Reese - you will be the death of me...

[Jill]

I just don't know what to do with him. He's not eating much. I know he's feeling fine and he's no longer on the meds, so that's not the issue. Plain and simple, he's a brat! He is very very lazy in the morning. He'd be happy to just sleep until 11 I think. I get them up and we go straight outside for potty and then come in for breakfast. As I get it ready, Bailey patiently waits in his "settle" for the food and Reese just gets himself into his bed, under the covers. I've tried only offering him a little bit in the morning and then the rest at night, instead of half and half.

When he was sick and wasn't eating we would keep the food down longer, trying to get him to eat. And I even went so far as to feed him with a fork. :faint: But I've had it. If he doesn't want to eat, then fine. 15 minute rule is fully back in effect.

Another contributing factor to the reinforcement of the 15 minute rule is that Bailey is like a shark circling and circling and just waiting to go in for the kill on Reese's bowl. He's usually very very good about leaving it, but he LOVES the raw food. We've taken our eye off of him a few times and he's scoffed half of the food. :mad:

Anyway, rant over. We are partially to blame on this anyway.

[Nancy]

Plain and simple, he's a brat! He is very very lazy in the morning. He'd be happy to just sleep until 11 I think.

Now Jill! Is there really anything wrong with sleeping until 11!?!? :rotfl:

I'm sorry Bailey is being a pain in the butt. I think if you stick to the 15 minute rule, he'll come around!

[Mama S.]

Oh I so know how you feel. Oscar is a 2 ton tub of fun due to stealing food. Hershey looks like an Etheopian love child as he will let his food sit - no biggie then Osacr comes in and steals it. It's gotten to the point that I have to lock Hershey in his crate with his food to get him to eat - unless of course medallions are on the menu - then he's all ready for dinner time.
Sandi

[Jill]

It's not harming Bailey any that he's eating extra food. He's a bit on the skinny side anyway. And Reese is certainly not starving by any means. He's just a bratty pants.

[Jen]

Sorry to hear that Reese is being so picky! Maybe its a winter thing--he just wants to hybernate?

[Yolanda]

Wait a minute Jill, "BrattyPants" is my nickname for Wetley. :rotfl: :rotfl:

I understand the 15 minute rule and use it also. He will be fine, give him a day or two of not getting enough and he will eat.

[oceangirls]

I agree with the 15 minute rule! If his eating doesn't improve soon you can always check with the vet, but I bet he'll come around. The meds may have affected his appetite, too, and it might just be coming back.

[Jill]

Yolanda - then I'll change his to Bratty McBratterson. :rotfl:

[Courtney]

Well, maybe Reese only wants to eat once a day at night? A lot of times dogs will self-regulate like that.

[Otto'sMom]

15 minutes...wow. I've yet to see the food last more than 30 seconds.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Like children--they will eat when they are hungry.

[Bella's Mom]

:happy6: I agree with the 15 minute rule. He'll realize soon enough that you're not going to leave the food laying around all day. I'm glad Reese is feeling better and hope his "brattiness" improves soon. I sure know what that's like...

[Frzframe]

Reese baby you need to eat. But, I agree he'll eat when he gets hungery. I have to put Ruby Roo in her crate in order so she'll eat her food. If not she just dances around and in come the sharks (Mitzi and Dudley).

[Chrystyna]

Piper used to do that until we switched her food. I would get so upset when she wouldn't eat. I talked to my vet and he said if she doesn't eat it right when the bowl is put down then to just take it up and give it back to her when it's the next feeding time. Keep doing it until they realize that it's time to eat when the bowl is put down. There would be times Piper would miss 2 - 3 meals before deciding she was ready to eat.

We switched her to Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul and haven't had a problem since then. She LOVES that food and is usually the first one in line begging for her food. Tomorrow we're switching to raw, so hopefully she likes that just as much!