Okay so I believe I am posting this in the right place. For the past couple of days I have been trying to transition Oakley from the Iams than the breeder had been feeding him to blue buffalo wilderness. Now since the start of the transition he has been showing a sever disinterest in his food. Before he would eat everything then ask for more. Is this something normal when you transition foods or is this something I should be concerned about.

Just keep doing what you're doing and feeding the new food as long as he's not having adverse health related reactions to it. I wouldn't be concerned if he is otherwise healthy, sometimes they just need a healthy dose of tough love.

He is not having any adverse reactions that I can see so far. He had the same issue when we originally brought him home with us. Took us a couple of days to get him to eat a full meal. Would it be okay to skip a meal just to get his appetite back?

You could do tough love but if he doesn't eat at all the whole day you could mix a little cottage cheese in with his food. That is what I did when switching foods w kiara and if I need her to eat and don't have time to wait. (my other dog would get into her food when she was being picky and would poop everywhere cause he was on a diff. Food.)

I personally am not a fan of adding things for the purpose of enticing a dog to eat assuming said dog is healthy. It can have the opposite effect of teaching them that holding out will earn them extra toppings which can reinforce picky eating. Using additives/toppings as a treat when they are not already withholding is different and that I am totally okay with.

Matt, there is nothing wrong with skipping a meal however I wouldn't just not offer a meal to your dog. Offer his normal meal and if he doesn't eat it after 15-20 minutes pick it up and then offer it again at the next scheduled feeding time. The only time I would withhold food on purpose (i.e. not offer it) is if the dog had diarrhea, vomiting, or stomach upset and needed to be fasted.

I agree with everything Val said.

I may just always get anorexic huskies, but both of the ones I have had will go for LONG periods of time without eating. I do not offer many snacks either. Sabaka gets a small treat bone when he comes inside when called (maybe 2 per day, because I don't always give it and he's not out much without a leash) and he gets a Kong filled with yogurt and pumpkin or some canned dog food when we leave him in his crate. Except for those few snacks, last week he went over two days with eating his meals. After years of this, it is what I've come to think of a "normal husky behavior". Joining this forum made me realize for the first time in nearly 20 years that some huskies are piggies and actually regularly eat their meals when offered! My first husky had this same strange eating habit, yet she maintained her healthy weight within 2-3 pounds her entire 17 years of life. My current guy is less than 2 years old, so I can't speak about his adult weight yet, but he looks great for a young, growing boy!

I think they are just bred to self-regulate their feedings and it will not hurt them to miss meals, even going more than 24 hours with no food. I agree with Val and Riley about being consistent. Don't switch up their food if what they are offered is nutricious and agrees with their stomach. He will eventually eat!

(I must end with a confession that I have been known to sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on the food at times when I REALLY want him to eat so that he will not be embarking upon an activity or something on an empty stomach.)

I'm kind of in the same boat with Carolina. We currently feed her twice a day (7 am and 5 pm) and for the first five days we had her home, she would finish her meal in 2 seconds flat. On Wednesday and Thursday, she would eat half her breakfast, leave for a bit and come back and finish it. Yesterday, she didn't eat until 10 am and today she hasn't touched her breakfast at all and she doesn't want any treats. What worries me the most is we cut her food in half when we brought her home. When she was nursing, she was eating up to 8 cups a day.

Lisa--when Sabaka didn't eat, would you hear his tummy growl, because i swear im hearing Carolina's growl.


Update-I took her out, and she started eating the grass....possible upset stomach?

Update 9/9- She did eat her dinner sometime last night and her breakfast this morning!

I'm in the same boat as Lisa. Mia can go a couple of days and eat hardly anything, if she gets hold of something she shouldn't I bloody pay for it in poop - not solid either! Coby is new in our home we've only had him a few days and he has food aggression but will still only eat a bit at a time. I removed the bowl after 20min if they've not eaten it and place it down again later, but they still don't touch it sometimes