My dog is not interested in food!

My dog is not interested in food is something I sometimes hear from new clients. When I look down I often see a well feed or overweight dog looking back at me.

Food is a biological need for all of us including our furry friends.

What owners usually mean is their dog is not interested enough in the food they are offering at that moment in time.

Most puppies start their life with us enthusiastically eating what is put in front of them but over time some realise that if they wait us out then we will give them something “better” e.g. a little bit of gravy poured over their dry kibble or even a tin of wet food. As time goes on they may wait for some fresh chicken to be mixed in. We have then created a “fussy eater”.

It could be time to get your dog weighed and checked over by the vet and reduce his food a little if necessary. It’s great if you are spending time training your dog with treats but you may need to reduce his daily food allowance a little to compensate.

We may ask our dog to come back in the park and when he does we give him a dry biscuit. The dog may have run back from playing with all his friends and so is a little disappointed and therefore next time does not bother to come back. You could try using a higher value treat like Natures Menu (95% meat) which are tasty and have a strong scent to make his recall worth while.

Perhaps you have a nervous dog and when friends visit you ask them to offer him a biscuit but he still keeps away. In this situation the dog does not want the treat enough to risk the meeting the scary visitor.

Your dog may not like travelling in the car so you try to lure him in with a treat but the fear of the car journey outweighs the pleasure of the treat.

Treats are incredibly useful for training your dog in a positive way but the benefit for him has to outweigh the cost.

If you are worried about your dog not eating enough then please get him checked out by your vet to rule out any veterinary problems.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any help with your dog’s behaviour.

Mike Garner is a dog trainer and behaviourist at Rainbow Dogs in Brighton & Hove, Sussex.

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What should I feed my dog?

There are so many choices of dog food on the UK market which can make it difficult to decide which one to choose.

I usually answer this question with “this is what you should NOT feed”.

The following are a few simple dog food tips:

  • Ingredients on the back are more useful than the marketing claims on the front. When the front packaging mentions a specific ingredient then the ingredient list must specify the percentage e.g. foods that say Chicken on the front often contain just 4% Chicken!
  • Less is more. A short ingredient list is generally better than a long one with lots of cheap fillers.
  • If you don’t know what an ingredient is or you would not eat it yourself then don’t give it to your dog. Do you know what animal derivatives are?
  • Be specific. Do you know if “meat” in the ingredients is chicken, beef, or horse? Is the “cereal” wheat or rice? Choose a food that lists the actual ingredients rather than hides them under a generic term.
  • Don’t blindly follow your vet’s recommendation. Vets have minimal nutritional training and often sell brands that provide them with large profits but which don’t do well in independent reviews.
  • Buy from a pet shop rather than a supermarket. Supermarkets tend to stock the low-quality foods.
  • Garbage in, garbage out. If what comes out the other end is loose and smelly then your dog’s body is not processing it very well. If it is small and compact then he is using most of it as nutrients.
  • Do your research. www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk is an excellent resource that reviews specific products and explains what the ingredients mean. Check out the market leaders to see how they compare.

What dog food do I recommend?

There are so many to choose from! However, a food that has high quality ingredients and is readily available in pets shops and for delivery is Canagan.

What about raw food diets or BARF?

Some people will tell you that feeding raw is the single most important thing you can do for your dog’s health. Others will say that the risk of salmonella is too high. Do lots of research if you plan to change to a raw food diet since you don’t want your dog to have any nutritional deficiencies.

Take home message

There is a massive difference in the quality of commercial dog foods.  Do your research and choose the best you can for your budget.

Is your dog not interested in food?

Check out this blog post.


Mike Garner is a dog trainer and behaviourist at Rainbow Dogs in Brighton & Hove, Sussex.

Follow Rainbow Dogs on Facebook.

Top tips for surviving Christmas with your dog

If you asked people what happens at Christmas many would tell you that they eat too much and they get stressed out by visiting family.

That’s a good starting point for what to consider for your dog.

Food

We tend to overeat at Christmas and also eat lots of rich food.  Giving your dog a few extra treats will not do him any harm but obviously don’t go crazy. He may be a canine dustbin and therefore be okay with most foods or may be a little more sensitive. Remember what goes in must come out so don’t forget to give him lots of toilet breaks.

Some food is positively dangerous for your dog.  Most people now know chocolate is poisonous but dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is particularly toxic.  You may think about sharing a little Christmas pudding or mince pies but did you know that grapes in the form of currents, raisins and sultanas are also poisonous to dogs?

You may enjoy working your way through your turkey but don’t be tempted to give your dog the bones since cooked bones can easily splinter inside of his digestive system.

Be careful of what the kids may be feeding your dog and of what may be just within his reach.

Visitors

Your dog may be the life and soul of the party or a little more sensitive. Either way there is a good chance he will want the option to get away from the action and retire to his bed or crate. Let your visitors know that they should leave him alone when he goes to his bed. This is especially important for children who may not read the signs that he has had enough and so need adult supervision to keep everyone safe and happy.

Gifts for your dog

There is no reason for your dog to miss out on all the fun.  You may choose to give him a new bone, chew, or toy but don’t expect it to still be under the tree if you leave it there or for the tree to still be standing!  

Perhaps you could buy small gift for a local rescue dog so he can also enjoy a Christmas treat. Check out these Wish Lists:

Behaviour problems

Your dog may have specific problems around people, food, or toys in which case it may be best to just let him chill out and have a quite Christmas at home. Your new year’s resolution could be to consult qualified and experienced behaviourist to help you both work through these problems.

Buying a puppy

Are you thinking of buying a puppy as a Christmas present? Giving a home to a puppy should be a planned and well-informed decision with thought given to the next 15+ years of the puppy’s life. This might be the right decision for you in which case wait until the commotion of Christmas is over and give him the best start in life.

Merry Christmas from Mike Garner of Rainbow Dogs, Brighton!

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