I accidentally got a potato instead of a masshole.

He has RBF

I have a 5-year-old Boston Terrier who has always been a bit of a picky eater but has gotten much worse in the past year.

He tends to have a "cycle" of eating patterns where he'll love something for a week or month, and then refuse to ever try it again. Then there are other "odd" behaviors he'll display such as not eating out of the bowl if it's full and eating some bits of food fine but then chewing and spitting out other bits.

It's gotten to the point where he's rapidly lost weight and been developing other anxious behaviors such as periodically shaking, licking his paws, and licking his lips, along with picky eating.

I've pretty much tried everything in my knowledge to get him to eat:

• Feeding cadence: tried to do the put-down-the-bowl-then-leave-for-15-min method (tried this with a variety of foods). Sometimes works, but he won't eat enough to gain weight. And then he'll refuse to eat that food ever again. Also tried leaving food on the ground but this backfired as it lessened his desire to eat any food/treats.
• Vet Visits + medication: Blood work, CT scans, stool, parasites, X-rays, teeth, and urine tests all came back normal. He's been on steroids, appetite increase, and GERD medications, but all didn't work.
• Puzzle toys, stuffed kongs, and snuffle mats: only interested in them if they have treats, not dog food or normal food. If only treats, will eat half then spit the rest out or not eat them.
• Weight gain supplements: will not eat them.
• Fresh Pet/Cooked dog food: started to eat it for a week then lost interest
• Kibble: Tried a variety of kibble (cheap to expensive) and refuses to eat it.
• Freeze-dried raw: tried several brands and flavors, started to eat it for a week then lost interest
• Raw Food: started to eat it for a month then lost interest
• Homemade dog food: refuses to eat grains, seeds/nuts, fruits, veggies, dairy, sugars, and liquids. Eats some organ meats and is picky about the type of muscle meat. Started to eat this for a month but now refuses to eat it or spits it out.
• Treats: Has a handful of treats that he loves. When I give him several in a bowl during meal times, he only eats half of the serving.
• Environment: He lives in a stress-free environment. Tends to eat more if away in another room. Gets daily exercise and has tried weighted backpacks to increase his appetite. I feed him after walks. Doesn't seem to make a difference.

Is there any method I'm missing? I haven't tried CDB yet, but my vet said that it may make him too sleepy to eat.

My other one like to bridge between my foot rest and the foot stool.

My boston Peter and my 1 year old have become best friends, it's so cute to see him smile and wave everytime he sees Peter, and he follows this dog evvveerryywhherrre!

My lovely baby boy has such sharp teeth and successfully bites through all his leashes over time. (He bites them when we are at cross walks or when people stop to pet him — possibly anxious behavior) I’ve gone though maybe 4 with him, and admit they weren’t the most dutiable, but the last one was advertised as such and he still bit through it 🥲 What do you use for your dogs? We had to carry him home from his walk yesterday because he broke his leash!

*************** Edit response ***************

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. So what I've gathered is it would be "ok" as long as it has some blankets to cuddle up with. And my home ain't lacking in that department. 😂

However I also took note of heating pads and will acquire one.

Always thought hoodies / clothes on dogs was more a "fashion thing," but if the dog is comfortable with it, I'll gladly find a cool hoodie or two 😉

Thanks a lot for the help. Have a wonderfully weekend all.

******************** . ****************************

So only a week left til i get my little guy. Been "baby proofing" the whole place.

One thing I just thought about. . .

What temperature is the best for a boston?

I'm icelandic but live in Denmark. And I personally do better in the cold than heat. My home is usually at 62 - 64 degrees.

Is that too cold?

I've searched both here and on Google with varied results. Everything from 60 to 75.

Just wanna make sure the dog is comfortable with up-to-date info.

Thanks all and have a great weekend.

******** edit up top *******

Hi all my Boston just turned one on April 1 and he is still pretty mouthy when he meets people it’s definitely playful, but it startles people because he’s mouth is open & connects with there hand . Any tips to stop it? I know the whole don’t give them attention when you first are greeting so that they can calm down. It’s just so hard to do that but if that’s the best thing then I need to do it. 😅

We're waiting on the Embark DNA results. She's currently about 10 weeks old. We know she's a mix, but we're not certain what kind. I'm guessing Boston Pit Bull Mix. Her litter was a transfer to a local shelter in Ohio from one in Kentucky. Neither had any info on the parents.

My wife and I unexpectedly lost our little man Paco this weekend while we were out of town. He was four years old.

Frankly, my wife and I are wrecked. I’ve been crying every 25m since we found out. We are young and childless and did literally everything with him. We are trying to figure out how to operate without him as everything we do today makes us sad - because he used to join us.

We are looking to get a new member soon but this is honestly the hardest time I’ve ever faced. They are such lovely companions and we truly do not deserve them.

Hi fellow BT lovers,

I have a male (Quincy) and female (Dixie) who are both 1.5 years old. I’m looking to get them some protection for when we’re on long walks/at the beach, so subglasses that are comfortable for extended wear would be preferred. Does any have any suggestions on items they’ve used for their dogs? Thanks in advance!

Pic proof they’re ready for Summer