Dear Lisa: We are a retired senior couple. About a year ago we purchased a Shih Tzu. He is spoiled. Now, he refuses to eat his dog food. Yes, he does have treats from us, but very little. He does eat the fruit, cottage cheese, and other veggies from the table, but, now won’t eat his dog food. What to do? – Finicky Fido

Dear Finicky: Feeding “precious” treats and a variety of table scraps is obviously giving him enough calories to meet his needs. But your willingness to spoil him actually created his refusal to eat his boring old dog food in the first place.

Canines have a complex feedback system which helps them balance their daily food intake. If they have had enough calories for their needs, they stop eating. This might explain why there are no obese animals in the wild. An owner may misinterpret this signal as not liking the food when in fact they have just had enough calories. Owners think their dogs no longer like their food and in an effort to get their dog “to eat” either switch brands of dog food or feed more treats and table scraps.

Love To Please

Dogs being social creatures, they love to please their human partners. When you make a big deal out of his eating, say when you give him treats, the dog may actually eat only those items that illicit praise from you. Then when the dog’s caloric needs have been met, sometimes in the form of overeating table scraps, his internal feedback system kicks in and tells him he’s had enough calories. Thus, he stops eating boring dog food again. You may think he doesn’t like the food anymore and feed more treats or table scraps to compensate, creating a never ending cycle.

I’d recommend sticking to feeding him a nutritionally balanced dog food that he finds tasty. Then stop all treats and table food immediately. When he gets hungry and needs calories, he will eat! I can’t remember the last time I saw an underfed pet!

Dear Lisa: My family is scheduled to go to Alaska in August and my husband thinks our dog will die of a broken heart if we leave him with a dog sitter. Can you help in that matter and advise? – Call of the Wild

Dear Call: For starters, dogs have no concept of time. Once you leave the house, he will wait for you to return whether you are gone for five minutes or five days. Ever notice how happy he is to see you when you walk in the door, regardless of the length of time away. His reaction to your return is always the same.

Some experts say it takes at least four months for a dog to forget their owner. But as a breeder, I can tell you that every time I go to visit one of my puppies in their new home as an adult, they always remember me because of early bonding. Your dog may miss you and eagerly await your return, but I doubt he has the capability of a broken heart as we humans know it.

Trial Run

If your husband needs some reassurance that the family pet will survive your trek into the Alaskan wilderness, while he holds down the home fort, why not try a trial run for a weekend. Have your pet sitter stay over for a Friday and Saturday night while you take a quick trip. Ask the pet sitter to keep a log book of the dog’s activities and play time and to jot down any behavior out of the ordinary. I’d even leave one of your husband’s old t-shirt around so the dog has a part of him to reconnect with if needed. Once armed with “proof” that the dog will be fine your husband might be more willing to take that vacation.

Also, if you give the pet sitter instructions on keeping the dog’s routine the same in his own home, he will be much less stressed than if you put him in a boarding kennel. And if the pet sitter is inventive and creates new games and play time for the dog, your pet may just look forward to family vacations as much as you since your absence will become more like doggie day camp for him with extra activities and loving from his extended family member.

 

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470.