Fussy Eater

[sean276]

troy was on totw kibble for a good few months then he just stopped eating it, so i looked into raw and started that he loved it for about 3 weeks and now he wont eat anything i put down for him in the last 3 days, any ideas? should i try kibble again or just keep lifting his food after so long till next meal untill he finally eats, its really starting to annoy me as iv wasted so much food past few days trying to get him to eat

 

thanks sean

[Removed #5]

Ah, Sean, the joys of being owned by a Husky!!  You may have a couple of things going on here.

The first is that most Husky's will occasionally take a "time out" from food.  Don;t ask why, but it's common to the breed, they'll be eating like normal and then just stop (or cut themselves way back) for a couple of days up to a week and then everything's back to normal. It's scary the first time they do it since we all have to wonder if something's wrong - Nope, nothing's wrong, it's just the way they are.

(( Remember, the breed was allowed to run free during the summer with the Chukchi's and got called back to work when they needed to change camps - so they didn't get a regular meal, it was the typical gorge and starve of a wild animal. That might be what we're seeing in the breed now, but who really knows? ))

The other is that you're allowing him to train you - some dogs will pick up on the idea that if they don't eat this food then dad will go out and get something different / better.  When they get bored with the new stuff then they do it again ... and again ... and again.  Once you realize what they're doing and switch back to a good, solid food (BARF or kibble) and stick with it, they'll realize that it's "eat this or go hungry" and (one of my favourite lines) no healthy dog will starve themselves to death laying beside a bowl of dog food!
 

[Mazz]

Ah, Sean, the joys of being owned by a Husky!!  You may have a couple of things going on here.The first is that most Husky's will occasionally take a "time out" from food.  Don;t ask why, but it's common to the breed, they'll be eating like normal and then just stop (or cut themselves way back) for a couple of days up to a week and then everything's back to normal. It's scary the first time they do it since we all have to wonder if something's wrong - Nope, nothing's wrong, it's just the way they are.(( Remember, the breed was allowed to run free during the summer with the Chukchi's and got called back to work when they needed to change camps - so they didn't get a regular meal, it was the typical gorge and starve of a wild animal. That might be what we're seeing in the breed now, but who really knows? ))The other is that you're allowing him to train you - some dogs will pick up on the idea that if they don't eat this food then dad will go out and get something different / better.  When they get bored with the new stuff then they do it again ... and again ... and again.  Once you realize what they're doing and switch back to a good, solid food (BARF or kibble) and stick with it, they'll realize that it's "eat this or go hungry" and (one of my favourite lines) no healthy dog will starve themselves to death laying beside a bowl of dog food!

I do believe Al has hit the proverbial nail on the head. Could not have stated it any better.

[Stormy]

Can't add anything more great advise al

[sean276]

Aw that does make sence cause now hes just turning his nose to the foods/treats he would go mad for normally haha i was worried there was miby somthin up hes still got lots off energy and drinking lots off water, so do you recommend i still put meals down for half hour say and if he doesnt touch just pick up and back in fridge or wait till he comes to melookig for food.

[Removed #5]

If it were me - and it's what I've done - I wouldn't want him to think I'd stopped feeding him.  If you're feeding raw then I'd put down some smaller portion until he decides to start eating again - as you said, you don't want to waste it and it can't be good for too long.

My Sasha gets her food at 6:00 PM and if I'm overly late, she'll come bark at me - if you're comfortable that he will let you know he's hungry, you could just wait him out - depends on how he's acted in the past.

As long as he's happy, healthy and drinking normally, you'll do fine whichever road you take.

[Jay]

I agree with other posts.  Nikko is the only one of mine that has ever stopped eating, but he has less of an interest of food than the other two.  I made the mistake of putting chicken in his food to get him to eat it...then he expected it!  I would just put his food back up until next meal time, and eventually he would eat it; however if he were to stop eating for more than a day or two, I would get concerned.

[sean276]

Ok thanks for the replies i think ill do as you say and cut the portion size down and see how i get on, yeh jason i was abit worried as hes never really done this be4 miby a meal or two buy never 3 days

[Andy]

Echo and Daughtry both eat everything every meal.

Darwin for the last week has scoffed down everything

This morning, nope didn't touch his food.

He does this from time to time.

I put it in the fridge and he gets it later.

If he doesn't eat it then it gets shared out between the other two.

Most he's ever gone is two full days without eating

but chowed done happily at the start of the third.

Huskies.. . . what can you do ?

[sean276]

Haha yeah well troy was a bit like that on kibble hed leave it for a day and then back on again, but he was never good with all the kibble otried loose stools never really put weight on etc, changed to raw within 3weeks looked alot fuller,stools were better then boom not eating anything now and he looks like hes lost weight again....