My dog is a fussy eater? Why?

[manxdan]

I have a 3year old Border Collie that is a v healthy (at least 3 runs a day) and is not under weight. Although she gets lots of excerise she does not eat her dinner. We have resorted to sprinkling cheese on her food, but all she does then is pick out the cheese (clever 'bitch'). We tried the remove the food scenario (i.e. if shes hungry enough she'll eat)....but this is painful and goes on too long. So the current outcome is to leave the food for her....sometimes it gets eaten, sometimes it goes to waste (more often the case).

We have tried various different brands of dog food n mix, but the outcome is the same.

Does anyone have a reason for this behaviour?

Is she just fussy, and wants cheese? Or just wants what we're eating? i.e. a dominance thing!?!?

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks Dan

[Annlinda]

I had border collies for 25 years and every one was fed 6 days a week. They all had one day a week without main food. They had biccies and chews if they wanted them and of course water but that was it.They all were very healthy and lived to over 15yrs old. Don't worry if she is not eating she obviously knows what is best for her. Well done in having a BC that is well exercised and fed.
There is a saying in old farming circles that a sheepdog could live off the smell of an oily rag. In other words they need less food than we think they need

[Illyria54]

That's a very interesting answer Annlinda, I too have a very fussy Border Collie, and have tried grated cheese just like maxdan and have also fed tripe, Harvey my dog can go 2-3 days without eating and I really worried about it, years ago I used to fast my dogs on a Sunday and thought nothing of it but I have gone soft as I've got older, I think I might just start again. So thanks, you have helped me also!

[manxdan]

Thanks for the responses!

bizarre.......but that's Border Collies all over! My brother has the sister BC from the same litter.....and is the complete opposite (gulps down any food in sight).

The main thing is that the vet has said she is of a perfect weight n size, so there's surely nothing to worry about! However, we havent discussed diet with the vet as yet (although I do recall with my mum's BC that they tried to push the most expensive kind of scientific food onto her - this turned out to be worse than any other brand).

As they say, if their hungry enough they'll eat! It's just bizarre our BC gets loads of exercise.........where does the fule come from?

[Illyria54]

I have no idea, Harvey and my other dog a GSD get at least 2 hours off lead exercise each day, Border Collies have so much energy and then not to want to eat, is so strange, but like your dog Harvey is as fit as the proverbial butchers dog! I am going to try not to worry anymore..................easier said than done sometimes!

[horsestache1]

AHHH, where does the fule come from! Well your dog seems to get lots of excersize, and I bet a lot of it is off the lead, you would be suprised what tasty tit bits BC's and Terriers can pick up whilst your not watching. My terrier loves a nice bit of rotted crow served with a side of horse poo, mice are quite nice for pud!!!!! In fact anything we find discusting they seem to love

[manxdan]

i've only ever witnessed rabbit drops being a delicacy! even then she doesnt usually bother with them.......she seems to be fuelled by fun....never fussed about other dogs or food, always focused on the tennis ball or toy! which is why i've been totally surprised by how little food is eaten compared to her activtity!?!?

[kita1]

You have to look at what your dog was bred for. Border Collies were bred to work out on the fells etc. all day, this includes running up hillsides, through streams etc. in all weather, I have seen a collie work cattle for 5 hours get back to the farm and proceed to herd the chickens up!. They are simply bred to be on the go all day. That is why so many end up as mental cases when bought and left in a house all day long with no excercise or mental stimulation.

Most farm collies are fed once a day in the evening after the day's work, usually not 'top quality' or scientific food either. All farm collies I know also sleep outside (in a barn if they are choosy) even on the coldest nights. The food is put down and if they don't eat it someone else will!

Believe me your dog will not starve. As long as he/she is fit and not underweight don't worry!

[winny]

My gsd and lab are 10kg different in weight but get the same exersize and eat the same and are both the correct weight. How does that work. The thing is that it will eat when it is hungry and by leaving food down you are pandering to it. I know it seems cruel to take the bowl away but in the wild (or on a farm) if you leave the food it goes. You should remove the food your dog will not starve providing it has no medical issues and has water. If you dont then it will become a dominance thing as the dog will dictate when to eat and you are the one in charge of tea time. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Good luck.

[lankeela]

As has been said before on this thread, Border Collies are bred to live and work on a meagre diet, and that is why they become so hyperactive when fed a good diet and given little exercise, either mental or physical. They are, as you would say about a horse, 'good doers'; three runs a day does not compare with working all day out on the hills.

Why not feed her on a complete dry food and leave a bowl of it down all the time. She will be able to help herself and you will not have the worry of food going off.

As for fasting, I believe this used to be the norm in hunt kennels and big breeding kennels, when the kennelmaids had a day off on a Sunday, and the owner used 'fasting' as an excuse not to have to feed them himself. Personally I think it is grossly unfair to deprive a dog of a regular meal and it would certainly not work in my household, their tummy clocks are more efficient than Big Ben! I would get no peace until they were fed.

As long as she is healthy and of a correct weight for her age, then count yourself lucky that you have a happy healthy dog.

[Illyria54]

Dogs have very large capacity stomachs, think of wild dogs, they very rarely eat 7 days a week, usually feeding only every 2nd or even 3rd day, it is only humans that have molly coddled todays dogs into wanting to be fed every day, it's not cruel to fast a dog for 24 hours especially if you have a dog that has a tendancy to impose a fasting rule to itself as our dogs seem to do, I have 4 dogs (not just 2 like my last response sounded, sorry) 3 GSD's and a Border Collie, if I left food down all the time I would have no clue who was eating what, besides I like to interact with my dogs at feed times as well as when I exercise them and do obedience with them I personally think it is important to do this, as it teaches them that I am the one providing their food, ie. the Alpha female, my dogs also don't get fed until myself and my husband have eaten, with GSD's especially you have to let them know who is boss, or you can run into all kind of problems.

[kita1]

I had 3 GSD's and left dried Omega rings down all the time. I never had any problems over food aggression, dominance etc. they were all the correct weight and never had any health problems.

For training etc. they got bits of fried liver or other treats used only at training time.

I now feed my dog set meals and have more problems (and worries) over how much he eats, etc. than I ever had with the other 3.

I will go back to leaving dried food down with my next dogs!

[Annlinda]

If you do leave food down PLEASE be within earshot just in case your dogs decide to have a dispute over food. A friend has 3 BC's who got on well for quite a few years then one day bang a big fall out over food.
There is a school of thought that if food is left down it encourages vermin. Also a dog usually wants to empty itself after feeding , if you are out and it is allowed to graze it could foul indoors.

[pmjblue]

we wouldnt leave our food lying around, so dried food or not, why would we leave our dogs about - think of all the flies and germs, or am I too daft. One of mine (we lost him last year) was a nightmare to feed, but he had 10 minutes and I took it up. He lived to over 14 which was a good age for a big dog, and the vet said being slightly underweight helped his legs in his old age. My two young girls absolutely adore each other, but I would not trust them over food as they are both gannets. I have heard about people fasting dogs for one day a week, but if I am an hour late, mine are sick and bring up bile and their tummys are rumbling!!

[lankeela]

I put down seven bowls of food and they eat what they want then swap bowls until they have had enough, and any that remains is left down, and they eat it either later on that night or the next morning, and I top up the bowls during the day, and it has usually all gone by tea time when we start again. There is never any squabbling, as there is enough food to go round, and the oldest bitch is boss, so they all defer to her and wouldn't dare to push her off her bowl.

[horsestache1]

I have two working BC's and a terrier, all are frugle eaters, all are very fit. rest assured you dog will eat if its hungry. Just keep on doing what you are doing, as your dog is fit and well, no problem.

have fun together.

[pmjblue]

everyone has their own way of feeding their dogs, like I said I wouldnt leave food down, not that there is any food left with my dogs now, but if I still had a fussy eater, the others would eat it without me knowing who had eaten what. Mine swop bowls, but only when they have finished their own, think they are 'just checking' ! - and I am always around when there is food about, as a dominant dog could eat everything, and likewise I wouldnt know if one was off their food. However, if you only have one dog, dont suppose it makes a difference, but if she likes what you are eating, as long as it is good food, not chips or pizza etc, why dont you give it to her. Although I feed mine a complete diet, I always add a very spoon fuls of fresh meat, vegetables and pasta - and I like to split their food into two meals a day so they dont get windy tummys.

[manxdan]

thanks all for the responses! definatley set my mind to rest!

i guess we will continue as normal, add snippets of cheese hidden under her food..............we werent particularly worried about doing this, it was just the fact that she was looking at her food and walking away.....and thought this was v odd behaviour (especially after covering miles and miles of mountain heather)! now that others have this/have seen this behaviour with their dogs it has definatley eased our concerns. thanks again!