# My dog will only eat from my hand...



## finnfinnfriend

:-?

So...my new dog wouldn't eat....he starved himself for two days because he refused to eat his kibble. I thought that was because he didn't like dog food and was being stubborn. Well I just realized he will eat his kibble...but ONLY out of my hand, not out of the bowl...isn't that strange?


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## bettafishfinnatic

well yes and no... how old is your dog? and how long have you had it?

what you can do is right when you are feeding it pretend that you are eating it if that dosnt work then put an egg in it (uncooked) its very healthy for them and makes a great treat.. when ever it dose start to eat make sure you make a big fuss over it 

that should help


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## teeneythebetta

Aww... My APBT/staff did this to me the other day... He wanted wet food, and was being a baby cos I wasn't giving him any. So I put dry food in my hand and he ate it, I tried giving me the bowl but he gave me a "WTF is this?" look xD

Did you ask the previous owners what he was fed? Was he fed dry food?


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## LittleBettaFish

Our dog is a cow with eating her food when she is on heat. She will pick up bits of dry from her bowl, mouth them slowly and then just let it dribble out. 

We usually just heat up some chicken or turkey mine in the microwave and put this in her bowl and she will gobble it up. Then we just slowly mix in more and more dry over the next few days until she is almost back to eating the normal amount. 

It's unusual for a healthy dog to completely starve themselves. I would simply put his bowl down and if he doesn't eat it, take it away. Rinse and repeat this until he realises that if he wants to eat he gets to eat when and where _you_ want him to. 

Our next door neighbour reckons she has to feed her fat and spoiled dog by hand or it won't eat. I looked after it for the weekend once and it refused its dry. I didn't give it any dinner and just left the bowl overnight. Came back the next day and all the food was eaten. 

As this is a new dog I also agree with asking what food he was being fed and how often before you got him. Sometimes big changes in diet can cause dogs to get upset stomachs so you have to be careful how you transition them.


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## finnfinnfriend

LittleBettaFish said:


> Our dog is a cow with eating her food when she is on heat. She will pick up bits of dry from her bowl, mouth them slowly and then just let it dribble out.
> 
> We usually just heat up some chicken or turkey mine in the microwave and put this in her bowl and she will gobble it up. Then we just slowly mix in more and more dry over the next few days until she is almost back to eating the normal amount.
> 
> It's unusual for a healthy dog to completely starve themselves. I would simply put his bowl down and if he doesn't eat it, take it away. Rinse and repeat this until he realises that if he wants to eat he gets to eat when and where _you_ want him to.
> 
> Our next door neighbour reckons she has to feed her fat and spoiled dog by hand or it won't eat. I looked after it for the weekend once and it refused its dry. I didn't give it any dinner and just left the bowl overnight. Came back the next day and all the food was eaten.
> 
> As this is a new dog I also agree with asking what food he was being fed and how often before you got him. Sometimes big changes in diet can cause dogs to get upset stomachs so you have to be careful how you transition them.


well he was getting a lot of people food and a dry puppy food by diamond dog foods that he wouldnt eat at all. I am feeding him wellness core small breed and while he seems more willing to eat this, he still wont eat much...


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## Olympia

We have a 6 year old shitzhu (?) boarding with us and he'll only eat from your hand. Not even from a spoon. I think he's just spoiled rotten. We leave his food in with him but ge never touches it.. Of course we can't starve him like LBF suggests because he's not ours and the owner would freak.
What I'd do if this is a continuing problem is feed out of you hand, but have your hand in the bowl. Then have the food in the bowl but your hand still nearby. Then eventually he should transition to just a bowl.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PaintingPintos

Well....
What you should do, is every meal put your hand a bit closer to the bowl.
Eventually it will be in the bowl, and then you can have the food a little bit further off your hand with each feeding, until your hand is out of the bowl completely, then have it moved slowly away for each feeding after that.
Problem solved xD
My uncle's Shih-tzu (mind you, this dog was not smart) had the SAME problem as you do!!
This is exactly what he did....and the dog was fine after that. You just have to let the dog gain confidence.

Also since you said the dog had a lot of human food, he must be very low on the essential vitamins.
You should definitely buy him dog vitamin supplement and keep a very close watch on his health.
Make sure he is not overweight at all. His skin, when pulled away and released, should immediately fall back into place. If it moves sluggishly, then he is dehydrated.
Also avoid ANY people food for him. It is essential that you care well for your new dog. No matter how happy human food makes your dog, it is not healthy.
GOOD LUCK!!!


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## finnfinnfriend

PaintingPintos said:


> Well....
> What you should do, is every meal put your hand a bit closer to the bowl.
> Eventually it will be in the bowl, and then you can have the food a little bit further off your hand with each feeding, until your hand is out of the bowl completely, then have it moved slowly away for each feeding after that.
> Problem solved xD
> My uncle's Shih-tzu (mind you, this dog was not smart) had the SAME problem as you do!!
> This is exactly what he did....and the dog was fine after that. You just have to let the dog gain confidence.
> 
> Also since you said the dog had a lot of human food, he must be very low on the essential vitamins.
> You should definitely buy him dog vitamin supplement and keep a very close watch on his health.
> Make sure he is not overweight at all. His skin, when pulled away and released, should immediately fall back into place. If it moves sluggishly, then he is dehydrated.
> Also avoid ANY people food for him. It is essential that you care well for your new dog. No matter how happy human food makes your dog, it is not healthy.
> GOOD LUCK!!!


I've already told everyone in the house not to give him anything.

Are there dog vitamins in liquid form? Like that I can administer with a dropper?

It's funny you guys mention Shih Tzus, because Im pretty sure my dog is half shih tzu


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## Olympia

They're also the nastiest dogs at the vet's office. But they are more one person dogs. :/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## finnfinnfriend

Olympia said:


> They're also the nastiest dogs at the vet's office. But they are more one person dogs. :/
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lol well he's also half border terrier (this im sure of) so he warms up pretty quickly...


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## xShainax

Does he have a collar and tags? Is his bowl metal?


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## Bettanewbie60

finnfinnfriend said:


> :-?
> 
> So...my new dog wouldn't eat....he starved himself for two days because he refused to eat his kibble. I thought that was because he didn't like dog food and was being stubborn. Well I just realized he will eat his kibble...but ONLY out of my hand, not out of the bowl...isn't that strange?


My dog Cody was like that for a while..until I refused, and he figured he'd have to do it himself lol. He also won't sleep anywhere except his kennel! He'll pace the house, try out the chair, floor, sofa...then come and whine at me to put him in the kennel..it's his "safe" place I guess!


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## finnfinnfriend

xShainax said:


> Does he have a collar and tags? Is his bowl metal?


Yes he has a collar and tags, and no his bowl is plastic. It's this one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11924589


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## xShainax

I was going to say that if it was metal on metal, that it would not make him want to eat any more


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## finnfinnfriend

Yeah I imagine that would be annoying to him but that's not the problem


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