[rspradlin]

Is there anyone else who has a basset that will not eat kibble? I have tried all the hints, put different foods in the kibble,etc., taken it up after a few minutes, and then put back down. She just won't eat it, and I have spent so much on all the really good brands. If your basset is like that, and you homecook the food, could you please either post or email me some of your food ideas that work well. I am up for any suggestions,as it is very frustrating.
Thanks alot!!

 

[SPEEDY]

Speedy is the pickiest dog in the world. I have to change his food about every 6 to 8 months because he gets tired of it and will not eat it anymore. He will not eat dry food by itself or wet food by itself. But if I mix the two he will eat it. Go figure. I even bought Veg-All at Publix (my version of Piggly Wiggly), picked out all the corn, rinsed it three times and heated it in the microwave. I mixed that with his dry and he loved it for about 6 months. Buy a couple of cans of wet food, reduce the dry a little and mix about a 1/3 of a can of wet with it and see if she will chow that down. Speedermeister

 

[Mikey T]

Picky eaters are made not born. Provide a dog is healthy and the food not spoiled a dog will not starve itself to death. If a dog does not eat a meal pick it up and do not allow access to it until next mealtime repeat. A dog may go a day or to even a wek without eating but if it is hungry enough it will eat. IMHO how long it takes a "picky" eater to eat is in direct relationship to how overfed it is.

 

[Barbara Winters]

I would also add no between meal snacks until your pooch is eating all meals with enthusiasm. And as Mike said once before, use kibble for treats, taken from their daily ration and you'll likely not end up with a fat basset.

I assume your basset has been give a clean bill of health. If not then a check-up with blood work, including thyroid, might be a good idea as some medical conditions can cause loss of appetite.

 

[xtineebee]

Mine also gets picky about the kibble at times - until he figures out that there are no treats coming his way until the kibble is gone. Kibble then vanishes at the same breakneck speed that the wet food did. Don't give in - like Mikey T said, dogs become picky if we give into them, unless they truly are ill. And if that is the case, your pup won't really be eating anything.

 

[Guest]

Never heard of a healthy dog starving himself to death. Francis was a finicky pain in the butt and I followed Mike's advice and now His Majesty knows that what's on the menu is what's for supper.
I did notice once on vacation that he really seemd to wolf down the stuff my brother was giving his dog so I switched but that's the only time. He's been eating the same stuff for years and still chows down like every supper is the last supper.

 

[Guest]

My two new pups weren't eating very good when I first got them. The breeder fed the DIAMOND Lamb & Rice. That one was not recalled. She has feed Diamond for years and has faith that the problem has been resolved. That is her opinion, not mine. I won't take a chance with it, so I had to wean them off that onto Hills Science Diet Lamb & Rice. They wanted nothing to do with it. She told me they will not allow themselves to starve!! NO treats or anything till they eat. She did tell me to add alittle warm water to make alittle "gravy" but absolutely no canned food or other goodies added in. It has worked like a charm. They eat every morsel! It's hard not to give in but they will eventually eat. Try some water. Keep us posted!