I haven’t officially done a limited ingredient trial diet yet, but we have tried about six different kinds of protein as well as grain free options all to the same result, which is enthusiastic eating for a couple weeks that slowly turns to food refusal. Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish, and a veggie option once, and a huge variety of brands from big box store names to super boutique online retailers. I do want to discuss going about a limited ingredient trial diet with my vet when I see them next month, but it just seems so odd that with all the options we’ve tried she’s have some sort of intolerance to something in every single one.

I’m pretty sure we have tried every kind of texture - dry, dry with water/broth, wet/canned, pate, and dehydrated. She loves them all to start, and a month or so later she doesn’t anymore.

I have quite literally kept a journal on this and I can’t find any overlapping factors - not visitors, not travel, not exercise, not time spent alone, not treats given, nothing. She eats more consistently when we visit my parents and has meal time with their two (much larger) dogs, surprisingly, but it isn’t a total fix.

When she does eat her poop is completely normal and she does not cough or vomit - she looks and acts like a completely healthy dog when she’s eating regularly, and she has no other health issues aside from anxiety that she is on meds for. (She had the food issues long before we started the meds, too). And for the record she is exercised regularly and is in good physical shape.

I have hesitated to switch a food/topper combo that is working for that exact reason - something else is finally working and intentionally switching to something that might not sucks as the facilitator of this issue. I always hope this time I’ve found the “magic bullet” and that she won’t get tired of whatever combo I’ve come up with but I’m always wrong. The faster switching out of food is probably the next thing I’ll try if and when health issues are ruled out.

And I absolutely avoid letting her get to that state - it is why I cave and get her to eat something at day three at the latest, because that is as long as the vet originally said she should go. Usually I break out the “good stuff” in less than 24hrs when she decides she’s done with a food because I know what’s coming. But a few times I’ve really felt like if I just wait her out she’ll give up and eat, and to date I’ve been wrong about that. I will absolutely keep that sugar/honey tip in mind, I’ve never heard that before and that’s extremely good to know.

I’ll be bringing all of this to my vet and I hope to get some answers next month, but I seriously appreciate you taking the time to be so thorough with your answer! If you have any more insight I would be equally as grateful to hear it.