vets as of about 1976-77, but no longer seen.

Regardless of WHAT is in the diet, the rule about feeding is: "As soon as the dog stops eating, the bowl is taken away and not presented until the next official feeding time."

Read up about Pavlov's experiments with conditioning dogs and you will realise that you should have a routine that helps your pooch start feeling hungry - having the dish always available doesn't do that. All my dogs are thoroughly hungry by the time I have removed the meat bin from the fridge, placed each bowl flat on the bench, put a brisket and the appropriate number of large dog-bix in each bowl; the one who is fed inside will by then be sitting perfectly to remind me what a well-behaved food-deserving pooch he is!
Two small side-lights: To avoid his small-&-nimble sister stealing his brisket (which she does if he doesn't catch it) he takes it into the dining room, but he knows he's not allowed to eat there so he waits until she goes out the back door then returns to the kitchen and starts chomping, his tail giving a small wag when I tell him "Good boy" as I follow his sister out the door. He also has a superb body clock, and starts quietly groaning in "agony" if I keep key-boarding after his tummy declares that it's feeding time.
Les P

Answer 5

I wouldn't take chances teh walking around dopey and off food for a few days could be a sign of a problem.

Answer 6

Maybe she's on heat . Has she got dry nose ? Large breeds are not usually fussy eaters like small breeds . The breed maybe prone to weight gain anyway and it's a good thing she isn't greedy .I doubt she gets bored of the food . If you are worry , get her check over at the vets.

Answer 7

When our dog goes off his we put a spoonfull of cooking oil on the food. That usually gets his attention. This was a tip given to us by the vet.

Answer 8

Your dog seems out of sorts. have you tried her nose. If it is warm then she needs a vet. It could be she is fed up with the food you have given her. I suggest just to be on the safe side you visit a vet with her.

Answer 9

try adding these things to the food:

Cooked pasta
Cooked carrots, peas, cauliflower
Grilled chicken - diced up

Usually dogs find this more appealing! if this doesnt work take her to the vets and have a health check - there may be something wrong with her digestive system!!!!

Hope i have helped :D

Answer 10

try mixing natural yoghurt with her food its good for them mine wont eat dried food without it she probably is a bit out of sorts because she is depressed with a boring menu every day