[mongboot]

Hi.
Our Chips dosn't seem to eat enough to eat a sparrow alive when I feed her like normal (put the feed down 3 times a day) she wont munch on just has a bit and walks away so I've been just leaving her food down all the time (she's on dry food, have tried wet food but she still the same) so she just picks all day and with the food out all day Gravy (staffy cross who is eating her food and Chips food) and Pie (chi pup) are doing the same!! I want to feed them at set times but chips wont eat enough so looking for things to do. She's my first chihuahua always had big dogs before and they've always been fed 2 aday munched everything no probs. I'm worried that Chips will not eat enough if I take the food away and starve to death! HELP

 

[Shamelle]

Hi,

Sorry to hear your pup is not eating very well. Both of my girls gobbled up everything when they were tiny pups and my youngest Kira still eats like there is no tomorrow so I can't offer much help in the way of feeding suggestions.
However, I will suggest that if you haven't taken chips to the vet for a check up you might want to start there. More than likely ther is nothing wrong and chips is just a fussy eater but it couldn't hurt to have it checked out.
I'm sure others here will soon weigh in with some good suggestions.

Good luck
By the way, love the name LOL

 

[mooberry]

Put her food in an small private area -such as in say a cat box with a lid empty of course-

This will ensure that you can keep food down 24/7 without Gravy getting too it. I also encourage you to research and pick up a very high quality food if she isn't eating a lot the better her nutrition the better her health will be in the long run

 

[mongboot]

I'm going to do the raw diet for them all, been reading about bakers and TBH not surprised they dont wanna eat it, I thought it was good stuff but its full of crap:foxes15: humph!!
Think Pies not wolfin it down cos its there all the time, he just grazes through out the day, Chips has been checked and she's got a clean bill of health and Gravys just a greedy git lol.
So fingers crossed xx

 

[mooberry]

You will have a much much higher success with raw. Just remember keep the pups separate because food aggression can magically appear from no where with this diet -which is normal it is very very high value-

Also monitor every single bone in meal and learn the dog heimlich it is very unlikely but you will forever regret it should -heaven forbid- the worst happen

 

[RavenclawPrefect]

She will not starve

Dogs who are picky eaters are created by their owners. It is an easy trap to fall into. (Note: my dogs are not picky eaters, this is just how it can easily happen)

Snuggles doesn't eat his food so I try to coax him to eat more, I add things to it, I switch feed, I baby talk, I hand feed....everything I can think of to get him to eat and he just won't. I make a big deal when he actually eats a mouthful. He has learned if he doesn't eat, he gets loads of attention and possibly more tasty things.

If your dog has a clean bill of health, there is no reason to baby them at meal times. Put the food down for x amount of time and take up whatever is still down there at the end of the time. Continue this at each meal. A healthy dog will eat when they are hungry.

I realize with smaller dogs, there is always a concern about having them go too long between meals. I would probably offer the food more often (although 3xs a day should be fine) ...depends on her size.

I know for me, I feed 2 dogs (7 lb Chi and 43 lb dog) It is much easier to have a set time to feed them and be done with it. This helps make sure that no one is eating more than they should and I can also see how much they actually are eating. I usually give them 30 minutes to eat. Spacely, the Chi, is done in less than 5 minutes. Tinsel takes longer but she is more methodical and leisurely with her food.

Good luck!

 

[mongboot]

LOL, that is so me Chips has me well and truly sussed. I'm going to get tough and take the food away cheers xx raw day 1 starts tomorrow xx

 

[RavenclawPrefect]

It is so easy for them to wrap us around their little paws, isn't it? I did this with one of my dogs years and years ago and someone gave me a stern talking to and helped me hold strong and break the picky eating.

 

[Smith]

I've got a swarm, so I have to do meal times or I'd never be able to keep track of who ate what and everyone would become chunky monkeys.

I've also fostered dogs and gotten in quite a few with a reputation of being picky eaters. But, I start offering them food the same as I do with everyone: they get meals to eat at meal time. If they don't want it, that's okay, but they have to wait for the next meal time for another chance. Every dog that's stayed with me, after about a week, has come around to eating all of their meal at mealtime, usually with relish and enthusiasm.

You can do it!

 

[aucifiel]

A bit off topic here for a moment but...I adore your dogs' names .

As for feeding, does your chi dry heave or have acid reflux if they do not eat enough? My chi pup doesn't eat a lot but he used to heave in the middle of the night because he was just too hungry and he didn't know it. I didn't like free feeding him because I was house training him but I found that if you set a routine and they don't eat a lot, they'll make up for it eventually in the next meal because they get hungry. If you're worried, try feeding a few more kibble by hand after your chi has apparently finished at the bowl or feeding a small handful before bed.

 

[Cream Chi's]

I've got a swarm, so I have to do meal times or I'd never be able to keep track of who ate what and everyone would become chunky monkeys.

Same here :laughing1:

 

[LostLakeLua]

You've gotten some excellent advice! One thing I'll emphasize on, is that no healthy dog will starve itself.
**THAT SAID** I might advise making sure there isn't anything else affecting her appetite. If you've been setting food down for her at meals and she quite regularly doesn't eat enough, and is starting to lose weight because of it, I might be a little worried.
With stubborn dogs, sometimes it can take a couple days or a week before they finally "cave in" and eat their food; once they realize nothing better is on its way. Cuz as it's been said, a healthy dog wont starve itself. But if that's already been the case and your pup STILL doesn't want to eat, I would be a bit worried more than there's an underlying issue.

 

[LostLakeLua]

I've got a swarm, so I have to do meal times or I'd never be able to keep track of who ate what and everyone would become chunky monkeys.

Same here!! And I still have 2 chunks in my pack lol. By the way, *ahem* I think you need to do a little updating to your siggy don't you think? :angel9:

 

[Gurman]

She will not starve

Dogs who are picky eaters are created by their owners. It is an easy trap to fall into. (Note: my dogs are not picky eaters, this is just how it can easily happen)

Snuggles doesn't eat his food so I try to coax him to eat more, I add things to it, I switch feed, I baby talk, I hand feed....everything I can think of to get him to eat and he just won't. I make a big deal when he actually eats a mouthful. He has learned if he doesn't eat, he gets loads of attention and possibly more tasty things.

If your dog has a clean bill of health, there is no reason to baby them at meal times. Put the food down for x amount of time and take up whatever is still down there at the end of the time. Continue this at each meal. A healthy dog will eat when they are hungry.

I realize with smaller dogs, there is always a concern about having them go too long between meals. I would probably offer the food more often (although 3xs a day should be fine) ...depends on her size.

I know for me, I feed 2 dogs (7 lb Chi and 43 lb dog) It is much easier to have a set time to feed them and be done with it. This helps make sure that no one is eating more than they should and I can also see how much they actually are eating. I usually give them 30 minutes to eat. Spacely, the Chi, is done in less than 5 minutes. Tinsel takes longer but she is more methodical and leisurely with her food.

Good luck!

Let me first say : "Chips, Gravy and Pie"? Holy Honk that's cute.

I totally agree with Ravenclaw, I have a big dog (60lbs) a weenie (17lbs) and a 9lb fusspot. If Gertie won't tuck in, or stops part way through and walks away, then I put her dinner away. They all eat at the same time the weenie and the big guy usually finish quite quickly. Then one of us sits with Gertie as long as it takes her to finish, so that nobody comes along to help her (none of them are food aggressive but Herman is a rescue with starvation behaviors and inhales anything remotely edible). Usually, Gert holds off when they have been given a treat recently, imagining that if she doesn't eat her dinner we might give her the treat. They eat twice a day so if she turns one meal down, another one will be along shortly so she won't starve. A hungry dog will totally eat eventually, even one that's a little bit spoiled

 

[susan davis]

I tried everything with Zarita. Vet told me she HAD to eat 3-4x a day. Hypoglycemia was a real concern. She only weighed a pound and a few ounces when I got her at 12 weeks. Now she is 6#'s and she has to have 1/4 of a Pepsid every other day to treat her reflux. She actually can make her self sick, if she doesn't eat! Now I try not to get upset if she doesn't eat, and most of the time the next day she'll clean her dish. Good luck. Sue

 

[mongboot]

Thanks for all the advise I am being strict (well sort of, they still getting their treats but not as many ) with feeding the dogs. Gravy is no bother eats everything and licks her bowl clean. Little Chipolata (chips nick name) has been eating all her food at the set times as of yesterday whoop whoop if she dosent eat it I take it away and she has to wait till next feed time, she wasn't happy at first but she's got over it lol. Much worrying by me and should I shouldn't I give her summit, but i didn't and she started eating yey. Little Pie has been doing very well too. He's getting fed 4 times a day and eating regulary instead of when ever he wants, and i can see how much they are eating.

Thank you for giving me the balls to get a grip