So Zoey refuses to eat anything that isn't 'bite' sized except for bone in chicken (which she can only handle every 4-6 meals) or she gets constipated. If I give her a chunk of pork or beef she will bury it until I cut it into slices or bite sized chunks. I know the benefit of raw is to chew their meat, but she honestly refuses. Her portion sizes are about 1oz each so it's not even that big, but she won't touch it, I've tried holding it, and that just makes her protective of it, and she just holds it or tries to swallow the whole thing which makes her choke. Is it okay that she's not eating whole pieces? I mean chewing more? I do give her pork neck bones and beef rib bones a couple times a week for gnawing which she does pretty good with. She will eat Smelt in whole portions. Well a whole 2 bites per fish She has been eating raw for 2 months now. I am so happy with her results.

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Thank-you Sugarbaby for my awesome siggie!

Goose refused to chew his meat at first too. If I gave him big pieces he would gnaw at it for a little then leave it and whine because he was hungry.

I did a little cajoling and a little tough love.

The size of the pieces I cut his meals into slowly got bigger over time. If he refused to eat it at the new size, he didn't eat. These chis are stubborn, and you do have to give them a little tough love.

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Kelly - Betty, Goose & Oona (foster)

Thanks Sugarbaby!

Lol I gotta laugh my two are such pigs if you put an entire cow infront of them they'd give it a go!!! They're terrible lol

My only worry with tough love is she is prone to hypoglycemia with all her health issues, so she has to eat every 8-12 hours or she starts having issues.

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Thank-you Sugarbaby for my awesome siggie!

Give her a lick of honey or Karo to keep her levels up. The honey won't curb her hungar but will keep her from having an attack. When you cut the meat in small bite-size pieces, does she chew them or just swallow whole? I agree with Muzby about gradually increasing the size of the meat. Or if you want her to chew by giving a big chunk of meat, keep her confined with the meat so she can't bury it. If she doesn't want to eat it, put it away, then try again later. She'll get hungry enough to try & realize that mommys not playing.

Could you try cutting the meat into strips, almost? That way she can easily get it in her mouth but can't really try to swallow it whole? I know she still may not chew it. What if you did something just to get her re interested in chewing it, like dipping it in a broth for a bit so it had more smell? I know thats not ideal long term, but maybe might help initially? I have a picky or naughty eater too and she drives me up a wall.

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Thank you Jan & Chico!!

Well, to be honest ..... I cut up some of Brody's foods too. He HATES sardines, but I want him to have them, so if I cut them up into teensy pieces he will eat them. If I gave him a whole one, we'd have a serious battle of wills. He wouldn't eat it. I would put it away until next time. He wouldn't eat it again. I would put it away and so on.

Sorry, but it's just not worth it to me. I want him to eat and be happy. He is good with other meats and bones, there's just a few things I have to cut up for him.

He is a very vigorous chewer on cornish hen bones as well as wings and bully sticks and ribs. So I feel like he's getting enough of a work out there.

Wow, I really had to justify myself there, didn't I?! HA HA. I just want mealtimes to be pleasant after all the DRAMA we had for months and months trying to get him to eat ANYTHING because he hated every kibble I tried. So if I have to cut up a few things into teensy pieces - so be it.

Bottom line ... pick your battles.

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.... The little dog laughed to see such sport ....

I agree it's not worth it!!!

Ibsaw your bid on your blog that's a whole heap of food mine wanna come over for tea lol she was chewing those fish up