Anyone with a freaky eater?

[Maria85]

Hi all, I was wondering if any of your yorkies is a freaky eater? I am starting to get worried about Humphrey as he gets sick and tired of his food after about 2 days. I tried raising him with Science Plan but that did not last long, he doesnt like it anymore, and can go a whole day without eating. I've tried mixing in some chicken, carrots etc and he'll eat the chicken but not the dog food. Then we decided to mix wet and dry food, he liked it for about a day or two, then decided he only wanted the wet food and always left the dry food on the side.
He does not eat rice and chicken and the only foods he'll take (in treat sized protions) are: apple, pineapple, and smoked chicken breast (he wont eat any other kind of chicken!!!). I don't know what to do, he hasnt gone poo poo in 24 hours. Ive just had some tuna for lunch and he gave me those little eyes, I know I shouldn't feed him tuna but I just broke... he hasnt eaten today and just devoured the bit of tuna I gave him. What should I do?

[chachi]

I wouldnt give him smoked meat. If he likes canned it is fine to give him that rather than the dry. Canned is less processed and is actually better for them than dry. Mine eat canned everyday

[MaddiesMommie]

Hi. I don't want to seem as though I am overreacting but we just had a pretty rough couple of weeks with some serious digestion problems My Maddie recently had a bowel infection and change in eating habits was her first symptom, followed by not pooing. I would get him to a vet asap just to make sure. I hope he gets better soon. Keep us updated!

[Maria85]

Thanks MM, hope your yorkie is better. As for humphrey, he has been like this since the very beginning. He's done a poo already but his demanding eating habits are really getting on DHs nerves, not to mention all the dog food we throw away because he no longer feels like it... DH says I should give him the dog food and nothing else, but after 8 hours with no food I just break... maybe im just a push over and he is my little furry brat. He throws tantrums when I sit on the table and eat something he likes. It's very embarrassing when I have friends over.

[bella lucille]

I can relate with your feeding issue because I am going through that with my 13 week old baby.I have tried three different bags of dog food and also tried some canned food.She will take a bite and walk away and wont try it again.I even hand feed it to her(putting it on the palm of my hand).Sometimes I have to throw a kibble and make it like a game for her.She has been like this ever since I got her from the breeder.I will just keep trying and hopefully find the IT! food.

[JoJos Mama]

I have the same problem with JoJo. I mix a very small amount of canned food with his dry food and have tried 2 different brands and 3 flavors. I throw away more food than he eats. We've hand fed, played games, acted like we were going to eat the food, etc. and nothing seems to work well. Apparently, he does eat enough because he is very healthy and energetic. It's time to buy food again so I guess I will try something different. Maybe one day, I will make the right choice for the little prince.

[Potter]

Yorkies are famous for being picky eaters. Changing food too often can't be good for them either. If he likes canned food, there is nothing wrong with giving him that. Smoked chicken I don't think is a good choice either.

[txrosegirl]

i was having the same problem with one of my babies...she would be excited about a food for about.....10 seconds ... tried so many kinds, tried adding canned to it, tried adding low sodium broth to it, tried adding yogurt, tried adding cottage cheese, etc etc etc...she is just a BOOGER!

now i have her back on raw and she will eat it everytime...sometimes i think she holds out for a few seconds for a different flavor but within a minute, she eats it all...it is challenging finding something that our picky kids will eat, but keep plugging away...and remember, dogs WILL eat when they get hungry enough...i just think they are too smart for their own good and try and hold out so mommy or daddy will feel bad for them and give in

[TLC]

If he likes canned than that's ok, it is better than dry, it has more mositure, and less processed. But be sure to do teeth brushing as well.

Have you considered Raw?

Nature's Variety makes a Frozen Raw food - might be worth a shot! He really may love it and then you don't have to play these silly games with him

[viviansnickers]

I know how hard this is...I did it about a month ago and finally settled on a food. Try to choose a brand that has a few flavors of kibble. That way, when your pup gets bored of the flavor, change it. Many people change the flavor after every bag or every other bag. They can be so very fussy!! It is true...if you have the willpower, do not give in and eventually your pup will eat, but try to make whatever you leave out, something they will enjoy. I ended up using EVO chicken and have the Red Meat bites on hand just in case Snickers decides to strike and not eat for a day or so. I chose this food since he is not such a huge eater, whatever he DOES eat..it is super high quality and has alot of meat!! GOOD LUCK

[Lexismom09]

I found this freaky eater thread, searching for pups with food issues. It was nice to see I am not alone in this battle!
Lexi is so picky her blood sugar lowers and we have a sick puppy! Anyway she was on Chicken Soup for the puppy. Then Nutri Source. She has a game of eating off the floor. We have tried several different dishes and she looks at the dish like she is afraid of it. The vet tech says feed 3 times a day leave it 1/2 hour then pick it up and wait until the next time. They won't starve them selves. Not true. She will and make herself sick. We have watered her kibble down, maybe she will eat it, maybe not. We just tried NV Instinct. Nope. Natures Balance. Nope. (kibble is to large)
I am going today to get EVO puppy. Do they have small bites? She is 5 mos, 5 lbs. Plus I am going to get canned for a supplement. I give her Nutrical every morning as a supplement. She will eat Yogurt but only off a spoon! She is like a bratty child wrapping me around her little paw! I have spoon feed, played games, threated to give her food to the cat! I tried what the vet said and she starved herself sick!

[zoeybear]

Is Tuna bad for them? I know onions and Mayo mixed in would be bad, but how about plain tuna? Is it the thing with the Mercury that is bad? Just curious.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

OH MY Gosh, this is putting it mildly. I thought I had the pickiest eater! As a matter of fact, today is day one of the tough love. At one point I could have opened up a pet store with all the foods that I had bought that he would eat for 2-3 days and then stop! I am waiting on some samples of wellness. I have been making a gravy out of natural balance and pour over his dry innova and he and Maggie will like the pieces and leave on the floor! I bought some larger samples of Merrick and they actually ate it but once again, only for 2 days. So I decided that I was going to pick their food up after (begging) them to eat for an hour. I even mix some rice and baby food carrots in their food. Granted it is my fault as we give them a treat size of what we are eating for dinner if they lay quietly while we eat. So it is all our fault. So I am back to square 1 basically. Good luck with yours.

[Lexismom09]

Ok too funny! We have never spoiled her with people food. My husband would but I told him we have enough to handle with her and she is just to young yet! I will sit by her to see if that gets her to eat. My husband says I should just show her how! Yea, I've pretended I will eat it if she doesn't. She was the biggest pup of the litter, I wanted the good eater! If she were just a bit older and bigger I would feel better about the tough love, but the hypoglycemia thing is not good. Good luck to you also, keep me posted!

[cpuff35]

Originally Posted by Mom to Hot Rod

OH MY Gosh, this is putting it mildly. I thought I had the pickiest eater! As a matter of fact, today is day one of the tough love. At one point I could have opened up a pet store with all the foods that I had bought that he would eat for 2-3 days and then stop! I am waiting on some samples of wellness. I have been making a gravy out of natural balance and pour over his dry innova and he and Maggie will like the pieces and leave on the floor! I bought some larger samples of Merrick and they actually ate it but once again, only for 2 days. So I decided that I was going to pick their food up after (begging) them to eat for an hour. I even mix some rice and baby food carrots in their food. Granted it is my fault as we give them a treat size of what we are eating for dinner if they lay quietly while we eat. So it is all our fault. So I am back to square 1 basically. Good luck with yours.

Just an FYI, I've also received some sample from Wellness and the kibbles were pretty big. I gave them to Cassi b/c I though these kibbles weren't that much bigger than the Canidae kibbles. I gave it to her mixed w/ some wet Wellness food. I couldn't be more wrong b/c the next day I noticed that she was drooling a little bit and when I opened her mouth to look at her teeth, I noticed that her gums from one of her molars were red/swollen. I realized then that the Wellness kibble was probably too big and hard to chew on (also I think it has something to do with the shape b/c it wasn't round kibble). By the looks of her molar it appears that a piece of her teeth chipped off.