Depressed Dog? Or natural behavior?
in Pets
My new dog is very tame. You would say he is a calm dog, but he is soo skinny. He is about 7 inches across.
This would be fine, but he is a golden retriever. I and trying to get him to eat, but he doesn't eat out of his new dog bowl. When we feed him by hand, he just chews up about 2 handful. We only feed him 1 a day.
He was previously adopted, but abandoned when the baby was though to be in danger b/c he pulled the dogs tail. I am worried that he may be depressed. He doesnt play. AT ALL!!
I try throwing balls and frisbees, no avail.
Is he depressed?????
Comments
You need to feed him three small meals a day instead of one large meal. If he is skinny his stomach will not be able to cope with large meals and it's far better to divide his daily ration into three.
You don't say how old the dog is. This would be helpful in trying to determine the problem. He could be going through a growth spurt, in which case you will need to give him more food than he's getting now but, again, in small quantities even if it means feeding him four meals per day.
You could try soaking his food in hot water. and let it cool. This will bring out the flavour and maybe encourage him to eat. This may be easier for him to digest then you can gradually add the dried kibble once he is beginning to eat normally.
Sometimes dogs don't take to shiny bowls. If this is what you have for him you could try either just putting his food on a flat plate or giving him it in a ceramic or plastic bowl.
Give him time to settle into his new surroundings. He's probably feeling very confused right now. Give him a lot of love and attention and I am sure he will adjust to his new life pretty soon. Don't rush him.
A male Golden's adult weight should be no more than 34 kilos, about 70 lbs.
He may be slightly depressed depending on how long he lived in his first home, and how long you've had him. He needs time to adjust to a new place & new people.
Try boiling up some chicken or hamburger & mix it with boiled white rice. And try feeding him 2-3 times throughout the day.
Some dogs never play or chase frisbees. But give him some time. Once he feels comfortable there he may get more playful.
Its a good idea to have him checked out by a vet to make sure there isn't a medical reason for his lack of appetite.
How much exercise does he get?
Also, Have you tried feeding him all different types of food? The best diet you can give him that will keep him healthy would be either dry food such as "burns" or "nutro" or "royal canin" which can be bought from vets or pet shops (more expensive than the crappy supermarket food but I'm sure your dogs health is worth it) or if you have time you can make home-made dog food, i.e a mixture of cooked meat, veg etc.
If he is still lethargic, you should probably take him to the vet.
Would you consider adopting a 2nd dog to keep him company and so he'd have another dog to play with?
Dogs are usually happiest when they have another dog for company, they are pack animals afterall.
Get him checked by a vet and see if there isn't anything else wrong with him....
And also, consider the food you are giving him. What are you currently feeding him?
feed him caffeine.