Here's something I decided when I saw the terrible number of illnesses and deaths during the recalls (especially in 2006-2007): If I fed kibble, and the dog didn't want the food, I'd believe the dog.

Common quote at the time from owners of sick dogs: "He didn't want it, but it was the same food he always loved, so I kept offering it."

So .... of course I am not saying that the food is tainted, particularly when she accepted it a couple of times and then changed her mind, but I am saying that I would probably offer the old food and see what happens.

This is probably NOT the problem, and I don't want to divert focus to it; I would just like to rule it out.

JMHO!

Barring any medical reasons, I think she's just not hungry and since she understands the command, she doesn't want to displease you.

Don't get bogged down in counting cups eaten. It is not significant if she looks good and is healthy. It's not important whether she eats 5 or 2 cups,daily.

Been there and done that!

It was said that he went from puppy to adult formula.

My picky eater stoped eating when we did the switch. I actually had to find a new brand of food. Now he will go off his food if I get the same flavor too often so I have to rotate and some time I have to mix 2 flavor to keep him happy.

If my chowhound goes off the food I would trow the food away but my picky boy no, just skip a meal or 2 or change flavor as he is on the thin side.

 Quote: Carol Blumlein

Barring any medical reasons, I think she's just not hungry and since she understands the command, she doesn't want to displease you.

Maybe that's it, if shes finally stopped growing and now she doesn't feel like eating as much food. If she doesn't want to eat tonight I suppose I'll just skip and see what happens tomorrow. She isn't due for eating for another hour or so, so I'll see what happens then.

 Quote: Ariane Gauthier

My picky eater stoped eating when we did the switch. I actually had to find a new brand of food. Now he will go off his food if I get the same flavor too often so I have to rotate and some time I have to mix 2 flavor to keep him happy.

fortunately She has never been a picky eater. If its eatable she will gladly try eating it if given the chance. but luckily she usually only eats something if handed to her or in her bowl.
Although several months ago she did get into a bag of cat food and had a fun time for about 3 seconds before I caught her. So
I don't think that's the problem with her.

I'm with Connie---if she doesn't want this food, I'd consider not feeding it.

Caloric demands might be lowering now, and her teeth might be a little sore at 4-5 mos.

Why are you making this a command? I do "wait", ie don't eat until I say "ok", but I don't have a command to eat. Sometimes they just aren't hungry. I let my dog decide about eating. If food remains after a few minutes I pick up the bowl.

I also try not to be doing exciting things that the dog would like to join me at while I expect him to eat. I. E. I don't start putting on my boots and gloves, things he associates with upcoming herding, right when I want him to finish up. Otherwise he circles me or makes mad dashes between me and the food so as not to be left behind.

unfortunately she didn't eat tonight, so I'll try again tomorrow night. If she doesn't want to eat tomorrow night I plan on substituting her regular food for something she absolutely wouldn't refuse(some raw beef). If that works I'll try her regular food again but if that fails still i will try switching brands of food.

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

Why are you making this a command? I do "wait", ie don't eat until I say "ok", but I don't have a command to eat. Sometimes they just aren't hungry. I let my dog decide about eating. If food remains after a few minutes I pick up the bowl.

well what I've done for almost a year now is make her sit, I put down her food, she waits until I say eat. At first I used "go on" but I was able to change it to "eat" soon after since I use "go on" and "okay" for other things separate from eating. When I first got her at 3months I waited a month or two until i made her wait for a command instead of just sitting for her bowl and being able to eat right away.
Ive never had a problem with her not cleaning her bowl, she always had a high food drive.

I own up to scanning this thread so my scanning talent might be all to obvious. That noted...

My approach to dogs eating is to establish the most convenient to me eating times and feed the dogs then and only then. For me it is at 6:30 am and 5:30 pm. I decided on twice a day because that was when I was available to feed them on a consistent schedule.

I down the dogs in their respective places which are my arbitrary and capricious locations and they do not change.

I place their bowls in the same places which are proximate to where the dogs are downed.

I either release the dogs one at a time by name or with a group release of OK.

No dog may go to another dog's bowl while the other dog is eating. I do not suffer food issues gladly.

If a dog does not look interested in eating, I pick up the bowl. A 15 minute wait would be a long one for me. With four dogs, at present, the enthusiasm to eat is contagious. If a dog doesn't want to eat, it doesn't want to eat.

Generally the dog will eat at the next sitting. If it doesn't eat after two sittings, I presume something more may be afoot, and act accordingly.

It is my experience a well dog that is hungry will eat what is put in front of it. Don't everyone yell at once.

We can get really carried away with selecting just the right food for Fido. Dogs eat some of the most God awful stuff when left to their own devices. If there is not a food allergy issue and or if the dog is not sick and or if the food is nutritious, then my general question is what is problem? And if the problem is Fido being a pain in the butt and trying to train me in the finer points of dog culinary peculiarities, the solution is simple. Put the food down, and take it up.

A healthy hungry dog will eat what is put in front of it.

I know that my view is primordial.

Food issues in a pup can become like potty issues with a child. There can be manipulation of the owner and holding out for something better.
OTOH, anorexia is often the first sign that something is wrong. So it pays to "note it" and if it doesn't resolve in a few days, change the food or check for something else.

Betty;

Good stuff in your earlier post...

I never thought about teething, but I do see this in my mature GSD, as well.

I have an eat command just like I have a potty command; too many trips where the kids weren't hungry until we were past the outskirts of town.
When I got my dog, she would fast for 24-48 hours, and then gorge. My erratic overtime night shift and call schedule fueled it. When I moved to a day shift, I wanted to put her on a schedule, which included her eating in the morning, and finishing before time to go to work. I was also starting to do her training using food drive and needed to manipulate her appetite.
The best solution for me was to tell her to eat when I put the food down. She knows she can refuse if she's not hungry, but she also knows she will have to wait twelve hours before I put the food down again.

ETA: She gets bored if I feed the same food all the time, so I switch between three flavors, and her appetite is always better just after the switch.

Edited by Duane Hull (12/04/2012 10:24 AM)
Edit reason: eta

Wait. Isn't this dog now 15 months old? I reread the first post and according to that, John said he had the dog SINCE she was 4 or 5 months old, and that she IS presently 15 mo.

Would teething still be a factor?

Maybe the vet should check for pancreatic problems?