Hello, my name is Jen, this is my first post here. I have a male Yorkie named
Joey . And as it seems most owners do, I am having a lot of trouble getting him to eat his food. Here are the details:
We've been through roughly seven types of dog food since we got him (about a year ago), everything from the cheap to the popular and expensive, both canned and dry. Some he'll tolerate for a while and then turn his nose up at, others he simply refuses to touch. We've tried mixing the food with other types, heating it, chilling it, adding juices, vegetables, anything we can think of. He's not really accustomed to table scraps, he gets what falls on the floor (mostly because he reaches it before we do, he's a quick little thing).
I know a lot of people say that he'll eat when he gets hungry enough, but he's really beginning to starve himself, and it's got me wondering if he's just picky or if there's something physically wrong, like a sensitive stomach, etc...
I read on a site that some people have tried adding a bit of garlic powder to their dogs food, so if anyone's heard of or tried that, I'd appreciate some feedback on that as well. I've also read that dogs can eat cat food (though the reverse is not true), and the only real risk is a possibility of getting fat if they don't have enough exercise. So if that's true, should I just give him cat food? I know he likes it.
Um... extra information that might be handy... he's roughly 4 years old, been pretty much an indoor dog with the exception of daily walks... he's still active and playful, loves to chew on his toys. He did have a problem with his teeth and ear mites. The teeth are improving, the ear mites occasionally reappear. I don't know if they could affect his appetite or not, but I thought it worth mentioning. Thank you very much for any help!
-Jen