At My Wits End with Dog Food!

[ZoeysHumanMom]

I have a bag of freeze-dried Primal on my dining room table. She won't touch that either. She's gone all day without eating a thing. Five minutes ago I put a dab of Nutri-Cal on her tongue just to make sure she's getting SOME nutrition. I will try the Primal again in the morning. If she doesn't eat tomorrow, I will take her back to the vet.

[Zoey Zendaya]

Originally Posted by ZoeysHumanMom

I am totally befuddled by Zoey's eating habits. She will eat something for a while, then will totally refuse to eat it. She was eating Fromm's really well for quite a while, then one day just turned up her nose at it and stopped eating. I tried canned dog food. She ate one type for a while, then stopped. So I made her some food from a recipe I found online. She ate it for a few days and is now turning up her nose at it and refusing to eat it.

I don't know what to do. I would prefer she eat the Fromms. From everything I read, it is a pretty good food -- and the first kibble she would even touch. I've never had a dog that is such a picky eater.

She will, however, eat part of my grilled cheese sandwich, if I give it to her. I don't give it to her very often, but sometimes can't resist those little eyes begging me for a bite.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

From my experience I feel the need to also say don't be so quick to claim picky eater. I believe there are some foods that don't agree with their sensitive stomachs. I wouldn't eat something that upsets my tummy! go limited ingredient and grain free...offer pumpkin off and on to help settle tummy ...boiled chicken and white rice will help get you out of a funk...
Good luck

[ZoeysHumanMom]

I bought a bag of chicken Primal last week, but she wouldn't eat it. Last night, after reading all your posts, I re-hydrated a nugget and fed it to her by hand. She gobbled it up. This morning, I fed her another one. This time I left it in the bowl I mixed it in and I sat down with her. My plan now is to pick up another bag or two of different flavors, so she has a variety, and keep her on that diet. My question now is, are two of those nuggets a day really enough to sustain her? She's 5 pounds, so it says she should eat 2 nuggets a day -- one in the morning, one at night. That doesn't seem like a lot of food.

Thank you for all of your help. I'll keep her on this diet from now on.

[Zoey Zendaya]

Originally Posted by Cherie6446

I really believe in raw food. Primal or Nautres Variety are my faves if your pup doesn't have any digestive issues. I can guarantee you they will NEVER turn up their nose that this food.
Unfortunately, my Zoey has to be on an rx diet. My vet said she had me trained when I described the same problem as you. He says dogs will eat garbage and they will not commit suicide by not eating. So I have to be more stubborn than she when it comes to eating. It is so hard but they can make us crazy trying to please their palate.

That's the key words "digestive issues"
I feed natures variety but found the raw bits in the kibble was not greeting with them and both had regurge issues. They were ok if I picked out the freeze dried raw pieces....

[ZoeysHumanMom]

Thank you for all your help and suggestions!

[Cherie6446]

I so feel your pain. Have you tried wet raw instead of freeze-dried? When Zoey ate wet raw she did eat two patties per day and she was a good weight. Now that she is on low fat rx food she has gained almost 2 lbs because I have to feed her three times per day as she is hungry and begs constantly and I am weak.

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by ZoeysHumanMom

I bought a bag of chicken Primal last week, but she wouldn't eat it. Last night, after reading all your posts, I re-hydrated a nugget and fed it to her by hand. She gobbled it up. This morning, I fed her another one. This time I left it in the bowl I mixed it in and I sat down with her. My plan now is to pick up another bag or two of different flavors, so she has a variety, and keep her on that diet. My question now is, are two of those nuggets a day really enough to sustain her? She's 5 pounds, so it says she should eat 2 nuggets a day -- one in the morning, one at night. That doesn't seem like a lot of food.

Thank you for all of your help. I'll keep her on this diet from now on.

Some dogs & cats need some persuasion to feed them raw. Have you watched the videos on the Primal site? They're very helpful. I also used to sit next to them & hand feed one of them, not anymore, she licks the bowl clean.


I've found that Primal calculator is bare minimum....if my dogs ate that amount, they'd be skin & bones. They get walked once a day for 20 mins & go out to their backyard several x's a day, so they're moderately active. It (feeding amount) really depends on their activity level.


I have one that is over active & he burns a lot of calories, he's always on the go & loves to play w/his toys. He gets 4 nuggets a day & he's 7 yrs old a little over 4.5#'s.

I have 6 yr old girl that is exactly 5#'s & she gets 3 Primal nuggets per day. My 8 yr old girl gets the same amount & she is 7#'s. She's pretty much a seal, sleeping all day & only gets excited for her daily walk loll.

[Jakester]

just keep changing between a few different once's.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by ZoeysHumanMom

I bought a bag of chicken Primal last week, but she wouldn't eat it. Last night, after reading all your posts, I re-hydrated a nugget and fed it to her by hand. She gobbled it up. This morning, I fed her another one. This time I left it in the bowl I mixed it in and I sat down with her. My plan now is to pick up another bag or two of different flavors, so she has a variety, and keep her on that diet. My question now is, are two of those nuggets a day really enough to sustain her? She's 5 pounds, so it says she should eat 2 nuggets a day -- one in the morning, one at night. That doesn't seem like a lot of food.

Thank you for all of your help. I'll keep her on this diet from now on.

This is great, yay ! I always used the feeding calculator to start out with, but then adjusted a bit based upon my dog's bodies/activity level. For all of mine, I do feed a bit more than the calcs say...