Sadie and her eating habits

[muzik316]

We put out her food at 2 specific times a day (1 cup 2x a day). Often times I will come home in the afternoon and see that she has not touched it. Even at dinner time it looks pretty much full so we leave it be. Then she will eat it within an hour or so. This is the food that we feed her at breakfast. It seems that she won't eat unless both my wife and I are home and sometimes watching her. She has been wierd from the start with diffrent things... it varies from week to week lol. We have tried various dog foods and it's the same no matter what we feed her. Any ideas?

[IcyMist]

LOL sounds like you are going through what I have been going through with my Penny. At first I use to watch her eat because I was told that the food would go through her quickly and immediately after she eats, she needs to go outside. All of a sudden I realized that as soon as I moved away from her and her dish, she would stop eating. Well it has been a battle since then. Her favorite thing to do now is take a bite of food, run into the living room where I am and then eat it. She will continue doing this until her food bowl is empty if I let her. I have to get ready for work, so don't have time for the silly little girl so I will put her food down, walk into the living room and when she starts coming in I will pick her up, say "no, go eat" and put her down next to her bowl. I will do this several times and then I will finally pick up her food and not give her anything until her evening meal. It has been a struggle, but she is finally beginning to understand a little that no eat, no food.

We never leave the food sitting all day. If she hasn't eaten within 15 minutes, then up the bowl comes and no more food until next feeding time.

I was worried about her health because sometimes she wouldn't get but a few bites within a 24 hour period, but in 1 week she has gained 1 lb, so I think she is pretty healthy. Thank goodness this morning after I had picked up her food and waited about 3-5 minutes and put it down again, she finally ate her full meal.

[muzik316]

Yeah I have thought about picking it up. We leave it all day. I have had to watch her a few times to make sure she eats. She does the same thing about running into the living room eating etc. It's kinda interesting since she chokes when she does that. She likes to gallop. Anyway... I may start pulling the bowl after 20 minutes. She needs to eat and it's driving me crazy that she does not. If I point at her food she will, but I can't walk away or she just follows me. Maybe I need a food dispencer sown into my pant leg.

[IcyMist]

Shhhh don't let Penny hear you she will want me to get one too. You have to stick to your guns about the eating bit and don't cave in no matter how hungry you thinks your dog is. I haven't even been giving Penny any treats lately because I want her to eat her dog food. I think it is finally starting to sink in because for the last 2 days she has stood by her food and ate like a big girl. She only gets about half a cup a meal, but she has cleaned her plate both days. This morning after her last time outside I put a treat in her crate for the first time in days. Lets see if she eats tonight....if not, no more treats again.