Eating habits have changed

[maureen252]

I have a 2 1/2 year old Basenji that we rescued 10 months ago. She has been a joy! She loves us sooo much, and howls with excitement when we get home from work. She is very active when we take her out and she plays ball, and goes for daily walks. And then when we are inside, she lays right next to us and sleeps. Well, we have been feeding her 1/2 cup of dry kibble twice a day in a puzzle bowl because she used to eat too fast. She has stopped showing interest in eating her dog food. We tried putting her food in a regular dish since she eats more slowly now. She is basically eating 1 meal a day now, but we have to keep encouraging her to eat. We are still using the same bag of food so it isn't like the formula changed. She used to have a very healthy appetite and now shows zero interest in eating.

She will eat people food with no problem so it isn't that she has no appetite. Suggestions?

[eeeefarm]

How old is the food you are serving....you mention it's the same bag. What is the time frame of these changes? You might want to try a different food and see what happens. Does she have access to water at all times? Eating dry food, she should have. Is she spayed? Has anything in your routine changed? How is her weight and do you feed a lot of treats? Any problems with her mouth that might make eating dry food uncomfortable? Have you tried adding water to the food to soften it?

I have dealt with a fussy eater before (Border Collie), but it has never been an issue with any of my healthy Basenjis. A vet check up might be in order to rule out some physical problem.

[maureen252]

I buy a 27 pound bag which lasts a couple of months and we are about a month in on this bag. There have been no changes in our life. We are pretty routine people. She has 3 bowls of water throughout the house at her disposal at all times. She gets the same amount of treats (1 for each time she goes potty or poop), an occasional non-rawhide treat, and we have a licky mat that we put peanut butter on when we are leaving for work each day. I can try putting some water on her food to see if she will eat it that way. She was spayed prior to us getting her. Her weight is the same, 19 pounds. Her mouth appears fine. I will contact the vet this week if I don't see improvement.

[tanza]

@maureen252 - In my opinion, 27lb bag is alot of food for one little Basenji. Even when I had up to 5, I wouldn't get a bag that big. Now with 2, I get the smallest possible. I would not wonder if it is possible that it has gone bad. Of course also I change up the kibble all the time....so I never have to worry about changing to a different food. I would try a new (small bag), however that said, it it has gone bad she may never want to eat it again.... You might look into changing the food....also add like a teaspoon/tablespoon of wet food...

[arojas2477]

We had a similar issue with our girl. She had no problems eating until one day she just stopped. She also doesn't like to eat when we're not home. In order to motivate her to eat we went through a phase of mixing in a spoonful of wet food. That really helped for many months until one day she stopped again. Now we add some shredded freeze-dried chicken treats so she’s eating again. I won't be surprised if in a few months we have to make another change or go back to wet food. I think she might get bored of the same thing. She also has access to food at all times since she’s not an over eater. That helps her eat at her own pace instead of taking it away (which we tried initially).

[Kembe]

Only time my girl has turned her nose up to food is when she was not feeling well. Otherwise, she eats as if we never feed her - she also has to use a puzzle bowl - I stopped for awhile because I thought she had slowed down but had to return to the puzzle bowl after she started INHALING her food again. I also purchase the smallest bag of kibble to ensure it is fresh and I check the expiration date. I give about 1/4 cup wet food with about 1/4 cup of dry food mixed with a little water two times per day. I also often pan fry fresh chicken breast - chop it up and give it to her in place of the wet food in the mixture.

[eeeefarm]

I would also question a bag of food that has been open for a month. Kibble does not last forever, and she will likely detect it being a bit "off" before you do. Definitely get a smaller bag of whatever you decide to try. I have never had a Basenji that didn't finish the food within a minute or two of it being served, unless they were not feeling well.

Personally I do not like kibble. I did feed it with some of my dogs, although I generally moistened it and fed it with an addition of wet food, but then I got into dehydrated and found that a much better solution, with the storage benefits of kibble and the "real food" advantage of canned or fresh food.

[RugosaB]

I learned from my dogs that they can go 3+ days waiting for the coveted 'people food!'
Giver her the dog food in an official 'dog food' bowl and the people food in a different place, different bowl, different time, so she learns there is a difference. She must learn that no matter how long she goes without eating the dog food, people food is only for special rewards
You will have to judge if she is sick or there is something else wrong. It's hard sometimes for me to not give in. It usually ends up that I give in, just a bite, to see if she'll eat anything, then back to the dog food. I go through the get a new bag, get a new brand, etc too.

[RugosaB]

Forgot - many times I'll mix some people chicken broth with the dog food, and that usually gets them eating again.

[Redial]

If you are feeling energetic, cook some vegetable chicken soup, - they love this. As a variation try some ox cheek and vegetable soup (I use barley as a filler). Ox cheek, chopped to B bite size will be good. I then add some kibble to soak up some of the moisture. A more moist blend is good for mine. I try to mix the food up so that there is a variation to her meals, even a SOFT boiled egg on top is good to vary her food. Good luck.

[Zande]

It occurs to me that she is thirsty ! Only dry food, served in a puzzle ball, is hardly an acceptable feeding regime to have started her on. Get a can of decent quality dog food, mix that with a little kibble and moisten it with water to make a gravy.

And make sure she always has a bowl of clean fresh water to drink from.

My Hoover gets half a can of Pedigree Chum (yes, I know some of you sneer at it, but I've fed it to up to eight Basenjis at a time for 40 years now and they've all done well on it) - split between two identical meals each day. The can gets a plastic lid on and goes into the refrigerator so lasts two days. This is mixed with a grain-free kibble and water.

Soon a can will only last a day - cos we will have our new PUPPY ! which will grow up and need a similar diet over time.

As for human food - I always cook more vegetables than we need cos Basenjis love cabbage, beans, Brussels Sprouts, carrots, squash of all kinds. But this is an additive when they deserve it, not a substitute for acceptable dog food.

[Zande]

@eeeefarm said in Eating habits have changed:

Personally I do not like kibble.

I am fascinate by this statement. It must be a language problem. I always thought that 'kibble' meant a dry dog-food. Any UK supermarket, let alone petfood suppliers, carries a myriad different dry dog food which I always refer to as 'kibble'.

Am I wrong ? If so - what is kibble ?

[eeeefarm]

Yes, kibble refers to processed dry dog food. I don't like it, as it is over processed and the furthest thing from "natural". I prefer dehydrated, which turns back into "real" food with the addition of water, and otherwise I prefer canned to dry. Of course, once upon a time (when I was young....another era!), dogs mostly got fed scraps off the human dinner table, as they still get the "leavings" of their humans in third world countries. Somehow they managed for thousands of years as scavengers, not to say that is a good thing, particularly not today, but over processed food has interesting repercussions in the human species, and I suspect in our pets as well......JMHO.

[Zande]

Thank you for that explanation - Basenjis ARE scavengers ! Their self-imposed diets have one tearing out ones hair or screaming with laughter !

[flbasenji]

How is she doing now? Eating normally again?

[maureen252]

Yes, she is eating normally again. We have 2 bowls of water for her to drink out of but she doesn't drink a lot. We are going to ask our vet if we should add some wet food to her kibble. Her bowel movements are fine and she doesn't seem constipated but I know Basenjis are known for not drinking a lot of water.

[Zande]

Most Basenjis think they have died and gone to Heaven if you add a tablespoon of milk to their water. Don't over do it, a teaspoon to a pint is enough !

Like for cats, only dry food is not good. Some meat (canned is all mine have ever had) and mixed with a little water. Keep them hydrated even if they don't think it necessary - it is !

[eeeefarm]

Make sure the water is fresh, if it's been sitting around all day you should change it. I concur with Zande about giving meat or canned food, not only dry, and definitely mix in some water, let it absorb for a minute or two before feeding. Personally I would ditch the dry food, but that's up to you. And I wouldn't leave food down. If she doesn't gobble it up, take it away and offer it later. Nothing like stale food to create a fussy eater!

[tanza]

@maureen252 - You can add some wet, I do.... and also add some water with the kibble and wet food... I put in about a small tablespoon of wet. And some Basenjis do drink a fair amount... some of mine did/do some didn't