# Finicky/Picky Eaters?



## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Charlie Brown is a pretty picky eater. If you stand right beside him, and coax him the whole time, he'll eat. But if you walk away, he's done. I've found if I just put some warm water on his food, he chows down!


----------



## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Warming the dog's food is one of the tips she shares, as well. I just have a hard time getting tough with this little 8 pound ball of fur!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I can't tell you how many dogs I've had here at the pet hotel that the owners tell me are finicky, picky, etc. (interestingly about 75% of them are overweight) and that the dog won't eat unless you (fill in the blank). 
I've yet to find one that didn't start eating in about 3 or 4 days. We find day 4 to be the magic day; everyone is eating by the 4th day. But if they're not eating their food, they don't get treats, either. 
The owners are always amazed and ask me how in the world I got them to eat. I tell them it's really easy----I don't care whether or not they miss a couple of meals. Dogs in the wild are lucky to get a meal twice a week, it won't hurt a healthy adult dog to miss several days of food.


----------



## New England Golden (Mar 26, 2010)

So my 3 month old girl is inconsistent with her eating. Some days she chows right down, and others she leaves the food. 
I really do not want to leave her food bowl down a long time (potty schedule), but she is on the skinny side and I want her to gain weight.
Looking for tips.


----------



## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Unless she is skeletal, she is probably fine. It is healthier for them to be on the thin side as opposed to being chubby.

I have found the single best way is to put the food down, leave it for no more than 10 minutes, then pick it up and put it away for the next time. No treats. An otherwise healthy dog will not starve itself.

The blog I listed has some good ideas and I think Hotel4Dogs has some of the best advice I've heard 

Now, if she is teething, it may be that her teeth and gums hurt too much to chew hard kibble, so you can add some warm water to her kibble and let it soften up a bit.


----------

