Hi, my husky is 9 months old and he stopped eating dog food about a month ago. It all started around the 4th of July and a few days after that we took him to the vet because he stopped eating altogether. The vet tested for worms and parasites and all of that and it came back negative. What he did find was a paper towel stuck at the back of his throat. He took it out gave us medication because his throat was inflamed and told us to feed him boiled chicken until we finished the medicine.

We took him back to the vet 2 weeks ago and the vet said his throat was all cleared up and everything was fine with him except for the fact he won't eat dog food. He told me to feed him the boiled chicken and rice for a couple days and then start mixing in his dog food. I mixed in his dog food on the third day and he sniffed it and walked away and laid down and did this for 3 days and ate nothing.

I need some ideas on how to get him to start eating dog food and maybe some recommendations on better tasting dog food (maybe he doesn't like the current kind).

Thanks for the help.

KodiCarr, welcome to the forum. I'm bumping this up to see if anyone has advice. I'm having similar problems, not sure if your pup is just being a husky and getting picky. What brand of food are you currently giving? I've looked through old threads and haven't seen anything like this. Keep us posted.

As long as he's been cleared medically, I'd say it's a case of husky stubbornness. He probably really enjoyed that chicken and is now trying to hold out to see if he can get more of the yummy stuff instead of his dog food. I know if my girl gets the smallest taste of anything other than dog food mixed in, she will pick out the good stuff and leave the dog food or turn her nose up completely. They are smart! I think if he gets hungry enough, he will surely eat as long as you stick to your guns. It's ok to mix chicken and dog food at first, but the goal is to gradually wean him off the chicken. If he doesn't eat at meal time, pick it up and offer it again at the next meal time. Don't give him any treats or anything in between until he's resumed eating his meals. They can be very picky and I used to worry every time she refused to eat, but she always did eventually and has never been overly enthused about mealtime despite trying numerous brands. Good luck!

Try to use olive oil/ fish oil to dress the dog food, that should help enhance the attractiveness.
Apart from chicken, you can mix tuna, salmon, white fish, beef minces, turkey into the food.
I tried Orijien or Acana dry food for my stubborn fussy Grizzly, he loved those.
Good luck =)

Ok, Grizz excellent advice. However, I have tried the enhancing, nope. Tried adding, nope, then yea I'll pick the good stuff out, but no kibble. I feed Taste of the wild, good food, and up until 2 weeks ago when she started the hunger strike I fed partial raw, she's refusing her raw meaty bones. I have to hand feed her cooked meat and that's all she'll eat and then it's a few pieces. I certainly don't want to hijack this thread, but I really sympathize with op and am at my wits end. She's a fussy husky for sure, will skip meals for a whole day about once a week, and her energy level is better the last two weeks than it's been the last two months.As far as kibble is concerned even when she had an appetite she barley ate a cup a day.

Jill I've tried the holding out thing, I think she could go indefinitely without eating, she went 3 days without pooping. So much for me holding out. I feel like she's hungry, but will walk away from her bowl leaving kibble with hamburger, turkey burger, and venison burger alone, she finally broke down when I hand fed her the venison only.

So I'm asking for me and the OP, HELP!!

Well how about pretending YOU want to eat it and not letting her close to it at first. A little reverse psychology.

These dogs can be incredibly stubborn when it comes to food. Sometimes dressing it up shows them that they're going to get something "better" and when you stop, then they go back to not touching the food. Honestly I know most people would just wait it out. When they're hungry, they will eat. It might take a few days but as long as they are healthy otherwise, they won't let themselves starve.

We've recently had this problem also, our baby girl was having some digestive and poo problems too, so much for a breed that eats almost anything. We found that canned pure pumpkin mixed in, and feeding after a run, walk, or trip to the park really helped. The pumpkin helps with the pooping and she just loves it. I think halloween is her favorite holiday because she sometimes gets pumpkin scraps from carving.

The pumpkin is a great idea, have been including in her daily meal for months, however she didn't want that as well. Finally she would take it if I hand fed it to her, talk about gross. I am staring to think that she is regulating her weight, and just being a picky husky. Thank you everyone for the tips.