Why is my dog not eating?

If your dog is not eating suddenly, a trip to the vet is in order. This could be due to any number of causes which only a vet can properly diagnose.

I agree with Jessica and Allison. It is likely that they are just being picky. Not eating can be a symptom of a larger issue, so taking your pup to the vet is the best answer.

Not eating can be a first sign to serious issues. If your dog is not eating, drinking or going to the bathroom normally, you should take them to the vet immediately.

I have seen dogs who are reluctant to eating the food you offer because of the type of food - especially if they know that there are better options out there or simply because they are feeling full due to treats. Before you get too worried about them not eating, try to feed them a treat that you know they love. If they will eat that, then maybe they are simply not hungry. If your dog will avoid the food you are putting out for a longer period than just a couple of hours, then you might want to check the food. There are instances when even if you buy your regular dog food, the conditions in which the food was kept, shipped or delivered might have altered the freshness of the food or exposed it to substances that you cannot sense /smell yourself. Your dog will know the difference and they might refuse to eat it. Whenever I get a new batch of food I test it first before finishing off my previous batch, by giving our dog a taste of food from the new bag. If she refuses it, yet it is the same food as before, then the batch was not kept properly and you might have to return it. If treats don't work and usual dog food doesn't work, the last option is plain white rice until you can get an appointment with the vet. Do not wait more than 18-24h if your dog refuses to eat anything.