[punkycspunky]

Hi. I have a 4 year old Mini Schnauzer that I got back from my parents 3 weels ago. I live in Hawaii and we thought we would only be here for a short time and I didnt want to cause stress and move him so for a year he lived with them, we found out we are going to be here much longer so I brought him out. His first 3 years of life with me he ate a really good dry dog food...but my mom stopped that fed him canned food, cooked chicken, hamburger, food off her plate and about a 6 treats a day...just to let you know he weighed a very healthy 20 pounds when I left him there and now he weights 27 pounds. Anyway for the last three weeks he has not eaten..I have done everything from making yummy noises before he eats to sitting it down and if he doesnt eat take it back up...seriously in 3 weeks he has eaten about 3 meals. You have to force him to eat...even then he wont. I knew he would protest cause of what my mom fed him and now going back to a dry dog food but this is crazy.. I have not even given him any treats to feel him stomach. He has lost probably 2 pounds since he got here. At first I blamed it on stress and the new situation but he is happy as he can be..I sit the bowl down he is all excited and then he looks at it and walks off. We have another dog( a great dane) that eats fast and loves dinner time....but Scout, the Mini Schnauzer refuses to eat and I know for sure he isnt eating anything around the house...nothing is left out. What do I do?? I feel guilty for him starving himself, and I know people say that a dog wont do that, but he is 3 weeks is alot of time. I cant afford canned food for a Great Dane and a Schnauzer and I cant play favorites and give the Schnauzer what he wants...will he ever eat. I have even tried wetting him food with warm water, and making a special gravy sauce to go on top, and he wont touch it. He goes on two , 2 mile walks in the morning and at night, plays alot, very healthy.....Help me!!!
Christy

[all4thedogs]

My suggestion is to wean him onto dry dog food again. Start by feeding him mostly canned, with a little dry, and each day make it more dry and less wet until he is back on dry food.

I have a hard time he isnt eating anything. He would have lost much more then 2lbs in 3 wks. Are you sure he isnt getting into anything, or someone sneaking him goodies?

[punkycspunky]

He might have lost more than that, I was just guessing...I dont know how dog weight works...he probably lost more..I know his belly was almost touching the ground when he got here and he is slimmed up alot since...I should weight him and find out. But no one is feeding him goodies its just me and my husband and he is the same way I am. He cant get into anything, and he stays in a kennel when we arent home. I tried the weaning him thing. Canned dog food was a thing of the past, when he got here he was even turning up his nose to my moms cooked chicken with broth on top. He was sharing dinners off her plate with him...and we do not agree with that at all, but she has two other small dogs and to make him fit in she did the same thing with him. I have tried a canned food, he doesnt want it...I tried to wean him the first couple of days...Today marks his 3rd week here, he ate about 3 days ago..ate it all, but he has only done that at 3 meals since he got here....

[blackgavotte]

If he was very overweight when you got him, and now he is crated maybe more than he is used to, remember he still probably has lots of fat that his body is drawing on. What I'd do, is, whatever that meal was that you gave him and he ate, mix more of that up for now, and give him about 1/4 or maybe 1/2 the amount. He may eat a smaller amount if offered, rather than a large bowlful. If he is healthy, active, bright eyed, I don't think I'd be too panicked, though it is very different. Did you get him checked out with the vet? Does he look like he is still overweight, or is he looking thin? He may be just regulating his diet himself, because maybe his activity level is gone down with the crate time?

Meanwhile... have you got room for one human? Boy, I'd be delighted if I could make myself eat just three times or so in three weeks !!! Yes !!!