People who have never had a dog that won’t eat before, have no idea how stressful it can be for the owner. You love your dog and provide for him, but he just won’t touch his dinner, no matter what you try. Before you try anything else, you need to figure whether the problem of your dog not eating is mental or physical.

But before we jump into the problem of your dog not eating, we need to make sure you don’t have a special interest dog. If you have a dog with a known medical condition, a puppy, a pregnant, or a nursing dog, you need to go to your vet. These dogs have special nutrition requirements and need to be looked at professionally.

If this is a sudden eating problem, check to see if you have changed any of your dog’s food or routines, as this can be the problem. If you haven’t changed anything, make sure your dog isn’t in pain and isn’t acting like he is really tired (listless) – if so, take him to your vet. Otherwise, just wait a day or two. Your dog may have gotten into something that has upset his stomach, or he just doesn’t feel well. Ensure he has plenty of fresh water and the chance to go outside when needed. If after two days he still shows not interest in his food, take him to your vet – he may have a physical problem, like internal parasites.

So if you are still reading it must mean your dog it not physically ill or special needs. Then what is the problem with your dog not eating? It is probably psychological. Which, luckily, is something you can fix, with a little discipline on your part.

1. Is your dog getting enough attention from you? It may just be that he is bored and lonely. When you fuss over him not eating, he is getting the attention he wants. Try playing with your pet more or taking him for a daily walk. This may be all that is needed to get your dog eating again.

2. Is your dog just spoiled? Have you let him get away with so much that he now thinks he can decide what he eats? It’s time to become the alpha dog – take charge of your home. Put his dog food down and leave him alone. Come back in 20 minutes and pick up his bowl – throw away any food he did not eat. Do not feed him any snacks at any time during the day. His mealtime should be the only time he has an opportunity to eat. If after 3 days he still doesn’t eat, you might want to take him to your vet for evaluation.

3. Do you hover over your dog or are otherwise anxious about his eating, or not eating? You may be making him nervous or suspicious with your always being around. Dogs can easily pick up on our feelings and fears, without knowing the why’s of our feelings.

Instead of hanging around at dinner, put down his food and leave the room. He may follow you. If he does you may have to move his dinner into a separate room and close the door. Leave him there for 20 minutes and don’t stand by the door. You may need to try this procedure for a couple of days. But if it is anxiety that is keeping your pet from eating, this should take care of the problem.

4. Is the dog food you are feeding him any good? Look at your dog food ingredients label. The first ingredient should be some kind of protein, like chicken meal, lamb meal, etc. There should also not be too much non-nutritional grains listed. It may just be that the food you are offering does not have enough nutrition in it. Or that a certain ingredient may not be agreeing with him. Look at super-premium, organic, or all-natural dog food alternatives. A lot of the economy dog foods are mainly filler with fat sprayed on them to entice the dog to eat what he would not otherwise eat – some dogs see through this and just won’t eat it.

Use these tips and you may well be on your way to getting your dog to eat his dinner again.

If your dog is not eating because he dislikes his dog food, check out the Healthy Dog Food Blog to learn more about how to find the healthiest food for your dog to stay in optimal health. This article is for informational purpose only and is NOT intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian or pet care professional.

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