1. Big B - 2:02AM on 05/01/08

That's a good idea for people who are starting out at having dog's. Like once with me a loooonnnnnnnggggggg time ago my dog was aggressive at meal time, I hit him (Not like hit, hit more like a a small slap) to let him know that it was my food that I'm letting him have some of it.

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2. Marc - 2:29AM on 05/01/08

Another tip I have picked up along the way is to eat just before your dog does (and make sure she can see you eating). It doesn't have to be a full meal a couple of biscuits will suffice. Why? In the wild the pack leader always eats first

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3. TATFK - 4:08AM on 05/01/08

Well thank you Cesar as usual...you are correct..all three of ours know when it is dinner time and watch us make their bowls wether they get extra in their normal kibble or not...they all eat in the kitchen at the same time...but before anyone gets anything they must sit and WAIT even after I put it down...and once they all make eye contact with me and I give them the signal then and only then do they eat...

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4. Mary - 5:25AM on 05/01/08

I agree and have my german shepherd sit and wait. But sometimes he doesn't seem to like his food. Does anyone else have this problem with a dog that can be picky at times? He'll leave some of his food until the next meal 12 hours later. Do I just leave it and he'll eat when he's hungry or should I add some canned to his dry because then he'll eat it right away.Any thoughts?

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5. kdsnk9s - 6:55AM on 05/01/08

PLEASE, if you walk your dog before a meal, allow him sufficient time to cool down prior to feeding. Feeding a dog that has just had significant exercise can lead to a fatal condition called "bloat" where your beloved pet's stomach will actually turn within him and kill him. Ceasar should have told us all this!

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6. Chris P - 7:46AM on 05/01/08

I have a toy Poodle that doesn't get excited about eating. In fact I have to order him to eat or even hand feed him a few to kind of prime the pump. Even then he only eats a little and then goes back to playing. He is 7 months old so he lives to play. I do refuse to play with him and instruct him to eat but he is just not that interested. Any ideas?

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7. Karla L - 9:26AM on 05/01/08

same problem with my german shepherd food is just not that important to them, doc says they will eat what they need, we have just started feeding him once a day and he is almost 8 years old and this seems to be working

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8. Mary - 9:46AM on 05/01/08

Thanks Karla for the reassurance. I guess I shouldn't worry, he won't starve himself. He also doesn't care for dog biscuits. So food was never a motivator for him.

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9. ken w - 9:48AM on 05/01/08

Response to Mary comment of May1 My 7 month old 'mut' exhibits similar behaviour. I found that just like us humans, variety is the spice of life. You might want to try mixing two differant types of food for a differant flavor or add a gravy topping once in a while (not recommended as part of the steady diet.)

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10. yankee_nlper - 3:48PM on 05/01/08

My male cockapoo is not food motivated either, and is also a picky eater. I always make him wait for me to eat before I fix his meal. He won't eat his food unless I put some of mine on it, so I put the littlest bit to prime his pump and even then I sometimes have to hand feed him a piece and lure him to his bowl. If I give him dog biscuits he would rather play hide and seek with them than eat them. Mealtimes is his only behavioral issue. Sometimes he skips a meal because I refuse to baby him... I know he won't starve. Also, his dog food is not an issue, I know he likes it. Yes, I do realize he's got me trained, but it's those eyes, burning a hole through my heart!

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11. Tami - 9:56PM on 05/01/08

My puppy has went through period of picky eating habits as well it is just a phase. We have remained consistant with the food and times that we feed, if she eats she eats if not it gets picked up until the next meal time and no treats if she doesn't eat at least some of her food. A dog will not starve itself and if you give in to doctoring up the food and catering to them they will come to expect it everytime.

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12. harlees pal - 8:14AM on 05/02/08

my australian shepherd has a habit of going in her cage while im fixing her meals. In fact, i guess shes shy because anytime she hesitant on a strange situation-new people, weierd sounds,bathtime, she goes there. i guess its just a sense of security. maybe sshe too got sick of her food and i started a BAD habit of a tiny piece of liver sausage mixed in with her nutro. mistake!

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13. Susan - 3:18PM on 05/02/08

LOL... I'm glad I'm not the only one that has problems with my dog eating! My female Doberman, age 1 year, has always been a fickle eater. When she was younger she would get easily distracted and play/attention was way more important than food. Now that she's a bit older she has become just plain picky. I started to worry when she lost weight. I know she's got a ways to go to fill out but lets face it, when they don't eat their dinner or breakfast, it's a waste of expensive food, besides being worrysome. My breeder suggested one vitamin B-50 tablet once a day. So far, it has worked great, she eats regularly and is starting to put back the weight that she lost. For a smaller dog you could cut the vitamin in half. I feed it to her in the morning stuck in a glob of peanut butter. This may help some of you-

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14. michael - 3:24PM on 05/02/08

my 15 yr old chow chow stands on her hind legs when i'm mixing up her dinner. She has a great appetite. She wasn't always like that until I started mixing some tasty meat into her dry food. A little hot water and it even smells good to me. Almost like a stew,try it

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15. Sheila - 2:04PM on 05/05/08

We have a 10 1/2 month old Shi Tzu puppy who would rather play than eat. She has been through puppy obedience and for the treat for doing the job well, I give her the small bones. Now she obnly wants the small treat bones, instead of a regular meal. She appears to have a sensitive stomach, so we feed her ID, along with our other two Shi Tzu rescues. So I tried to break some treat bones up into her f soaked food. The first time I did this she ate the entire bowl. I thought it was too good, but now looking at the same bowl, with the broken up treat bones in it, she picks the treat bones out and leaves the rest. I have had to put her on Pedialyte inbetween meals to keep her from throwing up the yellow bile stuff from being hungry. We are very guilty to sit in the floor and feed her by hand, just to get her to eat!! I worry she will get sick while she is in the crate while we are at work. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I might try???? I am exasperated with this situation.

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16. Family B - 9:47PM on 05/05/08

I understand about Exercise, Discipline, then Love. However, my dog is so timid as a result of neglect and abuse by her former owners, that it is very difficult to do any discipline or exercise. A leash makes her tremble uncontrolably, and if she senses that I am trying to get her to do something she will try to get away and continue to tremble. She never gets aggressive or threatening. We've only had her for 4 weeks (she is almost 3 years old) and she has just overcome her fear of us in general. At times it seems as though she wants to comply, but she just can't shake her fear. The only exception is when she is on our bed. That seems to be her "safe place" where she almost never gets scared. She still shakes if we try anything new, but she is able to relax enough to play for a couple minutes at a time. She is so sweet and affectionate when she has no fear! We really want to train her to be a healthy, happy, well adjusted dog. Her name is Molly, and she is a German Short Haired Pointer mixed with Black Lab. She seems to have mostly physical traits of the pointer, but as sweet and gentle as a lab. I'd appreciate any helpful suggestions on how and when to begin training her.

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17. Carol C - 4:13PM on 05/06/08

We have a 1 yr. old Chitzu-Jack Russell mix, who is usually a very loving good dog. The main problem we have with him is that he is always picking up anything and everything in his mouth. When he does that and we try to get things out of his mouth, he becomes very aggressive and growls and trys to bite. I have tried to get him to give up what he has by offering one of his treats but this is not working. He recently bit my husband when he was trying to get an open pin out of his mouth (we check the floor all the time to make sure there is nothing for him to get but he manages to find unseen things). We don't want to hit him when he becomes aggressive but there must be something we can do to break him of this habit. We would appreciate any advice on this problem. I must admit that we probably have put affection before discipline so this is part of the problem. Please help, we love this dog and would hate to have to give him up. PLEASE PLEASE HELP.

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18. Michael M - 5:06AM on 05/08/08

I have several labs and they love to eat, but each dog is different and will only do what they think is right. Until you teach them what you expected of them. Consistency is the key although at times can be trying do to time are having a soft heart. Just remember our four legged freinds are smarter then you think and will take over if you let them.

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19. x_ishy_fishy_x@sbcglobal.net - 6:38PM on 05/08/08

my dog also didn't like to eat much. but now we time feed him. we don't let the food just sit there. in the beginning, he didn't get it. but after like two days he started eating. we give him food in the morning at 6:30 and at night at 7:00. never had a problem with him getting to eat again.

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20. Sandra B - 12:50PM on 05/10/08

I have a male doberman and there are plenty of times when i put food down for him he doesn't gobble it right up.He eats it sometimes alittle at a time then goes back for it. He eventually finishes it.I never mix his wet food with the dry because then it isn't good to leave the food all day. Most dogs will eat when they get hungry enough unless there is something else going on wjth them. You will find if there is competition in the house they will eat there food with out delay lol.

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21. carol h - 12:17PM on 05/17/08

I wake up hours before my two tiny chihuahuas. They love to sleep in but know that I am awake and about. I fix their food for the "day" on the counter, dry mixed well with a little canned goody they love. When done, they are now at my heals as it is around 10AM. I say, breakfast guys and they come a running. Sit quietly and then, because they are so tiny, continue to nibble throughtout the day. Around 8PM I pick up the dishes which always have food left and that's it. During the late afternoon, early evening they get very small rawhide bone with meat or some other treat. They are staying thin, problem for Chis and all are happy. I feed ONLY Natural Balance. Carol

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22. Cindy S - 7:05AM on 05/19/08

While fostering newly retired Greyhounds I have found this particularly helpful. It allows us to use what they already are familiar with (working for their meals) and to establish them into our family's pack. The dogs are not allowed to have a paw off the carpet while I am preparing their food (so no tall noses hovering at counter height) which takes stress off of me. We have a much easier routine since starting this as our routine.

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23. LORRAINE T - 6:14PM on 05/27/08

Okay, I too love my dogs, have 5, HOWEVER, if you do not establish a routine for feeding (as in what behaviour you expect from your dog before he is fed, not particularlly time of day) he will rule the feeding. Plus, dogs in the wild do not get to eat EVERY day. If the hunting isnt good on a day, they dont eat. I fast my dogs at least once a month. This is good for them, as in keeping me in the alpha position, leader of the pack. All but one of my dogs are fixed only because he is too small right now. My vet raves about how fit they are to be 8,7,3, years old and my pups being at a good weight. He is also aware of my feeding routine (ie fasting once a month). My dogs (even the pups (4 and 5 months old) must wait in the livingroom in a down stay position until I put their bowls down and give the command to come into the kitchen. At that time they are to sit in front of their bowls, look at me, and wait (however long I want) for me to give them the command to eat. Should any one of them get over excited to eat and start to eat or try to 'steal' a nibble before permission they dont get to eat for that day; nor do they get to eat if they are aggressive in any shape, form, or fashion...wether it be a channeled look, snarled up lip, or growl. By doing this, they know they must, what I call "mind their manors". I understand adding water to a pups food in the beginning, then weening them to dry. A dog who does not eat his/her food in a 30/45 minute time period is what I call on a fasting day. Unless a dog is sick, they will eat what they need in that time period. Also., dogs don't need to eat more than once a day, they are NOT human and do not require 2 or 3 meals a day. I dont mean to sound harsh, but dogs are not our owners, we are their leaders. Oh, and fyi, my dogs have gotten agressive only 2 or 3 times in their lifetimes. They know the rules so to speak. Once they have had to be in a down stay position while watching the other dogs eat and still not get to eat until the next day, they understand that sort of behavior is not ok. Wish you all luck

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24. LORRAINE T - 5:23PM on 05/28/08

thought I would just add some possible important info...My Dogs are a german shepard mix(7yr), staforshire terrior(3yr) (aka pit bull), pug(8yr), jack terrior mix(5mo), and a mini pin(4mo). I also foster stray dogs, as well as help other owners train their dogs

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25. Feisty - 10:39PM on 06/03/08

We have a "rescue" dalmatian. From the very beginning we started Cesar's meal time routine (although we had never done that with any of our other dogs). So far, it's working out "semi" well. He sits until the "eat" command. Now we're working on "down" until the "eat" command. Sometimes he breaks, and if he can't settle the food is taken away until he gets in the right frame of mind. That's less often now, so he's getting the idea. I just wish I could teach him to play ball! Every time we try, he gives us a "right human, what's your next trick" look! LOL

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26. fourmisha2 - 12:08PM on 06/04/08

My Pomeranian just died. He had an issue with food for many years. We did everthing the books tell you. He was also seeing a great behavorist who with Misha's vet decided to let him be fed the only way that worked. He had his food on a cloth. He refused to touch any sort of metallic, glass, ceramic bowl or plate. Misha spent months in and out of the hospital with malnutrition and dehydration until we started this. They all sad it was because he was mistreated in the puppy mill where he had been bred. Except for this issue he was a very well beloved dog. I now wish that Cesar could have met with him when he was alive.

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27. Robbie and Terry H - 7:59PM on 06/04/08

This is for the little dog who shakes and is always scared. I have Five Poodles, 18 yrs. 15 yrs. two 14 yrs old sisters and I recused a abused 9 mo. old last yr. He was beaten badly, and staved, he was so scared of any movement for a long time. Let your furry new fur baby get use to you, give your new furry friend time to build up trust and never hit or use any kind of physical treatment as a way to correct . Use only physical treatment in a postitive manner, praise, hugs, pats... Pets want to please. trust is the first step in getting her to stop shaking. Once she sees that she don't have any reason not to be afraid of you she will stop the shaking. Time is your friend. My little poodle that I took in was very abused, it took time. And I didn't start any training of any kind intil he felt like part of the family and wasn't scared at all. It took about three months. Now he has nothing to fear and he knows it. He is going on two yrs. old. We have had him since the begining of last summer. He listens, loves to camp, hike, swim in the lake with me. He plays with all kinds of toys, he has collected since I got him. He has his own kennel and loves it. He even puts himself to bed at night. I just shut his door. He was a bad runner at first. Now he listens without a leash. He sits, rolls over, gives you the paw, comes and stays on command. He isn't the same dog. Time is your friend. Trust and respect is earned and comes with time. Give him no reason to fear you, and the rest will fall into place. I don't use leashes with my five poodles unless we are at state parks, then I have too. But I don't have to to make them listen. It is the law to have leashes on your pets. So I have too. But all of my poodles were fix and mirco chips at young ages. Even the last one is now fix and mirco. He has a very pamper life. Your pets are what you put into them, give them your love and kindness, the rest will fall into place. Good luck with your little pooch, she will be okay, just give her some time to heal from all the abuse she went thru before you. Take CAre and Good luck.

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28. carrie c - 2:17PM on 06/05/08

Thats very true...Except in my case my dog has never really been that interested in meal time...even with food she enjoys..She will look at the bowl sniff it and walk away for a while before eating. LOL...

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29. Debbie - 4:43AM on 06/08/08

Regarding "picking eater", I also thought my 5yr gsd was a picky eater. At one point I had 4 different brands of food in the house at the same time. Then I happened to speak with a nutritionist at our local health food store. She suggested adding "Missing Link" supplement to his food. Now that he is getting the nutrition he needs from his meal there is no hesitation when I put the food down. After seeing the difference in his eating I am convinced he was not interested in food that had no nutritional value. We too have the rules for mealtime- eating after us, calm sit, and waiting for permission.

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30. Natacha Moscoso - 1:51PM on 06/13/08

For some reason, small-size dogs seem prone to be picky eaters. I have never had this problem with my boxers, they are always ready and willing to eat anything and everything. http://www.geocities.com/n_moscoso/

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