My dog is a picky eater. How do I get her to eat on a schedule?

Question

She’s had a weird habit over the last several weeks of not eating for hours after she’s been fed. She always has food avalible, and eventually will eat when she gets hungry enough, but only maybe eats twice a day. This has been going on for about a month. She seems perfectly happy and healthy otherwise and is not having any other problems to be concerned with, but is there a way to make her eat or want to eat? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year old | 15 lbs

Bette Isacoff · Accepted Answer

You can put the food down without fuss and leave it for fifteen minutes. After that time, pick up the bowl (unless Sandy's still eating) and do not put it down again until her next regularly scheduled mealtime. (I realize that she does not have regular mealtimes now, but you'll need to decide whether you're going to feed once or twice a day and stick to that schedule, with approximately the same times every day,) Do not try to coax her to eat. Ignore her while the food is down. Once she understands that the food will no longer be available all the time, she'll start to eat when it is. This may take a few days to sort out. Remember that you are not starving her! When the food is available, if she decides not to eat right then it is her vhoice. In the meantime, do not give her any snacks, human food, etc. She must understand that she needs to eat when the food is available. If you are having problems with this, you can click on the prompt to start a consult, where we can discuss it at length. Good luck!

My dog is a picky eater. How do I get her to eat on a schedule?

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