Owing to the enthusiastic and playful attributes of Golden Retrievers, they are the best for the family and the kids. However, the Golden Retriever may lose its charm and energy when it stops eating. And as an owner, you want to know why your Golden Retriever is not eating.
Moreover, there may be many reasons why your Golden Retriever is not eating. Generally, the most common causes of your pet to stop eating are dental problems, environment change, diseases, recent vaccination, age, change in routine, climatic condition, etc. Besides this, parasitic ingestion, anxiety, medications, boredom with old food, and pickiness also lead to appetite loss.
Since this dog breed loves food, it is unusual when your Golden Retriever stops eating. Furthermore, a lack of proper diet declines the energy of your pet and damages its immune system. As a result, the pet will be more susceptible to disease and illness.
Thus, to promote a healthy and longer life span of your Golden Retriever, you should know and solve the cause of appetite loss.
However, I will give a brief introduction about all the causes. And the ideas for the management further in the article.
Is your Golden Retriever eating well?
How much are you giving your pet?
Are you happy with the eating habit of your pet?
Why Is Your Golden Retriever Not Eating?
However, skipping meals is not a rare thing for most pets. But since the Golden Retrievers are fond of food, it is unusual. Moreover, these dog breeds enjoy eating a lot. Thus, the Golden Retrievers are more likely to be obese than skinny.
However, there are some reasons for the loss of the appetite of your pet. And the most common reasons why your Golden Retriever is not eating are:
Your Golden Retriever Is Not Eating Due To Upset Stomach
Since the Golden Retrievers are enthusiastic, they like to explore everything that approaches them. Thus, they chew everything around them, woods, socks, carpet, mats, etc. As a result, the dogs engulf the dirt and germs that present those substances.
Further, this leads to stomach upset with vomiting and diarrhea. And eventually, your Golden Retriever stops eating due to a lack of interest in food.
Illness And Diseases Stops Your Golden Retriever From Eating
However, some disease causes loss of appetite in your pet. Since these diseases obstruct the digestive tract of your Golden Retriever, your pet will suffer from immense pain. Thus, it loses its interest in food.
Generally, the diseases due to which your Golden Retriever is not eating are:
- Kidney failure
- Cancer
- Liver disease
- Infections (Ear Infections, Eye Infections, UTI, etc.)
- Constipation
- Gastroenteritis
- Allergies
- Parasitic Infections
Use Some Medication Stops Your Golden Retriever From Eating
Since Golden Retriever is susceptible to several illnesses, they receive medications to eliminate the ailment. However, these medications may show side effects. And the most common side effect is stomachache and nausea.
As a result of these side effects, tour Golden Retriever stops eating. Moreover, the most common medication that causes loss of appetite are:
- Antibiotics
- NSAIDs
Your Golden Retriever Stops Eating Due To Dental Issues
Generally, Golden Retrievers do not show early signs of dental problems. However, the prominent indication for dental issues (cracked, broken, or loose teeth) in your pet is to stop eating.
Therefore, if your Golden Retriever suddenly stops eating, observe its teeth to check for a dental problem.
Aging Makes Your Golden Retriever To Stop Eating
As the Golden Retriever grows older, it becomes lesser active and more susceptible to illness or diseases. Furthermore, it includes several health issues with dental problems.
Thus, due to all these pets loses their interest in eating. Hence, your Golden Retriever stops eating when it becomes old.
Your Golden Retriever May Stop Eating After Vaccination
Since Golden Retrievers are the dog breeds prone to health issues or infections, they need vaccinations. Although the vaccines prevent your pet from probable life-threatening disease by strengthening its immune system, in some cases, vaccines show adverse effects. So, your pet becomes sick and loses its appetite for few days after vaccination.
However, it is reversible and needs lesser concern. But, if the loss of appetite in your Retriever extends for several days, you must seek help from the Vet.
Change In Feeding Schedule
Golden Retrievers being intelligent dog breeds are excellent with commands and routine. If you follow a specific schedule to manage their activities, they will also quickly adapt to that routine.
Thus, the dogs find it hard to cope with the fluctuation of schedule. Therefore, when you give your Golden Retriever meal at a different time, your pet does not eat its meal.
Your Golden Retriever Stops Eating When It Goes To New Environment
Whenever the Golden Retriever goes to a new place, they suffer from anxiety or fear. Thus, they become attentive and conscious. Furthermore, the dogs may suffer from motion sickness while traveling.
Therefore, they lose their appetite and stop eating. Moreover, if you are moving to a hotter environment, your pet needs less energy. So, your Golden Retriever stops eating to cope with the environment.
Your Golden Retriever Stops Eating Due To Stress And Anxiety
If you leave your pet alone for long, your pal suffers from separation anxiety. As a result, it feels every approaching object is a threat that also includes food.
Thus, your Golden Retriever stops eating. Apart from this, some other reasons for stress in your pet are:
- Hit by car
- Attack by other animals
- Mistreat or abuse of owners
However, the pet shows other signs along with not eating during stress. Therefore, it is easier to separate the appetite loss in pets due to anxiety or from others. Hence, the several signs are:
- Hides from people
- Tucks its ears and tail
- Yawns
- Panting
- Avoids eye contact
Bored With Its Old Food
Unlike 9000 taste buds of humans, Golden Retrievers have only 1700 taste buds. Therefore, their taste sense is about one-sixth times lesser than humans. Thus, commonly the Retrievers enjoy their daily diet.
But sometimes the same daily meal bores your pet. So, the dog loses its interest in the food. And eventually, your Golden Retriever stops eating.
Are you happy with the eating habit of your pet?
Does your pet eat a lot or a little?
How do you manage the eating disorders of your pet?
What To Do If Your Golden Retriever Is Not Eating?
As we know that, food is essential for the functioning of the body. If your pet stops eating, it becomes weak and sick. Moreover, the immune system of declines, and the minor disease may result in fatal consequences.
Therefore, feeding your pet a sufficient amount of food at the right time is vital for the proper growth and development of the pet. Furthermore, if you have a puppy Golden Retriever, adequate food is a prerequisite for the physical and mental development of the puppy.
Owing to the importance of the foods, here are some tips that would encourage your Golden Retriever in eating:
Take Suggestions From The Vet
Since your Golden Retriever may stop eating due to health issues, you should consult with the Vet. And the suggestions from the Vet will help you in treating, preventing, and managing health problems.
Apart from this, the Vet will give ideas about the diet pattern and diet schedule. Thus, the advice from the Vet helps to promote the eating habit of your pet.
Mix Different Foods
As sometimes, your Golden Retriever stops eating because it gets fed off from its current food. So, you solve this problem by mixing the food items that your pet likes with the ones you want to feed your pal.
However, you can follow the following mixing ideas:
| Day | Food Your Golden Retriever likes Eating (%) | Food You Want To Feed (%) |
| 1-2 | 80 | 20 |
| 2-8 | 60 | 40 |
| 8-14 | 40 | 60 |
| 10-19 | 10 | 80 |
| 20 onwards | 00 | 100 |
After the 20th day, your pet will not hesitate while eating the nutritious meal you serve your pal.
Now you may have a question, how to know what your pet likes?
For this, you can use the following ideas:
- Serve the food in the bowl of your pet.
- Leave for sometimes
- Switch the food
- Again, leave for sometimes
And, follow the same process for several food items until you find the food.
Eat With Your Golden Retriever
Generally, the owners are the favorite person of the Golden Retrievers. Thus, the pet more likely follows the habits and behavior of its owner. Therefore, if you eat food with your Golden Retriever, it encourages your pal to eat what you eat.
However, you should know that all human foods are not helpful for your pet. Thus, ensure the food you eat with your pet is beneficial for your pal.
Increase Training And Exercise
Since training or exercise burns the calories, the pet will become calorie-deficient after exercising. As a result, training your pet increases its demand for food.
Moreover, this idea is only helpful if your pet does not have any health issues. However, exercising while your pet has health issues may further deteriorate the health of your pal.
Emphasize In Giving More Fluids And Fibers
If your Golden Retriever is not eating due to obstruction in the digestive tract, including fibers and fluids in the diet will be beneficial. Since the fluids or fibers promote the release of the obstructing materials, this relieves the upset stomach of your pet. As a result, the eating disorder of your pet resolves.
Which of the above idea will be helpful for your pet?
Your Golden Retriever Is Not Eating. What Are The Tips For Feeding?
Moreover, lack of nutrients makes your pet vulnerable to several diseases and infections. Thus, it hampers the healthy lifespan of your Golden Retriever.
However, you can encourage your Golden Retriever to eat following some tips. And the ideas include:
- Consult with the Vet and manage the possible health issues due to which your pet is not eating.
- Make a proper schedule for feeding your pet.
- Manage all the essential nutrients in the diet of your Golden Retriever.
- Mix the food your dog prefers with healthy food.
- Encourage your Retriever to eat by making food as a reward after training.
- Restrict human food like coffee, chocolate, sodas, milk, mushroom, etc.
- Instead, use natural snacks as treats.
- Take advice from professionals to control eating habits.
Furthermore, since feeding your pet is essential, too much and too little food can result in fatal consequences. Therefore, you must know what and when to feed your pet.
Do you have a schedule for feeding your pet?
What foods do you include in the schedule?
How To Feed Your Golden Retriever?
If you are a pet owner, you should be very cautious while feeding your pet. Generally, try to balance the calories burnt by your pet with the food you provide them.
Moreover, a healthy adult Golden Retriever burns about 900 to 1200 calories daily. But this number increases for puppies and pregnant females. Therefore, the demand for food is more in pregnancy and puppies.
However, the diet guideline for Golden Retriever include:
| Age | Number of meals per day | Time | Calorie requirements |
| 1 to 2 months | Four full meals
(include protein and fat-rich foods) |
6:00 am
11:00 am 4:00 pm 9:00pm |
1300-1700 |
| 3 to 6 months | Three full times
(include protein-rich foods) |
6:00 am
1:00 pm 8:00 pm |
1200- 1500 |
| 6 months – 1 year | Two full times
(include fibers in food) |
9:00 am
7:00 pm |
1000-1300 |
| After 1 year | Once (include omega-rich fibrous foods) | After training | 1000 |
In addition, pregnant dogs need additional 300-500 calories in your diet. So, if you own a pregnant Golden Retriever, do not forget to add those extra calories. Furthermore, you should ensure that their diet contains adequate omega acids, proteins, and fats for the growth and development of the fetus.
Do you think this guideline will be helpful for your pet?
If it was for your pet, what would you add?
What kind of foods do you give your pet? Are there any restrictions on foods?
What Not To Feed Your Golden Retriever?
If your Golden Retriever is not eating, you start feeding them with every possible item in the kitchen. But since the metabolism of Golden Retrievers is not as strong as humans, they cannot digest all human foods. Therefore, the food that gives nutrients to humans would harm them.
However, some of the human foods you should avoid are:
- Coffee and tea
- Raw eggs
- Xylitol Nutmeg
- Lemons and limes
- Uncooked meat
- Grapes and Raisins
- Chocolate
- Macadamia nuts
- Onions and garlic
- Avocado
- Milk
- Mushrooms
Since the Golden Retrievers find it difficult to digest these foods, several health issues may result after they engulf such foods. And the most common health problems are constipation, bloating, allergies, diarrhea, etc.
So, do not encourage your pet to eat these foods?
What To Feed Your Golden Retriever?
Only a feeding schedule is not enough for the health of your Golden Retriever. Now you schedule for all daily activities of your pet along with feeding. But what will you do if your pet does not enjoy its meal?
Moreover, not all human foods disturb the digestion and health of your pet. Many human foods help empower the health and skin coat of your Golden Retriever. Thus, encourage your pet to eat these foods by introducing them as a reward after training.
The foods help to promote the health of your pet. And, these foods will also speed up the recovery of your pet.
Hence, the food includes:
- Carrots and pumpkin
- Apples, watermelons, and banana
- Cooked sweet potatoes
- Spinach and asparagus
- Cooked chicken
- Salmon and sardines
- Shrimp and tunas
- Seafood
- Green peas and beans
However, excessive of everything is fatal. Therefore, despite the several benefits in the health of your Golden Retriever, you should give these foods in moderation. And you can discuss with the Vet to know the exact amount that your pet needs.
Therefore, as an owner, be careful about- what to give your pet and what not.
And it is in your hand what you want- a healthy and longer life or a short life with health issues?
Be conscious of the consequences of what you choose.
More to this, if your pet is eating a lot, you can take help from the article- Why Is Your Golden Retriever Always Hungry?
Do you have any suggestions to improve the contents of this article?
Please comment below. I will appreciate all your suggestions.
