Dachshund Not Eating? Causes and Solutions You Need

Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.

When your dachshund isn’t eating, it can be a cause for concern, but it doesn’t mean that something is wrong.

They may just be going through a phase where their food preferences have changed, or maybe they’re just not feeling well.

There are several reasons why your doxie may not want to eat, but it’s important to understand that their unwillingness to eat does not necessarily mean there’s an emergency brewing – it’s just something that has happened in the past or is happening right now.

In this post, you will find the main causes of your Dachshund not eating, and tips to help reignite its appetite.

7 Reasons Why Your Dachshund Is Not Eating Like Usual

No matter what the reason might be that your dog is not eating, you must ensure that it is well hydrated.

Dogs can go up to 5 days without eating, but they must have water.

If your Dachshund is not drinking as well, you must send it to the vet right away.

Your Dachsund’s diet was recently changed

Your Dachshund may not be accustomed to the new diet if you recently changed it.

Even if it has been on the schedule in the past, dogs might be finicky eaters and refuse to eat when you try to feed them for any reason.

It can take your dog a few days to adjust if you recently moved from one brand to another.

Your Dachshund may have a toothache

When your dog refuses to eat, it’s critical to screen out dental problems.

A dog with a toothache may stop eating and start to lose weight.

Your Dachshund may exhibit chewing difficulties as a result of sore gums or tooth decay.

It may also vomit or sleep more than normal if it’s in pain.

Make a vet appointment as soon as you can if you believe your pet is experiencing dental problems and needs care.

Your Dachshund might have gone through emotional trauma

One potential reason that is overlooked often is the fact that your dog might be going through emotional distress.

If it turns out that your dog does not have an underlying medical disease, then stress or worry may be the reason for their reluctance to eat.

Moving into a new home, having a new baby (or even just having one around), changing routines and environments, or even adopting a new pet may all be stressful situations for your dog.

Your Dachshund’s food might have gone stale

There could be a problem with the way you’re fixing your dog’s meals, for example.

If you leave cooked meat out at room temperature for longer than two hours (or even only one hour in the summer), bacteria may develop on it and make the meat hazardous to dogs.

As a result, you should always reheat leftovers before serving them again.

Even while some dogs don’t mind eating old food, that doesn’t imply it’s healthy for them.

As a result, you should always make sure your dog eats as soon as the food is presented.

Your Dachshund is getting too many treats

Dachshunds are known for being food hounds, but if you give them too many treats, they won’t eat the right amount of food to keep them healthy.

A dachshund’s diet should consist of good quality kibble or high-quality canned food (and not too many snacks!).

It could seem like a harmless habit if your dog has been consuming daily treats for some time, but it can potentially result in some major issues.

Both humans and dogs can develop obesity and other health problems from eating too much sugar.

If you want to give your dog something special, just don’t overdo it!

Doggy says, you might like this too: Dog Ate a Wine Cork [What Should You Do?]

Your Dachshund could be sick

When you discover your dog isn’t eating, pay close attention to how your dog behaves because some symptoms might not be as obvious.

I would advise taking your dog to the vet for a checkup to see whether he or she is ill if this continues for longer than two days.

You should not wait any longer if you notice any symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and prioritize going to the veterinary clinic.

Your Dachshund’s feeding schedule might be too short

I think this is a mistake that many new dog owners make, and totally understandable.

We all want our dogs to be well fed, but that can sometimes lead us to feed too much too often.

Consider when was the last time your Dachshund ate.

In general, it is recommended to feed your dog twice a day, 12 hours apart.

How to Get Your Dachshund to Eat?

Sometimes, it could be just that your doxie is being picky and refuses to eat anything you put in front of it.

Or it might be just a mood swing thing but this can go on for a day or two.

Here are a few things you can do to encourage it to start eating again.

Reduce the amount of treats it gets

Unfortunately, it may be you to blame if the main course doesn’t whet your Dachshund’s appetite because you gave it too much of its favorite snacks.

It also encourages picky eating and sloppy table manners.

Let your Dachshund have plenty of exercise

Your dog will likely eat more regularly and with greater enthusiasm, if you allow him to exercise enough as opposed to when he doesn’t.

Dogs that exercise regularly experience fewer stomach problems as well as improved mental health.

Let it have access to plenty of fresh drinking water

Keeping a clean bowl of water in the room where your dog spends most of its time will help it stay hydrated and avoid the risk of dehydration.

Not only that, but it will also help keep their digestive system working properly.

Make sure you’re feeding your Dachshund the right food

It’s important to make sure that what you’re feeding them is high quality and healthy.

Dogs should never be fed just one type of food consistently.

Instead, they should be given a variety of foods that contain different nutrients so that they get all the nutrients they need from different sources.

Mix up the food you are feeding your Dachshund

One way that you can mix up what kind of food your dog eats is by mixing in some wet food with dry kibble.

You can do this by putting some wet dog food into a bowl with the dry kibble and mixing them together so that it forms one big mixture.

This will give your dog something new to taste while still giving him something familiar so he doesn’t get too excited about eating something new right away!

Feed your Dachshund by hand

Hand-feeding your dachshund is a great way to bond with them and keep them from getting distracted by other things in the room.

It also brings them lots of comfort and can be a great method to encourage them to start eating.

Just don’t make this a permanent habit but rather one of last resort.

If they get too accustomed, your original problem might just get worse!

Try not to change your Dachshund’s diet too abruptly

Slowly introduce new foods into their diet by mixing them with the food they already eat.

In this way, you can increase the amount of new food over time until it’s entirely replaced by the old food.

Most dog food manufacturers also provide handy advice on how best to switch out your dog’s diet.

Give your Dachshund more time

Make sure you’re giving your Dachshund enough time to eat.

Many dogs get frustrated if they are rushed through their meals, and this can lead to them refusing food altogether.

You may also want to consider feeding him in smaller portions throughout the day rather than one big meal at night—this way he won’t feel so full after finishing one plateful!

Do you have a Boston Terrier that is not eating too?

How Long Can a Dachshund Live Without Food?

Most dogs, including Dachshunds, can go up to 5 days without food.

However, this is highly dependent on whether it has access to fresh drinking water or not, without which it may not even last 2 or 3 days.

While it may survive for that period of time, it will be severely dehydrated and show signs of serious illnesses such as lethargy and becoming very weak.

Be sure to keep a very close eye on your Dachshund!

When Should You Bring Your Dachshund to the Vet if It Does Not Eat?

In most cases, your Dachshund should recover its appetite quickly and if it does not show any signs of obvious distress, you can do without a visit to the vet.

However, there are certain symptoms that clearly indicate your dog is in trouble, in which case you should be seeing your veterinarian right away.

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Gagging/coughing
• Not eating for more than 24 hours
• Not drinking any water
• Lethargy
• Swollen gums

In Conclusion: What to Do if Dachshund Not Eating?

There is usually no need to panic when you notice your Dachshund not eating, even a couple of hours past their meal time.

In most cases, your dog will feel hungry and head to their meal bowls and finish up what’s in there.

Just ensure that you keep the food clean and fresh when it wants to eat again and that there is plenty of water around.

Being a dog owner can be challenging, which is why we have lots of articles covering dog care tips such as why is your puppy not eating much and sleeping a lot, can I bathe my puppy before vaccination, can my dog jump on the couch after heartworm treatment, and many more!