how can i get my dog to eat his food?

[Johnn]

he was on:
Bakers complet:ate it
wagg:didnt eat it
beta:didnt eat it and had diareah when he did
chudleys:wouldnt eat it
iams:would eat about 2 meals a week
autkary: eats about 4 meals a week

why is he doing this its so annoying he gets fed a few bits of table scraps, he has ate his full meals in the past 2 days but only because i wouldnt give him table scraps but he has started jumping up to get them if we dont give him then and he will hold out not to eat his food, what could i do to make him eat his food?

also i changed him to autkary about 2 weeks ago and hes got about 3 weeks left of it but i want to change his food to James Welbeloved or Burns will it be ok? thats the last foods he will be getting changed too?

 

[Skyesrocket]

he has ate his full meals in the past 2 days but only because i wouldnt give him table scraps but he has started jumping up to get them if we dont give him then and he will hold out not to eat his food, what could i do to make him eat his food?

You answered your own question. If nothing else lock him up during meal times. When I bring a new pup into the house it NEVER gets fed from the table. It doesn't beg because it isn't expecting to get anything.​

 

[Johnn]

my dog sits and begs then if you dont give him anything jumps up and if you leave your plate on the table when you go out the room he jumps up and helps him self

 

[gmendoza]

stop feeding talbe scraps. leave his dog food in his bowl.He will eat.He wont starve. It will force him to eat.

 

[Johnn]

ok but can anyone ansew the question about changing his food?

 

[HEChicken]

First of all, why does it bother you if he doesn't eat? He's not going to starve himself to death, so don't let this be an issue for you. Offer him food, if he doesn't eat it within 15 minutes, put it up and offer it again at the next feeding (assuming you are feeding dry kibble - I wouldn't recommend feeding a wet food at all). Between meals, don't offer any treats or table scraps. Continue until he eats the meal. Continue again. Trust me, unless there is something medically wrong with him, when he's hungry, he'll eat. And look at it this way: every meal he skips saves you money.

As for changing foods, again, why? If you thought the food you currently have was a high quality food when you bought it, what has changed? If its a good enough food, finish the bag and then change feeds. If you don't think its a good feed, throw it away and purchase something decent. Once you find a food that is high quality and he's doing well on it, resist the temptation to keep changing feeds with every bag.

 

[i<3mych1ckens]

Usually, when switching foods, to avoid an upset stomach you want to give him a mixture of one quarter new food to three quarters old food for two days, then half new, half old for two days, then one quarter old to three quarters new for two days. Then you just feed the new food. Have you thought about switching to something a little more substancial like Innova EVO or Origen? If he's a large breed puppy I wouldn't reccomend EVO, but otherwise, I don't know many dogs who have ever turned down high protein, grain free food. It tastes more meaty. It's more expensive, but the serving size is less because it has so much less filler. Just a thought. Another idea, if you're really worried about him eating is to mix a raw egg with his kibble. It's excellent for dogs and their digestive track is a lot shorter than a humans so there's pretty much 0 risk of him getting sick from it. Ofcourse, I'd make sure he eats all of the egg. Don't leave out all day or anything. It will also make his coat shine!

 

[Skyesrocket]

Yes, find a food you like and keep him on it. You can feed him what he has left and the last week or so mix the old with the new. That way he will have time to adjust to it.
It sounds like you are being a bit of a softy in feeding from the table. Lock him up, put him outside, whatever it takes at meal times to keep him away from the table. After a couple of weeks you can start retraining him not to eat from the table. Stay firm about it. No giving in....no exceptions!
Just keep in mind that dogfood is probably a more balanced diet for him then tablescraps.
Good Luck!

 

[JellyBeanCee]

Just a couple of questions, how old is this dog and how long have you had this problem with him? Are these dry dog foods or wet? If dry, are there any problems with his teeth that he can't or won't eat the food due to pain?

That said...

Changing their food around can be hard on their tummies. That can cause all kinds of digestive problems for some animals. If you are going to switch again, I would try mixing the foods together gradually to get to the new food. For example, if he eats 1 cup of food, mix 3/4 cup of the old food with 1/4 cup of the new food for a few days, then 1/2 cup new 1/2 cup old, etc. You could try adding a bit of warm water to his kibble (assuming you're feeding dry), let it sit for a minute or two to soften and make a sort of gravy. Sometimes that will entice them as it brings out the aroma in the food.

And I agree with other folks...no table scraps. If he's getting really persistent about begging or eating your food, lock him in another room or crate him while you eat. That's not acceptable behavior. You are supposed to be in charge of him, not the other way around.

 

[stormylady]

Pick a good brand of dog food and stick with it, don't even give him snacks or treats from the table period. He'll eat, eventually, he won't starve himself but he may have the will power to hold out for a couple of days in the hopes of getting people food, you just have to not give in. But if you change brands of dogfood alot it's bound to mess with his stomach and make him sick with Diareah, or gas or both .