Refusing Food

[Chris]

Hello,

We are having a small problem with Nitro, for the past month or so he will not eat his food unless there is at least a few small treats put it in! He will sit and watch me put it down and only get up if he sees me with the bag of treats! I then have to break it into small pieces and give him some of the treat then he will eat occasionally part of his dinner, and only finishes it if more treats are added!

I know I am pandering to him, but I have lifted his food loads of times, and he doesn't eat it in the evening after it being lifted, and he has gone whole days without eating! and I felt really bad! Blondie however will quite happily eat her food and his if given the chance!

Does anyone else have this problem with their Greys?



Chris.

[leefizz]

Hello, I had a similar problem with Fizz a few months ago. At first I thought it was because she couldn't chew it properly. I give her Wainwrights salmon and potato, back then she was having it plain. Then one day she just started refusing it. I tried soaking it in gravy that worked for a while and she got bored with that too. So for the past few months I've been mixing tin Chappie into her dry food and once or twice a week sardines or mackerel, and that seems to have done the trick. I think with Fizz though she knew I'd give in and give her extra, which I did.
Apart from refusing food has Nitro been okay in himself?


Lee

[suethejam]

I've found that the hounds are very clever when it comes to food and know we will do whatever we can to make them happy - this is why Lynx has used his hypno-powers to programme me to buy them a hot chicken every time I pass a supermarket!

Seriously though, is Nitro losing weight or showing signs of discomfort e.g. coughing/retching/vomiting/rubbing his face against the furniture (sign that his teeth/mouth is sore)? Is so then it may be worth getting him checked out. I tend towards paranoia and get my hounds checked at the vet if they show any change in behaviour that I can't easily explain.

If he is fine then you'll have to decide whether to harden your heart and persist in feeding him what YOU want or give in and spend your life looking for nice foods to pacify your hound - that's what happens here - I'm not complaining :-)

[Ian]

It could also be that he is simply a fussy eater, although I wouldn't necessarily say don't get his teeth checked. You could ask Pat \ Ooops! to take a look they have a good eye for this sort of thing. Maybe at one of the shows that's coming up?

[Chris]

Lee: I thought the same, and we gave him Wagg dog gravy with all his Wafcol food which is occasionally mixed with meat/fish/chicken. But he still didn't eat it unless there was treats in it.

In himself he has been fine, more active than he was previously now that Blondie is with him, he is now more playful and active.

Sue, It probably is that he is just greedy and wants treats in with his food! If I was to put tuna/chicken in he usually goes straight for the bowl as he can smell the food! But he usually when treats are in it eats all the Wafcol! So I presume he must like it.

He did get his teeth scaled and polished 2 months ago, his gums still bleed when I brush them and he has a Denta-Stick daily, he does rub his face on the furniture though. Other than that he seems his normal self, not noticed any weight loss, he runs around ok.

Mark, You are probably right and he is just wants his treats! I'll show him to Pat when I next see her.

Thanks for all of your help.

[pumalass]

I don't know if you just give him dry food but we have always added Chicken to their dry biscuit meals or some tin food, they have never refused their dinner, may leave a bit of biscuit now and again.
They get treats a bit later in the evening, in fact Mersey knows the time that she gets it and is teaching Beau to do the same.
Wait by their treat cupboard with longing looks in their eyes.

I think they are spoilt but what the heck!!!

Hope this helps
Chris

[sueb]

Chris
I think people have given good advice and I can't really add anything except to say that if it is dry food you are giving them, I do think it seems very bland and boring! Not that I have tasted it personally, you undestand, but do think some dogs get fed up with it occaisionally. (Brennan included). Some also like it wetted and really soaked.
We mix in chicken, mince and oily fish, veggy and it seems much more appetising. Mind you, you are doing this already!

Actually just thought....the thing with treats- has this developed since you've had Blondie? Just wondered if there might be an assocaition and he is wanting treats to reaffirm his position as favoured dog, as I would have thought fresh meat would be more attractive in his dinner than treats. I'm probably trying (and failing!) to read too much into it, as their brains aren't as sophisticated as ours (although sometimes with them you do wonder!!)

Brennan was quite fussy and often only ate part of his meal in the evening, somtimes he'd go back to it later, but he's improved a lot now Nelly is here, as he know she will eat it if he doesn't!

By the way Nitro looks very healthy in the photos you've posted, and I'm sure he can work wonders on you with THOSE eyes! I'm sure I'd give in every time!!
Good luck

[Chris]

We add meat/fish/chicken to the meals in the evening, but still they get refused unless Nitro sees me with a bag of treats and there is sufficient amounts in his dinner! and he has to try the treat as well!

I he was like it before we got Blondie but it was infrequent, and now it is a daily thing to get him to eat! We still follow the routine of he goes through door first etc etc.

Thanks he does look a different dog to when we got him! He has moulted so much which has now stopped with a lot of TLC to his coat! I don't think he is unhealthy apart from his gums bleed when I brush them, I can't see anything else wrong with him. Except his heart beats irregularry which I don't know if this is normal for greyhounds?

[pat]

nitro has you on a long piece of string and you are dancing to his tune, he knows exactly what he is doing, he will keep doing this until you decide that enough is enough, any greyhound will get fed up with a certain food after a while and if its owners then gets worried and adds something different they will think, yes this is great i always want that,then that starts the cycle of adding bits to food to get him to eat,if he does not eat the owner then gets worried, dont, he will eat anything when hungry, he is not that hungry or he would eat. dont worry he is a normal greyhound
pat

[sallydog14]

OH dear it looks as if Peggy may have me on that same long string Pat! I,ve had Peggy just over 3 months now and I been working on her coat and getting some weight on her bones as you know.Well her coat is coming on a treat but feeding is getting to be a problem. As she is a very slow eater I was giving her small but frequent meals with extra treats in between. ( trevor was'nt aware though so dont tell him!) It looks now as if she is more interested in the treats and extra tit bits than her meals. So I'm trying to be strong and to not make a song and dance about her refusing her meals. I picked the bowl up last nightand tried later. But she was'nt interested. So I thought she would eat this morning but she refused it again! So worried as she cant afford to lose weight. She seems perky enough in herself but will obviously keep an eye on her. Perhaps a visit to the vets is the next step do you think if she still does'nt eat tonight? Oh dear like children are more a worry when they get older I beginning to think the same of greys too! x

[Ian]

Seaney has been the past master as turning his nose up at food but always seems to find room for any leftovers that are in his bowl after we've eaten. I never know what's preferable though, the dog that's the greedy guts, or a dog like Sean where he's a fussy old sod. I wouldn't worry about it too much though because Sean has always maintained a regular weight they eat well when they're genuinely hungry. I've known Sean offered a sausage (human grade) and he'll take it and eat it, offer him another of the same and he'll sniff it and walk away. Yet for most dogs I don't think sausages get to touch the sides!

[leefizz]

Fizz is a right old greedy guts . I'm happy with that, I did worry when she went off her food, but not now.


Lee

[pumalass]

Mersey can be a bit fussy, sometimes she will eat her breakfast another time no interest whatsoever, also of a night she may leave some biscuit, but we try her later on, sometimes she finishes it other times no.
As most are saying unless they are poorly which you would usually tell by lack of interest in anything, they won't starve they are not silly as they are showing some you where they won't eat unless treats are given, because they know you will give it in the end.

[sallydog14]

Thanks everyone for your comments have taken them all on board. Whilst walking her at lunch time she ate an awful lot of grass and was a bit better tonightwith her meal so perhaps she was feeling a bit off colour. Just hope her appetitite improves though because they are both going to stay in kennels for a couple of days in November and she will be so skinny I'm sure by the time I collect them! So fingers x that does'nt happen! x