sgsmith318
Well-Known Member
Oh my GOSH, this is so frustrating.
Our 4 year old English mastiff periodically decides she won't touch her (Fromm Adult Large Breed) food. If we switch her to another flavor or grain-free/non-grain free option in their food line for some variety, she gets literally projectile high-volume diarrhea, so that option is OUT. We already had to replace all the living room and dining room rugs once, and a couch and loveseat. Ruined.
The first time she seemed unexcited about her food, we (mistakenly) tried to tempt her to eat by putting fun treats in her food (a dab of bacon grease...a bit of dog high-value treat buried in the bowl...anything to pique her interest). The problem ever since seems to be that she thinks there might be something yummier worth waiting for...and she goes on a complete hunger strike. She'll come out to the kitchen like it's dinner time, then stand at her bowl wagging her tail and waiting. She'll actually just lay down in front of the bowl.. Or she'll sniff it, maybe take a few little bites, and walk out. For days.
She doesn't have any mouth problems, teeth problems, stomach problems. Her energy level is normal. She's not acting "off". The bowl is clean. The food is fresh.
This current 'strike' started after my husband brought her home a beef marrow bone to chew on while she's outside, which she was very excited about. AND she started sneaking cat food (which took her four years to figure out). Now she's more interested in looking for fun things to gnaw on outside, including any leftovers that our hunting cat leaves lying around (ugh). So suddenly here we are on what feels like a full-fledged hunger strike again, and it feels like she's waiting us out. She doesn't appear to have anything going on in her mouth that would cause eating to be painful, so I'm at a loss.
Normal? Not normal? Call a vet? It feels like some kind of weird power struggle, except she's a DOG.
Our 4 year old English mastiff periodically decides she won't touch her (Fromm Adult Large Breed) food. If we switch her to another flavor or grain-free/non-grain free option in their food line for some variety, she gets literally projectile high-volume diarrhea, so that option is OUT. We already had to replace all the living room and dining room rugs once, and a couch and loveseat. Ruined.
The first time she seemed unexcited about her food, we (mistakenly) tried to tempt her to eat by putting fun treats in her food (a dab of bacon grease...a bit of dog high-value treat buried in the bowl...anything to pique her interest). The problem ever since seems to be that she thinks there might be something yummier worth waiting for...and she goes on a complete hunger strike. She'll come out to the kitchen like it's dinner time, then stand at her bowl wagging her tail and waiting. She'll actually just lay down in front of the bowl.. Or she'll sniff it, maybe take a few little bites, and walk out. For days.
She doesn't have any mouth problems, teeth problems, stomach problems. Her energy level is normal. She's not acting "off". The bowl is clean. The food is fresh.
This current 'strike' started after my husband brought her home a beef marrow bone to chew on while she's outside, which she was very excited about. AND she started sneaking cat food (which took her four years to figure out). Now she's more interested in looking for fun things to gnaw on outside, including any leftovers that our hunting cat leaves lying around (ugh). So suddenly here we are on what feels like a full-fledged hunger strike again, and it feels like she's waiting us out. She doesn't appear to have anything going on in her mouth that would cause eating to be painful, so I'm at a loss.
Normal? Not normal? Call a vet? It feels like some kind of weird power struggle, except she's a DOG.