[courtneytree]

I will try to make this as quick and painless as I can! lol
We are new to the fourms, and still semi-new to raw feeding my two dogs.
Cali is out 80lbs yellow lab (3 years old and LOVES raw!) & Ponyo is our 2.2lbs maltese (5 months old, started loving raw, now its a chore to get her to eat it, the reason for this post)!
I have been feeding raw for a few months now and LOVE the huge change my family (of 5) as seen in both dogs!
Cali is not a issue here, but like I said, Ponyo started out loving every type of meat I put in front of her. A few weeks ago she decited to not eat it anymore! She turns her nose up at it every time! I have started hand feeding her because it's the only way she will eat it most of the time! Here is another issue...if I put kibble in front of her, she eats it up in a hurry...Which I hate to do, but at times I feel she needs to eat something (another story of a seizure that she had due to low blood suger, so I do everything I can to avoid them!!!)
Any tips or comments on my little issue?

 

[DaneMama]

What are you feeding her? On a regular basis?

 

[RawFedDogs]

I have started hand feeding her because it's the only way she will eat it most of the time!

She is a good human trainer. She has you trained very well. She also has you wrapped around her little finger. Here is how to fix that little problem.

Put her food down the normal way. If she hasn't begun eating it in 10 minutes take it back up. Don't do anything to try to get her to eat it. She LOVES the extra attention. Don't beg her, cajole her, feed her by hand, dress up the food in any way. Do nothing to reward her not eating.

Also don't fuss at her. Keep a completely neutral attitude. Don't show worry or anger or that you are upset in any way. After 10 minutes casually pick up her food and put it back in the fridge. Don't give her any between meal snacks or treats. Next meal time, pull out the exact same food and offer it to her again. Repeat this process until she eats. She won't hold out forever.

Don't feel like you are starving her. You aren't. You are offering food every meal time. It is her who is deciding not to eat. No dog will starve itself in the presence of food.

Here is another issue...if I put kibble in front of her, she eats it up in a hurry...Which I hate to do, but at times I feel she needs to eat something (another story of a seizure that she had due to low blood suger, so I do everything I can to avoid them!!!)

If she needs some sugar give her a spoon full of something sweet to get sugar into her but not enough volume of food that will satisfy hunger.

Any tips or comments on my little issue?

You are the human. She is the dog. It is your responsibility to decide the menu, not hers. You have let her take over that duty from you and it's time you take it back. Stop catering to her little whims.

 

[courtneytree]

Thank you for the advice! I am taking it to heart and will start working w/ her ASAP!

BTW, Ponyo has had everything.... Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, several types of fish, as well as shell fish!

 

[mike487]

But I bet she loves HAM!! :biggrin:

 

[xxshaelxx]

First of all, I agree with everything that RFD said! It works wonders. XP Got Amaya to eat, my picky little booger. I had to do it for about two weeks getting her to eat fish. I cut it up a couple of times, and that worked, then read something on here about not catering to her needs, so I stopped doing that, and it was a struggle, but finally broke her. She's a bit underweight now, but I'm doubling her portions to make up for it now that she's actually eating, at least until she gains a good, proper portion of fat around her belly. haha.

Which I hate to do, but at times I feel she needs to eat something (another story of a seizure that she had due to low blood suger, so I do everything I can to avoid them!!!)

I've read that maple syrup works really well, because it's very high in sugar. Just give her about a teaspoon of that. I'd give Amaya some of that when she was not eating as a puppy (another food struggle when she was on kibble), and she didn't get sick or have diarrhea or anything. Dunno what everyone here would say to that, though. XP

Also, if none of this works, and she starts to get depressed, lethargic, or any other negative signs, I'd think about taking her down to the vet, because there could be something else going on.

 

[RawFedDogs]

but I'm doubling her portions to make up for it now that she's actually eating, at least until she gains a good, proper portion of fat around her belly. haha.

I don't suggest doubling her portions to get her to regain weight she lost due to not eating. Feeding normal portions will cause her to automatically return to her original weight now that she is eating normally again. You don't want to force her to regain that weight too fast. It will come back naturally.