Appetite Changes in Healthy Chow

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Juniper
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Appetite Changes in Healthy Chow

Post by Juniper »

:?: Wanted to know if any of you experienced Chow persons notice that when the days get longer your Chows skip a meal or reduce their eating.

I haven't done any changes as far as walking, feeding, her being alone for almost 12 hours in the day, etc. and Sheena lost interest in eating her morning meal, so I feed it to her in the evening and she eats it just fine. If I increase her evening meal she won't eat the extra food. Normally I feed her twice in a day.

Could the change in the temperature of the house be the cause of her decreased appetite? It's now 73F in the morning instead of 68F and goes to 75 or 76F in the afternoons with the central air conditioning. I can't afford to lower the temperature anymore for her. I brush her daily to get any extra fur out to help her get cooler. I probably overbrush and overcomb her if there is such a thing.

She's just drinking a tad more water than usual probably because of the warmer house temperature. Is it possible that the increase in water consumption creates a decrease in wanting food?

However, when I offered a chicken jerky treat or biscuit when she refused breakfast, she'd eat the treat! So maybe this is a test and she's just doing a number on me to get treats and see how much she can get away with. I usually have her do something and give her a treat before I leave for the day. This morning - she didn't eat and she didn't get a treat before I left - although she was anxiously awaiting it.

Thanks for any thoughts you have on this.
Jennifer & Sheena
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Post by Zhuyos mom »

I think it's the change in temperature. My chows have little appetite to eat a full morning meal if it is hot. So I introduced the "breakfast biscuit". Which they will never say no to and will wake me up to remind me that their "breakfast biscuit" is due to them. Then lunch becomes their first meal of the day and dinner comes closer to bed time.
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Post by Rogansmommy »

Rogan is a very picky eater. He skips meals all the time; probably once or twice every 2 weeks. He's very polite about it - he just sits down and looks up at us, as if to say, "You want me to eat THIS?" We're on a tight meal schedule because of the rottweiler -- she will eat ANYTHING that doesn't try to eat her first :shock: and she's allergic to the planet. So he knows that if he doesn't start to eat in about one minute of his bowl hitting the floor, then it is being picked up. :) He will also eat less when the weather changes. Moreso if it is raining; he hates to go out in the rain and will avoid it at all costs. :? He has also expressed his displeasure over food choices over the years. (Again, because of the rottweiler's allergies, we switch food every 6-9 months. Rogan HAS to eat what Nina eats -- since he doesn't always finish his food and she can't deviate from the food she is eating at the time.) Needless to say, it's been fun!
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Post by Juniper »

Thanks Lou & Michelle for the quick response. You've put my mind at ease. Since my experience has always been with voracious cats, a weimeraner and a mutt whose appetites never diminished. :lol:

Sheena gets up slowly and nonchalantly walks over, smells the food, looks at me and then goes back and lies down in front of the sliding glass door to continue watching the birds eat their bird seed and take baths. She also awaits the appearance of that lone squirrel so she can make more scratches in our sliding glass door. :wink: She makes me feel as though I've inconvenienced her with the look she gives me after she smells the food. :roll:

The breakfast biscuit sounds like a good idea. I don't like her not eating anything at all if she continues for too many days in a row.. Plus there just might be a bit of wanting a change of menu - she is also very picky.

Thanks again and much health to your Chows and Rottweiler (I like rotties also).
Jennifer & Sheena
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Post by Judy Fox »

Jennifer, I am going to try the breakfast biscuit with Milly and Mabel! :roll:
You could be describing Milly when you tell what Sheena does. Milly is so picky and I don't like her not eating - I have to sometimes feed her the breakfast off a spoon!
She and Mabel walk over to their food and look at it and smell it and yawn 'cos it is so boring then Milly will have a little try and Mabel will watch then Mabel will start hers and we stand with crossed fingers and bated breath just waiting and hoping they will accept our offerings! :)
So I am going to try the biscuit in the morning - it will most certainly save my knees.
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Post by Juniper »

Judy, breakfast off a spoon! :lol:...Milly sure has you very trained! Although I must admit I've been there done that. :oops: But not anymore.

Sheena ate her evening meal when she refused to eat that morning. She's also been eating her breakfast and evening meals since I refused to give her anything when she didn't eat breakfast. But next time she refuses breakfast I will give her a biscuit. I just don't want this to become a habit with her.

You've got your work cut out for you Judy with 2 chows who conspire and are in cahoots with each other to give you the royal chow-chow treatment. I was thinkin' of getting a companion for Sheena but it's a lot of work now just with one chow in the house. My knees need a rest also. :lol:
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Post by Judy Fox »

Jennifer, my whole body needs a rest. :roll: :roll:
Have you read my posting on "Hey" - and Milly's antics in the middle of the night. She found a hedgehog the other evening and had to be ordered in, together with Mabel!
I thought I had won - we went to bed and off to sleep then in the middle of the night Miss Milly, the little Moo, thumped me awake and told me she needed to go out, I thought to spend a penny! No, she wanted to hedgehog hunt and has woken me every night since - twice last night. Today we went to my mother's as we do every Friday which is a good drive away - then I take her shopping etc. - I am tired! :?
Last not, not only did she get me up but she went and tried to nuzzle Mabel awake too!
I wonder if I can chain her to her bed! Harumph! I don't think so. :lol:
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Post by Juniper »

Judy - I've read all about Milly & Mabel's antics and my hat is off to you for your persistence and love.

My Sheena - she's interested in rats and cats (no hedgehogs here). After a few times of being fooled I now tell her "Forget it, Sheena, you might as well lay down." She gives me the harumph and lays down. But then she's only going to be about 3.5 years old so I know she can hold and doesn't really need to go that often.

Now, now Judy, I don't believe chows like being restrained - plus you may not have a bed to sleep on anymore by the time Milly gets though with it! :lol:
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Post by Judy Fox »

Yes, well!

Milly is only 4 and a half and can jolly well hold too. However, as you say, I don't think chaining her to her softbed is an option. I suppose I could chain her to my bed - but sleep would go out of the window I suppose.

Also, we must remember H.R.H. Pumpkin's antics when Joanna tied her up to a table on the pavement whilst she popped into the bakery for a minute - H.R.H. dragged the table up the street - Joanna had to carry it back. :lol:
(Joanna might be persuaded to tell this story again!) We were all in hysterics at that Chow's antics! And, as I have said, Milly comes a close second to Pumppkin and Pekoe, Jeff's girl.

So I reckon I must forget the chain.

Gag perhaps :?: :?: :?:
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Post by Juniper »

All of the Chows you've mentioned makes my Sheena sound like a complete angel. I think Sheena's being a stray loose in the street for 1 year and 3 months changed her attitude. Her first owners threw her out and she doesn't want another to do the same - not that I ever could.

Yep, the chain is definitely a no go after that story about Pumpkin. :lol:
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loss of appitite

Post by carolyn dewrance »

Loss of appitite could be anything, change in the weather change in her food, it could also be more serious, I would take her to the vet for a checkup just to make sure that everything is o.k. When did you worm her last, Chows andother dogs can pick up hook worm which can be very serious, and then tick bite fever is also another problem, then maybe she just wants a change in food, something more tasty, could she be pregnant, or is there another chow or dog around that is , she could be having a false pregnancy, Oh I could go on for hours, but my son wont let me as he pays for the internet. Hope you sort her out soon
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Loss of Appetite

Post by Juniper »

Thanks for the info Carolyn. Sheena is spayed so I don't think it would be false pregnancy but now that you've got me thinkin'...

Sheena's been living a very sheltered life indoors since last October and she hasn't had the opportunity to be very active as of late. The change in weather 90F one week and then this week it's back to mid to high 70's and very cool nights low 50's. As a result, she's become more active and has increased her eating again. So I think it's the temperature change. But I will keep all those other ailments in mind for future reference.

There could be some stress being created for Sheena. Since I'm not home I don't know what it could be. There is a male boxer adjoining our fence on one side whom Sheena likes. However, in the past two weeks I've noticed there is a pit bull on the other fence side who barks alot and Sheena has been barking along with him or at him at night since he's moved in. She may not like that he barks at me.

Plus, I just realized that some new owners of the property that I share another fence with are more active than the former owners and when the lights turn on and off in their rooms Sheena barks furiously. She hardly barked at all before! This could also be a cause of her eating decrease as well - Stress. :roll:

Thanks for having me look at this a little bit more in detail. I think I'll need to be more attentive to Sheena and have a heart to heart mind meld with her. :lol:

And please thank your son for me. Your info is invaluable and helps us all. :)
Jennifer & Sheena
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