[Patricia A]

OH wow, I know exactly what you’re going through now. I have a three year old chihuahua who if I put her food down she will walk away. She wasn’t always like that but over the last two years I’ve been giving my 16 year old more home cooked meals because well she’s 16 and I know she really enjoys it of course and it keeps weight on her. But of course when she gets the chicken and some boiled carrots, steak, london broil, salmon, turkey etc. they get that as a topper also. But I can’t do this all the time and I also it’s not balanced with everything they need for health . So now if it’s not home cooked she will not eat all day. I’ve went through all kinds of canned and this last year went over to freeze dried as a topper. My other 8 year old eats everything but I’m resorting to hand feeding this one to get her started. Now that doesn’t work either. She’ll actually backs away likes she’s afraid of the food and I have to reach over to give her little bits but she keeps backing away. So been through all different freeze dried also. I stopped rehydrating and just put the freeze dried broken up on the kibble because I would be throwing away worried about it sitting out for over two hrs. I can’t even leave it on the floor because my chubby eight year old would gobble it down when I’m not looking . I tried putting some Orijen freeze dried treat, which she loves, crumbled a little on top of her food. Well that worked for a day but she was wise to me. I did let her “starve” for one day with only her share of hard boiled egg in morning but it backfired with the bile vomit the next day. Every night it’s a game of even my husband making believe he’s eating her food. Putting it on a paper plate. Making believe I’m taking it out of the over etc. She just stretches and walks as far away as she can get. Being that I tried so many foods and she still turns up her nose, I’m not giving up on the freeze dried . I think I’m doing the best for her health wise even though I have to hand feed her. I’m looking into other brands and also the new Pronto by primal. I’m not giving up on finding one she loves as much as my cooking. lol
So I feel your frustration and worry. As for the fearfulness. Since she only eats when someones home, but fearful when you even walk past, maybe scratching her and telling her what a good dog she is while putting food down, . Or maybe move a little bit away from her when she is eating and have a string bean or carrot in hand and walk slowly back and give that to her. So she’ll start to associate you walking around with coming back with a treat she loves and not whatever caused her to be fearful in the past. Let us know how she’s doing . Oh and I just wanted to add it takes a while. I had a dog that would shake and refused to take a walk. I got her to walk one step on the leash. I would pick her up and put her back down again. Then I got her to walk two step. Picked her up and put her down and I got three steps out of her. Took a few weeks and people looking at me strange but now she struts around the block and loves her walks. So don’t give up. Takes patience with her to get that negative memory she experienced from her brain.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Patricia A.