# Suddenly Fussy/ Ziwi Peak/ is this cruel?



## Becku (Aug 2, 2012)

OK so Coopers diet is Ziwi peak in the morning for brekky, dinner is either cooked egg or raw beef or chicken with small amounts of cheese for treats (calcium) and a little spoon of plain natural yoghurt for the probiotics.

When we first bought ziwis he hated them so I had to mix (cook) them with egg whites until he finally at them raw and by themselves. The other day, for no apparent reason he would not eat them or his egg for dinner. I though he may have been sick so boiled some plain rice which he ate. Today he has done the same thing and I tested him with a small amount of roast beef which he ate (which confirmed to me he is just being fussy). I am not sure what has caused this all of a sudden? 

My question is, I don't want to encourage the fussiness but he is very strong willed and if he leaves his food and I don't feed him he literally won't eat and then at 2-3 am when he still hasn't eaten I cave (because he looks like he is starving and I worry that chis cant go too long without food) so is this cruel? Or should I not cave at all? He needs to eat the ziwis they are balanced as I don't have time to buy real raw everyday. Thanks all!


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

If you think he is just being stubborn/fussy then don't give in to him. If he is healthy and a decent weight (not under 3lbs) then he will come to no harm missing a few meals. I would feed ONLY ZiwiPeak for now, so there is no point in his holding out for something better. Put it down, and if he hasn't eaten in 15 minutes, take it away. Offer it again at the next mealtime. No treats until he has learnt that he eats what you put down or he doesn't eat. When he is eating theZiwiPeak again, you can re-introduce his other foods. Stay strong, you are feeding a good food, it is definitely not cruel to expect him eat it. Chis are very clever, and I think he has learnt that if he holds out long enough you will give him what he prefers.


----------



## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

This works with most dogs. I have a longhair chi that as a baby would not eat. She would vomit bile. I knew about nutri-cal and used that alot. The vet said she had to eat at least 4 times a day (she was all of 1 pound!) It was a real test. Finally as she grew up I took her to a gastroenterologist who did gobs of tests. He decided to give her Zantac which has stopped the vomiting. She is still very difficult. Waits to eat breakfast until late pm or even evening. I look at her like a pregnant mom! Nauseous in the am! (she is spayed) Only rarely does she not eat in 12 hours now.


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

I agree with Wicked. If he doesn't have any health issues then I would just take his food away if he doesn't eat and nothing at all until the next feeding time when I would feed him ZP.

If a dog is just being fussy then letting them get away with it is just going to mean you are going to deal with a fussy eater that is probably going to get worse about their fussiness as they age. 

Jaxx is just under 4 pounds and when we were training him on a food schedule he missed a couple meals until he figure out I was not going to cave in. The rule in our house is if Jaxx does not eat his food within 15 minutes it goes away. Usually his food does not last 2 minutes because he gobbles it down as soon as he sees it.


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

IDK I may not be much help here but here's it goes......would you want to be forced to eat something out of no other choice, just because it was good for you if you didn't like it??? There are plenty of options of food that are equally as good. Hey escargo is suppose to be excellent for the health and quite expensive but I'm still not going to eat it ! LOL sorry not much help,


----------



## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

cpaoline said:


> IDK I may not be much help here but here's it goes......would you want to be forced to eat something out of no other choice, just because it was good for you if you didn't like it??? There are plenty of options of food that are equally as good. Hey escargo is suppose to be excellent for the health and quite expensive but I'm still not going to eat it ! LOL sorry not much help,


No, I wouldn't either, but if he's been eating it just fine and now all of the sudden refuses, that leads me to believe he is just being picky.


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

yes but she had to coax him into eating it all the first time. Think she said she was mixing egg with it. I know not much help but they are just people with fur..lol and i wouldn't like it.


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

cpaoline said:


> IDK I may not be much help here but here's it goes......would you want to be forced to eat something out of no other choice, just because it was good for you if you didn't like it??? There are plenty of options of food that are equally as good. Hey escargo is suppose to be excellent for the health and quite expensive but I'm still not going to eat it ! LOL sorry not much help,


I do not think this is a case of the dog not liking the food. I think it is more of a case of liking treats and raw food better (which the owner does not have time to do full time and I totally understand.) 

I do not think a dog skipping a meal or two as long as they are given a choice to eat is cruel. My opinion is it is just a part of training. We train our dogs to come when called and sit when told to sit. Training them to eat what they are given is just another part of their training in my opinion.


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Of course he would rather eat roast beef, than his healthy balanced food. It is a high value treat. I would rather eat a cream cake than a salad but it doesn't mean I should. Letting him dictate the menu is asking for a dog that ends up sick from not eating a balanced diet. I wouldn't let my child just eat ice cream because they refuse to eat proper meals, and it is the same for a dog. If he learns he can get scrambled eggs or meat by refusing his ZiwiPeak, he will. Then he will start only eating his very favourite meats, and six months down the line you have a dog that only eats roast beef, or whatever.
Raw and ZiwiPeak are a great diet, really top quality nutrition. It isn't like he is being forced to eat some cheap supermarket brand. Sometimes mommy does know best.


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

LOLOLOLOLLLOLLLOLLL, thank you for that, I needed a good laugh today !!! LOVE IT ! I would rather eat cream cake too! But i see your point. I'm just saying that if he doesn't seem to like that food maybe another High quality balanced food. OMG I'm still laughing!!! Thank you that brightened my dreary day !


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Yes, if he really won't eat it, then another flavour or another brand would be the way to go  ZiwiPeak is super yummy though, my three will do anything for a square.


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Stella you have me craving ice cream now! Mmmmm a midnite truffle blizzard sounds so yummy.


----------



## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

My diet has totally gone to pot today! I have had crisps, pizza and doughnuts!!! Things I never normally eat lol Back to boring and healthy tomorrow


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Wicked Pixie said:


> My diet has totally gone to pot today! I have had crisps, pizza and doughnuts!!! Things I never normally eat lol Back to boring and healthy tomorrow


I am starving but tonight is hubby and my anniversary so I am trying to wait for him to get home so we can have a nice dinner together. I wonder if I can convince him that ice cream is a nice dinner?


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

Ooohh a blizzard!! Yum


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

Happy anniversary! And yes ice cream is non fattening if eaten as a meal, just sayin


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

cpaoline said:


> Happy anniversary! And yes ice cream is non fattening if eaten as a meal, just sayin


Thank you! My dad used to let me eat ice cream for breakfast when I was a kid and Mom was at work. It didn't happen often but it is one of my best childhood memories


----------



## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Blue Bell has a new Italian Cream Cake flavor, but it's still not as good as Rocky Mountain Road (not to be confused with Rocky Road). I know this is off-topic, but I felt it was important to share. Hehe!


----------



## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

lulu'smom said:


> Blue Bell has a new Italian Cream Cake flavor, but it's still not as good as Rocky Mountain Road (not to be confused with Rocky Road). I know this is off-topic, but I felt it was important to share. Hehe!


Have you tried the Blue Bell turtle cheesecake?

Omg it is good


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

intent2smile said:


> Have you tried the Blue Bell turtle cheesecake?
> 
> Omg it is good
> 
> ...


No, but I am now on a mission to try because that is two of my favorite flavors.


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

OMG did you say Italian Crème Cake?????????????????


----------



## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

cpaoline said:


> OMG did you say Italian Crème Cake?????????????????


Absolutely, and it is goooooood!!


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

I must try it, I am an ice cream junkie!!!!! LOL you could probably get me to jump off a bridge for an eeewie gooey sundae


----------



## Becku (Aug 2, 2012)

Guys thanks so much for your replies, this is why I really love these forums! 

Cpaoline I would have to say yes they can be babies with fur but attributing totally human thoughts to chis (or any animal) can be dangerous. A human baby might cry/slap etc when they are scared for example. A chi would just bite. I think we need to respect that in some cases how they think and see the world and react can be different from a human.
However in THIS case I think he's just doing what any child does when they are told to eat something really healthy (like veggies haha.) He has come to learn that better treats exist so if he doesn't eat what's there he will get something nicer soon. (Just like wicked pixie and intent said). 
So its obviously our fault for teaching him this and needs to be corrected and that's what I posted here for, how to correct it 
And about him not liking it at the start, its not just Ziwis. He doesn't really like anything new and has to learn to like it, even dried chicken treats from the shop (the owner thought he was cute and gave us some free ones.) But he wouldn't eat those at first either. 

Thanks again everyone! I have started doing what you have told and I think its working  will keep you posted! Xx


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

Good luck! But more importantly did you read about the new ice cream flavor?? Lol


----------



## Becku (Aug 2, 2012)

Hahaha yes I did  Now this thread is just making me want bad foods too! Hehehe


----------



## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

Lol me too!


----------

