Here's a good one!

[Tanya1414]

Hans (my mini schnauzer) only ate his dinner when Rocky (my deceased boxer) did. Now that Rocky is gone, Hans forgets to eat! So a couple of days ago, I sat on the kitchen floor with him, took a piece of dog food and put it in his mouth. Well, he thought this was great! So we did this for a while and he ate quite a bit. This morning, he sat by his dog food bowl and waited for me. I went over and put a piece of dog food in his mouth. He kept waiting. So I put another piece in his mouth. How long do schnauzers live? 14 years? So I have 10 more years of hand feeding Hans? What have I done??? You know, dogs are so smart. You do something once and they don't forget. My husband thinks I'm nuts! Hans isn't spoiled at all, of course not!!!

[bugmom]

Sounds like you need another dog! a really hungry one!!!!!

[tatsxxx11]

Sooooooooo smart and cunning!! Sounds like a "Star maneuver" (My lab) Tanya, I agree with Bugmom... Time to get a hungry pup! Or be ready to spend a lot of time on the floor!

[Pam]

Or be ready to spend a lot of time on the floor!

Tats you crack me up!!

[Rottie]

Oh that is too funny!!! They are so smart!!!

[Angels3]

I loved bugmom's advice about adopting a really hungry dog! When I stopped laughing, I realized what a sensible suggestion it was.
What you need, Tanya, is a dog in the adolescent stage of its growth when dogs eat their owners out of house and home. Or, perhaps, a rescue dog from a shelter who celebrates its good fortune of finding a good home by eating everything in sight.

You say Hans is a mini schnauzer. Well, one of the TV vets here says that smaller dogs can be notoriously fussy & picky & difficult for feeding. One piece of advice he gives (to whip up the dog's appetite & get it tucking in) is to put the dog's meal BRIEFLY in the microwave oven. Just enought to warm it so that the smell of the food is stronger. The vet says that dogs are greatly influenced by the smell of food...rather than the look of it.
Or you could take up yoga & practise it while you're down on the floor helping Hans eat!

[tatsxxx11]

Angels......Hah! Hah! Hah!!!!!! A little meditation with every meal!

[Violet]

Ha Ha Ha! That's funny. I've had dogs since the day I was born and I don't think that I've ever heard something as funny as that. You better start buying a flavor of dog food you like!hahaha!!

[Tanya1414]

You guys are too funny! This morning I sat on the floor and ate my cereal and Hans had his breakfast while my husband sat at the kitchen table and just shook his head! Yoga sounds like a good idea, I could afford to lose a few pounds!

[Sudilar]

Hehehe!! LOL What we do for our babies!!

I'll send Shiloh over (GSD on diet). In self-defense, Hans will gobble up his food in seconds flat if he wants to eat, 'cause Shiloh, the doggie vacuum, will finish her food and HIS!

[This message has been edited by Sudilar (edited May 18, 2001).]

[karen israel]

I'm LOVING this!! LOL! You all are a riot! I learned the hard way, that the 1st time is cute, the 2nd time is a bad habit!!!

[Freckles]

Maybe add a little yogurt.
See Dog Health, Is Yogurt OK?
Some dogs seem to like it lots.

[RachelJ]

I warm a little bit of water in the microwave and add it to the dry krunchies and as Angels indicates that releases the aroma of the food. Also one or two kibbles to hand feed is okay, but that should be enough to get the appetite going. The other solution might be just to leave the food sit and let Hans eat at will. Now that he is an only dog, this is an option. I don't think he will starve himself.

[Daisy's Mom]

You can't do this too often but... once when my family went away, my cousin watched Daisy. Daisy refused to eat, and so she boiled some chicken boullion cubes and made chicken broth, and pured a little bit onto her food. She ate right away! Maybe after a few doses of chicken broth he'll be devouring his meals. But... I think it sounds like a lot more fun to get another dog

[crow_noir]

i have two suggestions. the first..crule, the second.. in the form of a story (sort of.)

one) just don't hand feed him. when he gets hungry, he'll eat.

two)my dog is a rescue. he never got any attention, food, or water. (ok, barely ever.) well, since we've had him we've had to stand next to him and pet him, sit next to him, or bring his food dish next to us when we eat, for him to eat. when we first had him he wouldn't eat his food until he got real hungry. we were thinking it was because he missed his old home. (a few houses away.) but one day i was standing in his kennel after i just got home and he rushed over to his full food dish from the previous morning. w/ in the following days i learned that that is what he wanted indeed. for his pack to eat w/ him.

[now sometimes he has to have his ball (puppy) eat w/ him too.]

you might want to try that w/ your dog.

(by the way, he is now an indoor dog. long story about his past.)