Hi I have a average size 8 month old bitch who is an extremely picky eater I have tried everything that I can thin of to get her to eat. All she does is pick at her food and I need her to put on a few pounds before I exhibit her again any suggestions?

Quit trying so hard. Use tough love. Put her in her crate, put in her bowl of food, close the crate, and walk away. Give her 10 or 15 mins to eat, then remove the bowl and any food in it. Give her nothing until next meal time, and repeat. She will soon realize that it's either eat when it's offered or go hungry.

I have tried that she is a little Diva and will refuse to eat then I succumb to her and end up hand feeding but I will try again. As you can tell I am new to showing and she is the only dog that I am currently exhibiting and I really put a lot of effort into her and making sure she is in top shape. I will try this again tomorrow and see how that works. Thank you for your advice.

Bring another dog in and let it scarf down most of the food in front of her. Maybe the competition would spark an appetite?

After a growth spurt, dogs plateau which is common at this age. This may be the case here.

If all else fails, make your own food - the dogs love it. I had a male who wouldn't eat enough to keep weight on but he did very well on homemade food. Recipe follows: Chicken breast or venison, eggs, carrots, peas or beans, rice all cooked together. Once a week I added a fish oil pill and a vitamin B pill. He had a fabulous coat, good weight and lots of energy on this. I made it once a week in a huge stock pot and froze it in ziplock bags in serving sizes.

He is now retired and living with co owner who feeds kibble and he does not look nearly as good as when on the homemade diet.

You need to get a grip on yourself. The hand feeding is creating the problem.

I've posted this before and never heard of it not working after the second day:

http://tinyurl.com/ycc7ec9

Like you said , "YOU ARE NEW TO THIS"

You have created a monster, dogs are not born Divas , but they are easily created. do you have any idea how manipulative this breed can be, well you are about to find out!

Stop everything you are doing now, and print out Nancy's time tested method, and put it on your fridge. Either you get a grip , or you will be a slave to this dog for the next 12 years or 15 years.

I know that Labradors are manipulative I have owned them as pet for the pat 20 years of my life I am new to exhibiting my dogs in the show ring and personally I have never had an animal that was a picky eater. This bitch had been picky at least in a small way since I brought her home at 12 weeks of age. I know that her parents and her other litter mates are not this picky. I had been making homemade food of veal and vennison mixed with rice and a littel kibble and she still was not eating that combination. Mrs. Nancy I will try out your formula and Thank you all for your advice.

I have to agree with all the above posters. And without sounding like a broken record I believe if we all fed our dogs in their crate this problem would never start. I instruct all my pet people to do this right from 8 weeks. That way if they ever travel or have to be away from home they are completely at ease with eating in "their" space. I have seen others hand feed, make magic recipes and stand on their feet to get their dogs to eat. These are labradors people, the breed that would eat themselves into a coma. It amazes me how an animal can manipulate a human being.
For the original poster, take the advice and stop the vicious cycle you are buying into. You are the Top Dawg!!!

Thanks to Nancy and the rest of you all for advice. She ate well today LOL go figure. I guess I might need to learn to ignore her like I do my children LOL (MOM I want Ice Cream) I am sure some of you have heard that over and over. Thanks again. Just wanted to say that for the most part this is an informative forum some stuff on here blows my mind coming from adults but for the most part good information. Thanks

There is one thing that I wanted to mention. I was wondering if her stomach just doesn't feel well on some days? I have only had this happen with a nursing bitch, but using Pepsid helped to coat her stomach and she would eat when she felt better. Just a thought.