Need help with food

graciezoey · 09-17-2009, 03:26 PM

Hello all,
I am new to this and just entered this site and am looking for some information on the eating habits of boxes. We have had our two now for a year (Gracie is 8 and Zoey is 4) and we got them both from a shelter. Gracie used to eat us out of house and home and Zoey was very timid. Now it is the complete opposite in that Zoey would eat anything you put in front of her and when it comes time for Gracie to eat she does not want to.

Yesterday morning she would just look at it, and then this afternoon she just stood there and wanted nothing to do with it.

I am wondering if her teeth are getting bad and it hurts to eat, but the food is half hard and half soft. Or if she is just not feeling the best.

Any help anyone has I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks

KeeperBoy · 09-17-2009, 03:46 PM

Is she refusing treats? Not eating can indicate a serious health problem, with teeth or something internal. I would get to a vet first.

Some dog's are just picky. Keepers would switch foods every meal if he could. We feed raw and rotate protein sources, but not every day. He gets what I put in front of him or nothing at all. Some people play games and add this or that on top of the food to make the dog eat it, but I think that is just starting some really bad habits. Keepers does skip a meal here and there, but he usually eats.

daisy'smom · 09-17-2009, 03:46 PM

Welcome! What are you feeding them??

graciezoey · 09-17-2009, 03:53 PM

She doesn't refuse it perse. She will stand there and watch the other eat and then will just stand there over her bowl and look at it. If I put it in my hand she will eat it but I only do that a few times cause that is a really bad habit but I just wanted to see if she will eat it. She has a very sensitive stomach and we feed her Beneful original. She eats it just fine when it is put in her ball. That is her treat as we put it in a ball with a hole in it and she pushes it around so they fall out and she eats them. She does that just fine. But when it comes time to eat she just doesn't want to.

Thanks for all your help

KeeperBoy · 09-17-2009, 04:43 PM

Maybe you'd be interested in trying a higher quality food? Beneful has been recalled bunches of times, and that is just too scary for me! Check out some of the links on this site. www.dogfoodanalysis.com is a great jumping off point.

Spyglass Sally · 09-17-2009, 04:44 PM

How long has she been doing this? Is she losing weight? Fever? Are her stools normal? Does she drink okay? How's her behavior in general - does she play? Try to give us a feel for her overall state of health and well being.

AussieGirl · 09-17-2009, 05:51 PM

Hi and welcome

.
I would suggest a vet trip for a once over - how long since their last check up? They would be able to give you an idea if it is her teeth or if she is infact unwell - Gracie is 8 and in her golden years so it would be a good thing to have her looked over

. I echo previous posters in suggesting you have a look at dog food analysis - it is a site where commercial dog foods are rated by their content 1 star being the lowest rating you can get and 6 star being the highest, you will be very surprised by what you learn

When looking for a food you want to aim for a 4 - 6 star food.

graciezoey · 09-17-2009, 06:08 PM

She seems to be normal. Her and zoey don't play together as much as they used to but that is not out of the ordinary. She doesn't do to well in the heat and it has been in the 80's her so she does not play to much. She is stable on weight, stool is good, everything is good. She was just at the vet 3 weeks ago and all was well then. She might just not be feeling well so we will just keep watching it.
Thanks