Extremely picky dog

Jen Pigs Fly

Currently doggy sitting the OHs parents dog - a 11 year old American Staffy.
He has always been a very, very picky eater, so just thought I'd see if anyone on here could come up with a reason or even just an opinion!

He will only eat his food with cooked chicken and dry food mixed (I've tried to educate regarding high quality food but this is all he will eat!), he is very picky when it comes even to human food.

The only human food he will eat is chicken, beef and doner meat. He will only eat one type of dog treats even, he'll turn his nose up at other treats! He resource guards bones so he is not allowed these.

I have a staffy X myself and a Labrador and they will eat anything that falls or given to them so it's just very baffling!

He point blank refuses vegetables, including carrots. He will eat potatoes if mixed in with his dinner. He refuses meat if covered in sauce and sometimes will refuse if meat falls to the floor. If food falls he will sniff and then ignore, if offered something different he will sniff and ignore. He ignores fruits and veg completely.

I honestly have never known a dog to refuse 'people' food like this!

Any thoughts? He's in great Nick for a dog his size and statue, he's a very bulky dog but has a definite waist, he's not under weight and honestly everyone is happy to keep him on his normal dinner, it's just strange how he is so picky regarding dog treats and people food!

kylith

Basically I'd say that he is like that because he has been allowed/trained to be like that. My family member had a dog he described as 'very picky' who would regularly turn his nose up at top of the range wet dog food, because he knew that if he did he'd get sausages shortly after.

If it was something you'd like to change I'd recommend letting him skip a few meals, generally once they learn that it's either eat what they're given or go hungry they change their tune. However, if you're happy to let him off, especially considering his age, then just resolve not to let the next dog be so picky.

Jen Pigs Fly

kylith wrote: »

Basically I'd say that he is like that because he has been allowed/trained to be like that. My family member had a dog he described as 'very picky' who would regularly turn his nose up at top of the range wet dog food, because he knew that if he did he'd get sausages shortly after.

If it was something you'd like to change I'd recommend letting him skip a few meals, generally once they learn that it's either eat what they're given or go hungry they change their tune. However, if you're happy to let him off, especially considering his age, then just resolve not to let the next dog be so picky.

See he's the opposite of this. He point blank refuses people food. I offered him a carrot to eat and you'd swear I insulted his family! My two always get a carrot each going to bed! If you drop food on the ground accidentally he will be like "nope" and walk away whereas my dogs would be pushing other to get at it.

It's almost like the dog is a cat! He gets sausages, meat etc in his dinner, but if you put anything else in his food bowl the entire dinner doesn't get eaten.

If he doesn't eat his dinner he doesn't get anything else .... Not that he'd eat it anyway! He will only eat one type of treat, we've tried many others and nope! And even then he will turn his nose up at his treats!

Maybe he's just a weird dog ...

Ms Doubtfire1

you sure he's not a lurcher?

tk123

I know you've said he's always been like that but...after my friend's dog with kidney problems being on hunger strike I'd get the dog vet checked (with blood tests) to make sure there isn't something underlying that might explain him being picky?

Jen Pigs Fly

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

you sure he's not a lurcher?

Judging by the size of his head I doubt it :pac:

tk123 wrote: »

I know you've said he's always been like that but...after my friend's dog with kidney problems being on hunger strike I'd get the dog vet checked (with blood tests) to make sure there isn't something underlying that might explain him being picky?

Yes I may suggest that actually - he was checked by the vet and given all good, unsure if blood work was done however.

DBB

Isn't one of the B vitamins an appetite stimulant? Might be no harm asking your vet op, just to make sure it's ok, but I know a couple of posters here have had good experiences with it

Mountainsandh

My dog is picky too (shih tzu x bichon) although not as extreme as the one you're looking after. It's not so much that we "made" him like this I think, more that it was just his character from puppyhood, and we indulged him so yes, we made it worse. He never ever "hoovers" the floor or even licks dinner plates unless there's cheese involved. Dislikes sauces like gravy etc...
He'll play a bit with a carrot, will nibble a corner, then discard it.
Not a hope in hell he'd eat peas, veg, fish, anything too processed like sausages, nuggets ... No hope he'd eat anything with potato, bread, veg mixed in (like a cat he might carefully pick meat and leave all peas in bowl if peas not too mushy).

He does like chicken, beef, ham, turkey, a morsel of pasta or rice if it's mixed with these, or cheese or butter, which are absolute favourites (only occasional treats in moderation).

Spaghetti bolognese might be tolerated if he's very hungry and there's enough cheese mixed in. (Again, occasional, a good way to settle stomach when he has diarrhea I find).

Won't look at Bonios or other biscuity treats, only lidl dog sausages or dried meat strips, sometimes.

He's fed wet food but frequently leaves some in bowl (not large bowls ever !) and has a bowl of dried food that he goes to pick at sometimes, like the cat. Will only eat 10 or so dry nuts here and there (suitable size nuts), leaves the rest for later.

He grew up with the cat bossing him around, but cat eats his own food elsewhere so no "food skirmishes". I think he partly mimicks some of the cats' behaviour alright.

He's happy, fit, and in full health.

AryaStark

My dog will not eat any dog treats! She will throw them around and play with them but thats it! She eats her food but only after exercise. My Mams dog wants his breakfast as soon as he wakes up but Nymeria would not eat until she has exercised and used a lot of energy. Then she comes into the kitchen and sits on her mat beside her bowl and howls until she is feed! She gets Barking heads and loves it (or at least eats it all!)