Hi everyone just wondering if any others out there have encountered the same problems as I am with my GSD bitch of 19 months, most of the time she eats 2 good meals a day, ie complete and a meat meal. then all of a sudden she wont touch her food for about 2 days, she never was a really eager feeder but at least she got there eventually, when she decides she dosen,t want it she will guard it and growl etc but then when the others leave she walks away from it, tried tuna, herrings, sardines even chappie to temp her to eat, but nothing works, I have currently got her on vitamin b12 to try to stimulate appetite, obviously show season is looming and when she does this she drops weight rapidly. apart from that I am eager to see her feeding normally as though she really enjoys her food which at the moment she does appear to, shes driving me nuts and she knows it, feed time is becoming a battle of wills, at present since saturady night she has eaten 1 tea cup full of complete with a bit of tripe, she goes for 4 mile walks has the benefit of a 30ft run so she is being mentally and physically stimulated, none of my other dogs are like this only her. and I am concerned for her health, I know that dogs shopuld be fasted ideally 1x weekly anyway but she goes the whole hog, if someone has been through this can they advise on what they did, if anything

Thanks
Janines Gsds

I free feed my 19 m/o GSD, which means that I leave her food (ped adv junior maxi) out all day, and she eats whenever/however much, she wants. She has been fed like this all the time she has been with me (since 12 weeks old) and I always notice one-day she eats loads, and the next, not as much. If there's a day where she has been doing a lot, then she eats more, if she lazes around, then she hardly eats. She rugulates her own body weight PERFECTLY.
Sorry that I can't give you any advice, but maybe its natural in GSD's to only eat as much as they need ???
Good Luck

Tracy, get her some Sorbit B, thick green liquid, quite palatable, let her lick this from a saucer, twice a day, will take a few days, but this will stimulate her apetite, also known as B Sorb.

Have had numerous successes with faddy eaters, and yes, I do believe, if left to there own devices, sheps would eat for a few good days, then leave food, but as you say they can lose condition easily, try this, it has worked wonders for others I have recommended, also my own.

Charm

Hi
Yes seems to be a gsd thing, they eat when they feel like it, some days they would eat and eat and eat and other days nothing..perhaps they do fast instinctively. But whenever they don't eat we get everything out ofthe cupboard raid the supermarket for things to encourage them with. :)
Sorbit B is brill though and does enhance appetite for our faddy eaters.
Tracey

Hi Charm

Can i ask where you get Sorbit B from?

I think you can only get it at stalls at shows, it is known as Sorbit B and B sorb, both are a thick green liquid, available in various sizes.

Hi everyone, I ordered some of the SORBIT from animal health co on Monday hopefully this will be here today pleased to know that it can work, she ate a little bit last night with a great deal of tempting I might add, took me nearly an hour to persuade her to eat. thinks she is trying me on as well mind he gets loads of extra attention when she does this, I have never had a dog like this all the others would eat you if you stood still long enough

Thanks
Janines

Just to let everyone know, Jordan had not eaten almost anything in 7 days, but did not seem ill in anyway, but yesterday noticed her growling at my in whelp bitch whos due today, thought it very strange as they get along brilliantly, by the way they were seperated, anyway not long after tried Jordan with the remains of left over dinner ie beans egg and bacon, totally ignored it and walked away, so I thought right thats it and off to the vets she went, vet diagnosed a hormonal dysfunction. probably made worse by the fact that her kennel mate is in whelp, and having been in season together, and when I think back Jordan does go slightly funny before and after each season she,s only took it the whole hog this time. vet gave her ovarid tablets, and I started giving her pulsittla (think thats how its spelt), which helps with phantoms. coupled with the sorb vit b which Charm recommended, so hopefully got to the bottom of Jordans hunger strike, and I am pleased to say that this morning she polished off a bowl of tripe and biscuits so another mystery solved, just have to watch next time and be on my guard, does anyone out there know of a natural hormone regulatoer that can be given to stop this hapeneing again. Jordan has never really been a great feeder , she always took ages, her mums the same and her grandfather was also so possibly coming thru the line.
Anyway shes eating again THANK GOD
Janines