Grumbling tum...

Hi - wonder if anyone can advise please. Lily has always been a fussy eater - I have known her go for well over 24 hours and not eat her food, although if you give her some ham or cheese she will always take this. I don't do this as I don't want to encourage fussy behaviour, its just an example. I know you're supposed to leave her food for 30 mins and then take it away if uneaten but she's really not bothered and I end up wasting a lot of food. The problem today is that her tum is rumbling away like mad - if it was me I would eat something. She probably would too, but not her dinner - its a battle or wills. I have never heard this before and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't putting a human interpretation on the rumblings and it means something different in dogs. I have tried all different types of food except barf and I would really be tempted if I knew what I was doing. She won't eat dried food at all or any type of biscuit in her dinner and I feed her Forthglade natural menu so its not a rubbish wet food. Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

You could try some scrambled egg on her food to entice her, I feed Vinnie Nature diet as it is made up of meat, rice and vegetables. If you do try some scrambled eggs obviously don't put milk in it.  

Firstly a dog will never let itself starve so don't worry there. And maybe raw feeding would help, there are plenty of people here who will advise you on that. I have to add raw egg or sardines into Moo's kibble unless she wouldn't eat it either so that also might be worth a thought Xx

Thanks Inez.  Funnily enough Lily was on Nature Diet  before this one and she was exactly the same.  I usually put some cubes of cheese on to entice but she very often eats the cheese and leaves the food and I think she would probably do this with scrambled egg - she loves egg!

Hi Janey, kibble is definitely a no no, even in the rescue she wouldn't eat dried food. I know she does like sardines, but how sure how that would mix with the wet food. Do you think its ok to introduce human food to encourage feeding - if I gave her a chicken she would be delighted.  

To be honest I am more on the side of being cruel to be kind. I am not a fan of a wet diet and sometimes persistence is key to getting them to eat well. Personally no I wouldn't use human food if she fussy anyway but I really would consider a raw diet Xx

It may be worth explaining this to the vet next time you are in or make an appointment to see him/her just incase there is nothing underlying why she isn't eating properly.

Has she been wormed recently ?

Yes, she's wormed regularly Kathy.  We put a bit of Sunday chicken on her dinner earlier, guess what - she ate the chicken and left the rest.  I just think she is fussy beyond belief and I'm just pandering to it .  Might just work on Janey's idea and scrap the wet food altogether and hold fast on the kibble.  Or might try the raw feeding, she would probably like that, not sure I would as a veggie though but I would give it a try.  I can't remember angsting this much over my kids, even when my daughter lived on egg yolk and cheese for months.  

They can drive you mad with their fussy ways can't they.

I've been a terrible "panderer" to Kuchar when he was a pup, then suddenly he took to Wainwrights trays, yummed them up every day and for 3 or 4 months I've thought "problem solved". Then for the last 3 days he has left his food. I have caved in and mixed something enticing into it, but he left his food again last night and despite freshening it up with a bit of cold water and mixing his favourite cooked liver into it it's still there. I'll obviously have to chuck it away but I'm now determined that he's not going to run rings round me anymore - I'm hardening my heart and trusting that as Janey says he won't let him starve himself  

Lets see how we get on Lynda - see who gives in first them or us lol

Yes let's see Pauline! Kuchar ate half his food tonight, but it was tarted up with liver.

And I can't bear to waste roast chicken skin and the gacky bits us humans won't eat, so he'll get them mixed in tomorrow. But after that .... he'll eat or go without! Yes, I'm determined.

Good luck Pauline

You too Lynda