|
Post by Pawsforthought on May 15, 2013 11:07:35 GMT
We're having a bit of an issue with Finn and his food, and could do with some experienced/knowledgeable advice.
He occasionally eats all his food fine, and he ALWAYS eats his food when spoon/hand fed. He LIKES his food, honestly. He will lick his bowl when finished and he's just fussy with every food anyway.
What happens when he's at his worst is this: he runs away from his bowl as if afraid of it when it appears with food in it. He will NOT eat his food at all, sometimes even reluctant to eat from our hands, though that's usually when he's particularly tired. He will pester us for our food instead, if given the chance to, so he does have the capacity to eat. He will eat treats out if they are put in, but will leave the rest. We don't always resort to this in case he becomes accustomed to it.
We looked it up on-line and are thinking about getting him checked by a vet in case he has a bowel issue.
We are also thinking about feeding him less in case he's just getting too much.
I did some clicker work today, putting cat kibbles in his bowl and clicking him when he goes to eat them, hopefully to get him over his 'fear' of his bowl.
His bowl, by the way, is not the problem. He had a different bowl before, a very wide, deep bowl and we bought him a smaller, shallower one which did help a bit but didn't solve the problem. It's a bamboo one and is smooth and has no edges to it, to make it easier for him to access his food.
Anyone have any ideas? Do you think it's wise to take him to a vet?
|
|
|
Post by fatamorgana on May 15, 2013 16:47:05 GMT
If he eats treats then I would think the problem is psychological. Have you tried making a trail of his food either in the house, in areas he is comfortable, or in the garden? Make him work for it. Or food dispensing toys. What is his food? Kibble?
BTW my boss's dog won't eat out of his bowl she has to tip his food all over the floor.
|
|
|
Post by Pawsforthought on May 15, 2013 16:59:41 GMT
If he eats treats then I would think the problem is psychological. Have you tried making a trail of his food either in the house, in areas he is comfortable, or in the garden? Make him work for it. Or food dispensing toys. What is his food? Kibble? BTW my boss's dog won't eat out of his bowl she has to tip his food all over the floor. He likes doing scent work in the garden, but he won't eat his dinner if it's out there either, on the grass, after he's worked for it :/
|
|
|
Post by Avansa on May 16, 2013 13:27:16 GMT
Last night we tried splitting his food up into two parts, feeding one half and then the other and he ate it all up straight away. I think that maybe the amount of food in his bowl puts him off a bit? Also think he's getting a bit too much food so we've lowered that a bit
|
|
|
Post by Avansa on May 16, 2013 13:27:45 GMT
Wow, I just said "bit" a lot
|
|
|
Post by gladys on May 16, 2013 20:40:40 GMT
Does that mean after he finished his meal you refilled his bowl straight away? I've only just read this thread and was going to suggest the same, cut the amount down and have two meals. Is he having breakfast and then an evening meal? If so does he get more in the evening than in the morning? If this is the case could you give half and half? The evening meal wouldn't be as big then?? Cooper has not been wanting his breakfast since Sunday. Had me worried at first but he seems well. I have stopped putting the wet food topper on and I also cut down the kibble in his evening meal. He ate his breakfast much better today after a sniff around. I may change wet food or just keep the evening meal lighter unless I see a dramatic weight lose.
|
|
|
Post by Pawsforthought on May 16, 2013 21:22:37 GMT
gladys he gets two meals a day of equal amount, one in the morning and one in the evening. We've been splitting up each of these into smaller parts so they don't look quite so intimidating, and he's been eating like this very well. However, he often eats better when there is something 'new' or different about his routine, and then gets bored after a while. So we'll see.
|
|
|
Post by gladys on May 16, 2013 22:45:19 GMT
Oh ok. Well sounds like 3 smaller meals might be the answer then. Breakfast. snack and tea??
|
|
|
Post by Avansa on May 17, 2013 13:12:15 GMT
He ate about 2/3 of his breakfast this morning, so I'll offer the rest to him later. He probably just got full and didn't want the rest!
|
|
|
Post by Pawsforthought on May 17, 2013 13:36:56 GMT
Maybe having a smaller breakfast and slightly larger dinner would be better? Hmmm
He's a weird one
|
|
|
Post by gladys on May 17, 2013 17:40:15 GMT
Well Why don't you cut down both meals for a few days and see if he gets hungry and eats more??
I have cut Coopers tea down slightly and his eating his breakfast better now?!? I've also stopped giving him the Fishmongers grain free wet food, I don't think he likes it anymore? Which is really weird but maybe it makes his tummy feel funny??
Have you added anything different to Finns breakfast?
|
|
|
Post by Avansa on May 17, 2013 18:03:29 GMT
Nope, nothing different added but he's always been a reluctant eater. It seems to come with the territory with Irish Setters - they're really fussy. He's not fussy at all when it comes to treats though (or HUMAN food )
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on May 17, 2013 18:07:15 GMT
Just a thought but maybe he doesn't like what you're giving him. Have you tried something different, a new brand or flavour perhaps.
|
|
|
Post by Avansa on May 17, 2013 18:10:36 GMT
Just a thought but maybe he doesn't like what you're giving him. Have you tried something different, a new brand or flavour perhaps. Obviously this thought has crossed my mind, and my dad keeps saying "he obviously just doesn't like it - feed him kibble or something!" but Finn has ALWAYS eaten like this. He used to be fed on Burns kibble, he's had Naturediet wet food and now he gets Natural Instinct raw minces. The thing is, he does seem to like it. If you hand feed him he'll eat it, and if he does eat all of his meal, he always really enthusiastically licks his bowl afterwards. He also likes licking the tubs when the food is gone from them :/ I really don't want to take him off of raw because it's been really beneficial to him health-wise.
|
|
|
Post by cazypops on May 17, 2013 18:18:26 GMT
Is it the same flavour all the time or different? Lets face it if you got your favorite meal at every meal time you'd get sick of it too.
|
|