German Shepherd dog

my gal is becoming too finicky eater.

i actually feed her royal canin with vertex, herbal matrix and salmon oil.

last two to three weeks ago she is really becoming finicky eater.

i added ground beef and ate maybe two-three times with the kibble.

now again neglected and i bought green tripett canned food and added with the kibble and the rest of minerals.

again ate maybe two -three times and now just try to smell in the food and dig it see if there's any meat or tripes but she won't touch the food. if i add water in the food and made gravy she will just drink that.

so i let the food sit for like 10mins and take away that's it for the morning meal. i don't give her anymore.

i work with her these days two times a day in the morning and evening maybe like 20mins or so.

if she tired then she will eat one meal orelse keep on digging and leaves everything like as before........

any idea to dealt with this.....

thanks

If your dog has been to the vet for a checkup recently (last month or since the problem started) and after blood work and stool sample check, the vet said she's healthy, then stop worrying about it and stop catering to her. I had one like that and found the problem was at my end of the leash. Some meat with the kibble is fine, but don't keep adding different things. Your dog now expects a buffet meal from which she can pick and choose. Do as poster beepy suggests about offering food. Your dog may look at you like you are starving her, but hunger is the best sauce. When she is really hungry, she will eat.

yep, sounds like she's a spoiled girl who's really workin' you. lol  I learned the hard way too when I had gotten my bitch and she wouldn't eat her kibble.  She had me so worked up over her not eatin' I was cooking her meals, chicken, ground beef, hot dogs.  She'd eat those right up no problem but I thought to myself I can't keep cooking for her like this when the other dogs are eating just fine with kibble so I took the advice of the other's and continued offering her food until she got hungry enough and accepted that the "kitchen" was officially closed to her and that's all that was on the menu.  She ate and we haven't had a problem since.  Once in awhile she'll try me and not eat but I don't give in.  I know better now.

What tigermouse said

--- trust me when she gets hungry she will eat.

No healthy dog will ever starve itself to death. When she's hungry, she will eat. Do not enable her by allowing her free access to the fridge or her treat jar for a few days .  This is a battle you must win or the entire war is lost and another smart GSD will triumph over man. Next year you will be cooking her filets and hand feeding her while she reclines on the couch watching Animal Planet.

Have to agree with everyone. Have had dogs all my life (not always GSD's) but working dogs anyway. She's just too picky, I have a 10 month old female like this right now. When she was a pup the litter had to be weaned early as mom decided she had enough. When I first introduced her to wet/dry "mush" I had to set with her 4 times a day so she would eat...but she was very very young and stressed at this point. Well, she grew up and liked that she was having her favorite person set with her and dine - I didn't so much. So, she did go for 3 days and didn't eat a single thing. I offered her food many times and even left the bowl down one day but she wouldn't eat because I wouldn't add something "special" to it and set with her. Finally though, she eats her meals every morning and evening. And all I add is an egg in the morning, makes her coat so shiny!

I do have one, 12 yr. old that has to have BilJac frozen, added to his or he won't eat...but this is due to his old age and not so great teeth.

kool, I'm having the same problem with my 20 month old bitch.  She used to be a decent eater and last fall got extremely picky...would go a few days and just nibble the kibble.  She then picked up her appetite out of the blue and started eating like a pig.  Now, it started again a few months ago (thought it was because my younger female came into heat and this one is the dominant one) well, still going on...will go a few days without eating.

I've learned if I put the kibble down in front of both girls (they're not yet showing food dominance), she will eat due to competition for the food.  Thus far, it has worked.  If I don't do this, she will barely sniff the food.  She's went 3 days without eating more than a handful.  She has been to vet and has checked out fine.  She too is on the thin and wiry side (a very active girl).

I'm going to try the idea above of only setting it down for 15-20 mins.  I'm sure she'll get the idea fast.

so yesterday whole day didn't eat. i tried in the morning and ate only like two -three kibbles then i put it back.

provided in the evening maybe ate same and i let her go with the routine for play. but she was coming to me almost like every few mins. seems to me begging last nite. but i didn't give anything.

so this morning again i provided to her and ate only half so i took it back. lets see.

if i'm feeding more i can lower to 1 cup per meal. she is 11mos and 65lbs now.

Rezkat5, you think its too much food and too much activity.

what would be the activity level you would think then.

actually i only let her run like 10mins in the morning and 10mins in the evening but rest of the time she is doing obedient with me.

Rezkat5, sounds good reason. maybe they mightnot need that much of food. she has been that size for a while now. hasn't grown up much.

i'll try to less feed. if goes wild then will add slowly.. i think maybe this way will work.

but in the meantime will apply the same rule

forgot the most  important thing....do not track your pup until hes has not eaten for over 24 hours....Do not feed your pup for the two days and then track him...with food on ground.....

One of the trainers in Galveston Co. never feeds her pits . they track five  times a week and all the food they get is the raw meat on the track and that is all...they get other supplements done in treats she bakes.....

As long as there is no health problems don't give in our you will have a picky eater for life. GSDs are very smart and therefore can be manipulative. If healthy, they will not starve. Provide plenty of water and keep with the leaving the bowl for 15-20 min. Don't act stressed or agitated. I knew a dog that waited out the owner for 5 days-then devoured the food and never had another "picky eater" problem again.

    .i've had finicky eaters...put food down  ..wait five seconds...if not eating...pick up and feed next day..same thing..repeat daily until the message is clear.. you don't eat quickly it's gone..the last dog i had to do this to ..now  is eating the food as it is being placed on the floor....be firm..it is for their good...now pups ..you do the same but not as severe..

after two days or so i did same thing like removing food away.

one time she stayed for 24hrs and keep nagging behind me whole evening maybe asking me to give her varieties or something but i didn't provide nothing. once she smell and didn't eat i took it after 5mins or so.

after 24hrs. she ate like crazy and now been few days if she see me coming from inside if she ate only half she runs to her bowl and finishes all. now she thinks once the bowl is gone it wouldn't come back.

but one or two time she is still doing like eating 80% of food and leaving that's fine now i'm just taking away. i'll do this and seems its working for me.

thanks all.

In my experience a finicky eater is most often that way because they are being overfed unless the dog is sick.  I am assuming your dog is not sick.  So how does she look?  65 pounds is a normal weight for and adult female German Shepherd.  I have several dogs and have always had success keeping my dogs at a normal weight.  I do feed raw and have fed raw for 9 years.  I never go by directions as they are just a starting point.  I know a lot of people get hung up wanting a set portion....X cups per day or whatever.   Some dogs just like some people naturally require more or less calories even when they weigh the same.  When I determine what to feed my dogs, I look at the dog first and if they look good I feed them the same amount I fed yesterday.  If they look a little tubby, then I reduce the amount of food and likewise if they are looking skinny I up it a bit.  If a dog didn't finish what I gave it the day before then I reduce the amount in half the next time.  My dogs' appetite fluctuates with seasons and their activity level.  I really feel like I am constantly tweaking the portions I feed my dogs but it still goes back to what I originally said....how does your dog look?  I don't know how long you have fed raw but I promise you that with raw the amount you will feed will fluctuate over time.  Your girl may have just peeked after all the growth she being a puppy.  If she looks good and has normal energy she is just telling you to cut back.