Akita not Eating Well? How to Get it to Start Eating Again
If your Akitas appetite is unstable, you shouldn’t panic. Akitas are usually social eaters. If your Akita isn’t eating well, you can try eating your meal at the same time you serve it food.
Your Akita might not be eating because it has a health challenge, it doesn’t find the food fascinating, or it doesn’t feel like eating. Akita’s tend to display a show of strength and independence, and at some point, it could be the reason why they are not eating.
You can get it to start eating by making some amends to the quality of food you give it (without force) and feeding it more intentionally. Also, take your Akita to the veterinarian to verify its health is in check.
Let’s dive into some possible reasons why your Akita is off its food and what you can do to encourage it to eat again.
Why Your Akita Won’t Eat
There are quite a number of reasons why your Akita may reject eating. I will share with you possible reasons below:
1. Your Akita is Having a Health Challenge.
When your Akita stops eating well, there are likelihoods that it is suffering from terrifying situations such as gastrointestinal issues, dental problems, allergies, or even infection. There are tendencies that it is plagued with other illnesses, and so at this point, you can take it to the veterinarian, who will ascertain what is wrong and the way out of that challenge.
2. You’re Comparing your Akita to a Pet You Once Had.
If this is the case, then your concern can be traced to your past experience with your ex-dog that eats more. Hence, you need to understand how peculiar an Akita is, since not all dogs eat in the same manner. Observe them closely as you study to know how Akitas eat and what they love to eat. You can further interact with other Akita owners for more practical information.
3. Boring/Poor Quality Food.
Your Akita may be in a similar situation to Numbeermit’s, whose Akita is bored and tired of eating a particular meal. Beyond dogs, humans and other pets get tired of eating the same food, presented in the same manner all the time. Akitas can be picky when served meals. If it is made of low-quality and not nice to the taste buds, your Akita may not eat it or may eat in a small quantity. Lack of physical and mental energy can further decrease your Akitas feeding appetite.
4. The Experience of Breeding, Birthing a Puppy, and Issues Related to Age
Female Akitas are the recipients of the effects of breeding and bringing forth puppies. Not feeding properly can be one of the impacts of these seasons. Oftentimes, when Akitas are aging, their interest in food tends to reduce as well. This applies to both genders.
5. Aftermath or Side Effects of Medication
If your Akita is currently on medication, there is a possibility that that situation has triggered the response of not eating as it used to. It is not far from saying that just as some medications heighten appetite, others tend to suppress appetite.
6. Little or no Social Interaction
Overly protecting your Akita from social interaction with other dogs and people may cause it to withdraw from certain things, including food. Akitas enjoy connection and attention when these things are not in place; they tend to battle with a decrease in appetite.
7. Stress and Environmental Issues
I heart dogs made it clear that Akitas are sensitive to different experiences in their environment. Changes in both environment and routing can lead to stress, which may affect their eating habit. New people, pets, lack of exercise, or extended periods of exercise can heighten the extent of an Akita’s stress.
If, after doing these and more, your Akitas refusal to eat persists, consult with a veterinarian.
How to Help Your Akita Love Food Again
Just like Toemeat puts it, sometimes you’re being overly caring about your Akita, forgetting that it has the tendency to show how independent it can be by not eating. If you notice anything along that lane, simply play your part by giving it food to ensure it doesn’t go hungry and allow it to eat when it feels hungry.
The Akita Life captured the feeding experience of Haga (an Akita) with Victor (a dry dog food), human food, selected scraps, and treats occasionally for healthy living.
In all, when feeding your Akita that doesn’t eat much, you can help it by establishing a closer connection with it. Here are some ways to help your Akita love food again:
- Try feeding your Akita by hand to make it eat in a more engaging way.
- Praise your Akita and associate eating with positive experiences, like the treat it loves the most with tasty and appealing toppings.
- Don’t force your Akita to eat; otherwise, they will show their independence and decline eating or eat little.
- Observe and keep an eye on what your Akitas enjoy and adjust their diet.
- Don’t always give your Akita dry meals. Mix a small amount of healthy oil, such as coconut or salmon oil, into their food for flavor and a nice smell.
- Explore different brands of food for your Akita when it is bored with its current food. Add toppings and the scraps you have tested that it loves best.
- Exercise patience when your Akita falls ill, is in the season of breeding, birthing a puppy, adapting to an unfamiliar terrain, or having to do less exercise and stimulating activities. Patiently engage them and offer meals frequently.
Parting Words
After reading this article, you should have discovered the reason why your Akita is not eating and some effective ways to ensure it starts eating again.
There’s no one-size-fits-all method to the idea of making your Akita eat. However, you can try the best approach that is suitable for your Akita. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the veterinarian when the going gets tough.
