My dogs are on a hunger strike. They are being picky about their food.

[xultar]

:(
I was adding science diet oral care to help their teeth to their regular food Breeders Choice - Avo Derm. What I didn't recognize in time is they were eating around their regular food in favor of the Science Diet oral care.

I noticed the extra fillers in the Science Diet cuz they SHIT 24/7. So I decided to switch back to their regular food because it is a better quality with less filler.

Well now they won't eat their regular food and I'm pissed and worried.

Chihuahuas need to eat. :cry:

Have any of your pups done a hunger strike?
How long did the strike last.?

[donsu]

1. get tough - let them miss a meal

I raised dogs and cats for 20 yrs. when they start to get picky, let them miss a meal and they will be hungry for the next. if they still pick at the meal, then let them miss another.

you are the pack leader, don't let them run you.

even a tiny Chihuahua can miss a meal without harm.

[Mutley]

2. My dog went on a hunger strike for three days

when I tried to ween her off of wet food. I cracked first, and she still gets wet food with her dry food.

[cmd]

3. Our dog is having surgery next week

We have a Maltese that has developed a bladder stone and will be put on a very restricted diet after surgery. I think we will be having the same problem when he is switched to the new food. Right now we're using up what he is used to eating. He is very picky and refuses to eat most dog food.

[LaurenG]

4. Well my cats do that, does that count?

I thought dogs would eat anything, but Chihuahuas are so little. Give them back their food. I can't stand it. Science diet is supposed to be a high quality pet food. I have noticed though that my cats will not touch Iams or any of the other regular ( purina, friskies etc.) foods. I hope a dog person can help you.

[xultar]

5. Science Diet has lots of filler in it. Man they were pooping up a STORM.

AvoDerm by Breeders Choice is an excellent food with less fillers. Their poop was smaller and very compact. Their bodies used almost all of the food.

I'm going to go through Sunday and see what happens.

[LaurenG]

8. Good luck I know this isn't fun for you. nt

[jobycom]

6. Avo Derm is much higher quality than Science Diet

You might experiment with the better brands, see if they like one of them better. Or just wait it out. They won't starve themselves. (although I've never owned dogs that small, so they could be different than the larger dogs and the cats I'm used to).

If you get desperate, maybe you could jazz up the Avo Derm. Mix some gravy over it. That way they can't pick out what they like. You can reduce the gravy over time, and get them used to their food again. I would go with just waiting them out, though.

[kodi]

7. never, my dogs would eat their own vomit. and likely another dog's as well

.

[DBoon]

9. A dog picky about their food?

what a concept. We have the opposite problem with our dog. Keeping him away from the cat-poop appetizers is a constant struggle.

He even eats steamed broccoli.

He has never turned down anything that remotely resembles food.

[WhiteTara]

10. all my pets are off their eating schedules

my dog only eats after dark and it gets cool. The cats are hardly eating at all, and I have found a trove of dead birds, bats and mice when usually all I find are feathers and tails.

It's the dog days of summer. We'll all be better soon.

[pstans]

11. Is it hot outisde?

I heard a stat on the radio that for every 5 degrees over 80 or something, dogs eat a third less food. So if it is hot outside, it is normal for them to eat less.