Happy Valentines Day!

[bop_radar]

I'm wishing my f'list a very early Valentines Day, since it's already V-Day here in Aus. :-) Hope you all get lots of lovin'!

I am chronically behind on reading my friendslist, so apologies to all. I've been somewhat preoccupied with this little fellow:

Oh, wise LJers! How do you make a little dog eat?! In the few days since he arrived, he's only eaten a very little bit of food from our hand. He won't eat out of his bowl at all. And this morning he wouldn't even eat from my hand! We've tried canned food, dried food and 'loaf' style dog food so far. So I'm branching out now--anyone got delicious doggy recipes to share?! He needs to eat! Apart from the normal nutritional requirements, he's on anti-biotics that should be taken with food. *frets*

In all other ways, he's settling in wonderfully: sleeping in his kennel, following us around, snuggling up to me when I'm on my laptop, being politely sociable with the neighbour's dog and not completely terrifying my cat.

All advice welcome!

Meanwhile, if you feel like sharing some fannish love, try these posts:
mahaliem asks what you love about SV fandom.
mskatej wants to talk about Clark and Lex in love.
_wisteria has an optimistic post about Pilot!Love for BSG fandom.
Check your negativity at the door! We're all about the love today.

Comments

[kristiinthedark.livejournal.com]

I just asked about your Bob Bob in your last post, and then I read this! And he is SO CUTE, OMG. Unfortunately, I have no advice for feeding doggies. My boyfriend always feeds his dog medication with a slice of cheese. Maybe try that? Dogs do like cheese!

I'm so glad he's not scaring the cats TOO much. *g*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

We'll try cheese! We'll try anything! Tonight we have roast chicken and vegemite on toast on the menu. ;-) Fingers crossed!

Yes, the cat is very disgruntled, but he wonders within a couple of metres of Bob Bob. He's hissed a bit, but no major dramas. Hopefully we can work at getting them to spend more time near each other.

[myownghost.livejournal.com]

happy valentine's day to you, too! ♥

bob bob is adorable! unfortunately, cats i know but dogs i don't. hope he begins to eat soon.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, little Bob Bob is being very stubborn! I'm used to dogs who'll do anything for food so am quite at a lost when I can't bribe him with yummies!

[beet]

So cute!!!

I don't know if this will work with Bob Bob, if he is genuinely refusing food, but my dog used to just about go crazy when I opened a can of tuna. I used drain the tuna water from the can over his dry food. Otherwise, can you ask for advice from your adoption site? He must have been eating there,right?

Good luck! My (jealous) thoughts are with you!

Oh! And Happy Valentine's day!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, great tip! I know cats go crazy for tuna.

I have asked the rescue organisation and we're currently trying to feed him the same food they did. Their suggestions were to try cooked chicken or vegemite on toast so we'll give that a go tonight!

Thanks for the idea!

[slinkling.livejournal.com]

Sooooo cute! God, he's a little fluffball. Adorable.

My only experience with a dog refusing to eat was when he was quite young (1 or 2 years old), during heatwaves. If it was super hot out, he just didn't seem hungry and had to be coaxed into eating, and sometimes he'd throw up. Other than those rare occurrences, though, my dog will eat anything and everything. So I'm not sure what to tell you. Have you asked your vet about this? Because it's possible not eating is a sign that something else is wrong.

Happy valentine's day to you too; I hope Bob recovers his appetite soon.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I haven't asked the vet yet--the rescue centre thinks the anti-biotics may be upsetting him and/or it's stress about the new home. I'll try some delicious recipes to tempt him and if he continues to refuse, we'll go to the vet. (We're going there in a week's time anyway to get his stitches checked/out.)

Thank you for your kind thoughts! He is a cutie, yes. :-)

[rumpuso.livejournal.com]

Your doggie is absolutely precious. It seems he is having a bit of an emotional moment trying to adjust to his new life, and that's totally normal. I'd suggest that you go to the grocery store, to the baby food aisle and buy a couple small jars of Gerber's Turkey, Beef or Chicken baby food. When you get home, make some white rice (don't add butter or salt) and then mix a teaspoon of white rice with a spoonful of this baby food and try that. If he doesn't eat it immediately, you could try to put a dab on the tip of his nose. Dogs don't like that very much and will immediately lick it off. That will hopefully get his appetite going.

Best wishes to you. Dogs are so wonderful for the family and yours is so adorable and so loved already.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, great suggestion! Thank you! Yes, we'll just be patient with him and try different 'recipes'. He needs something easy to digest and comforting, definitely. He has had a disrupted life by the sounds of it, so no wonder he's manifesting some stressed signals. Hopefully once he realises we're 'for keeps', he'll settle down.

Thank you!

[dualbunny.livejournal.com]

What a cutie. :D I don't have any sure fire ways to make him eat though. But hopefully he's just adjusting to the new life. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, I hope so! It's hard not to be an overanxious 'mum'! ;-) In all other ways he appears cheery and quite relaxed, so hopefully this problem will be a brief one.

[dm-wyatt.livejournal.com]

When our very dear dog was sick, he wouldn't eat but he needed to be given pills... someone suggested I hide the pill inside a small piece of liverwurst.

He wouldn't eat much else, but he would eat that and swallow the pill along with it.

Maybe a little of that might be of help...

But sometimes not eating can be a symptom of a bigger problem. You might want to get him checked out if this continues, but Rumpuso's advice was also very good.

Putting a little wet food on the nose will get them to lick their noses clean and could help getting his appetite going.

Other than that, he sounds like he's doing well and he's cute as a button.

*hugs*

Wish you all luck.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, if it continues I'll definitely be getting him checked out--and we'll be at the vets in a week's time regardless, for them to check the progress of his stitches.

We'll keep trying different foods and try hiding the tablet in something, since he's getting very sneaky about not swallowing it!

Thanks for your concern. :-)

[giggleloop.livejournal.com]

all the food suggestions sound good, I'll just add that maybe if he's not used to being around a family (I can't remember where you said he was before this) or if he's stressed, as he would be, being in a new home, maybe make sure he has a place where he can retreat to for some alone time to de-stress. if he has a crate or a corner he's sleeping in, give him an old towel or a blanket he can curl up with. :) just a thought.

he's adorable! :D

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a good point. He was at the rescue centre for several weeks and was briefly adopted by someone who left him chained up in a yard, and before that we don't know. So perhaps he does need some 'alone time'! I have been so worried about him getting lonely when we're at work, perhaps I've missed the opposite problem.

I do know that yesterday he slept in his kennel while we were at work because I caught him there napping when I got home. And in the evenings he likes to snuggle into one of our old armchairs (he's not that keen on the bed we gave him!). So hopefully he'll relax if we let him have his own 'space' to calm down.

[tigergal05.livejournal.com]

First thing- Bob Bob is adorable! And I have to agree with the others that it may be stress that's causing him to not want to eat.
Second thing-I would take their advice, but I would also try oatmeal..our 4 month old puppy loves this with fake sweetener and walnuts..not sure how healthy it is for him, but he loves it-usually its gone within a minute.lol.
Anyway, I hope things work out, and if ANY of these tips dont work, I would take him to the vet, just as a precaution :-)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oatmeal! *adds to list* I've heard that's good for dogs--someone I know mixes it with mince for them. It's good to have lots to try--surely one of them will work--and if they don't then it's to the vet, for sure!

[caitlen.livejournal.com]

What a cute puppy!!

OK, so a really simple dog stew. Buy the cheapest cut of meat that you can find. i have no idea how much. like 400gms? cut it all up into small chunks. Cut up some root vegetables, like carrots, pumpkin (which does go mushy), sweet potato, parsnip - what ever you can find at the store. Put the meat in a big pot, and add the vegetables - lots of them. Then pour water over it all till it covers it and cook it for a while. An hour or two? Should make a yummy plain full of good things stew for the pup. You can add some rice of broken up pasta to it as well if you've got it lying around.

When my puppy was really a puppy (which I'm sure yours isn't anymore - he looks like a dog) he used to eat sloppy weetbix for breakfast. Maybe you can try him on that? Break up a weetbix (weetabix) and pour hot water on it. Wait a while until you can mush it up with a fork and give it to him - can add a bit of milk to it at the end if you want.

You can also try him just with meat - mince would probably work, since he's a smallish dog. He probably also just needs to settle in :)

[caitlen.livejournal.com]

Also, to feed him his pills, our dog eats them with a bit of butter. You know, hide the pill in the butter :D Or cheese - cheese works :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

We'll definitely try that!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Great!! Thank you!! I will definitely try a 'doggie stew'. :-) And I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to try him on some 'puppy' food. Evidently he needs a bit of comfort right now.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I don't have any tips, sorry, but he is SO ADORABLE IN THAT PICTURE.
:Loves on him:

Happy Valentine's Day!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Hee! You may admire my dog anytime you like! :-D I'm such a proud 'mum'! I'll try and get some more photos of him soon.

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

Awww. Sorry, no doggy food stuff to share. It's nice to hear he's settling in though. I hope you get him to eat.

Happy valentine's day!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Thank you! He ate a little chicken last night. *g*

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

I have no advice, but I just want to say your dog is sooooo cute! Hope the little guy is eating soon.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We got him to eat some chicken last night. He still won't eat from a bowl, but he likes eating it from my hand.

[skuf.livejournal.com]

Hope it's just stress, the not-eating, and that he'll soon realize he's in a safe place :o)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I hope so! He seemed a little more chipper than usual this morning, so over time we'll hopefully get him relaxed.

[tyffi.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry too much about the eating thing as long as he's drinking. He's new at yours - probably he just needs a little time to get used to the new house, the new people... and he's also on antibiotics. Most dogs won't eat then.

To get him the antibiotics try liverwurst. Dogs are crazy about it. Or bananas - sounds weird but my dogs all have been crazy about bananas and that was usually the only way to get them their anthelmintics...

Otherwise I'd stick to liverwurst.

Oh, and did I mention that your doggie is so cute?! :D

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Bananas--wow! I would never have guessed those. Thanks for the tips! Yes, I'm really hoping once he comes off the antibiotics he'll start eating normally. We took him to the park yesterday and he was extremely overwhelmed, but I think he enjoyed it.

[pun.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness! SO adorable!!

I hope he starts eating more soon. I agree with everyone who's said liverwurst. One of my dogs who was a fussy eater also liked bologna. If things really get desparate, you might want to go to a very good butcher and see about getting some internal organs, particularly hearts and lungs. I was told once that those are the parts dogs will naturally eat first in the wild, and it's very healthy for them.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Embarrassingly, I don't actually know what liverwurst is. *blush* But I'll find out! And I'm a bit foggy on bologna too. But yes, I think I'll go visiting the butcher soon and try different things. Last night he ate some cooked chicken breast from my hand. Yay! At least there is something in his tummy now!

[mailerose.livejournal.com]

I don't know anything about dogs, but omg if he isn't the cutest thing ever!

Happy V-Day darling!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

:-) Thank you, sweetie! *hugs*