Doesn't Want to Eat Kibble

[PatsyIppolito]

Hi Again,

My puppy is now 9 months old and is a finicky eater.  

Initally I was free feeding, but then read that that might not be a good idea, so for the past couple of months have been feeding only 2x/day and taking the food away if she doesn't eat.  She gets a very high grade kibble.  She seems to get really itchy if I feed her poultry, so her food is seafood.  Unfortunately the brand I use is only seafood or poultry so also not a chance to get much variety.  I am considering switching to another brand that has seafood and lamb as another option so I can give some variety.

In the morning, she seldom eats when I put her food out.  I have tried mixing it with water to bring out the aroma and using different feeding systems such as a wobble ball.  I have also experimented with seeing if it made a difference if I fed her before or after her walk.   Doesn't seem to make a difference.  

She is very treat motivated and when we do walks etc., she does get treats as we are working on loose leash walking and heal.  She has no problem eating the treats!   I have begun to wonder if she is filling up on treats or is just holding out for more treats.  For the last few days, I have started using kibble as treats on walks if she doesn't eat it at meal time.  She is less than impressed and will snub it or spit it out.  

I saw your idea of mixing the kibble with hot dogs and letting it sit over night and may give that a try, but also don't want to have to be doing that for every meal.

Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

[Adrienne]

Hi Patsy,

Has she always been rather finicky or is this a recent behavior? In other words, when she was free-fed did she eat well? I know with free-fed dogs this may not be easy to assess unless you were measuring the food you fed her and subtracted what was left in the bowl at the end of the day. 

When I hear about dogs who are itchy, allergies often comes to mind. Some dogs may be allergic to things in their environment such as grass, pollens, dust mites, flea saliva, and products we may use in our homes and yards, others may suffer from food intolerances/allergies. 

Interestingly, a recent study by the Itchy Dog Project led by researchers at the University of Nottingham’s (UN) School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 has revealed some quite interesting findings. The studies revealed that excess itchiness led to several problematic behaviors in dogs including attachment/attention-seeking behaviors, chewing, hyperactivity, excitability, anxiety, stress and excessive grooming. 

It may be worthy therefore consulting with your vet and determining what she may be allergic to, and if it's food allergies, then finding a food that agrees with her and helps reduce her itchiness. While at the vet, it may also help discussing about her reduced appetite just to make sure that there's nothing medically impacting her, that possibly, may or may not be correlated to the itchiness as well.

Dogs usually have healthy appetites, and while it's true that some dogs may be finicky eaters, it's also true some may be that way either because they are stressed by something or there's something medically going on. It's also true though that some dogs can get finicky when they are free-fed due to the fact that the food sits out all day which decreases its value. By now though, I would have expected her to learn to eat her morning portion quickly as the food bowl would otherwise be picked up and she won't have food until her next feeding. 

Since you are at a delicate transitional phase, that is, weaning her from being free-fed it would be best to not give her treats until she has eaten enough of her kibble. This would mean scheduling your walks after she has eaten enough of her meal. As a general rule, treats should not make up no more than about 10 percent of your dog's daily calories. Also, since she's a small dog, treats can fill her up quickly so you will need to be careful and give very small pieces. With small dogs, I often can get as many as 10 pieces out of a dog's normal size soft treat. 

Alternatively, a nice compromise for both would be using her kibble as treats for training, but it sounds like she's not eager to eat those. A way around this is mixing kibble with hot dogs (low-sodium hot dogs, preferably organic ones) but this is mostly for training than really for the meals. The kibble is meant to absorb some of the fragrance of the hot dogs (the hot dogs can be removed afterward for dogs with sensitive tummies) so that these hot-dog- infused kibbles can be used for training. This may work for some dogs. 

Another option may be feeding her something that is higher value than kibble for both her meals and training. This would offer a win-win situation as she would get to eat happily, while also being trained.

For example, I know some finicky dogs who won't eat their kibble, but love eating those refrigerated food rolls such as Fresh Pet Nature's Fresh Turkey Recipe. This is a balanced food meant for all life stages. There are other super valuable dog foods for finicky eaters that can be offered as an alternative to kibble such as semi-moist dog foods, however, please consult with your vet before implementing any dietary changes, because it would be best to really get to the bottom of her itching and finicky eating.

Also, any food switches must be done gradually to prevent digest upsets. Most dog foods will provide directions on how to up the chances for a smooth transition by adding the new food to the old very gradually. 

I hope this helps!

Best,

Adrienne 

 

 

[PatsyIppolito]

Thanks Adrienne,

She has always been a bit finicky - when we go to other people's places though, if she can get at their dog's kibble she is always happy to gobble down as much as she can get before it is removed!  

She hasn't been free-fed for a few months now.  Even when she was though, she was never a gobble it down quickly kind of dog.

We have been exploring the itchiness for a while.  She was on a very strict fish only diet for a month and then slowly started introducing other sources again.  Poultry definitely makes her itchy so that is no longer part of her diet.  The itchiness definitely seems to be associated with food.  When she eats only fish, that virtually disappears.  I have reintroduced beef bones which also seems to be ok.  She has grown and is healthy in every way, so it appears she is getting enough food despite now always eating well.  

I am reluctant to switch food again.  I have done it a couple of times (gradually) and each time, initially she is very happy to eat the new kibble, but after a week or so, is not so excited about it.  That's one reason why I would like a brand that has a couple of flavor options ie. fish and lamb  so that she can have some variety.   

I am going to try the mixing kibble with hot dogs trick for training to see if that helps.  

 

[Adrienne]

I hear you, dealing with itchy pups can be very frustrating!

Many dogs will eat when there is some sort of competition going on. Indeed, when I worked for a vet, a trick of the trade with finicky dogs who were hospitalized and were a bit reluctant to eat, was to feed them when there were other dogs around and they would eat their meals quickly when before they didn't want anything to do with the food. On the other hand, most likely she just enjoys the novelty of something different. 

With food allergies, vets usually want dogs only on one food protein (usually made with only a few ingredients) and if treats are fed, they must strictly share the same protein as the food. For example, if you must feed fish, then the treats must be fish-based only or you can feed some boiled fish as a treat. Even a small treat containing another ingredient a dog is allergic to is often enough to cause itching. I know though how difficult this can be with dogs who like variety in their diets. 

[PatsyIppolito]

I think I created confusion by talking about her past history of itchiness.  Since changing her to a fish diet, itchiness is no longer a concern.  I was just trying to give a bit of history as to where we have been on the feeding journey.    As I mentioned, the food she currently gets is a very high quality kibble and is fish. Other than beef bones, which I was told I could introduce again and she has had no reaction to, her treats are all fish based.  The vet doesn't recommend soft foods.  

What I'm still struggling with is getting her to eat her food, especially in the mornings.  I still wonder if she is holding out for something different.  Tricky when we are training.  I have started putting a treat in her bowl after she has finished eating to see if that will send the message food first, then treats.  I'm not sure if that is a good plan or not.

[Adrienne]

Thanks for the extra details, 

I am glad that her itchiness is no longer a concern. If she is doing well on fish, that's a good sign that you are on the right path and it's good you are using as well fish treats. 

With the morning eating, there can be various causes. I have dealt with some dogs who for some reason or another they struggled eating their morning meals. I will share some possible causes (of course, these don't necessarily apply to your case).

Causes of dogs refusing morning meals

-Some dogs may suffer from acid reflux or what's known as bilious vomiting syndrome.  Affected dogs may develop nausea (often manifested as drooling, lip smacking and licking surfaces)  sometimes followed by vomiting which usually occurs in the early morning and consists of bile. Not all dogs vomit though, some just get nausea and struggle with eating in the morning. This doesn't sound like your dog, but I just wanted to add it to the list if any readers have dogs with this issue. 

-Some dogs may too overstimulated or excited in the morning and they just can't seem to relax enough to focus on eating. We used to have a puppy over for boarding and training who was super happy to be let out of her crate overnight and all she wanted to do was greet us and play with our dogs. When we offered her food, she would sniff it and then look for something else to do. If we presented the food again, she would mouth it and then spit it. However, she would eat in the late morning-early afternoon once she was calmer and more relaxed.

-Sometimes anxiety can be the trigger. Carefully evaluate what is happening in the morning when your dog is refusing food. Can there may something going on that can be making her feel anxious? Sometimes children may be  running back and forth as they are getting ready for breakfast or maybe the garbage truck is driving by as she is eating. If you feed your dog before going to work it can be hat your dog is too anxious about you leaving and can't focus on eating. You will need to be your dog's eyes and ears for a moment in the morning to carefully evaluate whether there may be something going on that may cause your dog to feel antsy.

-Some dogs are simply waiting for something better. Some dogs may learn to skip their breakfast if they know that owners have something better to offer. It may start this way: you offer your dog her meal in the morning and she refuses it. Worried, a family member removes the bowl and offers her some of left over chicken instead. Your dog eagerly eats it. Next morning, the same scenario happens. Soon, your dog learns to hold off eating her meal because there's something better to offer. "Dogs are smart this way and will have you feeding them Mcdonalds' if you aren't careful," my vet used to say. 

I can see this happen if when she skipped her breakfast she was taken on walks and fed several treats. Being small she would then feel full. When a dog feels full with too many treats or people foods they can choose to be picky. 

-Some dogs instead enjoy the extra attention. Some dogs will bark when you sit down and watch TV, others may start chewing your shoes, and some others will play the "I don't feel like eating game." What happens with these dogs is that they enjoy the extra attention when they make a miserable face and stare at the food bowl and one tries to coax them to eat. These dogs simply start associating feeding time with interaction so they'll do what they can do to prolong things and get as much attention they can before eating.

-History of free-feeding. Dogs who are free-fed therefore tend to learn to eat when they feel like it. Often-times, this means eating later on during the day when they start to really feel hungry. This is because, when food is left out all day, it tends to lose its value. Dogs do not feel motivated to eat because it's always readily available. It may take some time to get used to scheduled feedings. 

-Getting other sources of food. Sometimes, dogs who refuse food in the morning are getting food other ways. For instance, a child may be dropping food from the table at breakfast, the dog is eating kitty's breakfast or at night it raiding the trash can. 

Ways to Get Dogs to Eat

-Rule out medical issues. As mentioned, sometimes a dog refusing to eat food in the morning may suffer from some underlying medical condition. Pain, digestive issues and metabolic disorders come to mind among various possibilities. Treatment varies of course based on the underlying cause.

-Switch to scheduled feedings. If a dog has been free-fed and now you want your dog to start eating his meals at scheduled times, consider that it may take some time to adjust, but you will need to be strong to increase your dog's motivation. Basically, put the food bowl down and give your dog 15 minutes to eat. If she doesn't eat, that a sign that she isn’t motivated to eat. By removing the bowl, you can be assured that she’ll be much more motivated to eat at the next meal, explains Dr. Christine Zink, a board-certified veterinary pathologist. 

Usually, most dogs grasp the idea after skipping two to three feedings and feeling hungry enough. Important is to not feed any people foods or treats or the dog will come to learn to hold off the food in hopes of these getting these goodies and the extra attention. However, if your dog doesn't seem to build an appetite after repeated offerings, it's best to consult with your vet to see if there's an underlying problem.

-Offer a Calm Environment. Dogs who are overly excited or anxious certainly benefit from a calmer environment. Give your dog a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of kids getting read for school or outdoor noises. Avoid petting your dog, interacting with her and giving too much attention in the morning as this can get her excited and thinking about play more than eating. Keep toys away and out of reach and other dogs separated if your dog only thinks about starting to play.

You want to therefore pick a spot that is near people, but not in a high-traffic area. A corner of the kitchen, a specific spot in the family room or a designated area in the laundry room with the door open may work well depending on your family's normal activities. If your dog is anxious because you are leaving for work, you may need to work on treating separation anxiety. 

Based on your info, worthy of trying is offering the morning meal in a quiet area. If she doesn't eat within a reasonable amount of time, pick up the bowl and no treats or people food until the next scheduled feeding. Check with your vet on this though as some small dogs can get low glucose levels if they go too long without eating. Once she eats, then you can take her on the walk and use treats (always broken in small pieces so not to give too much).  

If she eats in the morning,  rather than giving her the treat  in the bowl after to reward,  if she likes to go on walks, I would call her, ask her for a sit by the door and clip the leash on and give her a treat to reward for that. Then, I would continue using the treats on walks to reward polite leash walking as needed (always giving small pieces). 

There are other ways to entice dogs to eat their kibble, but they often require adding something to the kibble (like some canned food, meal topper, garlic and onion free meat broth) and the dog may come to want that something added all the time or may learn to lick the addition and leave out the kibble. 

[PatsyIppolito]

Thanks again.  Since there are no other people in the house (or pets), I've been able to rule out several things.  I am left with the feeling that my mistake has been taking her for walks and giving her treats to reward appropriate behavior when walking.  I always break the treats into tiny pieces because she is so small, but I think she still gets enough to fill her up.  She is very strong willed so this may take a while.  I have been taking her for walks even if she doesn't eat, but instead of treats I give her her kibble for appropriate behavior - she is not impressed.  She does still eat her second meal - by then  think she is quite hungry.  She also has a favorite toy, so today, I thought I would wait until she eats to give her access to that toy.  So far, no go, but I'm curious to see what happens when she does eat and gets the toy.  That may click in as I think the toy is even more motivating than the walk for her.  

[Adrienne]

Please don't blame yourself. You didn't make a mistake at all. Rewarding for appropriate behaviors is the correct approach and most trainers would have suggested that approach. Tackling the problem of barking on walks early on is important, as left untreated, it can put roots and become more difficult to work on.  You also broke the treats into several small pieces to avoid filling her up. Also, when training dogs on the verge of the exciting moment when we start seeing results, it can happen that we fail to recognize how many treats a dog has consumed.

 

Because of this, some dog trainers have even started asking dog owners to not feed their dog's their meals prior to the training or feeding less in the evening to make-up for the extra treats. While this can be OK a few times, over time though we need to consider that more treats and less food can become unhealthy. So we need to watch those calories, especially with small dogs. Usually, the bags of treats provide general guidelines on how many treats to feed a dog based on weight, but not always. 

 

So it may help watching calories and the amount fed so to not fill her up too much. We need to make sure that when she is fed treats, the amount of treats fed don't comprise more than 10 percent of your dog's daily caloric need. To determine your dog's daily caloric need, please consult with your vet. 

 

To keep calories low, we have several options. I will be sharing some here:

 

-Split treats. We already discussed this, but it's worthy of just listing it here in case others are in your same situation and are reading this. With small dogs, it is best to consult with your vet and ask about how many treats your dog can eat a day based on your dog's weight and the treats' caloric count.

 

Then, once you have the ideal number, split those into small pieces and arrange your training session around that. You can divide them in groups based on how many times you plan to train a day, ending the session/walk when you have finished the allotted amount of treats.

 

-Look for low-calorie options. The less calories a treat has, the more you can provide without surpassing the 10 percent rule. Look for treats therefore that are advertised as being very low calorie.  For instance, Bixbi Pocket Trainers provide less than 4 calories for treat. I have used these these for training dogs, especially when clients are concerned about their dogs filling up and where every calorie counts.

 

For example, last time I had a small papillon mix that weighed a little less than 7 pounds. Her vet assumed that her caloric requirements were probably around 200 calories/day. With that in mind, considering the 10 percent rule, she would therefore need to not go over 20 calories from treats. At 4 calories for treat, she could get up to 5 Bixbi Pocket trainer treats a day (5x4=20). While 5 treats a day may seem like very little, once you break them up into 4 pieces each that leads to 20 treats that can be used to reinforce 20 desirable behaviors!

 

There are many other low-calorie options on the market nowadays. Like Plato Small Bites Salmon or Zuke's Mini Naturals which contain just a mere 2 calories per treat! Of course, check with your vet if your dog has allergies before feeding anything. 

 

-Use dog Friendly Fruits and Veggies. Many dog owners use fruits and veggies for training their dogs. This is a good option considering that these healthy human foods have low calories which helps dog owners ensure their dogs don't feed more than 10 percent of the daily calories.

Board-certified veterinary nutritionist Dr. Deborah E. Linder lists several low calorie options for dogs on Petfoodology by Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University.https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/12/does-an-apple-a-day-keep-the-vet-away-harmful-vs-healthy-foods-for-pets/

Among the lowest calorie options for small dogs are blueberries with 1/4 cup or about 25 berries offering just 20 calories. A whole cup of green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces or a 1/4 cup of green peas offers 30 calories instead.

Please don't just feed any fruit or veggie you come across without ensuring it's not toxic to your dog. For instance, consider that grapes, raisins, onions and garlic are toxic to dogs.

-Train with Cheerios. Cheerios are a favorite low-calorie food that can be used to train dogs. They offer the advantage of taking on the smell/taste of treats pretty well, so you can mix them in with other treats to make them more appetibile.

-Concentrate the training on walks. In other words, if you only have 10 treats, make the best you can of them. So try to walk in quiet areas and plan to meet only up to 10 triggers. Use the emergency u-turn if you think another dog is too close or if you are meeting extra triggers that came unexpected (https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/). Dedicate a part of the walk mainly concentrating on creating positive associations/reinforcing desired behaviors.  If your dog is very toy-driven you can also intermittently provide a toy to carry, catch or play tug with to reinforce desired behaviors. 

-Use your dog's kibble. I know you mentioned that your dog is not impressed. But there are ways to increase motivation. Have you tried already mixing it with other smelly foods (like the salmon treats) in hopes of it absorbing their aroma? If you can get your dog to think that kibble is as good as treats, then you'll easily have plenty of training opportunities without having to depend on higher-calorie treats.

Here's the thing: you can persuade your dog into loving to eat kibble by simply making your dog earn it. The scientific term is "contrafreeloading."This term was coined by animal psychologist Glen Jensen in 1963 who described the phenomenon of animals who come to prefer eating food that requires some effort to obtain versus food offered freely.

To put this in practice, simply measure the recommended daily ratio of kibble you should feed and place it into a treat pouch and feed it throughout the day for training. If you happen to have any left overs, you can serve it in your dog's bowl, inside a Kong Wobbler or you can organize a fun treasure hunt game.

To prevent a dog's stomach from building too much acid, it may help to do a small meal in the morning and one in the evening, and then use the rest as training treats. Consult with your vet if your dog has a health condition (like tummy troubles or low blood glucose) for guidelines.

Finally, we need to find how to make her meal more appetizing. You can try adding some splashes of water and microwaving it for a few seconds so to make it more palatable (careful as it gets hot quickly) or you can see if a size change may help. Some finicky small dogs may prefer a toy or small breed diet that has smaller kibble making it easier to picky up and eat. 

Some finicky dogs also enjoy the extra attention they get when they don't want to eat their meals, so it's best to just act matter of fact and not plead them to eat or add stuff to just get them eating. This just reinforces fussiness.

Finally, it's important ruling out any possible medical problems especially if the dog remains persistently finicky on eating meals despite reducing calories and amounts of treats fed. There may be a problem chewing or some other underlying medical issue and sometimes there may be something psychological going on as well (dog fearful of reflections on metal bowls, dog doesn't like to eat alone, dog is too anxious) or a problem with the food (dog food is rancid or has expired) or has been recalled etc. 

 

[FrederykBlot]

Hello

 

I'm upping this subject because we had a kibble related issue lately : M. Loki decided that kibbles do not seem to be good enough anymore.

 

We may have made a mistake though : there have been a discount sale on his brand and we purchased a 12 kgs package. Given he takes around 160 grs per day, it should last about 3 months.

 

It has been less than a month now, and while there was absolutely no issue before, he skipped the meal of yesterday evening and this morning. At noon, he finally finished the meal of yesterday. He also does not take them anymore when we "capture" good behavior, like default sit or relaxed lying

 

So I guess it's supposed to be a rebellion phase against the kibble, and if so, we should stick to giving him his meals, and we will it when he'll be hungry. And we should not indulge him to be picky, snobby

 

But we also read that kibbles oxydes. When buying the big package, we didn't know about that, and it is open since almost a month, and I'm afraid it may be too late... We close the bag with a cooking clamp, but I guess once it's open, oxydation will come.

 

 

What do you think ? Is it him just having a phase and we should not indulge ? Or it can be a real problem with the kibble and we should go now with smaller packages that would last only a few weeks ? (In that case those 12 kgs packages are a total rip-off for puppies)

 

Thank you

[FrederykBlot]

I couldn't édit my last message, so I reply on it, but can heat had to do with it ?

 

We're in Europe and the hot days are starting to come

The last days were : normal morning session with big nap until end of morning, then almost nothing the whole noon and afternoon... Not much up to anything, not much tug, not much obedience... And since sunset, the day started : much energy, big fetch session...

 

I was wondering if heat can cause lost appetite, because us humans also eat less when it's hot, and maybe it's eating less because he has less energy in overall during the day

 

Thanks

[JMFS]

Medical issues aside:

It can fluctuate with their growth and / or energy exerted throughout the day.  When he's going through a spurt he'll eat better and then I've noticed there's sometimes a lull.  You can try warm water to soften it / give it a different texture and bring out the aroma to help incite his appetite.  Broth works, too.

As far as training it could have devalued since he gets it as his meals, too.  I think of it like this - if I had the same meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I wouldn't want it as a snack or dessert.  For new things he'll probably be wanting something more fantastic than his usual kibble.

Another thing to consider could be the amount he's being fed.  Is it more than he needs?  If he's gorged himself and is still content from the previous meal he's less likely to eat again.  I tend to feed mine a little less than I think they need.  It's much easier to supplement than to take away.

How is he fed?  From a bowl?  If not then it may be more fun to have his kibble dispensed from a Kong or even hidden around a room, or his play pen, so he has to work to find it.  After our yard was freshly mown I would toss Momo's food in a 4' x 4' square (1.5'ish meters) so he'd have to "hunt" his meal.  He Loved it.  He got to use his nose and brain.  If Loki isn't developed enough, yet, to find it you can place it in small piles around where he normally eats so he has to move from pile to pile, making meal time a bit more interesting and interactive.

For storage we have plastic containers with self-sealing lids that I dump the bags into.  If you have a FoodSaver or some such contraption you can portion it into bags and seal those so they last longer.  Kibble can also be frozen to prolong its shelf life. 

Proper Dog Food Storage 

And I just learned from that page that I should be putting the whole bag in the container instead of dumping it. 

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by JMFS
Fixed the link

[FrederykBlot]

Thanks for the good advice.

 

He's fed from a bowl, but do not take them in it anymore.

 

We manages to make him one full meal, but it was from a Kong in 2 settings (early awake session + middle session, that make around one hour between), so maybe the value has something to do with it. But even if he takes from the Kong, I don't really want to feed him rotten kibbles, or kibbles past the oxydation / conservation threshold

 

I reduce the size also. I was on the upper range on what's written on the package, so perhaps he was feeling full, but I'm not sure about that because it happens also on morning.

 

I'd really wouldn't want to throw away 9 kgs of kibbles... And I'm afraid that compromising, like adding wet food and "enhancers", would just invite him to be more picky as something better is coming after initial refusal

 

[JMFS]

Good plan - try reducing the amount first.  If that doesn't work then the next solution can be tried.  Warm water with the kibble, for example.  It's still his food, but the aroma is being drawn out to entice his hunger so you're not bribing him with anything other than what he's already eating.  Kind of like putting salt and pepper on a potato.  A good test of hunger is if he's still taking treats then he's Probably simply not that hungry.

Dry food can stay in the Kong throughout the day and still be safe.  Rancidity is the first sign of spoilage with dry food and you'll be able to smell when it's gone off, like old oil.  Adrienne has said that dogs have really good stomachs and she's right.  Think of all the dirt they eat on a daily basis.  The dust from the floors, the dirt from our shoes (if you wear shoes in the house), the dry skin and hair (this is starting to sound gross, lol), etc . . ..  I run our robo vacuum daily and my socks Still collect dirt and debris as I walk around.  This isn't even considering what they taste when they're outside.  And then there are the things they chew on that they oughtn't.  Follow that with their tongue grooming.  Day-old kibble won't hold a candle to all that gross stuff.  :D  They're excellent companions partially because their health is so hardy.

Having said that, sometimes they will find something benign that disagrees with them (like some foods do with us) and they'll refuse food waiting for their tummies to settle.

I do pick up the food after I've had my coffee (for morning feedings).  Whatever isn't finished gets served again that evening.  If it's still not eaten in the evening I'll hold it for the morning.  After that it gets tossed.  It can be put in the refrigerator to prolong its life if it's not finished in one sitting.  If they still haven't eaten by the 2nd evening I've already given them a once-over to ensure there's nothing obviously wrong and then I start to fret. 

With Momo any refusal of food was an instant Vet visit because he Never turned down the opportunity to eat, he was always ravenous with hunger.  Gertie and Esther would be a next morning Vet visit if they refused their 2nd breakfast.  Abbi would sometimes go 2 days without eating because she's finicky.  By the 3rd day she would go to the Vet.  As you get to know Loki you'll have a good feel for when concern should arise.

[FrederykBlot]

Perhaps you're right : he would try always to eat horse poop, or worms, or slugs during walks... So maybe kibbles open past one month isn't that big of a deal

 

I was a bit afraid in the sense that he never had a problem with his kibble before

 

But also heard that the kibbles refusal is a thing. As you said, eating the same thing over and over again each meal can be not very enticing at some point

 

Dont want to waste food, but not at the expanse of my buddy's health

[JMFS]

I completely get it.  When you get a high quality food, especially, it's not cheap and I don't like the idea of unnecessarily using resources for waste.  If you can do freezer bags and have room in the freezer then the food can be kept for at least 6 months.

[FrederykBlot]

Had my vet center on phone, he said that if he's eating from the Kong it's ok, and it's really more a value thing than a real health issue

If it had really been rotten, he wouldn't have taken it even from a Kong

 

(She may even have a little laugh saying "ohhh that's cute, he's worrying about something so insignificant) 😂😂

 

Please anyone let me know if his answer was over safe and over casual while there can be a real issue

[JMFS]

Usually when there's an issue with their not eating it's accompanied by other symptoms like lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, refusing to drink water, not being able to toilet, panting, distended or tight belly, pain or discomfort, not sleeping, etc . . ..  If it's Just not eating his regular food then you can relax a bit.  :) 

The treat test is one of the best ones I can think of.  If he's willing to eat something other than his food then that's a good sign that he's not valuing the food high enough at the moment.  Kind of like when we're full we'll refuse more food, but just as we can make room for dessert, dogs can make room for treats.