[teezee]

My dog is SO picky. Me and my dad have been completely spoiling him for quite some time. Sometimes he eats his pellets if you handfeed him... but typically he wants meat all the time. I can't get him to eat his pellets fulltime or in his own bowl for that matter. Even if I add crap to it like soymilk or something he likes, he will see right through the trick and possibly lick it off and won't eat the pellets on his own. HOW the hell do I get him to just eat his pellets everyday from his dog bowl? Its seriously impossible, we tried everything to starving him and whatnot. He will go three days without eating if you just tried to give him pellets. I need some real advice here. It seems like my vet sucks and can't even help. Some real advice please.

[iamften]

Your first sentence tells the story of what you have to do - you are spoiling him. What I have seen done (although I've never had this problem with my dogs) involves a couple of approaches:

1) Work on training for some other command - sit / stay /... You have to establish that you (or your dad) are the head of the pack. Since the dog is spoiled, he feels out of control and like he has to constantly assert his leadership. Working on this other command, consistently, will be a step in establishing your leadership and make other things easier to do.

2) If he will only eat meat hand-fed to him, then the first thing is to stop the hand feeding. I would take some meat, or better yet something with gravy, and mix it with the dry kibble, put the bowl down for 1/2 hour to an hour and then take it away. You could mix the dry with the wet using your hands so it will have your scent on it. If he comes groveling to you, you fold your arms and look away. It will take time and consistency, but this may work.

Good luck to you -

Flo