Feeding problem

[Popsmom]

Hi. My dog is a Springer Spaniel, nearly 6 months old and from the day we have had her, we have never had any problems with her eating. She has always eaten well and chomping at the bit to be fed at meal times. She has 3 meals a day and is fed at virtually the same time every day and has been in a good routine. I brought 2 new larger feeding bowls for her. She seemed a little bit dubious at first when we put her food in the new bowl but tucked in after a few minutes. Water is in an identical new bowl and she goes straight to that no problem.

We have been training her with a whistle at meal times for the last couple of months. When it is meal time she will sit and stay , whether she is outside or inside the house until the whistle is blown and only then will she go to her food. She has picked that up really well.

The last couple of days though when her food has been put down, she will sit and stay and then when I blow the whistle, she just sits there and will not go over to her food. She will eat the food if you put it on the floor or in your hand but when you put the bowl in front of her, she just walks away. Its not as if she will not eat at all as if I give her one of her treat biscuits she will eat that no problem. I have even put her food back in her old feeding bowl but it has still not made any difference. She has been like this now for the last 4 days. Yesterday it was 3.30pm before she had anything to eat but did eventually eat all the food that had been left from the morning out of her bowl. She did then eat again at 9pm but only with alot of encouragement by having some out of my hand first then she did eventually eat the rest out of bowl. This morning again she has turned her nose up at breakfast. Has eaten a few bits out of my hand, but will not go near the rest of the food in the bowl?

I am at a loss as what to do next?

She is on Beta Puppy, chicken flavour, which is what her breeder started her on and I have not changed.

Please any advice gratefully received.

Thanks.