HELP.. Eating Trouble

Ok so doing everything recommended on this forum around eating routines and have another dog that eats just fine! So frustrated with BB, she has been a picky eater from day one but seemed to eat Royal Canine Puppy food fine (the food the breeder was feeding). Then she seemed to get picky - I thought it was just the holidays and schedules getting moved around.

We then got back on the train and feed 1/2 cup in the AM, 1/2 cup in the PM, the food is put down in the crate for 30 min then taken up. Lot's of trouble eating have tried mixing in Orijen Puppy food, still have issues. Got some "raw" goat milk and tried pouring that over like gravy - she licks up the milk and leaves the kibble!

Now I have gotten really limited on the treats because she is clearly growing and gaining weight from something??? So the past 2 days she has eaten very little, last night she was clearly hungry but went to bed and did not eat in the AM. Tonight - FINALLY - she ate like a champ! However, about an hour later she threw up everything - is she going to start having a negative perception of food and never be a good eater? Is there anything I should try that I have not??

BTW - she is acting completely normal and playful hence the reason no vet for this issue yet....

A few things...keep an eye on the vomiting for the next few days as she eats...if she vomits again after food, best to call the vet.

Onto training Stop treats all together. NO outside food except her kibble. I would not doctor it at all, just down and up just like you were doing. She will not starve herself, but if she knows a treat might happen in the middle of the day, etc. she might hold out. I know its hard, but cease everything but kibble and keep doing what you are doing.

On a side note though, my good friends cavalier was JUST like this. They had to switch food because the pet store was out of it, and boom, problem solved. I am not saying that is the issue for you, she might do this with all food until it is trained out, but just wanted to put that out there. Also, another friends dogs had a horrible anal glad infection (they did not know) and they just thought she was horrible at eating food and had the same issues. Turns out, once her anal glads were removed (had to be, they burst and were so infected), she ate, just fine. We think she was afraid to poop because it hurt?? Again, NOT saying that this is what is happening with BB, but just putting it out there because there could be things that are not training related. But I would try what I mentioned above for a few weeks to a month, solid (i KNOW, so hard)...but you can do it

Second all that has been said. I would leave the food down for only about 10-15 minutes - normal dogs don't sit and think about eating! A bit of gravy thoroughly mixed in (so that she can't pick round it!) might help. Feeding less for a few days until she starts eating regularly might also help - she may have vomited because a sudden good amount on a stomach unaccustomed to it was too much; start small and work up - you need to make eating a habit. And if your other dog is a good eater, he could help too - Aled occasionally turns up his nose at his breakfast, and Oliver sitting watching for the moment Aled walks away from the dish so that he can have it works wonders! If she still has plenty of energy, there probably isn't much wrong - you just need to exercise tough love for a few days: no treats, no fuss, food down for 10 minutes with no coaxing, then it's away until the next meal.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

PS Would also be worth checking her teeth - she won't want to eat kibble if it hurts, and may have vomited because rather than crunch her kibble she swallowed it whole because she was hungry.

We had the exact same problem with Murphy when he was a puppy. He was our first so we didn't know any better and changed his food everytime he stopped eating meals. He was a right fussy git

Looking back we were trying to over feeding him, as he gained weight no problem at all, and turned out perfectly healthy. In the end we picked Royal Canin small breed as a dog food and followed the 15 minute rule. There was meals where he didn't want to eat, but knowing he was healthy we just ended up reducing his portions. But that was after months of worry as to why he wasn't eating twice a day

Thanks so much for all the replies, what a night and day it has been. So BB is ill and that is why she has not been eating, after my post she began throwing up more and continued through the night. We went to the vet, nothing wrong but likely a virus. She was still drinking and active so not dehydrated but just a bland diet for today.

Tonight she is hungry!!! Actually is carrying her food bowl in her mouth and bringing it to me (LOL); however, I am going to take the advice to heart because I have been stressing about this far too much. We are going to do the 15 min. thing and just move forward with the attitude that she will not starve herself! Thanks again for the advice, much of the "mistakes" I am making - it is so hard to look at that cutie pie face and not worry.

One more update before bed... I only let BB eat a small amount of food so her tummy did not get over whelmed. She has kept everything down and is a bundle of energy again (her normal puppy self) - we are off to bed and hopefully a good nights sleep tonight
Thanks again everyone!

Great update

Glad to hear she's feeling better


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