How do I switch my dog onto a new food if she won t eat her current food?

Question

My staffy is 11months old now, we were feeding her taste of the wild up until about 8months then I seen all the recent bad reviews, so changed her onto James wellbeloved. She ate the first bag but i had to add a bit of water to it. She won t touch the second bag at all, she absolutely hates it to the point were she would rather starve herself than eat it. I just bought acana puppy/junior there and I know you re meant to change the food gradually, but how do I do this if she won t touch her current food, no matter what I do with it? I don t want to make her sick but she s starving herself?

bluebonnetgranny · Accepted Answer

She will not starve herself to death if there is 'something' for her to eat.  She may turn her nose up at the food but if she is hungry she will eat it.  Just choose a good quality food, giver her morning food & if not touched after 15 minutes take it up & do not offer it to her again until the night time feeding.  If she still won't eat after 15 minutes take it up & do not offer any food til morning,  leave it down for 15 minutes & if not touched take it up.

You can also cook up some boiled chicken & rice or hamburger & rice & stir in about a table spoon & mix well with the reg dog food.  These two concoctions are a mainstay at any Pound, Shelter or Rescue to help emaciated dogs put on some weight & to get week dogs back onto their feet.  Some people just feed the concoction & that is not enough for a well dog, it needs the nutrition from a good quality dog food.  Just mix some of this in with the dog food of YOUR choice.

Anonymous · Answer

a healthy dog will not starve itself to death

dorothy s · Answer

You are obviously getting distressed about this. Please act bold and do the following IT WORKS.
Try this. Prepare her food, if it’s dried food soak this in warm water to make it more appealing, then leave it out of her reach whilst you eat a biscuit. Make yum yum noises and walk away. Go back and stand near her food bowl and eat another biscuit and do the yum yum noises again. Tell her to sit and then put her food down and give her permission to eat. Count to TEN yes TEN and if she does not make any attempt to eat it, pick it up. You must then wait until her next feed is due without giving her any treats or any other food. Then go through the above procedure again
I will be surprised if you need to pick it up a third time. While she is eating this walk away, don’t praise her for eating her dinner and do not make any fuss. The next time that she is due for a feed, prepare it, eat a biscuit and afterwards put her food down and walk away. If this does not work, take her to the vets.

Laura · Answer

I would call your vet and see what they say.  
They will probably want you to try and mix it in anyway, and see what happens.  She might really like the mix, or she might just pick out the new food, or just leave it.  
Call your vet and see what they say.

How do I switch my dog onto a new food if she won t eat her current food?

4 Answers