My dobe bitch spent last week at my MIL’s home, and throughout that week my MIL fed her Beneful rather than the food we asked her to feed. This…is a problem, and one we will be discussing with her at another time.
However. As a result of this lovely, boundary-free vacation eating nothing but the equivalent of Big Macs for a week, she will not go back to her regular food unless we add enticements. I need her eating what i give her, when i give it to her, without exceptions. Normally this isn’t a problem – she’s trying to get us to give her that lovely, delicious junk food. She is healthy, so this isn’t a health-related problem. She’s just being a stubborn brat. 🙂
My question is this: what is the quickest way to get her back on her normal food? My husband is less than cooperative with my eat-it-or-lose-it method of training, wondering if anyone can suggest anything else. For the moment she is absolutely refusing plain kibble. The most I will do for her is add warm water, which I do for dinners anyway. She won’t touch breakfast at all.
Any suggestions? 🙂
Before someone asks: I show her. She needs to eat when told just like she needs to evacuate bowel and bladder when told…otherwise things may get messy in the ring, and I cannot have that happening. This only becomes a problem after she goes to my MILs for more than a couple of days. Unfortunately, we have another lengthy stay planned later this summer, with a major show soon after. To say this has given me a headache is an understatement.
I know the MIL isn’t trying to be detrimental. She just refuses to believe that Beneful isn’t what I want to feed my dog. If we give her individually bagged meals, she complies. If we give her a bag of Rip’s food and a scoop, she…doesn’t. Last lengthy visit, she managed to feed 15 pounds of food in a week and a half. I fear this may be an ongoing disagreement – she tends to keep her dogs 5 pounds overweight and free feeds, while I like my dog eating specific meals at specific times and I like to see… Read more »
good news! it took one training session on an empty stomach to convince her that eating might be a good idea. emptied her bowl and was looking for more.
bratdog is a brat. but she’s eating, so i’m happy.