7 month old puppy gone off her food

baconsarnie

Hi,
Our puppy has been on royal canin since we got her at 12 weeks old, never any problem with eating

Of late she has slowed down a bit in eating her meals (no harm there) but has in the last month really slowed down

We were away for 2 weeks (I know, it was foolish & we missed her terribly) but she was really well looked after by my folks who she loves being with, but in the last week she takes hours to eat any meal, odd piece here & there rather than eating in one sitting

We have brought her to the vet regularly, she is full of vitality & healthy as can be. Is it possible she is just bored with the royal canin pellets?

seamus

Sounds like she's too used to grazing on her food and happily leaves it there because she knows that it will always be there.

If you want her to eat and be done with it, then split her meal into two feeding times - I go with breakfast and dinner. Put the food down at breakfast time. If it's not eaten in fifteen minutes, take it away and then don't put it back down until dinnertime. Then the same drill again.

Also make a specific deal of giving her the food, make sure she knows that you're giving it to her and that it's not just an everlasting flow of food from somewhere. So don't fill the bowl and put it down when she's outside peeing. Have the dog sit and watch you prepare it and then have her wait for your signal before she can go to it.

She will miss a couple of meals and be hungry for a few hours, but she will eventually get the message and eat her meals as soon as the bowl hits the ground.

Hooked

My siberian husky got sick of his Royal Canin kibble at about 8-9 months old too... He'd go 2 days and not touch a 'kibble only' meal.

Through a bit of trial and error I changed a few things...

1. Changed his evening meal to lunchtime (1.30/2pm) Suits us both for evening walks and runs straight after work. (no full belly) And he poos on his walks and not in the yard.

2. Cut back on his kibble and added a 'bribe' - grilled chicken, steak, veg, tuna, mackerel etc... to make it taste better. 60/40 mix. 60% nuts. None of that pouched wet food muck.

3. On his dinner meal (2pm) I feed him in his crate beside me as I'm at the table eating my dinner. I eat first, then him. He seems to like the fact we eat together?

Since Christmas 2011 (when he was in the house with us a lot, crated for our meals - I figured he was protesting and tried him eating with me) he has yet to turn his nose up at a meal. I mean - NOT ONCE in 5 or 6 months. Twice a day like clockwork. Wolfs his food every time.

But I am in the fortunate position that I'm home at lunch every day. And I'm cooking dinner for myself anyway so don't feel the time/extra or effort.

Some try the 10 min rule. Put it down. Not eaten, take it away till next feed. Some dogs soon realise - I'd better eat it quick - or else... Then you have Hugo (my Husky) who'll wait for days tillI change my tune and offer something better. I spend about 4 euro a week in Aldi on chicken, fish, etc... to add to his kibble and its worth it. The kibble lasts longer and he's happier.

Like anything - if the vet says she's ok - it might be a case of trial and error with times and tastes...

Best of luck

Hooked

seamus wrote: »

Also make a specific deal of giving her the food, make sure she knows that you're giving it to her and that it's not just an everlasting flow of food from somewhere. So don't fill the bowl and put it down when she's outside peeing. Have the dog sit and watch you prepare it and then have her wait for your signal before she can go to it.

This too! I 'release' Hugo to feed. He watches me prepare it, eat mine and is told... "Go on - OR - take it" (These are his release words)