Dog won't eat when I travel. How to get him to eat while I'm away?

Try to stick to the same routine as before, like feeding the same food from the same dog bowl, playing and going for walks, etc. If he is still not interested in food, you can try something like boiled chicken breast to entice him to eat. If it is caused by anxiety, supplements like Zylkene or Comfort Zone Adaptil Collars or Diffuser may help. However, if Gizmo does not seem interested in eating in 24 hours, he may need to see a vet if there is a medical cause for his anorexia. It is possible that it is purely coincidental that his not eating happened when you went to your Grandmother's house.

You could try a calming supplement to help him - a few brands include Zylkene, Composure and Purina’s new Calm probiotic. Jasper might do best with a pet sitter in your home if this is feasible. You also might want to go ahead and have the pet sitter offer canned food or too his foodnwoth some broth to encourage his appetite while you’re gone since appetite tends to be a problem.

To be clear, Royce is at your relative's house right now and he is barking and won't eat? If that is the case, have your relatives distract him with some long exercise-a really long walk, a game of fetch....something to make him tired. Physical activity will usually make most pets want to eat. It will also help to ease his anxiety. If this doesn't help, have them take him to the veterinarian. A medication may help him as well. Not eating for five days may make him vomiting and have low blood sugar so its best to get him to eat. I hope this helps.

The best thing to do is bring things that are familiar for him. He toys, beds, and blankets that have his and your scent will help. I would also encourage your friend to try to stick to his normal routine schedule. If may not eat the first day or so, but generally after that they settle in and do just fine. You can also send some baby food or chicken to give as something special to help entice his appetite. If your friend hand feeds him treats it may make him more comfortable also

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry you are so frustrated. If Chewbacca is still active and drinking and not having vomiting or diarrhea, I would give him more time. Movin can be stressful and it isn't necessary for dogs to eat every day. I know you want him to eat but he may need to acclimate to the new place before he decides to eat. If he is acting ill, I recommend taking him to a vet to make sure nothing else is going on. I would also visit PetCo for Adaptil, a pheromone to help calm pets in stressful situtation. Talk to your vet about other behavior supplements like Composure or Zylkene. I hope this helps. Try to relax about the appetite. He knows you are stressed. He will eat when he's hungry as long as he's healthy. Good luck and kisses to Chewbacca!

I would recommend first getting a crate to keep Darby in while you are gone. This will help prevent her from destroying the house and keep her safe so she doesn't get into anything that could harm her. Crate training can take a few weeks but once she is used to the crate she will begin to feel safe there. I would also recommend taking her on a fast paced walk before you have to crate her to help drain some of her nervous energy. You can also try giving her a chew toy like a kong in the crate to keep her distracted. If these tactics do not work I would recommend talking to your vet about starting her on an anti anxiety medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A healthy dog will not choice starvation. It sounds like he is trying to train you to give him what he wants. I would hold your ground. Put the meal down, give him an allotted time to eat it and pick it up until the next meal time. It may take 3 days of holding out for him to realize that this is all it will be. No treats until he is eating his food consistently. He could also be out of sorts from you being away and him staying with your family. If he starts acting sick (vomit, diarrhea, etc) or it has been longer than 3 days have your Vet examine him. Also have a talk with your family about feeding expectations and why you don't want things added to his food. Good luck!