3y/o Pitbull wont eat....?

ORIGINAL: jondoe89

dogs dont have to kept inside...there animals....

I hate to express my views but that just jumped out at me. They are domesticated animals meaning that they can not survive on their own without human capanionship. They have been shaped to interact and live with humans. Dogs are not wild, they are out pets, our friends, and to some they are our children. I would in no way leave a friend out in the rain, the heat and the such. I let my dog live besides me inside my home. It is my responsiblity to care for her, in return she protects me, guides me and no matter what gives me more love than any human cares to even show.

I don't mean to direct this toward you but that is just how I feel about my pets and why I choose to allow them to live inside.

I would in no way leave a friend out in the rain, the heat and the such.

 
Well, while I also keep my dog indoors, your assuming an awful lot.  We don't know that this dog is exposed to the elements.  He might have a great outdoor kingdom for all we know.  Please, let's get all the facts straight and if we can offer advice to make things better than we will but just "going off" without all the information isn't right.  I caught myself doing it to, but stopped.
 
Anyway, I think maybe since it's so warm, the dog doesn't have much of an appetite.  Has a vet looked at him lately?  It might not be a bad idea to get him checked out.

No, when it rains or is unusual whether like thunder storm or really really hot etc we put him in the garage turned extra room so hes comfortable there.  He is taken excellent care of. keep in mind my backyard is realyl nice has a pool and wonderful landscapping and he loves it. we have a batch of bushes which he likes to go into and lay in when its hot. its not that he has a loss of appitite, its just that he is too used to human food so he eats taht no mattter what. if i gave him a burger patty right now he would eat it. he just doest like any dog food any more...

Then he's just holding out for human food.  I would take jennie's advice above and stop the human food.  I kept giving in to my dog too when she wouldn't eat and we ended up with a dog that got so fussy she would hold out even if offered human food eventually.  I don't know if she thought a filet mignon was coming or we were going to take her out for dinner, but it got really, really bad.  Nip this now before it goes any further.

Sorry, It does sound like this dog is cared about a lot, he is making a really great attempt to better his dog, it really does show he cares. I was just expressing my thoughts on why I allow my dog to live indoors, shure they are animals but to use that as an excuse... I don't want to say more because I'll just go off agean. Just my general ideas and I tend to look at everything in the worse way possible. I'll be quiet now about that.

Yes a visit with a vet would be really good for him. Loosing weight and appitite are good signs of health problems shuch as kidney failer, thyroid problems and more. How does his coat look? If it's rather dull and dry looking this can be a sign of something wrong inside. Dogs can act perficaly normal but can have a major problem going on, they are really good at hiding this stuff from us.

his coat looks fine. herea pic.ill try to tak ehim to the vet. im in the process of builing him a new house. lol. the pic is kinda dirty. he just got a wash with some cocconut shampoo so hez smelling gggggood and shinny. hez a happpy pupper lol.

ORIGINAL: Edie

not supposed to have animals inside the house. dont worry about it..

Why have them at all then!!??[&:] [:@]

Sorry Jondoe you have just hit on a very sore spot for me [&:]

 
There are many reasons that people keep dogs [:@] I have 13 and yes, some live outside in kennels exclusively! Go ahead and berate me. I'm sorry, but this just hit a "sore spot" for me!
I raise field trial beagles and love each and every one of them. My healthy, well adjusted, enthusiatic dogs do just fine living with their packs in their kennels and when it's time to go "hunting" they perform wonderfully for me. I am their leader and they don't have any "psychological" problems from not living in the house! As a matter of fact, a couple of my dogs DON"T like being in the house! They get regular exercise, GOOD FOOD (eaglepack), health care, lovin', etc.
 
I understand that some have particular opinions on how dogs should be cared for, but it really bothers me when this is voiced in a way that makes it sound as if a person doesn't love and care for their dogs if they don't care for them in a "certain" way (housing, food, care, etc). You (a generalization) should not make assumptions or jump to conclusions when you start to give your *opinions*

You can put a princess in the finest castle with the finest of all things, but if she must live there alone she won't be happy.  And that's how I feel about my dogs.  All six german shepherds who can make the house just a tad bit crowded.
 
yes, sometimes dogs do become picky because they are holding out for something better, but I think this pup needs to see the vet to rule out any physical problems FIRST.  And he needs an excellent quality kibble, not a grocery store brand, even if he is "just" an animal.

Again, the dog being alone is an assumption.  I'm not getting the impression that the dog isn't given attention.

ORIGINAL: willowchow


I'm not getting the impression that the dog isn't given attention.

 
I am not either. 
 
Some people have a legitimate, religious objection to animals living in the house with them.  The OP is one of them.  It might be prudent for us to be a bit more tolerant of that.  Religion is very important to many people.  Perhaps it might be taken better if we were to explain to the OP why being kept outside is not a good option for a pit bull type of dog.

please explain why its not good for pitbuls to be kept outside.
thanks

ORIGINAL: jondoe89

please explain why its not good for pitbuls to be kept outside.
thanks

 
It would be my pleasure to, at least, give it a shot.
 
First, let me say that many people here think it is wrong to keep any dog outside on a permanent basis.  Although I can see their point, I disagree.  Lots of dogs are perfectly happy outside and, if properly provided for, lack nothing.  Lots of dogs are happy outside, but not pit bulls.
 
Pit bulls are VERY people oriented.  They want to be around people all the time, not just at the margins.  People are, very much, an important part of a pit bull's life.  A pit bull is not complete without people close by, virtually all of the time.  Close proximity of people is just not possible, to the extent necessary with a pit, if the dog is kept outside.   I truly believe that, with a pit bull, adequate interaction with people is critically important for his mental well being.  In other words, if a pit bull is not around people A LOT, he will go nuts, over time.
 
In addition, with pit bulls, there is the issue of theft.  Because of dog fighting, pits are a favorite breed for stealing.  Someone may well steal your dog, intending to use it to train their dog to fight.  The implications of that, you can well imagine.
 
Lastly, there are people who think pit bulls are horrible man eaters.  These people may want to do your dog harm.  Leaving him outside, all the time, makes it easier for them to do that.

It seems to me as if he gets plenty of attention, has adequate living quarters and if ANYTHING he is being spoiled on human food. Dogs are not meant to eat human food, would you eat dog food? He looks to be in great health and that is what matters. This weather is really bad for him so just make sure he has not only shade but a cool retreat. He can have fruit, vegatables, and healthy things.

I know how the OP can be feeling. Like suddenly he is wrong for keeping his dog outside. Now while I dont agree with this I know how you feel. I have been living in Puerto Rico for 3 years and everyone thinks I am weird for keeping my dogs inside. But that is the way I was always raised and no one will make me change my mind.
 
Now that im done i'll give some the advice you came here looking for:
 
Dont feed him anymore human food. Feed him twice a day, not once at night, dont starve him all day. Think of it this way: even if you eat late at night, you will be hungry in the morning and you will want to eat. Now imagine that you cant eat until late at night. You are going to be starving all day so the same thing happens with dogs. Feed him twice, morning and afternoon or midmorning and late evening.
 
Buy him a metal bowl (or plastic) dog bowl to put his food in. Why are you feeding him on a paper plate?
 
I did this with a teeny tiny pup we raised and when she was done she would tear up the plate and that made for some unwanted messes. Bowls in Walmart are like 3 dollars and they will save you alot of mess.
 
what are you feeding? There are some foods that are not at all tasty and maybe you are feeding a food your dog doesnt like. Ive rarely met a dog that likes to eat Old Roy or Pedigree (the regular kind) Now if you are feeding this, Pedigree has some Lamb and Rice Lines that you could try and Beneful seems to work great with dogs.
 
Im telling you about these foods even though some members will reprimand me because if you are on a budget and not willing to spend much money, you can at least buy a tastier food. Good luck with your dog!

ORIGINAL: LizzieCollie

Im telling you about these foods even though some members will reprimand me because if you are on a budget and not willing to spend much money, you can at least buy a tastier food. Good luck with your dog!

I'm sorry, I do know where you are coming from and I know that you are trying to make a point BUT those foods aren't healthy and there are better options available for the same cost per serving so there is no reason to push those foods. Just about anything Purina makes is better then Beneful.