My dog only wants bones in his food. How do I get him to eat?

Question

I'm not happy at all with my Buddy' feeding routine. My mom was doggy sitting him and along with the boiled chicken and vegetable meal I would prepare for him, she started adding the soft parts of the chicken bones to his meal. He would devour his meal in minutes, but now he won't eat if he doesn't find the bones in his meal, basically he is eating one bowl of food a day and snacking on his dehydrated treats. Today for example it was 4:30 and he had not eaten nothing no meal or treats... HELP. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 7 months old | 18 lbs

Laura Johnson VMD · Accepted Answer

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A healthy dog will not choice starvation. It sounds like he is trying to train you to give him what he wants. I would hold your ground. Put the meal down, give him an allotted time to eat it and pick it up until the next meal time. It may take 3 days of holding out for him to realize that this is all it will be. No treats until he is eating his food consistently. He could also be out of sorts from you being away and him staying with your family. If he starts acting sick (vomit, diarrhea, etc) or it has been longer than 3 days have your Vet examine him. Also have a talk with your family about feeding expectations and why you don't want things added to his food. Good luck!

My dog only wants bones in his food. How do I get him to eat?

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