Food - advice needed

[BabyElephant]

OK, forget that Poppy is off her food at the moment, I have problems with getting her to eat at the best of times. The advice I got when I got her from the breeder was to free feed and put some tripe or dog food on top of her dried food as that is what they had been doing. So I did. I tried to move her on to dried food without any "topping" but she just wouldn't eat it. Then she had her first season and went off her food big time, somebody recommended I take her dried food out with me on our walks and feed it her on the walk, but I didn't want her getting bloat or anything stupid so I fed it her at the end of the walk. Not ideal I know but when we get home from a walk she just goes to lie down and go to sleep. Then I have to go to work, so even if I left her food in the bowl I would come back and it would be untouched.

So then I decided to try another brand, she ate it, without any topping, so I bought some more, and she stopped eating it (due to the skin infection that was making her miserable). I persevered with that brand but she still wouldn't eat it, the vet said I had to make her eat something so I tried a semi-moist brand - again she loved it and eats it without any topping (until she went off it last week but I hope she'll start enjoying it again).

On the vets advice I've moved to tinned for this week to try to get her to eat something, BUT I really want her eating a good quality dried food if I can. Do you think it's the fact that since she was weaned she always had something on top of dried food and that's what she'll always want or can I get her on to dried food alone. She's always picked at her food, she won't ever eat a bowful in one go, I've even tried putting down the bowl for 15 minutes and then taking it away if she hasn't touched it and she doesn't care.

My friend has a lab who is like this, he will regularly go for 3-4 days without eating but I don't want to do that. Part of me thinks the reason she has had so many health issues this year is because she isn't eating properly. However the vet says she looks and is in great health (he even said that this time despite all her current issues!)

This is really getting to me know as I don't know what to do. Help please.....

[Dax]

A lab that's a picky eater. Someone should call Guiness.

Sorry Baby, just not what I expected from Poppy. You could try heating the dry or wetting her dry food. That way it's still the same food. You could add a teaspoon of grated cheese to the dry. Not enough to make her fat.

She shouldn't get bloat if you use the dry as treats for training during your walk.

I know of some dogs that won't eat if their owners aren't home. It's passive aggressive type behavior - that might be why Poppy won't eat.

The thing I found guarantees food gets eaten is to get some competition. Another dog that will eat her food does wonders for the appetite.

[bernicesmama]

Poor Poppy! maybe sprinkle some meat juices on her dry food and decrease the amount sprinkled gradually?

[Trace]

Jake our BC is a terrible eater.

Will she eat if you sit really close to her bowl - justg like you are asking for some?

I now have to feed on a continual basis dry food with water on it and about 1/4 can of tinned food. Any brand - just something to make it more interesting.

I also use gravy from our dinner in with their when their is extra gravy. I only give them food that we would eat - not left over junk that we wouldn;t. This really helps to get him to eat.

And yes - competition - get a second dog and you won't have this problem as much. Plus they have company and you don;t have to worry so much about them being on their own.

Good luck.

[koni]

Sounds like Koni. Sometimes I will sprinkle shredded cheese.

[Blaze]

Lilly's terrible when it comes to food. The only way I can even get her to consider tasting her dry food is to mix it with yoghurt, cottage cheese or chicken broth and even then it's a fight! She'd easily go a week without food if I let her.
I hope Poppy's eating habits improve for you soon, sorry I can't be much help!

[Faith]

i know it makes for a messy house, but i've noticed that Faith loves to "find" food. she can be a slow eater sometimes and will from day to day change from eating both bowls of food like she's starved and then the next day will only eat one bowl throughout the day.

but, without fail, if we sort of hide a small pile of food and casually walk by it, she must stop to investigate. the only downside is, i still have to stand near her while she eats or she just follows me again.

[Sheltiemama]

That sounds like the same problem I had with Magic. She'd look and sniff at the bowl of kibble and look up at me and walk away. I didn't know it at the time but her food contained corn and wheat gluten. She's allergic to those two ingredients. About a month ago I started home cooking for her and now her food bowl hardly touches the floor and it's gone! She hasn't gained weight and she seems happy with her new food.

[BabyElephant]

Originally Posted by Trace

Will she eat if you sit really close to her bowl - justg like you are asking for some?

Nope, she won't. Like Jake if I put some tinned food on it she will eat it, or if I add some gravy and veggies she will eat it but I really want her to eat it without. But I guess that may not be possible. I mean I look at it and ask myself if I'd really want to eat that dried stuff all the time probably not...

If she does tip her bowl on the floor and I sweep it up she will sometimes eat the stuff that I've swept in to a pile (don't know what that's about). I'll check out the ingredients like Sheltie suggested...

Another lab sounds like a fantastic idea though.... "Hubby, Dax and Trace on PD said I should get another lab so that Poppy will eat properly. Can we get one, can we, oh go on....."

[Moo]

Kirby has never eaten a bowl of kibble by itself. Never. Never. Never. He won't have it, it just won't happen. He'll wait me out, then when he's actually hungry after skipping meals, he'll start misbehaving... And I'm forced to give in.

It all depends on the fresh veggies.... Once the broccoli is on top, he'll eat anything that I put in the bowl.