My Tibetan Terrier won't eat

"I have a 6 months old male TT, and he doesn't eat. What to do?"

Response

Some TT's go through this non eating stage or at least go through a picky eating stage. This is often the result of them having successfully training you!

If there are no 'health' reasons for this non-eating as confirmed by a veterinarian consider doing the following.

The mistake some people make is free feeding or feeding table scraps to the dog in addition to their regular food. All of our mature dogs eat 1 time per day in their crates. This is the only way we know who is eating what.

When the food is being prepared, they all run into their crates on their own and eagerly peek their heads out awaiting dinner. They all will eat their meal within 5 minutes. If they don't eat within a half hour or so, the food is removed.

This breed will not starve themselves and they can go several days without food if necessary. After refusual for a day or so they will soon understand and begin to eat. Again, I am assuming that there are NO medical reasons present for not eating.

Our guys do not get any table food or extras. The eat about 1 cup per day of premium kibble (we currently use Iams or Eukanuba) with a tablespoon of canned meat such as Iams or Pal chicken. They also get a dog biscuit after dinner.

Some of the adults only eat 3/4 of a cup per day. Another thing to try if you have other dogs is to put the bowl down and have one of the other dogs hovering close by threatening to eat the food layed down for the first, this competition often will lead to eating.

If you are free feeding then slowly change over to 1 or 2 times per day feeding. Free feeders often become finicky eaters.

As a last resort you may want to try a different brand of premium dog food, and remember never to give extras from the table.

Your puppy also may be going through a teething stage which is affecting his desire to eat (sore mouth etc.) A puppy at this age should be eating 2 times per day about half a cup + per time. If his teeth are hurting try soaking the kibble to make it softer.