Refuses to eat

[Bailey's Mom]

You said you'd thought about contacting rescue to surrender your Mom's dogs as she is not physically capable of caring for them any longer. Your feelings about the dogs aside this is a legitimate reason to surrender them as you are not in a position to take over permanent guardianship.

Having rescued two dogs and gotten one from a breeder placement because she wasn't working for show my only regret with the situations is how long people waited to realize the situations weren't good and this takes a toll on the dogs long after they are surrendered.

If the dogs go to a quality foster based rescue they have a good chance of finding new homes. The longer you wait the more challenging that prospect becomes. The dogs aren't getting younger and their preparation for a new placement is only getting harder.

These dogs aren't for you let someone else try.

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Sorry I reread you said the dog needs to go back to the breeder. My youngest has that agreement, oldest has to be returned to breed rescue according to our contract.

These contracts are in place to protect the dogs so please don't hesitate call. If you can't find the breeder after all this time contact the closest breed rescue they may know the breeder and if not they can help you take your Mom's dogs off your hands and get them into foster care until new placements are possible.

My Mom is also a senior with a problem dog. I can't imagine any of my siblings wanting to take it in with its behaviors. The right choice would not be to take it in and punish it because we are angry at the situation but to give it the best chance for a new home with someone who doesn't hate it.

 

[ghggp]

Sorry I reread you said the dog needs to go back to needs to go back to breeder. My youngest has that agreement, oldest has to be returned to breed rescue according to our contract.

These contracts are in place to protect the dogs so please don't hesitate call. If you can't find the breeder after all this time contact the closest breed rescue they may know the breeder and if not they can help you take your Mom's dogs off your hands and get them into foster care until new placements are possible.

My Mom is also a senior with a problem dog. I can't imagine any of my siblings wanting to take it in with its behaviors. The right choice would not be to take it in and punish it because we are angry at the situation but to give it the best chance for a new home with someone who doesn't hate it.

Thank you Bailey's Mom! I hope the good advice is taken.
I suggested the same thing. I have no more to offer to a thread that would not allow the animal a second chance at a happy home with only positive reinforcement.
The end...

 

[mmcginty]

I am sorry, but dogs are not "thieves". They are opportunists. Why can't you just not leave food on the counter? When I had a cat I couldn't leave food out on the counter or table, so I adjusted to that. It seems like you are just setting Amanda up to misbehave. You are projecting your frustrations and stress onto her. You say you can't control her food intake, but that is not true, you are the human, put the food away and she won't get into it.

All thieves are opportunists. In our society we understand the concept of taking something that's not yours, without permission, that wasn't intended for you, in English we use the word 'theft' to describe that concept. You don't think dogs understand this concept?

I'm projecting my stress and frustrations onto her? WTF does that even mean? She is CAUSING my stress and frustration, she is neither stressed nor frustrated. How did you read anything like that into this? I'm projecting that I'm worried sick about my Shelties, she doesn't give a damn. And I don't believe you are truly sorry, just being passive-aggressive.

We do go to extreme lengths to place things out of her reach. On top of the toaster or in the microwave usually works. Not everything fits. It's a bit impractical when preparing food. Likewise when serving food. We tell her to get out of the kitchen repeatedly, she knows she's not allowed. She constantly sneaks up and works to position herself without being noticed. There might be people who are capable of living and preparing meals with Amanda constantly prowling, without losing anything to her. People who's attention is never diverted, who never have anything more important to do than guard all things edible and live in a lock down. I doubt it, and I know that trying to sucks. Ever lived with someone you couldn't trust?

Case in point, mom has some kind of spell, calls out for help, clutching her walker and the counter, not wanting to fall. I drop what I'm doing and rush to her, without thinking to carefully close my door, failing to remember my first duty is guard against an opportunistic marauder. I'm frivolously helping my 80 year old mother to her easy chair. Just that fast the Sheltie's dishes are empty and Amanda is chewing on a bully stick that wasn't given to her, that she stole from my dogs!

Setting her up to misbehave, seriously? You've got the wrong impression entirely, if you understood what the situation actually is, you'd know how ridiculous that statement is.

 

[mmcginty]

Thank you Bailey's Mom! I hope the good advice is taken.
I suggested the same thing. I have no more to offer to a thread that would not allow the animal a second chance at a happy home with only positive reinforcement.
The end...

I wholeheartedly agree this dog should go back the the breeder, I have made that suggestion multiple times, framed multiple ways. It isn't my decision. Period.

How do you figure Amanda is unhappy? It's all just a game to her. You understand she is not my dog, right?

Perhaps you'd care to give an example of how positive reinforcement might be applied to correct this behavior, how exactly would that work? I am open to workable suggestions.

 

[mmcginty]

Sorry I reread you said the dog needs to go back to the breeder. My youngest has that agreement, oldest has to be returned to breed rescue according to our contract.

These contracts are in place to protect the dogs so please don't hesitate call. If you can't find the breeder after all this time contact the closest breed rescue they may know the breeder and if not they can help you take your Mom's dogs off your hands and get them into foster care until new placements are possible.

My Mom is also a senior with a problem dog. I can't imagine any of my siblings wanting to take it in with its behaviors. The right choice would not be to take it in and punish it because we are angry at the situation but to give it the best chance for a new home with someone who doesn't hate it.

I'd love to send her back, it's not my decision, she is not my dog. I am not trying to punish her, I want to correct her behavior, in a way that will cause her NO physical harm! I didn't suggest beating her or kicking her or even tying her up, just causing a little discomfort using something that occurs in nature, it's just a plant. I've seen people here talking about using bitters, do dogs enjoy that?

I want her to stop harassing and targeting my Shelties, if she'd just go on about her day and leave us alone, I WOULDN'T HATE HER, gah! That I hate her has ZERO impact oh her life, she is provided for and given attention by her owner, my mother, who oddly enough, doesn't hate her. She got nothing from me before I moved in, she doesn't need anything from me now. My presence doesn't detract anything from her, I don't harm her in any way, ever. AMANDA IS NOT A VICTIM, and imagining that she is DOES NOT HELP ME! She is not neglected, she is bathed and groomed monthly, she is taken on a 2-3 mile run twice a week, she gets affection from my mom daily, she sees a vet regularly, she sleeps in her kennel in my mom's room every night. In spite of all of this, her behavior negatively impacts my Shelties, any being of any species that does that, will make me hate them.

That is her situation, anything else any of you imagine into this scenario is fictitious, unconstructive, and adds more stress to a situation I can barely handle. Could you cut me a tiny bit of slack, please?

 

[Bailey's Mom]

You aren't looking for help you are venting your frustration.

Why isn't she crated while you are prepping and eating? Simple solution she can't get to you or your Shelties during what is clearly a stressful time. It is not inhumane to crate a dog and it destresses your major complaint that she steals food.

You could crate her while your dogs eat and she can be fed prior to crating.

Most areas have senior social workers available who can talk to you about services available to you and your Mom. You may just be yanking people's chains on line for fun or you have some serious frustration issues. These days anything is possible.

However, several of us understand the challenges of being responsible for senior care and it can be exhausting, frustrating, and overwhelming at times.

Your approach to this situation is completely irrational. If your post is real it is well past time you get help for all of you because you don't even recognize how far gone you sound.

 

[Piper's mom]

I'm done...
There are none so blind as those that cannot see.

 

[ghggp]

I have nothing more to offer.
If it were me, and I was keeping the dog, I would seek the help of a local professional dog trainer that uses positive reinforcement training methods.

 

[mmcginty]

I feel your pain with the dogs not eating. I am going through the same thing with my Barkley. He essentially stopped eating well about 3 months ago, and I did the same thing you have. Bought every variety and texture of food on the market, made home cooked turkey and sweet potatoes, tried raw, freeze dried, you name it. We ran every veterinary test on him available, including a full abdominal ultrasound a week ago, nothing. Did bloodwork: fine. His teeth have been done. He is literally starving himself. I've been syringing a veterinary IV formula into his mouth and giving him Nutrical to keep him going. There is no medical reason we can find; he just won't eat.

I tried one veterinary appetite enhancer that worked for two days and then stopped. What has helped a bit is one called Entyce, a liquid that you give once a day. This week he is eating a bit...I'm feeding him soft kibble one piece at a time from my hand. Not ideal, but he's eating and I'll take it. He is otherwise healthy and normal! I've also gotten Zukes Power Bars which are meant to be a treat but are loaded with nutrients and he will eat those...you might try something like that too.

It does sound as if some of the issue is emotional/behavioral for your dogs, especially since it's both of them. I would try something like Entyce, which you'd get from your vet (warning, it isn't cheap) and see if that helps. It is beyond frustrating and stressful when they won't eat. I hope you find a solution. Please keep us posted!

Hi Ann,
Sorry I didn't see your post, distracted by the noise... So you're in exactly the same boat? I'm not to the syringe yet but I told Jake if it comes down to it... it won't be very much fun. Did anything in your environment change, anything that might upset Barkley? After old Jake had pancreatitis it was hard to get him to eat, but once he'd taste a tiny piece he continued to eat. I supplemented his calories with a product called Stat semi-successfully but he didn't like it. His behavior towards food was actually very similar, but if anything was wrong with this Jake's pancreas it would be evident in bloodwork, wouldn't it?

Check this out, from fidoseofreality.com: "Many times, dogs with chronic pancreatitis will have a normal blood panel, normal abdominal ultrasound, and may not even have outward signs." That doesn't seem to make sense, but then again nothing makes sense lately. Has your vet entertained the possibility of chronic pancreatitis? (I'll be asking mine about it tomorrow!) https://fidoseofreality.com/how-to-help-a-dog-with-pancreatitis/

My vet put them on Entyce two days ago and it helped a lot (you're right it isn't cheap but worth it for as long as it works.) He ate actual dog food from his dish this evening! (Lately he'd only eat out of my hand.) So I've I didn't need to give him a second dose yet. Not sure if any of it can be attributed to staying in the motorhome... it was cold last night (a heater safety feature I didn't know about had to be reset) but they didn't seem to notice.

Being hungry is a miserable feeling, what could possibly go wrong in their heads? It seems like food has lost it's appeal, and he's forgotten that eating fixes hungry? I'm not sure how dogs decide whether or not something is food, sometimes they aren't very discriminating for sure. You'd think basic survival instinct would kick in and they'd eat anything to stay alive. Clearly something is interfering with that instinctive mechanism... It's absolutely heartbreaking to watch... soul crushing even.

I will definitely keep you posted, please do the same -- and thanks soooo much for your input! (Again I apologize for ignoring you.)