Millie's gone off her food

Not sure how worried I should be about this yet... but Millie has gone off her food.

We had a Millie Meltdown yesterday morning at breakfast, when I clipped her bum with the dishwasher door. Typicial Millie, she stopped eating and stood there shaking like a leaf. Even when I'd quietened her down it took a couple of hours before she'd eat again. Then she wouldn't have her supper. In the end, my husband hand fed her.

So this morning I gave her something different (turkey instead of fish), in Nola's bowl and in a different place. She picked bits out and dropped them on the floor before walking away. I tried Marmite, but after a little lick she wasn't interested in that either. Eventually she did eat an egg. I'm cooking up some rice at the moment to see if she'll take that.

The only other thing I can think of is that she had a couple of wasp stings on her face over the weekend but they went down quickly. She seems ok in herself, playing a full speed and being her usual happy self.

Hey! I've never had this problem with Bug, food is her one true love lol! But if it were me, I'd probably stop trying different things and take the pressure off eating for the rest of the day, and then do her usual evening routine with the others as if nothing's happened. If she doesn't eat this eve/tomorrow morning perhaps consult your vet, but I wouldnt be worried right now. If she's toy oriented you could try a tripe/mince stuffed kong, left in her bed to discover on her own?

I love the idea of leaving food for her to discover, or rather Chaos does! She wouldn't stand a chance

She was happy taking treats on our walk, and when I put her breakfast down for the others to eat she rushed over, sniffed it, then walked away. It's like she wants it but the smell is off-putting for some reason, which is odd.

I'll try no fuss supper with just some plain rice and egg, and see how that goes down. Please don't let it be a vet visit jobbie, we seem to spend our lives there!

I'd keep things the same as well and hope for the best. If she still isn't eating I would go to the vet to make sure she was okay. I've never had a dog not eat all of mine have been chow hounds.

Not a vast improvement, I'm afraid. She lined up with the others, looking like she was hungry and eager as usual, and ran over to her bowl as usual when I released them to go and eat, but then just picked at a bit of rice while spitting the fresh fish (proper haddock fillets) out. She ate maybe a couple of tablespoons of rice.

And now she's back to playing, right as rain.

Fingers crossed for breakfast, otherwise it looks like we might be off to the vet tomorrow...

My Flo often goes off her breakfast but will wolf down her dinner and breakfast at the same time. Sometimes they just get picky I think.

Hopefully she'll be hungry enough in the morning Liz.

Mia often does this liz hope she eats something in the morning did u try scrambled egg?

I'm now fairly sure it's psychological and related to the dishwasher incident. This is Millie all over, she'll take fright and quake with fear at things another dog wouldn't even notice, and will then not go anywhere near the object of horror ever again if she had her own way. I might have to get the clicker and target out as she does seem to accept that if the target says it's ok, then ok it is.

This evening at mealtime she had that bit of rice before refusing to even go near it again. Later on, she then begged at my husband when he was making his sandwiches for tomorrow so I put her bowl down with the remaining rice and a raw egg. She ate every last grain and licked the bowl clean. I then caught her chewing a bone, so I tried feeding her the fish she'd spat out at tea time as treats, so asking her to sit first, and she had no problem with it at all.

She really is the most bizzarre little dog I've ever met and could try the patience of a saint sometimes! Her other recent thing was refusing to come with me to the annex at night (I sleep there in the summer). If I got her outside she just sat at the back door waiting to be let in. Take her round the front and it's no problem, and once in the annex she'd jump up on the bed for a cuddle, then sleep soundly all night. And she'll happily come in during the day if I'm working in there, just not at bed time. She's now sleeping with George. Do not ask me why. Sometimes I can see why she develops a worry, other times she's a mystery.

Do you know, I dread to think what would have happened to her if she'd ended up with someone who expected a push button dog, or who had a houseful of kids doing random things all day long. I think she'd have had a breakdown.

your tip to me about the marmite always works for sasha Liz,hope she eats soon,they do worry us when they stop eating properly

glad shes now ate something liz. dogs can be funny at times .

The dishwasher incident must of really scared her she will get over it with lots of encouragement

It did, Jen. Seriously, I can't describe Millie's fright reactions to random things - she once decided a book I was carrying was terrifying even though I read a lot and carrying a book isn't exactly abnormal. And she doesn't then do a little bit worried but goes straight into 'aaagh it's going to kill me', literally shaking in a heap on the floor. But she's fine with things that should be scary like storms and fireworks.

This morning she again wouldn't eat more than a mouthful in the kitchen but wolfed her food down when I took her bowl into the conservatory. I'll feed her in there for the next couple of days so that she settles back to bowl = food = eat, then start some training work in the kitchen.

But at least she's not ill. That's a huge relief.

Oh thats great liz bless her hopefully with positivity she will grow to realise the dishwasher isnt the big bad wolf

She sounds similar to Bo. I think it's a trait among Staffies, being sensitive. A couple of weeks ago I bought a toaster and Bo was so terrified of the smell when I turned it on he started shaking. The next day I put it on when he was drinking from his bowl and immediately he become scared of his water bowl and wouldn't drink until evening (he normally drinks a pint or so during the day). Now, to use the toaster, I close the kitchen door and put the extractor fan on, and wait for five minutes after the toast is ready to open the door. Even then Bo is always sitting there horrified when I emerge, but he quickly returns to normal.

Edit: just seen your comment about the thunderstorm too. Bo's exactly the same. We had a cracking storm the other night and there was a clap of thunder so loud that the windows literally bulged inwards - absolutely deafening. Bo didn't even raise his head.

I genuinely thing that staffies are the most sensitive dogs, even more so than lurchers and that's saying something! I didn't know Bo was in the ranks of the super sensitive souls. They are 'interesting' to live with, aren't they? Ha ha ha... I think...

Good news, though. Millie's just eaten her supper of cold pasta and egg, in the kitchen but not near the dreaded dishwasher.

Staffies are the oddest things. My Flo has routines that simply cannot be changed. When we walk to her small park she will only cross where she has decided to and it's the same spots every time. When we walk back she has to walk right next to the garden walls regardless if people are in the way. If you tried to coax her a different way you would think she was being taken to the vets or something the way she digs her heals in.

Strangely though, if a ruddy great big red bus thunders passed she doesn't flinch even though she can't hear it coming and it must make her jump , it does me and I can hear the thing

Aww ian bless wee flo

Mia was terrified of motorbikes i had to do distraction techniques with her for a good wee while now a noisy one will pass she doesnt so much as flinch shedoesnt mind thundef and lightening or fireworks tho she looks curiously at me when i hide in my cupboard from thunder

Beef for breakfast this morning, and wolfed it down. I think we're sorted.

Hurray