My Shih Tzu is picky. Is her chicken liver and potato diet the issue?

Your instincts are right on this one. It sounds like she is just a [picky eater](https://www.petcoach.co/article/my-pet-is-a-finicky-eater). Small breed dogs tend to be picky eaters, and this is accentuated when the owner gives in and feeds people food. I know it is hard, but you have to try and slowly break this habit by refusing to give her the boiled chicken and only her dog food. Most dogs can go up to 3 days without eating and most will give in within a day or two when they realize nothing else is coming and their only option is the [dog food](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food) that is available to them. It sounds cruel, but this is the only way to break this habit. You can also make sure that you are offering highly palatable, high quality [dog food](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-food). Typically grocery store brands are generic and low quality. Try foods like Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, Halo, or Evo to see if these appeal to her picky nature. You can add canned food to her dry kibble to entice her to want to eat it regularly.

It sounds like she's trained you to give her the good stuff :) I'd first start with a vet visit to rule out a medical cause (Anxiety, intestinal parasites, an issue with her liver processing nutrients called a liver shunt). If everything is normal, then slowly start weaning her off the treats and on to food. It's ok for her to go a day or two without eating a normal amount while you're transitioning her.

This is a common problem. Sometimes once dogs get the taste of specific food like liver or meat they will become really stubborn and not eat until the food is supplemented. I recommend trying tough love and offering food for the day. Now Sweety is young so depending on her weight she might have to eat a few times a day so her blood sugar does not stop. You can try a different brand of food or even mixing in can food to help stimulate her to eat. Hope that helps

Hi there. No, this is not a nutritionally complete diet for long-term feeding. If Butter won't eat dog food and you prefer to feed him human food, you will need to make sure that his diet is still complete and balanced. You can use the website www.balanceit.com to put together recipes for him using ingredients of your choice, or use a commercial fresh food diet that is formulated to be complete and balanced, such as www.thefarmersdog.com

Hi there. Please see my answer to your previous question, including references for websites where you can formulate an appropriate diet or order a food that is complete and balanced. The diet you are currently feeding is NOT complete and balanced, and will cause nutritional deficiencies over the long term.

The best dry diets are often the less palatable ones as well, in very picky dogs this can of course becomes a challenge and a problem. You may want to try Royal canin, it's not the best but it is still a good quality food, it is also very tasty for most dogs.

I am happy Luna is feeling better but a picky eater can be very frustrating. In my experience most dogs will not starve themselves. Changing foods often or back and forth Luna is learning if she does not eat she will get a better or different food. If the vet told you she is healthy I would start some touch love on her. I would get a food you want to feed and put it out for her. If she does not eat for 1-2 days than I would not be concerned. Typically once Luna realizes she is not getting anything else she will eat. Also if LUna is holding her body weight I do not get overly concerned. My own dogs will eat fast one day and slow or not at all the next. I think dogs will sometimes change there eating habits and this is okay as long as they are maintain weight and are still happy and healthy. I hope that helps