Wayne Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Hi, Suka has always been a bit of a fussy eater just eating whenever she wanted but her food bowl was always empty by bed time pretty much everyday. Like any dog she was a pig for junk food and would thieve it when people weren't looking. Over the past couple of weeks her eating habits have become worse, she won't really touch food, and over the past 5 days she's barely eaten a thing. Before I could throw her a whole bowl full of dog meat chunks and she would catch and eat the lot, now after about 5 or so she just throws them back at me. Any of your huskies throw things at you? I've even tried giving her things she usually can't resist like hot cross buns, even donuts just to get her to eat something but no luck. She seems healthy and is still running around though. Is there anything else I can do or will she just suddenly decide to eat? I took her to the vets to see what was wrong with her and all I got was "She's just not hungry, that'll be 60 please?" So I don't really want to go there again. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Over the past couple of weeks her eating habits have become worse, she won't really touch food, and over the past 5 days she's barely eaten a thing. Before I could throw her a whole bowl full of dog meat chunks and she would catch and eat the lot, now after about 5 or so she just throws them back at me. Any of your huskies throw things at you? Has she eaten anything over the last five days? If so, what has she eaten? What do you feed her normally? How long are you leaving her meal out for her, and does she eat any of it at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Myshka has always been like that, very fussy. She would eat a certain type of dog food for a couple of days, then turn her nose up at it, so we had to buy different, whether it was kibble, tinned dog food, fresh boiled chiken, every few days we had to change - then realised we were playing in to her paws! We now buy the same kibble all the time, she will eat it (sometimes as a last resort as she knows she'll get nothing else!) & periodically mix it with sardines in sunflower oil or suchlike, just to vary it a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Hi Wayne I'm not very experienced myself having only had our husky 2 months (he is 2yr old though). However, from what research i've done and talking to other husky owners, I do know that they can go through stages of simply not eating that much. It's in their make up of being able to survive apparently. I know our dog Zeus won't eat / loose his appetite in warm weather so that could be a factor. Just these past few days he's left lots in his bowl where as usually he will inhale the whole lot within 30 seconds. I'm putting it down to the warm weather. If Suka is still bouncing around and looking healthy i'd stick it out a bit longer and just make sure she gets plenty of water. Hope this helps! Not very wise i'm afriad! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Has she eaten anything over the last five days? If so, what has she eaten? What do you feed her normally? How long are you leaving her meal out for her, and does she eat any of it at all? She has literally just picked at 4 or 5 little biscuits each day for the past 5 days. Her food is hardly touched. I usually feed her Bakers complete with those square meatty chunks and its normally always all gone. Her food stays out all day everyday so she can just eat it when she wants as she has never eaten it all in one go. Lately shes barely touched it. I've tried tins of tuna too which she always scoffs down, but even they get left now. I'll just have to keep watch to see if she gets thin. She can be a right pain at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 She has literally just picked at 4 or 5 little biscuits each day for the past 5 days. Her food is hardly touched. I usually feed her Bakers complete with those square meatty chunks and its normally always all gone. Her food stays out all day everyday so she can just eat it when she wants as she has never eaten it all in one go. Lately shes barely touched it. I've tried tins of tuna too which she always scoffs down, but even they get left now. I'll just have to keep watch to see if she gets thin. She can be a right pain at times. I would be looking for a new vet who will take your concerns seriously. If she is only eating four or five pieces of kibble a day for weeks I would be concerned about her and I would probably be inclined to get her thyroid tested. Siberians are bred to go far on small amounts of food and as such they do have a slow metabolism, but thyroid problems are not uncommon in the breed so if you were worried, I would be getting her checked out. One of my dogs can be a picky eater and we never pander to her. She eats her dinner within fifteen minutes or I pick the bowl up and give her nothing until the next meal time. Learning that food is not always going to be available will teach a dog to eat when you put food down. A healthy dog will not starve themselves. However, having said that, if she really has no appetite for days/weeks especially for foods she normally goes wild for I'd be getting her checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidjk Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 micha was fussy, then we started her on raw mince, she loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 micha was fussy, then we started her on raw mince, she loves it. What do you feed with the mince? do you mix it in with her kibble or do you feed it as part of a raw diet? I'm lucky my Micha has never really been a fussy eater. He is very food driven, so he'll eat anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbb23 Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 We had the same prob with Grey when we rehomed him (Tip to remember- Siberian huskies dont eat that much for there size) A healthy dog will not starve its self so my guess would be that Suka is being a little fusspot. I would suggest hand feeding if your really concerned but this fussy stage should pass soon. Most owners like to free feed (Food out all day) but this can encourage fussy eating so it mighth be an idea to put her food out in the morning and leave down for 10 mins, if after that Suka has not touched it take it back up and dont put food down again till second feed in evening ( not double the amount). It may take a couple of days for the msg to sink in but will teach Suka not to be so fussy and that you are boss over her and not the other way round. Suka not eating could also be alot to do with the hot weather or maybe a upset tummy if this is the case you will notice she may have runny poo, a good trick to help cure this is raw chicken wings or probiotic yoghurt. ( another husky owner passed that tip onto me it really works!) Hope this helps! let us know how you get on. Have a look at this past thread and what people said it might help- http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3067 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Feeding Bakers is the equivalent to feeding your human children nothing but junk food - the ingredients aren't the best (IMHO) Have you tried a different brand of kibble - if doing this though don't just switch over straight away, make the change gradually or she'll be leaving you lots of mess to clean up lol Have you tried feeding BARF? A few chicken wings a day? I definitely agree with what others have posted, place her food down and if it's not gone in 10 mins remove it and feed nothing - not even treats, until her next meal time, that way she's eating when you tell her to, not when she feels like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I had the same issues with my 3, their food was left down during the day, mainly as we were all working during the day, and they wouldn't always eat it or they would just pick at it. Just the other day, I finally put my foot down and said 'RIGHT! No more of this!' and started to give them 20 minuted to eat their food and if it wasnt eaten in that time I would take it away and they wouldnt have it until next meal time (unless I had to throw it away, we feed BARF so food goes off much faster!). We have only been doing this for a few days and already they are learning that meal time is now meal time only Also another thing that we have changed, as best as we can, over the past few days is we eat before they do. As we used to be working until late (still are a few times) whoever is home (usually me) would feed the dogs, before everyone got back and we could eat. Now, everyone is usually home by about 6pm and WE eat our food first before the dogs get their food and if some of us are not going to be home until late then whoever is home has their dinner first and then the dogs get fed. Its the same in the morning, I get up and have breakfast then feed the dogs and about an hour afterwards they have their walk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex T Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 I always feed the dogs after us, and their food is down for 15 mins before it gets removed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted August 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Thanks for all the help! Update for you all. Tonight I tried the raw mince, she sniffed it and looked at me with disgust. I left it for 3 hours and she didn't even have a nibble. So I went into the fridge got a pack of chicken and before I even had time to unwrap it she was there, fully alert. It was gone in under a minute. At least now I know there is nothing wrong with her and its just her being a pain again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JodieJay Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I had the same problem with saskia. I was feeding her liver and salmon everyday. I took her to the vet and they told me to try "burns" She is now finally eating that . x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 LOL for the chicken - same in our house!! Always a winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ade hill Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 ok...try a can of tuna....sibes love it...leave it down for about ten mins and then take it away, if you want to train, the dog has to understand the meal time rule, so, try not to cave in, and if the dont eat, then take it away until the next meal time, a dog wont starve itself, it's just using its stubborness to get its own way, as a pack alpha, you decide when and what she eats, sounds harsh, but once learned it makes life alot easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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