my dogs are not eating their food

[Louno]

my 3 dogs are not eating the food that is given to them outside but would rather starve for the day and eat the food we eat inside! they leave it all and the birds come eat it all! its the kind of quality meat that a human can eat as well and its seasoned and everything like they like it. but none of them have been recently eating but rather wanting to eat indoors. whats the problem? what can i do???

[harlie09]

I probably wouldn't season the meat. I don't know what you're putting on it but some spices are pretty unhealthy for dogs.
If they are getting food inside when they beg for it, you've probably spoiled them a bit too much and for whatever reason they prefer what you're eating. Dogs aren't crazy, they learn very quickly and if they've learned that not eating breakfast gets them something better at dinner, they'll hold out!
Just remember, dogs are carnivores and have different nutritional requirements then we do. They shouldn't eat exactly the same things (or the same way ie: cooked) like we do. Feeding a raw diet is a wonderful thing but just make sure you know what their requirements are and that they are getting everything they need :) there is a lot of information online that can help you make sure they are getting balanced nutrition! Please let us know how it goes :)

[tabby823]

Maybe they just like being with you? Or they prefer to eat at night instead of the morning? My dog leaves her food in her bowl all day and doesn't even start eating until 8:00pm usually.

[Louno]

the vet usually just says that they are all healthy and that there is nothing wrong with them and theres none of that AAFCO thing in my country. and no like i said they might as well have been people eating with us we just occasionally give them"table scraps".

[tabby823]

Are you feeding them homemade food? I would advise against doing that - dogs have a wide range of nutritional requirements and it is highly unlikely that you are going to be able to meet all these requirements when feeding homemade. Calcium/phosphorus are extremely important and the only way they can get this in a homemade diet is from bone meal. You should be feeding them food made specifically for dogs, preferably one that is AAFCO approved.

As to why they want to wait and eat inside, I don't really know how to answer that question. Are you feeding them table scraps? Do you only let them inside when you are eating? Dogs are notorious for begging - if they know that you will feed them off your plate they won't leave you alone. It's win-win for them - they get your attention AND your food.

***Talk to your vet before following any advice you read online. It is impossible, even for the expert, to offer sound veterinary advice without examining the animal in person****