My new adopted dog won't eat his food, only human food. What to do?

Congratulations on your new addition! I'm glad to hear that Champ is very well-behaved. It's never a big surprise when a new pet refuses to eat or drink well when they're first brought to a new home. This change can be quite stressful and intimidating to them, and can evoke a bit of anxiety, leading to this refusal to eat or drink. First of all, try to give Champ as much space as he wants. You can offer him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for a few days to try to tempt him to eat, then gradually mix in his regular dog food. When you offer him food, try to do so in a quiet, calm environment where he can eat undisturbed by people or other pets. Initially, he'll probably be more willing to eat and drink when he's alone. My guess is that he's drinking some water when you aren't watching - particularly if he's urinating normally. Try to work on giving Champ a safe space where he can always go if he wants to be alone, such as a crate or a bed in the corner of a quiet room, and respect his boundaries by always leaving him alone if he's in that space. Building up on this safe space can help a dog feel more comfortable and confident in their surroundings, which in turn will likely facilitate normal behaviors, including eating and drinking. Best of luck with everything!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is certainly not that unusual in puppies and really in some adults as well as they adjust to a new environment. If she seems fine otherwise with a good activity level, I recommend you try a highly palatable diet such as the Purina Pro Plan shredded blends or potentially consider adding pieces of boiled chicken or dog grade gravy to make her current diet more palatable. This is likely going to work for you. If at some point, she appears to not be doing well, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and decreased energy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Rocco evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are a few things you can do to make his food more palatable while he gets used to it. For example, you may add low sodium chicken broth, veterinary approved gravy which you can get at your pet store or pieces of boiled chicken to it. Good luck!

Congrats on your new dog, but I'm sorry Marley is causing you some problems! It sounds like he is being difficult about eating, and you need to be tough with him. Good on you for recognizing that he shouldn't have human food and not giving it to him. You need to start him on a feeding schedule. Put down his food in the morning for 15-20 minutes, then take it away until his next feeding time. It's very important that he gets no other food during this time. No treats or human food. At dinner time, again put his food down and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Take it away after that time even if he hasn't eaten. The goal of this is to teach him that he needs to eat when he's given food. He will learn to do this once he gets hungry. I hope this helps!

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!

Just give her some time and stop giving her treats, she will eventually start eating her dry/wet food when she is hungry enough. in the first few days in a new house it is not uncommon for a dog to stop eating or to eat very little.