I’m starting to get worried because my 6-month-old pup hardly ever eats in the morning (I’ve tried feeding her at different times too).
I’ve tried dry food, wet food (I’m not a huge fan but it’s the only thing she eats somewhat easily), and various homemade meals.
She walks up to her bowl and then just walks away... even though she seems hungry...
But in the evening, she gets the same meals and usually has no trouble at all...
When she’s at my mum’s, for instance, she eats more easily too...
The vet advised me to only leave her bowl out for 15 minutes and then take it away if she hasn’t eaten, so she learns she has to eat when the food is served and not just when she feels like it...
I’ve also tried leaving her dry food out while I was out during the morning, but she didn't touch a single bit, even after I got home...
She’s up to date with her worming, has no health issues, and she’s dominant but not at all aggressive...
It bothers me because I hate the idea of "starving" my dog, and it leads to a lot of waste too...
Anyway, if you have any explanations or solutions, I’d love to hear them!!
Thanks a lot
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
Hi, Laska my little Jack Russell doesn't eat in the morning either. The vet advised me to leave her bowl down for 15 minutes and then take it away. Since I work during the week, she only eats in the evening after we've been for an hour-long run. I give her a slightly larger portion of dry food in the evening and she eats the lot, but without wolfing it down. Her weight chart is normal, so the vet told me not to worry (plus she’s losing her puppy teeth at the moment, which might also explain her lack of appetite in the mornings).
It looks like mine has already lost all her puppy teeth... I do the same, a good portion in the evening, but I leave a bit of dry food out during the day "just in case". Since she's not that bothered by it though, she only nibbles a few bits here and there. I figure if she were really hungry, she’d eat it, so one good meal must be enough for her...
Hi, Laska, my little Jack Russell, doesn't eat in the morning either. The vet advised me to leave her bowl down for 15 minutes and then take it away. Since I work during the week, she only eats in the evening after we’ve been for an hour’s run. I give her a slightly bigger portion of dry food in the evening and she eats it all, but she doesn't wolf it down. Her weight chart is looking normal, so the vet told me not to worry (plus she's losing her milk teeth at the moment, which might also explain her lack of appetite in the morning).
As long as her weight chart looks okay, there’s no need to worry: it just means she’s managing her own meals based on what she needs, and that’s perfectly fine (besides the energy used for growth and vital functions, dogs don’t really burn many calories at night!).
So, it would probably be a good idea to leave a bowl of food out for her...
Yeah, I’ll do that...
Hi there, she might be rejecting anything processed that isn't healthy for her. I'm sure she eats well when you give her meat... she prefers a natural diet and she’s spot on! It’s best to give it to her raw, as a lot of the nutritional benefits are lost during cooking. You can find plenty of 100% meat products on UK raw feeding websites that are easy to serve and offer a good variety. And if she only wants to eat once a day, let her be; that might be plenty for her, depending on her physical condition and how much exercise she gets during the day. Just watch out for bloat if you’re giving her a large portion... make sure she rests before and after eating to prevent it, especially when feeding dry food.
As I mentioned, she won't touch a thing in the morning—neither kibble nor fresh food.
Hi there, she might be turning her nose up at anything processed or unhealthy. I'm sure she eats well when you give her meat... she clearly prefers a natural diet, and she’s spot on! It’s best to feed it raw, as a lot of the nutritional benefits are lost during cooking. You can find plenty of specialist raw food suppliers online that offer 100% meat products which are varied and easy to serve. And if she only wants to eat once a day, that’s up to her; it might be plenty for her, depending on her physical condition and how much exercise she’s getting. Just be careful about bloat if you're giving her a large portion. Make sure she rests before and after eating to avoid it, especially when feeding dry food.
My 5-month-old Jack does exactly the same thing; he only eats around 4 pm. I put his dry food out in the morning, but he doesn't go near it. The vet told me not to worry and that it’s just his own way of eating, so there’s no need for concern as long as he’s growing well. For my part, he weighs about 14 lbs (1 stone) now, so he’s a bit on the chunky side, but he’s still got some growing to do! :)
My 5-month-old Jack does exactly the same thing; he only eats at around 4 pm. I put his dry food out for him in the morning, but he doesn't go near it. The vet told me not to worry and that it’s just his own way of feeding, so there's no need to fret as long as he's growing well. My lad is currently just over 14 lbs – he’s a little bit chunky, but he’s still got some growing to do! :)
Weight-wise, she’s within the normal range.
I’ve tried four or five different brands of dry food, but that’s definitely what she eats the least, regardless of the brand. She’s had various brands of wet food as well, and she isn’t fussy with those at all. For home-cooked meals, she gets boiled chicken or beef, boiled carrots, and some bread, puffed rice, or pasta.
Yes, I’ve also been told she won’t let herself starve, but she literally dives into her bowl in the evening. Since she doesn’t eat in the morning, I do tend to give her a bit more in the evening, but I never go overboard.
