My dog won't eat breakfast. Is it safe to force-feed him baby food?

Some dogs have their own schedule in terms of eating. We have dogs that graze throughout the day small amounts, dogs that will eat any food in front of them immediately to the point of making themselves sick, and other dogs like yours that may just eat at certain times. As long as your vet thinks your dog's weight is appropriate/ their growth is acceptable and Norik is not having diarrhea or vomiting then I wouldn't be concerned. I would recommend if Norik hasn't been to the vet recently for his vet to examine him and be sure he is of an appropriate weight.

You're definitely on the right track with thinking that puppies as tiny as Norik need a reliable and regular feeding schedule in order to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so it is important to find a food that he likes. I think it's important to be sure that medical problems that could potentially be affecting his appetite should be ruled out, especially if there are other symptoms (occasional vomiting, diarrhea, or other) that may indicate a parasite infestation or other problem. It's fine to try mixing in a bit of baby food (avoid recipes prepared with onion and garlic) or even a high quality canned puppy food (Royal Canin makes some good foods for puppies) to see if this stimulates his appetite. I have 2 small breed dogs and I have always had to feed a mixture of dry and canned to get them to eat. Also, I would consider maybe looking for a food that is specifically formulated for the nutritional needs of puppies. Ziwipeak might be a great adult dog food, and it's likely formulated with all life stages in mind, but as puppies have unique requirements because they are growing I would recommend a food made for puppies, at least until 10 - 12 months of age. Also, I would not recommend cheese, yogurt, or other dairy products, as dogs can be lactose intolerant.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Norik is acting fine and this is the only meal he skipped then I would still try to offer him food in the middle of the day. You can try adding water to the food or a teaspoon of canned food. Dogs rarely will starve themselves. Don't stress and just offer more food later! If you have to go to work then put a small amount with him or offer food at his next normal feeding time. I hope this helps and good luck!

What a great question. It’s the age old debate about whether we should feed dogs once a day, twice a day, or three times a day. Honestly, it depends on the dog. if the dog is healthy and happy, and he is keeping his weight at a healthy amount that is not too heavy or too light, I see no reason with feeding him only once a day. One recommendation I would also add to you if you do intend to only feed him once is to keep his food elevated and use a special type of feeding bowl that forces him to eat slowly. There are certain bowls with prongs in them that force your pet to eat slowly. The reasoning is that large breed dogs like yours can sometimes have gastrointestinal problems like bloat, etc. if they inhale their food without chewing. Feeding only once a day can sometimes cause a dog to ravenously eat so you have to be careful. But again it depends on the dog and most that I have come into contact with that are only fed one meal a day still do fairly well. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope I have helped. Have a nice day.

I would check to see if Bongo has lost weight or not. If he's not lost weight and/or has maintained his weight, then it would be fine to keep him on one meal a day. If you are concerned he isn't getting enough food, you can give him the daily recommended allotment of food during this one meal. Some dogs can eat one meal a day and be just fine. If that's the way you can keep him eating, then you can do it. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is ok to use in the short term just to perhaps entyce a dog's appetite or to complement a dog's diet but not as a sole diet. For example, I use it to entyce my patient's appetite when hospitalized and not eating well. Good luck and have a great day!

Small breed dogs are particularly high risk for sudden low glucose levels when they skip meals, so I would suggest waking him and making sure you at least offer food. If he refuses the food, then just leave it out to make sure that if he gets hungry in the middle of the night that he has something to eat. Try not to make it a habit however because leaving food like can cause accidents to occur in his crate.