[Thefishherder]

Recently I have noticed that my 11 month old Sheppard Lab mix will not eat. I have to sit on the floor and physically put food under his lip to get him to eventually eat on his own. I did my own test to see if he was just lonely because we just moved, and he no longer has another dog to play with everyday in the same house. We invited the other dog to stay with us for a week and my dog resumed eating as normal. As soon as we gave back the other dog, he has gone back to not eating. I'm just searching for a solution before this becomes a major problem. He has not eaten on his own for about 4 days.

[RubyPitbull]

He is confused right now. His regular routine has been turned upside down. He misses his playmate. It is good that he craves playtime with other dogs. Social interaction is very important to a dog's training and mental well being. Socializing them properly also creates a dog that isn't aggressive toward other dogs.

Check to see if you have any doggy daycare facilities or dog parks in your area and bring him to those. If you don't have any places like that available to you, stop by a local pet store or your vet's office and ask if they have any ideas that would allow your dog to play with other dogs. There might be trainers in the area that are willing to do some doggy day care or socialization classes.

Eventually, your dog will adjust to the new situation. It just takes time. And, you can always invite his old friend to visit from time to time for a play date.

[labman]

Ruby is right, dogs love time with other dogs. More attention from you may help too. I wouldn't worry too much about not eating. See the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post254171