A new stray dog joined my feeding group and won't leave. What to do?

He's coming closer because he trusts you and wants to show you affection for feeding him. You are showing him love and attention by feeding him, and he wants to give you the same in return. It's lovely that you are feeding him, but if you don't want to keep him, I suggest giving the RSPCA a call to come and get him. They can get him veterinary treatment to make sure he is healthy and find him a home.

I think you need to give them more time. Just keep separating them to eat - put them in completely separate rooms with the doors closed. Put the food down and leave the room. Leave the food down for 10 minutes and then go back in the rooms and pick up the food. Do this 3-4 times per day until you can get them eating twice a day. DO NOT say anything to the dogs when you put them in their rooms and give them the food. Anything you say can be construed by the dog as reinforcement for negative behavior. Ignoring the behavior is best. Make sure you give food that they really like - try canned food. NO people food.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately, the dog you see may have a systemic illness or infection. You can try feeding him ground beef or pork and see if he will eat more or offer canned dog food. Chicken broth added to the food may entice him more as well. If he is suffering from a disease, unfortunately he may not want to eat because he is so sick. If you are able to report him to an animal rescue, they may be able to catch him and take care of him but I know there are a lot of strays around and you may not be able to find a rescue that would take him in. I hope this helps get him to eat more! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It may take some times before the cats become comfortable. Cats have been on their ownfor a while may develop a healthy fear of humans and it will take some time to gain their trust. I recommend to try to associate yourself with food. Get something that is very tasty and high value to the cats and sit quietly nearby while they eat. Gradually work your way up to hand feeding them or touching them while they eat. Most cats instinctually want to play so try to entice them with toys. If they will play with you, they will usually bond with you as well. I’m not sure if you have veterinary access but the one who is not eating could be ill. Make sure to deworm both cats as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like she's a little scared, which is understandable given it's a new place. It's good on you to look after her, and be concerned about her sleeping outside. You can try leaving a trail of treats into the home, so she has to venture into the house to get the next one. Be sure to move slowly and quietly around her, and once she is inside the house, you can shut the door. You can try getting her inside with a collar and leash as well. If she allows you to carry her, you may be able to pick her up and carry her inside. Finally, you can lead the garage door open a little, and make a bed inside there for her. Leave out food and water next to the bed, and she may be tempted to go inside the garage. I would do that as a last option, as I realize you may not want to leave a door open at night. In the morning, I would recommend taking her into the vet to scan her for a microchip to see if she does have an owner.

Hello. I agree, leaving the food out to be soiled by birds & insects is nasty & wasteful. I would start with whatever you feed the dogs using the recommendations on the bag as a guide. Take the total daily amount recommended per dog & divide into 3 meals, 1 bowl per dog ( you may have to initially separate the dogs at feeding time ). Put the bowls down & leave for about 15 minutes. Whatever is not eaten in this period of time should be picked up & offered at the next feeding. Repeat at the evening meal. You may have to do this for several days, but pretty soon they will get the idea & you can go to twice daily feedings. Most dogs are very adaptable & I am sure they will pick up on the new schedule quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The best thing you can do to help this family of cats would be to have your parents contact a local animal control officer, who can rescue these cats and bring them to a shelter so they can get any necessary treatment (deworming, flea treatment, and appropriate food), and be put up for adoption. These cats, especially as strays, are likely not vaccinated and can be dangerous to handle, and can spread diseases amongst themselves but also to humans. I hope this is helpful! Thank you for taking the time to help these cats.