My mom came to visit last week and she brought along her two dogs. She is helping with our 4 month old daughter and she has spent 3 or 4 weeks here in the last 4 months. Her dogs are only fed once a day and she mixes can food with dry food. Her dogs eat their food in less than 2 minutes. Starbuck has always taken her time when she eats. Half the time she actually lies down to eat out of the bowl Her dogs are fed together in the Kitchen and Starbuck is put out back with her food. My mom puts the can food on Starbucks food so that she will eat it right away.

When my mom is not in town Starbuck gets a vitamin and powered supplement on her food every day. I also put additional “treats” on her food at random times (leftover meat, water from tuna cans, etc.). After a week of daily canned food I think Starbuck is expecting the additional “treat” on her food every time.

With her hurt foot and the lack of exercise the last 3 week, there is a chance that she is just not as hungry. But I think it is more about the good stuff on the dry food.

She basically cut herself to about 50% food over the last 4 days. If she doesn’t finish the morning bowl then she gets the same food again that night (She eats 1.5 cups 2 times a day now). On one of the DVDs, Ed talks about not feeding the dogs at all on occasion to clean out their system.

Do I just keep doing what I’m doing? Or am I setting myself up for some other problem?

My last shepherd was VERY picky about her food. I really don’t want to deal with that kind of problem again.

I find that dogs crave variation in their diets if they're not food hungry goobers like my lab who'd eat concrete if she could only gets the bits small enough.
It may be that the brand has changed slightly recently which made it less interesting to her. Iams, Nutro, and a couple other brands are going through formula changes right now. It could be also that she's telling you she's sick of the same stuff.

Do you put the food down and take it up in 15 minutes if it is not eaten. Never had a dog that was a picky eater though. Cats, yes, dogs, no.

Nancy has good advice except I would only leave it down for 5 minutes. If the dog chooses not to eat no treats at all that day. I feed twice a day but whatever your feeding time or times are stay with them. It's good to remember no dog in history has ever chosen to starve itself to death. Norman

Norman, you are right..............actually I have to put water in my dog food (no citric acid in food) to slow them down and it always takes less than a minute for them to eat.

If you normally feed Starbuck kibble, I agree that she may be bored with what you're giving her. Check Ed's site for some recommended quality kibble and give one of those a try. Just a change in diet can spark appetite again.

What is her kibble?

 Quote: keith larson

Her dogs are fed together in the Kitchen and Starbuck is put out back with her food. My mom puts the can food on Starbucks food so that she will eat it right away.

This all started when your mom and her dogs arrived, correct?
Where does Starbuck usually eat? Maybe she is feeling isolated and is not sure where her "place in the pack" is any longer.

 Quote: keith larson

When my mom is not in town Starbuck gets a vitamin and powered supplement on her food every day. I also put additional “treats” on her food at random times (leftover meat, water from tuna cans, etc.). After a week of daily canned food I think Starbuck is expecting the additional “treat” on her food every time.

This is just me, but, I would not be allowing your mom to create a different feeding schedule nor routine for her. She is used to you and how you do it. And now, she is being "spoiled" by getting something every time.

 Quote: keith larson

With her hurt foot and the lack of exercise the last 3 week, there is a chance that she is just not as hungry. But I think it is more about the good stuff on the dry food.

I agree 100%

 Quote: keith larson

Do I just keep doing what I’m doing? Or am I setting myself up for some other problem?

I would take on her feeding and not have your mom do it and I would also feed her first in her normal spot.
My mom is the same way and it, in all honesty, drives me batty.
Their dog (who was FAT) was so used to getting crap on his food that he refused to eat it if there was not a goodie in there.
The dog could have hibernated for 6 mos on how fat he was.
It all boils down to being spoiled. Some dogs spoil easier than others.


Maybe I am reading too much into it.....

Good points, Carol.

Starbuck has been on Canidae since she was about 7 weeks old.

I don't think it is about the location where we feed her. She has been back at her "normal" spot next to the kitchen for a week.

I don't pick up the food after a specific amount of time.