New Dogs Not Eating/Drinking

1993 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by vb3, Aug 18, 2010

jmwolff

Discussion Starter · Aug 16, 2010

So we got the two new dogs on Wed. I expected that they may not be themselves right away. At first they only ate when we hand fed them the food. They were spending alot of the day in the crates (doors open, they just retreated there). More so the Female (Pencil) then the Male (Bopper).

We've seen Bopper eat and drink, but not like I am used to..but at least he was eating and drinking.

After a day or so I figured out that Pencil would eat if I put food in the crate with her. So I started doing that, but I still wasn't noticing her drinking. So today she has been sleeping all day, and it dawned on me to move the water in there...so I wet her nose..she licked it...then drank the entire bowl! And then an hour or so later another bowl.

I feel so bad! The water bowl is out in the kitchen, and I have taken her to it a bunch of times. Could they be so conditioned to eating/drinking in a crate they won't eat/drink in open air?

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Kirska

· #2 · Aug 16, 2010

In my experience, it is normal for dogs to not eat when they arrive in a new home. They are very stressed out and confused. Our mutt didn't eat for two entire weeks when we brought him home. I wish that was an exaggeration. Everyone kept telling us, "Oh just leave the food out for a few minutes then pick it up. Eventually he'll get too hungry to resist." but he never reached that point. After 2-3 days we had to start giving him treats and other irresistible food like steak just to get some food in him for his health's sake. It took two weeks for him to eat dog food out of his bowl (which was the same food he was being fed before) and it took months for him to regularly eat on a schedule.

So yeah I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point. I'm sure they will settle in and start eating regularly soon.

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SophieB

· #3 · Aug 16, 2010

We have only had one rehomed Basset who wouldn't eat properly for a few days and then I started to add gravy or some Oxo cube in warm water to her food and after that she began eating so maybe that's what she was used to before.

I don't know what food you use but we have dried food and always add something tasty to it like our own leftover roast meat, a few bits of chicken, or a tabelspoon of tinned meat like Butcher's Tripe because I feel sorry for them having little variety iat meal times!

Good luck with your feeding. Don't let them know it's stressing you as they will sense it. By the way, has Pencil got a new name yet?

I met a dog called Madison (they called her Maddie for short) yesterday and thought it is a name that would go well with your Mason!

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jmwolff

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 16, 2010

Thanks! Her new water intake has now led to back to back accidents including one while in her crate (this was overnight so the door was closed). So she definitely is not knowing or understanding how to ask to go out.

No new name...I have 10 kids on the block who are all calling her Pencil, so I think we are stuck with it now lol.

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jmwolff

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 18, 2010

I am starting to think she is either not so bright, or extremely lazy...again today she was curled up, looking like she had no energy....bowl of water in front of her while she ate (in the crate) didn't drink a drop.

Now I wet her nose again and moved the bowl in front of her and she drank the entire bowl

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vb3

· #6 · Aug 18, 2010

She might also be training you - why bother to go get water when someone will bring it to her?

Our only rescued basset never had problems eating. I think she would eat us out of house and home if we let her. Sounds like we got lucky. Good luck with your new guys!

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