I can't get my dog to eat.?

Question

I have 3 dogs, a fairly small female Siberian Husky (Foxy) and two Shepherd/Husky mixes (Duke and Meeko). Duke is old and huge and Meeko is a very active and playful puppy (bigger than Foxy though).

Foxy is pretty timid, as far as dogs go, but I think she is intimidated, or afraid to eat when the other two are around; they have very dominant personalities. They sometimes snarl at each other over their food, but they don't even approach her.

I've ruled out sickness, because she's been like this for a long time now, I've just never known what to do about it. I figure if she's hungry enough, she'll eat, but sometimes that's 2-3 days apart. Could she be okay on just that?

I don't have anywhere to lock the other two away while I feed her, and even if I tie them up, it doesn't seem to do any good; I think it's just their presence that makes her nervous. But they all get along fine otherwise, she'll even play roughly with Meeko sometimes, just not eat around them.

Any suggestions on what I can do about this?? Has anyone else had this problem with their dogs, or maybe with them just not eating in general?

Answer 1

do u always feed ur dogs the same dog food?? if so, maybe ur dog is just picky. like mine. I have two dogs and one of them will not eat the dog food i bought for the, beside the red color one. No matter how hungry is she, she just wont eat it the other colors. I went out and bought some other dog foods for her and shes empty the bowl in a sec.

Answer 2

Feed the dog in a different room.  That may work.

Answer 3

Having had dogs all my life I've found dogs are happiest when they know who the boss is. The boss should be you. If one dog is intimidating another it should be put in it's place. I've seen many people who's DOGS ruled the house and they wonder why they have behavior problems.

I've had up to four dogs and a cat for several years without problem. I believe this is because they would get in BIG trouble if they were aggressive to another dog (or the cat).  Deep down dogs still have that wolf instinct. You have to act upon that instinct for them to understand you. Unfortunately they don't understand "Please don't do that".

Answer 4

You say you have nowhere to 'lock the other two away while I feed her'.  Nowhere?  Bathroom?  Outside?   Feed her in a crate?  If that's truly the case, frankly perhaps you need to sit with her, hold her bowl.  She's likely being intimidated big time by the other two.  You say she's been like this for a long time - before the puppy came?  Is she thin?

Doesn't sound right!

Answer 5

your dogs will automatically eat when they're hungry, you do have to be too worrry, my dog did that as well. he just refused to eat, when he's hungry, he'll eat all. give your dog her meal, if she rejects. take it away and let her skip one meal, it won't cause side effect. give her again the next meal, she'll eat.  

Answer 6

In a wild wolf pack....

the alpha will ALWAYS eat first.

no matter what and will fight anything and everything off.

the other pack members know that the alpha eats first and they wait there turn.

This may be the case...

Although if she doesn't eat at all, then it may be a sickness,

id get a vet to check her out.

If nothings wrong then id suggest letting her be there when the other two eat and let her see that the other two are done eating.

get the bowl they eat from, take her in another room.

and encourage her to eat,hand feed her.

if nothing works id suggest a vet or a behaviors opinion on this.

Good Luck.

Answer 7

she is nervous, even if you tie the others up they are sebding out signals to her that they want her food which is why she won't eat with them around. The best thing to do is try to put them outside while she eats or in another room. If you can't do that try putting her bowl in a different spot away fron the other two dog bowls. Teach the other two that bowl is hers and teach her that it is her bowl and her eating area. It sounds hard but I did it. I have an 80 lb dog who eats everything and a 5 lb chihuaha who would not eat in his presence. My little dog eats off of a plate that he has learned is his in the dining room and the big dogs bowls are in the kitchen. I had to watch the big one like a hawk around the little ones food for a while and chase him away when I put food down but now the little ones food ( homecooked, so very tempting) stays down all day and the big one does not touch it.