I have a German Sheperd that just won't eat!!
We have tried dry food and meat but he just won't take it!
If you have any ideas of how to fix this please let me know. Ill
Try anything.
Thanks heaps,
dog_lover

And just another thing, I've tried worming him and that didn't work. And he is 1 years old. What could it be??

How old is he? If this is a sudden change in an adult that has been eating well enough, take him to the vet for a check up explaining the eating problem to the vet. With a younger dog, you might ask about eating the next time you are in for shots. Young German Shepherds often will often barely eat enough to hide their ribs. Two years ago, when my Gretchen was 5 months old, she went 3 days without more than nibbling her food. She was fine, but I was a basket case.

Forget the meat and other tempting food. Almost any of the commercial, dry dog chows provide a great diet, with the complete and balanced nutrition dogs need. Dry is better for their teeth and jaws. Switching to an adult chow by 6 months reduces the risk of joint problems. For each meal, put down the amount the package recommends. Take away anything uneaten in 15 minutes. Do not offer anything else until the next scheduled meal. Many dogs will not eat as much as the packages recommends. Eventually you should be able to establish how much he will eat. Then judge his condition. Here is a guide to do that, September 07, link to chart replaced with LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog I found it in the newsletter from a large dog guide school. A young Shepherd may insist on keeping himself a little on the lean side. Don't worry about it. Dogs' biggest health problem is overweight.

I am used to Labs that eat like they thought the instruction manual said take the food away after 15 seconds. I think they want a layer of blubber like a seal for swimming in cold water. I see many Shepherds too. Usually they are nice and lean, and much more mannerly about eating. Unless his ribs show badly, just accept you dog's healthy eating habits.

I am doing a second post to acknowledge you did mention his age in your second one. As they reach their full growth, they do slow down a little on what they eat. They will eat enough to fill out a little as an adult.

This is just an idea... 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' has a line of dog/cat food out now which has only been out for a few months here. It is actually a very healthy food too. From what I've heard, it is supposed to be very flavorful and dogs/cats are supposed to love the taste of it. My fiance's dog tore open a bag of it and ate about 3 lbs by the time we saw it. So I believe it. I would mainly just try to feed only very good quality foods, so when your dog does actually eat, its getting good nutrition. Pretty much any of the foods you can get at supermarkets or large chain stores (wal-mart, k-mart) are not good foods at all. I won't name names, but I'm sure you could figure them out.

Hi - I have a two year old female black German Shepherd with eating difficulties too! I came looking for some new suggestions for myself when I found your question. My dog is so skinny people joke that she is anorexic! She is difficult. I have tried expensive good food and cheap stuff with no good results. I do not think it is about the taste - I think my dog does not like to bite. I am sure that sounds weird but she licks any and all the food we give her - Right now what seems to be helping is mixing good dry food with some wet Alpo food, the Alpo softens up the dry food making it easier to lick. We give her lots of raw veggies and fruit, cheeses, and recently I started mixing in Mac - n - cheese with her food. I have noticed it is helping to add a little bulk. She loves it but started to refuse to eat any of her regular dog food so use it carefully. I have also used a combination of cooked ground hamburger with rice. If you try any of these ideas I would suggest introducing one at a time in small quantities gradually increasing it to prevent her from having any bad diarreha. I also use some suppliments that the vet recommended. These all help - but I still have a skinny dog. I have heard that she will most likely start to fill out when she turns three. Best of luck

It is very difficult to ensure a complete and balanced diet for a dog except by making sure most of its calories come from a commercial dog chow. The best thing for light eaters is a dry, concentrated chow. Iam's or Pedigree might be good choices. A lean dog is a healthy dog. Most dogs in our society are overfed to the point of suffering shorter lives. The Shepherds are notorious for refusing to eat more than is good for them. They are healthy even when their ribs show slightly. It is just their nature to keep themselves a little bony. Better to make sure they are getting a balanced diet even if it leaves them looking a little thin. The worst thing you can do to a dog is to feed it a bunch of junk trying to fatten it up. I never heard of a dog having health problems that was being offered all the food it would eat.

HI everyone. I have a 5 month old black German Shepard called Shadow. He has not eaten for 5 days now. He used to eat so much but something has happened. We have taken him to the vets and paid over £300 for them to scan and X-ray him but it is a mystery to them.Nothing showed up on the scan- no blockages or anything. We have tried feeding him dry food, all kinds of meat including raw liver, hearts, fish, chicken etc etc, he has a sniff, but then turns away, not even slightly interested. He is still drinking but that's all. He has a twin brother who is completely the opposite, he'll eat anything. I would appreciate an answer if anyone has one as soon as possible, because I'm not sure how long he's going to last without eating-it'll be his 6th day with no food tomorrow. Thanks

Mr. Bennington,

Maybe you should ask your vet about Cyproheptadine? It's an appetite stimulant we use at our clinic for cats who won't eat...

I hope your situation gets better.

Regards,

Dogs can get things stuck between their teeth and gums. Also if your dog has an abscess of some kind that would make it difficult to eat as it would hurt when the dog tried to chew anything. Maybe there are 2 teeth crowded into 1 spot (like one underneath the other) which could also create a problem. I know this is the last thing someone would think to look at but hope you have had your dogs teeth checked for any problems.

Mr. Benington, how is Shadow? Did he start to eat again? I was a wreck after I had a 5 month old Shepherd go 3 days without eating, but she was fine. Many of them just aren't big eaters.

My dog also won't eat, however his situation is a little different. He is a 5 1/2 year-old mutt. We are not quite sure what he is mixed with, however we are almost 100% sure he has some daushaund in him. He was just recently diagnosed with cervical disc disease in his lower back; on top of that, he does not want to eat ANYTHING! He hasn't eaten anything for days now. His vet has prescribed a canned I/d food which he will also not eat. I have tried rubbing some of the food on his face, and on the roof of his mouth and he won't take to eating it. I know that if he eats he will feel a lot better. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on how I can get him to eat his food?

Is the vet giving him anything for pain? The first regimen a vet prescribes may not work. If it doesn't, you need to get back with the vet and try the next thing. Call tomorrow, and take the dog in if the vet wants to see him. If that seems to be a dead end, maybe it is time to talk to another vet. Sadly, a few vets let us down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sarahwest

My dog also won't eat, however his situation is a little different. He is a 5 1/2 year-old mutt. We are not quite sure what he is mixed with, however we are almost 100% sure he has some daushaund in him. He was just recently diagnosed with cervical disc disease in his lower back; on top of that, he does not want to eat ANYTHING! He hasn't eaten anything for days now. His vet has prescribed a canned I/d food which he will also not eat. I have tried rubbing some of the food on his face, and on the roof of his mouth and he won't take to eating it. I know that if he eats he will feel a lot better. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on how I can get him to eat his food?

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A holistic or alternative vet may have the solution to help your dog get his appetite back. In observing him should he seem to be in pain that can have a great deal to do with taking away his appetite. When humans are in pain I think the last thing we think of is food-we just want to alleviate the pain first. Wysong and Canidae are 2 very healthy dog foods that he might like once you can have him eating again. Wish you the best in helping him & getting your peace of mind back.

Thanks ladyandjan and labman for your comments and thoughts. Thankfully my dog has started to eat again! I was so excited... it was like watching a child take their first steps! :) His back also seems to be doing better (which probably attributed to him eating again). I am now having a hard time getting him to sit still and not jump up and off the furniture or go up and down the stairs (doctor's orders to not do any of those things). Oh well, I am just glad to see he is feeling better!

Glad to see he is doing a little better. I absolutely hate it when the vet tells me to keep a dog quiet. They never give me any Valium for them. Their crate may help for a while, but when you let them out, they are rested and ready to go.

Now that he is doing a little better, it is time to ask about his weight. Over weight is bad for al dogs, but if he has the Dachshound build, it is even worse. For a good illustrated guide to maintaining the right weight for any dog, go to September 07, link to chart replaced with LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog

Bet your heart felt less burdened when you saw him finally eat. Here's a site you may want to look at regarding healthy, no poison, chemical treated dog food for him. http://www.canidae.com Pet Supplies Plus carries this if you have this store in your area. Lots of good wishes for you and your little baby.

Hi all,

I've got a siberian husky that just won't eat often. She will eat sometimes when she gets hungry enough, but she has lost about 8 pounds since we rescued her form the SPCA 6 months ago.

She has extreme separation anxiety and is on qualmicalm to help control her anxiety. Siberian Huskies are normally smaller than other huskies weighing from 45 lbs to 75 lbs. When we got her, she was 44 and now she's down to 36.

We have tried giving her one meal/day and pickingupthe food when she doesn't eat. We went a week before she ate anything - then she started diging through the garbage. We gave up and left food out. Eventually she got around to eating one bowl full. Now she'll eat dinner about once every 2-3 days.

I tried mixing in a B.A.R.F diet. We normally feed nutro lamb and rice, but have tired science diet and about 10 sample packages from different brands that we picked up at a pet fair. All have the same result - she'll eat if she's just about to starve.

She also won't take cookies. There is one treat she'll take - freeze dried liver, but its expensive(6$ / ounce) so it won't become a meal.

Does anyone have ideas how how I might get her to eat more?

Thanks,
Desperate

It is unusual for a healthy dog not to eat as much as it needs over a period. You have followed the link I posted above and she really is too thin by those standards? What does your vet say? Perhaps it is a bonding problem. Give her more quality time. Have you obedience trained her? The dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack, and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/. If she is doing well in basic obedience, go on to advanced obedience or agility.

Usually I stress the importance of feeding a dog little except a commercial, dry dog chow. Even in this case, most of her calories needs to come from such. It might help the bonding if you shared a little of your food with her. Some meaty scraps from the table might help her feel like a beloved member of the pack. Put a little in her dish after the meal. The only downside to some veggies, could be a large, soft stool or even diarrhea if too much at once.

One other ploy might be a puppy chow. They are so rich, that often they create excessively rapid growth and cause problems for puppies. Once again, choose a meat based concentrated one.

My black lab is going to be 10 years old in a month. Last Nov. 2004, we started feeding him Eukanuba Senior formula food and he began to lose weight. We noticed that we fed him less of this new food to bring down his weight as he was pushing 100lbs. Vet said he was getting a little big for his body size. The last couple months (Feb. & Mar.) and the present he has been eating remains of dead animals that neighboring dogs have brought into our yard (deer & wild turkeys, we think rabbits too). After we found the animals we discarded them, we noticed that our dog has gradually slowed his eating down. We have had him to the vet and gave him an antibiotic to get rid of any bacteria that he may have gotten from eating those animals. He only eats 1/2 of a normal days worth of food and has lost a significant amount of weight. He's lost about 20lbs since Nov. 2004. Our vet hasn't said anything to make us think he's really sick (ie. Cancer, infection, etc). We've also noticed his eyes are quite fogged over. We have tried softening the dry dog food, hand feeding, putting dog treats in the bowl, offering more food than we used to feed him when he was looking heavier. Spending more time with him. Not sure where to go with this if the vet doesn't seem to say anything.

I have already listed this link above, September 07, link to chart replaced with LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog Most Labs happily eat themselves to over weight. I wouldn't do anything until he gets his weight down to what it should be following Purina's guidelines. Your vet can confirm his condition. Even if he weighs much less than he once did, losing a little more may still be good for him. My friends have a couple Goldens doing well on the Eukanuba Senior formula. I am sure it is much healthier than what the other dogs are leaving in your yard. My 11 year old Lab seems to be doing fine on Pro Plan regular adult.

Raw meat really isn't good for dogs. Here is a link that explains some of the problems, Second Chance Ranch: This Page Has Moved. The less chance you let him have to eat it, the better off he will be.

Within the last couple weeks our 10.5 year old husky will not everyday. We have owned her since she was 3 months and she has always been a 1 once a day everyday eater. Now she will eat only every 3 to 4 days. Any suggestions on what we could do. She was in to see the vet in Feb and was completely healthy (bloodwork and all). Thanks for the responses.

This is April. Most healthy dogs will eat all they need and more. A change in eating habits at her age could be a recently developed physical problem. I would take her back to the vet. Discuss her weight with the vet. He should confirm your judgment of her weight following the link in my answer above. If she is actually getting to where her ribs are starting to show, and the vet isn't taking an active interest in the problem, it may be time to check with another vet.

Apparently guests at our house fed our dog some KFC,. with bones. She has not eaten since Friday night (the day she was fed this crap). She is miserable and very weak after not having eaten since then. I saw her do #2 yesterday (monday) but it does not seem to be over yet. I hope this is a temporary stomach sickness. She is a bit distended in the mid section. Do any of you have any suggestions?

Yes, call the vet now!! Many dogs survive eating chicken bones. Occasionally a sharp splinter perforates the stomach or intestines and kills the dog. Offer her some bread, the standard soft, library paste stuff is best. It can wrap around sharp objects and protect the dogs insides, but do not count on it to save her. Get her to the vet.

My 7month old pitbull will not eat.i took him to the vet on friday,but still will not eat.they told me he had a bacteria problem but couldn't tell me how or why? i wandering if they are guessing.i did tell them that i found a tick on him and when i pulled it off it was dead,but there is still a scab.. they gave me some antibotics an stroids for the bacteria in fection,, no better need help... :mad: :confused:

Don't panic. Give the antibiotics a chance to work. If he isn't showing any improvement in another day or 2, get back with the vet. A few days with little or no food won't hurt a 7 month old.

My dog takes his time ot eat his food.. why won't he eat it right away?

Lately, he's been puking.. not lots but should I be concerned?

The most common cause of dogs not eating is over feeding. This varies with the breed, age, activity, and from one dog to the next. Shepherds are much less likely to over eat than retrievers. Put the dog's food down and leave it 15 minutes. Take any uneaten food away and do not offer it any more food until its next meal time. Slowly cut back until the dog eats all of it. Keep checking its ribs. See this link, http://www.purina.com/dogs/nutrition.asp?article=292 Use it to adjust the food level to keep your dog lean and healthy. If you doubt your judgment of the dog's condition, ask the vet's advice on it when you have the dog in for shots or a checkup.

If you are consistently feeding the same commercial chow, and little else, and not too much. The digestive problems may go away. Post back if the problem doesn't go away before long.

First off, to kelso lover, I have learned that if your dog is puking up yellow bile, it is because his stomach is empty. I thought the worst when I first saw that.
Secondly, we are so relieved that we are not alone in trying to feed our 1 1/2 yr old large mixed breed mutt (we don't know what he is because some fool abandoned him on our street as a 7 week old puppy... our lucky day!) Our vet and many others we have asked have told us a lot of what I've read here. To make a long story short we have tried everything and are at a point where we have to COOK for him everyday to get him to eat. (Meat, brown rice, mixed veggies) I LOVE my boy, but I don't want to have to be a slave to the stove for him. But the max he has held out was for 3 days (the longest I could hold out before giving in). He will eat something for a day or two, then snub it. This has been going on since day one. How do I get him to go from cooked meals to high quality dry?

Having your dog on a good dry chow is one of the best things you can do for it. I am glad you are still trying to get him to eat it. Not only is cooking for him time consuming and expensive, it is difficult to give him the complete and balanced diet he needs.

I have read that no dog will harm itself by not eating enough. I have also read a number of other things that lead me to wonder how extensive of experience the writer has. The procedure I gave in my last post will work with most dogs. A few dogs won't eat quite enough to maintain what we see as the ideal lean body. They seem to be OK a little on the bony side with the ribs showing slightly. You may have to accept that. Unfortunately that link I posted no longer works. It was a great resource I was directed to by a large dog guide school.

Start by looking at your dog. The ribs shouldn't be obvious, but the waist should be. The ribs should be obvious when you stand in front of the dog, and run your fingers along them. The only dog I had with a real eating problem did eat enough of a concentrated, meat based chow I switched him to that his ribs only showed a little.

Unless your dog is already underweight, I would continue feeding what you are, but cut back on it. After a week, he should be eating better. At that time, start replacing it with the dry chow your are using. Sudden changes of diet can cause digestive upsets. Have you tried other brands and protean source? Ordinarily it is best not to switch around too much, but this sounds like an unusual case. Unusual enough, that I haven't encountered it, and have not heard of an authoritative remedy from a source I would trust. One more thing, you might try is a puppy chow. I know they are very rich in calories and other nutrients, especially the small breed formulas. They are not designed for adult maintenance. I have never heard of anyone feeding one to an adult. I don't know what problems he could have and what you might need to add to give a more balanced diet.

Most Dog chows, both adult and puppy are designed for the typical readily eating dog. It was a real struggle for me the year I had a Shepherd puppy, having recently had 4 Labs that inherited the eating habits that earned Hoover his name. Luckily for me, the Shepherd never went over 3 days without eating. I hope you find an answer. I thank you for taking the dog in, and caring enough about him to do the work you have been.

My 7year old Chihuahua will go two days without eating and then throws up white foam and I don’t really have the money to bring her to the vet for a well test (that cost 300$.)
It gets to the point where her dropping are red (the red I know is not blood because blood comes out black) and then when I get ready to bring her to the vet her dropping are normal and she eats again I mix her dye food with wet food to make the food more appetizing and she still does not eat. She is a little over weight she is 8 or 9 ponds. I have 3 Chihuahuas and they all eat the dry and wet food mix together and they are fine she is the only one that does that
So if you can help I would be very happy
Thanks :confused:

Hello, has anyone got any advice or ideas about my 8 year old german sheperd called Jazz. When she was a pup she ate everything in sight but this gave her stomache problems and the vet said she had a fat intolerance and would need to be on a special diet and pills for the rest of her life, but we sorted her out by giving her a very low fat diet (dry food) and no tit bits etc, she had dry dullish fur but was fine and lived for food and walks.
then in about April this year she slowly stopped eating and we thought she was just being fussy so tried to ignore it. Then she took 3 fits in about 2 hours so we took her to the emergency vet he gave her a pill for the fits and asked to see her again in a few days. She had another 2 fits 2 days later and 1 the next day, all very small fits that didnt last long. Then she perked up a bit and I started feeding her boiled rice and tuna or egg etc and she would eat some of it but not with the ghusto she ate before. The vet wnated to put her on pills for ever for fits, but we waited to see if she could do without tehm, she hasnt had any more fits that I have seen, but her appetite is terrible, I have tried all kinds of things, she likes boiled rice and chicken but chicken seems to make her sick (grass). some days she will eat her food totally dry ( I usually add hot water to moisten it), so I dont think it's er teeth as she seems to prefer it crunchy though she eats it very very slowly. This week she was sick again 3 times but I had tried to give her chicken again as she went off her food totally. She is eating very little of her dry dog food but will eat hard dog biscuits and seems to look interested in what we are having, but I know it will upset her stomache.
I'm at my wits end, you can see her hip bones now, she used to be so ravenous and loved food and walks..HELP!
Viv

For the sake of your pet, you need to follow the vets word to the letter, including all meds or it is time to consider saying goodbye. Many pet owners hold on to their pets too long when they are ill because it is too painful for them. But the real consideration needs to be with the suffering pet who cannot voice her opinion. If you can see her hip bones she is terrible emaciated and ill. Please make the best decision for her, not you.

Ordinarily I am quick to follow the vet's advice. However, you seem to have most of the problems sorted out other than the chow. It is rare for a healthy dog not to eat enough to at least keep it on the lean side, maybe a little bony. Your Shepherd doesn't sound like it has been the problem many are. The chicken may have more fat than she can tolerate. What kind of biscuits is she eating? Check the package. Some are formulated to meet the AAFCO requirements for a complete and balanced diet. If so, and she will eat enough of them, let her. Even if it doesn't say so, it may be close enough to see how she does. You could always add a vitamin and mineral supplement if she is not doing well.

This is opposite from my usual stand on feeding a dry chow meeting the AAFCO standards. There is no doubt that that is the best thing for nearly all dogs. If she doesn't settle down in a few weeks and start ot gain weight, maybe get another opinion from a different vet. Even the best sometimes miss something. Be prepared to allow her to stay on the lean side, ribs showing a little. To many owners get upset about dogs that insist in keeping themselves lean. It is much more common for dogs to eat enough to shorten their lives, and look for more.

Thanx a lot, I have read through a fair bit of info on this now on this board too, so I'm going to hang in and see how she goes, I dont like pumping her full of pills (I dont take pills myself unless I really have to), she has started to eat her meals again today and yesterday, I just did what I usually do these days and gave her half a scoop of the 3 different types of dry dog food a half a scoop of mixer and a quarter a tin of tinned dog food, and she seems to be ok again. she seems to go through stages of eating quite well then all but stops. but if she does this again I will not try to coax her by offering chicken as it must just be too rich for her now.
I probably panicked and thought she was skinnier than she is, she was always lean anyway as we didnt over feed her, we were advised by the GSD breeder we got her from that it could take 3 years off a dogs life if they get overweight.
She is a well trained, obedient, wonderfully natured GSD who likes people and other dogs, and I know her time comes we will be distraught but my hubby will do what is right for HER and wont allow her to suffer just for our benefit.

:) Thanx again Viv

Please keep us posted. I am pleased she is doing better. I am glad your vet is counciling you to accept her being a little lean. He is absolutely right about overweight shortening dogs lives.

Hello all,
My 7 y/o akita pit mix won't eat. She hasn't for about 3/4 days now, if I had feed her she will eat a little bit but not much. She has no problem drinking water or picking at her food, but in the last week she's lost quite a bit of weight, it's very noticeable. We've had her on Pedigree for her entire life and I'm not really sure what to do. Anyone have any advice?

Mike

One of the first things that comes to mind is worms. If it has been only 3 or 4 days since her appitite has changed but her weight has noticeably dropped, then you should check the stool for worms. If it is worms, don't be alarmed. Go to your local feed and tack supply and get a liquid wormer to put in her food. If not,as long as she is eating some food and drinking plenty of water I don't see cause for immidiate concern. If your dog is outdoors in the heat of the summer, her appitite may decrease. Just make sure she is drinking plenty of water. Wait out the weekend, continue to watch her. Let us know what happens.

You have a sick dog that needs to see a vet. They are hard to find on Sundays. I am tempted to say wait until Monday. Do you see any evidence that the dog may have chewed something up and possibly swallowed something blocking the digestive tract?