[Maab]

Hello everyone,

my dog has been on raw for months and she is doing great.
But, I see a problem in the horizon...
The dog seem loosing interest in raw food.
About three weeks ago, the first sign was when she refused to eat chicken liver. Unless I cooked it she wouldn't eat it.
Then in the course of time she refused other parts, first lamb ribs, Then last week she refused to eat a slab of beef ribs ( out all night and she wouldn't go close to it) and now last night she even refused a chicken leg quarter. She ate a small piece of chicken breat and few hearts and preffered to go to sleep virtually unfed as often is now happening. So far the only piece that she ate without turning her nose is a leg of turkey. But I see that happening too.

Any idea of what's going on?
I would hate going back to kibble. She doesn't refuse them in the morning which i give her as a treat along a bite of banana. Go figure!

 

[ruckusluvr]

she will not starve herself, i promise.
leave food out for 15 minutes and put it away. she doesnt eat it, too bad she misses her meal. give it to her again at her next meal time. if she doesnt eat it, too bad, take it up.

she will learn to eat it when its there in no time.

 

[harrkim120]

Is there anyway that she could be getting so much in the morning that she just isn't hungry in the evening?

Is it possible that she's being fed late in the evening when she's too tired? If I feed my Boston too late or too early when he isn't awake enough, he won't eat. However, like stated above...I won't leave it out for him. He gets 20 minutes and if he doesn't eat it, it goes bye bye until next mealtime. :biggrin:

P.S. What kind of dog do you have?

 

[rannmiller]

I agree with the others, it sounds like your dog is trying to call the shots and train you to give her whatever she wants. Like they said, I'd recommend just leaving the food out for 15 minutes to give her a chance to eat it. Just hand it to her like it's no big deal and leave her alone for 15 minutes. Don't coax her to eat or talk to her during this time. At the end of 15 minutes, if she isn't eating her food, put it back in the fridge until the next meal time. Don't give her any snacks, treats, or tidbits in the mean time. That way she'll learn that if she doesn't want to eat what you're offering, then she doesn't get to eat. As they said, no healthy dog will let itself starve to death and you aren't starving your dog if you're offering her food at every meal. She'll come around.

Also, you may be over feeding her if she is refusing food. What kind of dog is she/how much does she weigh and how much are you feeding her?

 

[rawfeederr]

A healthy dog will not starve. They will eat eventually. Use the tough love method:
Feed 3 times a day and leave the food down for 15 minutes each time. She'll learn to eat.

 

[Maab]

The dog is a year old giant schnauzer and she weights about 70lb. I feed her about 10-14oz at lunch and about a pound and dinner.
She is not overweight and she gets a decent amount of excercise.

She does now refuses her food at any time, but especially at dinner.
What puzzels me is that she will eat boneless meat (with the exception of the chicken liver) but not meatybones . Funny also that she used to love those meaty bones.
...You are right in regard of the treats. I have been giving her extras to compensate, dumb of me.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[rawfeederr]

What puzzels me is that she will eat boneless meat (with the exception of the chicken liver) but not meatybones.

Does she have any dental problems that would cause her teeth to hurt when she is eating bones? Maybe one of her teeth chipped?
You may want to have her checked by a vet.

 

[Maab]

Does she have any dental problems that would cause her teeth to hurt when she is eating bones? Maybe one of her teeth chipped?
You may want to have her checked by a vet.

I thought about that, I did look and there is nothing abnormal that I can see.
She still chewing other things thou, toys, cardboard, bully stick and loves to grab big sticks in the park.
But Tuesday she is getting spayed and I'll ask the vet to look at her more closely.
Thanks again

 

[rannmiller]

I'd say only offer her food twice a day since that's how she's normally fed. Tough love! Also, maybe try to decrease the amount you're feeding her and see if that gets her hungry again.

 

[rawfeederr]

She still chewing other things thou, toys, cardboard, bully stick and loves to grab big sticks in the park.

If she is enjoying chewing on other things, it probably isn't a dental problem then.
I have nothing other to offer though.. so, good luck on Tuesday! Hope she is OK.

 

[Maab]

Ok. I'll decrease the amount of food and take it away if she won't touch it in 15 minutes. I'll see how it goes.

Thanks a lot.

 

[JayJayisme]

Are you sure there isn't some other health issue involved here? Any time a dog loses interest in food rather suddenly I would be concerned, especially if the dog's activity level hasn't changed beforehand. If you start seeing lower energy levels or any other signs of a problem, you should have a vet check into it just to make sure nothing is wrong.

 

[Maab]

She seems fine to me but I am not sure until I take her to vet on Tuesday.
She normally loves RMB and it's all strange.
Thanks again

 

[RawFedDogs]

I wouldn't worry if the dog is still energetic and appears to feel good.

 

[harrkim120]

Do you ever do a fasting day? Dropping one of those in every once and a while might add to the appreciation factor as well. :smile:

 

[Maab]

Do you ever do a fasting day? Dropping one of those in every once and a while might add to the appreciation factor as well. :smile:

No but recently I had to because she wouldn't eat and today finally she just ate a leg of turkey... She never refused that so far.
At first she looked at it closely, then she walked away, then she came to me and sniffed around and then she went back to eat it.

First full meal since last Saturday