Dog not eating food all the time...

We normally feed our dog (he's about a year and a half now) in the morning after his walk and then in the evening after his walk. We switched over to Blue Buffalo a few months ago from Natural Balance (I think it was called that?), but now unless we add something to his food like the wet food (I get the Blue Buffalo one too) or boiled chicken that I make at home, he won't eat it.

He seems perfectly fine and like him self - playing with us, etc., sleeping fine, but just wanted to see if anyone had any advice or things to look out for. I want to make sure he still eats the hard and it's not always wet because I've heard its super beneficial.

Thanks!

Dog not eating food all the time...

My dog did not really like the Blue buffalo food. He ate it for the first few weeks and then became really picky. We switched his food and he went back to his normal eating habits.

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

One of my dogs is like that, but that's really always been his nature. He picks away at it, but he's not one to gobble up the entire dish in one sitting unless there's a special treat inside (eggs, cheese, meat, wet food, etc.)

For awhile it was a pain though because our other dog IS the type to inhale her entire dish. I've actually sat there and hand fed the slow eater just to make sure he eats. It's kinda funny- he's like a child. He watches me from the corner of his eye with his face in his dish like he's pretending to eat while I'm looking at him. And if I point to his dish and tell him "eat" he moves some of the kibble around but doesn't eat it. The other dog has gotten better though and knows not to touch his food, even when we're not around, so I just let him eat at his leisure. I wouldn't worry though.

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

My dog doesn't eat all of her food every day.

We feed her twice if she eats all of her food in the morning. Some days she eats all of both bowls, sometimes she doesn't.

We give her (too many) treats so I figure as long as she is taking those I don't worry about her not eating all of her dog food.

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

A few thoughts!

Maybe your dog just doesn't like it? Or maybe it doesn't agree with him. Is he feeling ok?

My vet always said, if they are hungry, they will eat.
One of mine has moments of not eating breakfast...I know that he has a sensitive stomach and I have to feed his breakfast at approximately the same time each day or he won't eat breakfast.
Anything else different? Pooping/vomiting? Etc.

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

my dog is a HUGE grazer! he will usually eat his breakfast around mid-afternoon and then dinner will be late.. like around 9/10

there are times i've heard him eating his dinner at 1 in the morning lol. i think ask long as he's eating its ok!

Re: Dog not eating food all the time...

My dog growing up was a picky eater and my parents catered to her with special food, boiled chicken and a touch of BBQ sauce in her dinner. That made Muffin get more and more picky. That meal had to be microwaved for exactly 22 seconds and we couldn't talk while she ate, etc. It was crazy and I swore to never get into that with my own dog someday.

Murphy tried that with me in his 1st year.

I learned that a healthy dog WILL NOT starve itself. If the dog doesn't eat after 3 days, then there could be a medical issue. I went with this theory and Murphy is 11 years old, healthy and I do not give him anything other than dry food (unless its a special occasion)

Tough love, I know but I saw the way a dog can take advantage...