Dogs that wont eat

Question
Hello, recently we brought into our house a new four month old male puppy (cockapoo)and he joined the household with a a 16 month old female cockapoo.  They seem to get along fine except when it comes to feeding.  The female won't eat after sniffing her bowl and the puppy wants to immediately go eat the older dogs food.  We've tried separating them (so they can't see one another) and that hasn't worked either.  We're struggling to get the older dog to eat.  While the male is younger, is it possible that he's become the pack leader and she's recognizing that he's going to eat first?  We're concerned that she's not eating enough unless we practically hand feed her.  Any suggestions on how to get both to eat at the same time would be great.

Thanks

Mike

Answer
I think she is just upset about the new addition and trying to be the pack leader and force you to get rid of the new puppy. You need to serve notice you are top dog.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts.  Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

If both females have a high drive for dominance, expect trouble.  If either one was a lower ranking female in her litter, likely it will work out fine.  The better leadership you provide them, the less likely to be trouble.  

It can work.  My friend is a very strong leader.  She has 6 females in her house, 2 of which are breeding stock.  She won't tolerate trouble and all the dogs know it.  

So let her not eat for a few days.  You need to know your dog. If a dog that normally has a good appetite suddenly quits eating, it needs to see a vet. Something is wrong, and the vet can tell what it is and prescribe an effective remedy. Even an older dog may have something that will respond to treatment. At 12 years old, when my Lab, Aster, failed to eat one morning, I took her to the vet. It was pneumonia, which quickly yielded to antibiotics and she was soon her old self.

If the dog never did eat very well, and has seen the vet since the problem existed, you may be over feeding it. A vet check still won't hurt. Many dogs will snarf down more than is good for them and look for more. Others refuse to eat more than than they need. Evaluate the dog as illustrated in this link, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx  You may want the vet to confirm your judgment. Adjust the dogs food and exercise as needed to reach its ideal body condition. Some German Shepherds and other breeds may refuse to eat enough to completely hid their ribs. As long as you are feeding a concentrated, meat based chow, the best thing is to accept it.

The worst thing you can do is to bribe a dog with rich foods into eating more than it needs. Instead, Put down the dish with what the dog should eat, and give it 15 minutes to eat. Then take it up. Do not give it anything to eat until its next scheduled meal. In a few days, it should be eating what it needs. Continue to check its ribs and adjust the food as needed. This is not easy. I had a Shepherd go 3 days on a few nibbles. I was a wreck, but she was fine. It is almost unknown for a healthy dog not to eat what it needs. Unfortunately, in too many cases, it is less than the package says, and less than the owner thinks the dog should have. Many dogs are quite good at holding out for tastier chow. Like kids, sometimes it calls for tough love.

There are exceptions to the above. A dog in a new home may refuse to eat even if offered what it was fed before. Unless it is already too thin, the best thing is to give it a few days to adjust and plenty of attention. If it still isn't eating after a few days and only after a vet check, it is time to open up the refrigerator and tempt it with something better, cheese, cooked chicken, cat food, cut up hot dogs, etc. This may also be necessary for a dog that has been sick and lost weight. You will still need to get it back on its normal diet as soon as possible.

If a dog is having trouble keeping anything down or continuing diarrhea try this out of the manual I have from a large, knowledgeable dog guide school.

Bland recovery diet for dogs.

3 parts cooked rice, one part boiled hamburger or chicken, or cottage cheese. I think you can substitute boiled potatoes for the rice. Once in an emergency, we bought a plain baked potato from Wendy's.

This is meant for short time settling a dog's digestive tract. It is not the complete and balanced diet they need long term. I have seen it work.

There was an extensive discussion of weight in a recent newsletter from a service dog school.

''Obesity is the number one nutritional disease affecting dogs. It's estimated that 25-45% of dogs in the US are obese. Studies have shown that joint and locomotive problems increase by 57%, circulatory problems by 74%, respiratory problems by 52%, skin problems by 40% and cancer by 50% in animals that are overweight.

Large breed dogs that are overweight also are more prone to developing hip dysplasia. Obesity is especially dangerous for young puppies, as their underdeveloped frame cannot support the extra poundage that it must carry.''

So please, before tempting your non eater with rich food, see the vet and evaluate it as in the link above.