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Wits End

Boy, if I could get some advice on this problem, I'd be forever grateful!! I have a 3 lb. Yorkshire Terrier named Spike that I rescued about 2 yrs. ago. I feed him hard kibble because that's what he was used to. But he fusses so much over his food, he'll pick up one piece then throw it and chase it down and then eat it. At first I could't get him to put his face down in the dish, I had to feed him from a small plate but now he'll eat out of a cat dish. (He only eats about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food a day, plus treats. He's very anxious or skittish. I'm sure it's because of how his previous owners trained him but I just don't know what to do to change it. He's 7 yrs. old already. With this pet food scare, I keep looking for Purina One to be on it but I haven't seen it yet. I'd love to have him eat the same wet food my other dog eats but he just won't eat it. I tried for 3 days to feed him the wet food and finally had to let him eat the dry stuff because he just wouldn't eat. So he continues to throw his food in the air. Maybe, I should just be glad he's eating.

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Permalink Reply by Johnny Raven on July 23, 2008 at 3:56pm: I had four Yorkies, only two now. They eat Nutromax Chicken Lamb and Rice. I started them on Pedigree but it was to rich and one of them started having ceaziures. They too have the habit of playing with thier food. It was not a trained habit. They will also at times pick up a mouthful of food and walk across the room or under a table then drop and eat what they have. At times they will continue until the bowl is empty. othertimes it is a picky once in awhile type of eating. They snak and come back asking for more a few hours later. They are wonderful furkids and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I miss the other two terribly as they have been gone only about a month now.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bobbie on July 23, 2008 at 8:12pm: HI THERE LINDA,

I AM ALSO A LOVER OF YORKYS. I HAVE A 9 YEAR OLD YORKY, AND I MUST SAY THAT THEY REALLY HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE WAYS.
HAVE YOU TAKEN SPOKEN TO THE VET TO SEE IF HE HAS SOME KIND OF PROBLEM LIKE MAYBE WITH DIGESTION? IF NOT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO. I WENT TO THE VET WITH MINE BECAUSE SHE SEEMED TO GET CONSTIPATED, AND HE PUT HER ON IVD DUCK FORMULA ROYAL CANIN VET DIET. I WOULD MIX A LITTLE DRY FOOD IN WITH THE SOFT FOOD. WHEN SHE GOT HUNGRY SHE ATE AFTER AWHILE. YOU SAY HE IS A 3 LB, MAYBE YOU DO NOT NEED TO FEED HIM ANYMORE THAN WHAT YOU DO, PER DAY. I FEEL IF HE GETS HUNGRY HE WILL EAT. SEEMS AS THOUGH HE IS PLAYING WITH HIS FOOD AND NOT TOO HUNGRY.
IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN HIM TO YOUR VET, I SUGGEST YOU LET HIM CHECK HIM OUT, AND HE WILL THEN HELP YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND TELL YOU IF THERE MAY BE ANOTHER REASON , OR ASSURE YOU THAT HE IS NOT SICK, AND MERELY IS GETTING ENOUGH FOOD PER DAY FOR A 3 POUND YORKY.
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL YORKIES IN MY LIFETIME, AND YOU CAN JUST GET ADDICTED TO THEM. THEY ARE ALSO PRETTY DARN SMART!
LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES...A YORKYIE LOVER, BOBBIE; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Linda on July 24, 2008 at 3:42am: Hi Bobbie,

The problem with Spike is, whoever had him before me (he was a rescue) tramatized him. From puppy on up to 5 yrs. old, the little kids in the family treated him like a toy and I'm pretty sure they teased him with his food. That's why he's so anxious when he eats. I've talked to my vet and she said he should only get 1/4 cup of dog food a day. Which is what he eats. Sometimes more plus both my dogs get treats through out the day. I'm always outside with my dogs so that I see when he poops and he goes at least twice a day, sometimes more.

Thanks for your caring advice. This is a problem I've had with him since I rescued him two years ago.

Linda :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robin on July 26, 2008 at 3:05am: I had a problem with my cocker, Sadie, when she was a pup. If the dish was too big, she wouldn't eat - someone mentioned "felt like drowning or fall into it". The terrior was a rescue as well and I think she prefers dumpsters. Getting them to eat has been "interesting" to this day.

With several dogs, this may not work, but we've found that if we put their wet food on a flat plate (like a bread and butter dish) they will eat it. We free feed the dry food in a large bowl now but it's just there "in case."

The other thing that's interesting is if we put the food down in the wrong order, Tootsie won't eat. We had started with "Sadie First" for everything since she has seniority. Tootsie has learned to respect that.

Final thought - does Spike feel too much competition by the others potentially taking his food away? Sadie eats MUCH faster than Tootsie, so if they're separated more, Tootsie will eat just fine.

The other thing that made me smile is that Spike sounds like he's VERY happy with you and has found his "play" time with his food! :)

Just my 2 cents, but good luck. I know it's as frustrating as getting kids to eat!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Linda on July 26, 2008 at 3:30am: Hi Robin,

Yes, it's frustrating alright! But Spike eventually does eat. He was like this before I got Lacy so I don't think that's the problem. I've tried separating them by putting one in the kitchen and putting up this baby gate I have but then they just stare at me and won't eat at all. Now I've tried putting their food dishes in t he living room on either side of ME. As I sit there, they eat or if I eat something (I usually eat in the living room) then they'll eat. It's just a little time consuming but it works. Then when it looks like their finished, I'll pick their dishes up and don't offer it till later in the evening. My vet thinks Lacy should eat a little something before bed cause there for awhile she was throwing up. They each get a Breath Buster before bed.

Geez, what we don't do for our pets and yes, it's like having little kids again!!

Thanks for your input,
Linda; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robin on July 26, 2008 at 3:41pm: Linda -
One other thing we found that might help with Lacy. We had to give Buster (and I'm thinking of Tootsie now) Tagamet. Believe it or not, our vet thought they had Acid Reflux. It may be that the Breath Buster is adding to the acid.

There's a generic available at WalMart (no endorsement!) but it did settle their stomaches. Buster was on aspirin therapt so it helped.

Check with your vet to see if he thinks it might be an alternative. (It has to be tagemet - the others aren't good for them)
Robin; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jaimie horn on July 28, 2008 at 3:11am: I have a Yorkie that will eat wet food when I first open the can of food (when it's room temperature). After it's in the fridge after opening, she wouldn't eat it. So I decided to try something one day. I thought, maybe she doesn't like the food when its cold. So I microwave it for about 5 seconds and mix it with a little dry food, and she eats it right up. You might want to try that. Good luck!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Julieann on August 7, 2008 at 12:10pm: It is very hard to break previous owners bad habits. I rescued my poodle at 2 years old,he would not eat out of a bowl he had no idea.I took him to a family gathering when i had him only two weeks,my niece came running out Aunty Jul ,Aunty Jul ,come look what your dog is doing,there was Charlie Brown sitting up at the dinning room table eating a plate of spagetti bolanaise,yes i`m sure his previous owners let him eat with them and what they ate at the dinning room table.I continued with the bowl and he has never done that since.
I think 1/2 a cup of kibble may be ok for a small dog,it should have the amount you feed an the bag,if it is good quality it is not like the cheap stuff where they gulp on it all day and don`t get full.
I`m not sure what you can do to stop him playing with his food sometimes my tiny toy poodle will grab a mouthful drop it away from the bowl,eat it then return and do the same,other times she will eat normally.Was this a trick the previous owners taught him? did they throw food and get him to catch it?? Will he eats fresh chicken or necks ? add small amounts of mince to his biscuits.I amke home made vegetable soup pour it over the biscuits and they love it.
Maybe go to a pet chat site where you will find dog trainers or people who work with dogs,although the replys here are good advice.
Anyway Linda if he is seven he is doing well maybe that`s all he needs is a few biscuits and if plays with it,so be it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RD on August 9, 2008 at 1:21pm: My maltese on occassion will play with their food..toss in the air and pounce on a piece. As long as they are eating....who cares if they play with their food.
Emma my four year old maltese takes a mouthfull of kibble out of the bowl and brings it somewhere else to eat it. May have to do with the older maltese Jesse but she eats so I don't fuss about it Good luck RD; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sally A. Vaughn on August 29, 2008 at 2:41pm: Hi RD! I loved your comment, "As long as they are eating...who cares if they play with their food?" I wish I had been that easygoing when I was raising my babies, instead of always telling them, "Stop playing with your food!" My only problem now is that I mix a little wet food with dry bits to make the dry more interesting, but my American Eskimo takes one bit at a time, sucks the wet food off of each bit, and then spits the dry bit out onto the carpet. Sometimes it gets a little "hairy" when I get up in the middle of the night, and step on dry food with bare feet....it can hurt!! And I have dry bits of dog food that are now stuck to my carpet!! (I'm only joking about this...they're not that difficult to pick up!) Also, I did notice that dogs taking a treat, or piece of food off somewhere is pretty common. Chewey does that when I give her a treat. It's as though she wanted to hide it from me, even though I'm the one who gave it to her. Maybe, being animals, they have a hidden fear that "he who gives, can also take away just as easily?" Hahahaha!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bobbie on August 29, 2008 at 10:14pm: Hi Sally,
Was reading your advice to Robin, and you are a scream!! Had to comment on this because i have to laugh at all of us and our little sweet dogs. They certainly are a handful, and I do not care what kind of dog it is , they all have their likes and dislikes as we do, Let's just say they are "little people". What the heck, if they don't like dry, well so be it, as long as they are okay and eating, I would think that is a plus. I don't like some of the food people think their food is to die for, and I think to myself, how could she eat that, it is horrible!! soooo.If only our dogs could talk!!
I have had yorkies all my life, and have never really had any problems with them eating,and it could be dry or wet. I have to limit what I do give her. I have a 6 pd and she loves to eat...I would say "anything", Just don't want her to get fat. I do keep her on soft food and a little dry. I feed her in the am and pm and a small dog cookie and am and pm as well.
I sure love reading all the gals notes and some of them are darn funny. Us women have more darn fun with their animals! Bobbie; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sally A. Vaughn on September 22, 2008 at 11:08am: Hi Bobbie! I just checked in, and saw your message to me on August 29th. Sorry to take so darned long to respond!

You are so right about our dogs being "little people." It is amazing how different and unique their personalities, likes and dislikes are, isn't it? Like you, I would love it if they could talk...even for one day...and tell us what they are really thinking and feeling! I don't really know what we would do without our sweet friends. Life wouldn't be the same. I love the way they follow us everywhere. We get up, they get up. We walk into another room in the house, they follow us. And they just stand there looking up at us, waiting for our next move. I have never felt so loved! (Well, let me rephrase that. When my husband was alive, I had that kind of love!) And isn't it a hoot how all dogs seem to know "Wanna go for a ride?" It's universal! "Wanna go for a ride?" and "Chewey want treat?" are the two phrases that get her to jumping up and down more than any others!

Thanks, Bobbie, for sending me your wonderful message. Hope we can talk again soon! Sally V.; ▶ Reply to This