Picky eater -- Should I let her starve ?

[debbiect]

Yorkiedaze, I have been feeding Sparky chicken, beef, pork, brown rice, steamed mixed veggies, pasta, etc. for about a week. He has become picky the last couple days. He will eat the chicken and pork. He's eaten a bite or two of rice, turns his nose up at mixed veggies now. He will eat raw carrots. He's acting fine.....running and playing. He won't eat yogurt now (he did love it). He'll eat cottage cheese. And if I mix his food together, he will not even sniff it. Everything has got to be seperated. I don't know what to do. I've got to go out of town for a week at the end of this month, and I've got to get things together so my daughter will not freak if he doesn't eat. Is that not finicky?

[kalina82]

yorkies tho small are still dogs. Dogs are not going to starve themselves if there is food available to be eaten. In the wild they do not eat every day. They do not eat if they are not active enough to burn up the enery. So if you have a lone yorkie who is a stay at home pup while mom and dad are at work then he probably isn't going to eat that much. if he is at home with friends or if you are a stay at home owner then the dog will probably be burning off more energy because they are playing or following you around all day.

two of my favorite phases the vet i work for uses:

1) dogs are not small people in furry suits

2) dogs aren't stupid, they aren't going to starve themselves.

[keri1973]

Originally Posted by kalina82

yorkies tho small are still dogs. Dogs are not going to starve themselves if there is food available to be eaten. In the wild they do not eat every day. They do not eat if they are not active enough to burn up the enery. So if you have a lone yorkie who is a stay at home pup while mom and dad are at work then he probably isn't going to eat that much. if he is at home with friends or if you are a stay at home owner then the dog will probably be burning off more energy because they are playing or following you around all day.

two of my favorite phases the vet i work for uses:

1) dogs are not small people in furry suits

2) dogs aren't stupid, they aren't going to starve themselves.

[SONYSW]

Originally Posted by kalina82

yorkies tho small are still dogs. Dogs are not going to starve themselves if there is food available to be eaten. In the wild they do not eat every day. They do not eat if they are not active enough to burn up the enery. So if you have a lone yorkie who is a stay at home pup while mom and dad are at work then he probably isn't going to eat that much. if he is at home with friends or if you are a stay at home owner then the dog will probably be burning off more energy because they are playing or following you around all day.

two of my favorite phases the vet i work for uses:

1) dogs are not small people in furry suits

2) dogs aren't stupid, they aren't going to starve themselves.

Very good. She is still not eating but she eats the kibbles if I pretend to give it to her as a treat. She almost finish 1/2 cups. Yorkie is wierd.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by SONYSW

Very good. She is still not eating but she eats the kibbles if I pretend to give it to her as a treat. She almost finish 1/2 cups. Yorkie is wierd.

hahahaha yes yorkies are very weird, but we must remember that they are dogs too

[SONYSW]

Originally Posted by kalina82

hahahaha yes yorkies are very weird, but we must remember that they are dogs too

OK. She doesn't really eats for 2 days. I took her for a walk and she potties twice big time (wierd). I guess probably she is constipated or have an upset stomach. She eats this morning with the same food. I guess next time this happen I would just let it be. The vet said that as long as she pees and potty, don't worry too much. Let her not eat for 1-2 days. Agree ?? or did you have similar experience ?

[Yorkiedaze]

Real food has no fillers, nothing in it to make them need to eat more, and will stick with them longer. Only offer a little bit of food a couple times a day for the adults. They eat when they are hungry. If they don't eat what is offered, don't try something else. They will come to expect you to put down different things at one meal. My Zada weights 8 pounds and Azrael 7. They get 1/4 cup of food breakfast and dinner and for lunch maybe a little yogurt and dried fruit. I don't give bully sticks or any other type of bought chews and they don't get snacks every single day. They love their meals and femur bones. They are healthy and happy. I think feeding too many different types of foods and snacks in a day does not promote good eating habits.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by SONYSW

OK. She doesn't really eats for 2 days. I took her for a walk and she potties twice big time (wierd). I guess probably she is constipated or have an upset stomach. She eats this morning with the same food. I guess next time this happen I would just let it be. The vet said that as long as she pees and potty, don't worry too much. Let her not eat for 1-2 days. Agree ?? or did you have similar experience ?

as long as everything else is in working order don't worry about her not eating much for a day or two.

[SONYSW]

Originally Posted by kalina82

as long as everything else is in working order don't worry about her not eating much for a day or two.

UPDATE: She has good appetide the past two days and I gave her the same food. I just don't understand sometime.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by SONYSW

UPDATE: She has good appetide the past two days and I gave her the same food. I just don't understand sometime.

glad to hear it. sometimes they are just having an off day or two for whatever reason

[Sherryabear]

My Gordon does the same , he will go a day without eating. I have tried to even hand feed and he might eat one or two kibbles. I do make sure at night before he is kenneled to give him a little yogurt with his supplement mixed in.....he will eat that.
At first, I worried and tried to find something.
But his vet says he is gaining weight and is in good health.

He is just not a big eater........

[SONYSW]

I would like to give an update. She has been eating regularly now and I would like to share this with you.

Sometimes we all do not realize that probably we are over feed our little one. So, I realize that to make her eat more regularly she has to fill hungry and this will stimulate her appetite. I try to limit her food by giving her one big meal a day and small (half size meal) in at night/dinner. Choose the type of kibbles or mixed it wet food of her choice / like but try to stick with it. If she does not eat, leave it for 30 minutes and take them away. At night I give her half of the amount that she usually eats. Usually she will finish all of them because she is hungry. I notice that by doing this she knows that she needs to eat otherwise she will be hungry. If she eats well off course you can give her some treats in between but do not substitute her meal with treat. If she does not eat well stop the treats for sometimes. By doing this you actually also make yourself as the alpha/leader of the pack and the best of all it helps to potty trained her. She potty only twice a day now compare to almost 4-5 times (probably coincidental?)

Off course I will not suggest this method for small or young puppy becuase of the risk of hypoglycemia but live is just much easy when she eats more regularly. She also becomes more obedient.

Thanks all for your advice.

PS. There is nothing better than fresh homecook meal, but if you decide to give her kibbles or wet food please stick with 2 types of food since giving her different variety makes her more picky. If they eat well, do not add more (my tendency and mistake is to give her more food when she eats well)

Good luck.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by SONYSW

I would like to give an update. She has been eating regularly now and I would like to share this with you.

Sometimes we all do not realize that probably we are over feed our little one. So, I realize that to make her eat more regularly she has to fill hungry and this will stimulate her appetite. I try to limit her food by giving her one big meal a day and small (half size meal) in at night/dinner. Choose the type of kibbles or mixed it wet food of her choice / like but try to stick with it. If she does not eat, leave it for 30 minutes and take them away. At night I give her half of the amount that she usually eats. Usually she will finish all of them because she is hungry. I notice that by doing this she knows that she needs to eat otherwise she will be hungry. If she eats well off course you can give her some treats in between but do not substitute her meal with treat. If she does not eat well stop the treats for sometimes. By doing this you actually also make yourself as the alpha/leader of the pack and the best of all it helps to potty trained her. She potty only twice a day now compare to almost 4-5 times (probably coincidental?)

Off course I will not suggest this method for small or young puppy becuase of the risk of hypoglycemia but live is just much easy when she eats more regularly. She also becomes more obedient.

Thanks all for your advice.

PS. There is nothing better than fresh homecook meal, but if you decide to give her kibbles or wet food please stick with 2 types of food since giving her different variety makes her more picky. If they eat well, do not add more (my tendency and mistake is to give her more food when she eats well)

Good luck.

[milomlo]

I personally free feed and when they are hungry they will eat.
The only time they are standing over me to eat is when I give them canned (for a treat as I do not feed canned all the time).
They finish that immediately. Then I wash the bowls and put down the kibble.

They eat when they want and I don't stress about it at all.

[SONYSW]

Originally Posted by milomlo

I personally free feed and when they are hungry they will eat.
The only time they are standing over me to eat is when I give them canned (for a treat as I do not feed canned all the time).
They finish that immediately. Then I wash the bowls and put down the kibble.

They eat when they want and I don't stress about it at all.

There is nothing wrong with free feed but my pup is messy. Her kibbles will spread all over the house and I hate it. In addition with schedule feeding it is much easier to potty train her. I know almost exactly when she needs to go out. I guess it is just a preference. Thanks.