My 71/2 month old has had some major issues with eating. He is just not interested in food. Recently we sarted free feeding him by the advise of the Vet and that went well until we began putting his food in his kong sealed with peanut butter when we leave for work in the AM. Now he will only eat it from his kong even when we are at home and his food is sitting out for him. Is it possible that he prefers to WORK for his food or is he just playing games with us? He should be eating 3 cups and he will if it's in his Kong, but he won't touch it in his bowl. Has anyone else experienced this? Please help!!!
Works for Food????
- Thread starter Emmitt
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Tulsa-Dan
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First, STOP FREE FEEDING, regardless of your vet's "advice."
Take a cracker and have the dog watch you eat it OUT OF HIS BOWL, while not looking at him. Then when you've finished the food (yours, not his food, always as Leader), put his bowl down in the usual spot and walk away. Don't keep encouraging him to eat. Leave him alone.
If he doesn't eat in 20 minutes, take the food up and put it away and DO NOT feed him (even p-nut butter in kongs) until the next scheduled feeding time and then, only that feeding's portion. DO NOT DOUBLE UP the portions.
No dog will starve itself (unless of course illness is causing problems) in the presence of food. If your dog gets hungry enough, he'll eat when he's scheduled to eat.
Take a cracker and have the dog watch you eat it OUT OF HIS BOWL, while not looking at him. Then when you've finished the food (yours, not his food, always as Leader), put his bowl down in the usual spot and walk away. Don't keep encouraging him to eat. Leave him alone.
If he doesn't eat in 20 minutes, take the food up and put it away and DO NOT feed him (even p-nut butter in kongs) until the next scheduled feeding time and then, only that feeding's portion. DO NOT DOUBLE UP the portions.
No dog will starve itself (unless of course illness is causing problems) in the presence of food. If your dog gets hungry enough, he'll eat when he's scheduled to eat.
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