[barneysmommmy]

Originally Posted by Maximo

This is a serious issue especially for a developing pup. Sounds like he has already learned to hold out for the chicken stix.

You are going to have to entice him to eat a balanced food. You can add enticements on top of the food, but they shouldn't exceed 15 - 20% of total daily intake.

I had to hand feed Max his first year and play games with him. I had to get him excited to eat. He performed tricks and I gave him kibble as rewards like they were gold nuggets. I had to praise him for eating.

When you offer food, be sure to be really excited about it. If you are anxious about whether he will eat, and if you start offering alternatives, he will think something is wrong with the food you are offering.

I know you have the added concern of hypoglycemia, especially because he is so small. But work at encouraging him to eat what he should be eating.

This is what worked for Barney. He is a smart devil and early on he learned that he would rather eat cheerios than his own food. So I had to start treating kibble like treats. He's still not a hearty eater but will still eat kibble if it's offered as a reward or game. My entire family has been warned that he is never to eat anything other than dog food.