Sally Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Hi all, I've found a place in Adelaide that sells the BARF diet dog food, and was impressed with the list of ingredients. I bought some for my pooch, but as I predicted, she flat out refused to eat it. She only really wants to eat what we eat for tea, and certainly usually won't accept leftovers from the night before. I'm determined to take a stand though, as I think the BARF diet is better for her. Should I put some grated cheese or something through it? She actually prefers her meat cooked, but I know it's not what you're supposed to do with BARF. Any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pandii Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I have no idea My dog wont eat BARF either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevafollo Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 ask her nicely???? LOL....seriously i have no idea our dogs eat anything we put in their bowls!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassie Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Are you talking about the BARF patties? If so, perhaps try feeding them at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge/freezer. Also, you could try feeding her NOTHING else. I know this may seem harsh, but an otherwise healthy dog WILL NOT starve itself if there is food available to it. Just an idea, I hope others have more. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 If she knows that eventually mum will feed her 'human' food...well, she will wait I agree with cassie.. she gets the BARF offered, and NOTHING else! No treats, no grated cheese, no "just one crust..." Do not pay her ANY attention when she is waiting for her usual fare...ignore her at mealtimes...put the food down in her same bowl, same place, same time....leave it for 15 minutes, then remove it until the next feeding time. She will not starve herself! It is hard, but should only take a day or two for her to realise that those big brown eyes just don't do it anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 One of my dogs decided she didn't like liver. When she realised that if she didn't eat her liver she didn't get anything else, she changed her mind about not eating it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Mix in a bit of cottage cheese and see how you go !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 It sounds to me like your dog is manipulating you big time. Most times fussy dogs are created by their owners. As suggested already, it sounds like you need to lay down the law a bit. Offer the BARF patties. Put it down for your dog for about 15 minutes. Don't try and cajole your dog into eating, just leave her be to figure it out. After 15 minutes if she hasn't started eating pick it up and put it away. DO NOT offer any other food as an alternative - she has a 15 minute window to start eating what is offered by you and that is it. Be strong and DO NOT give in to pleading eyes to share your dinner. Offer the food twice a day in this manner. A healthy dog will not starve itself, though your dog may try and hold out for a few meals in the hope you will offer something else. Eventually she will realise that that is all you are offering and will go ahead and eat. DO NOT give in. If you give in you are creating an even bigger rod for your own back. Eventually you will be able to give human dinner treats again (treats! not meals! and on your terms, not hers) but for a few weeks at least until the routine is established, stick to things like the BARF patties that are offered on your terms and not hers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greychicken Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Totally agree with offering her ONLY the BARF. We have fostered many dogs and the food for them is supplied. The odd one doesn't seem to like it. They get offered it, if they don't eat it it gets taken away, they figure it out pretty quickly! It is very hard to feel like you are depriving them of food, but as said, they will not starve themselves. I warm up my dogs food, my girl is still funny about food sometimes, I find that 1 min in the micro warms it up and won't cook the bone in BARF, it is just enough to take the chill off and bring out the smells so she is more interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sally Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 I decided to not feed anything but the BARF until my dog was used to eating it. I've been feeling a bit unsure that the time is not right to do this, as she's on antibiotics for an infected bug bite, which doesn't seem to be healing. In hindsight I should have started the BARF after she was better, but when I first gave it to her, I thought she might actually like it. Anyway, she was absolutely starving, going crazy whenever there was a smell of food around this afternoon, as she had been on a hunger strike since Friday. I thought, now is the time to give her the BARF. I gave it to her, certain that she would eat it, but alas, she didn't. I was in a hurry, I should have warmed it a little, as that's how she likes her food. I have to admit I caved in and gave her some of the hokkien noodles and beef we had for tea. Once she smelled that it was what we had, she ate it, and now looks more satisfied that I've ever seen her. I know the healthiest food for her right now is the BARF, but she won't eat it, and I don't think I should starve her any more while she's supposed to be healing. I'll give it another go when this sore of hers is better. Thanks for your advice everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 In kennels I find that dogs who won't eat raw foods are often happy to eat them when they pinch them from someone else (little buggers). Once they get over the initial prejudice, they usually take to it big time. Could you convince the dog that the cat is getting the stuff and allow her to pinch it from the cat bowl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascalmyshadow Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I used to feed my dogs the BARF patties, my standard girl hated them she ended up being too skinny because she refused to eat. I have stopped buying them and put the dogs onto a mix of raw meat/chicken for dinner and a mix of canned and dry for breaky, they all look so much better and my girl is finally a good weight. I have always thought fresh/BARF is best but the results I was getting weren't great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sally Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 sandgrubber, that sounds like a good idea. Only problem is I don't have a cat (or another dog). I used to have 3 dogs, so I know the power of competition when it comes to feeding time. They'll eat anything just to spite the others LOL. NicoleL Yes I guess dogs are individuals, and some have strong preferences like people do. My dog is around 2 years old, and I got her as a rescue, so I don't know what she was fed in the past. Maybe if she was started on BARF from day one, she wouldn't have a problem. I can tell it would be a real up hill battle to force her to change now. She won't eat commercial canned or dry food unless she's really really hungry. Apparently she thinks BARF is even worse LOL. I'll talk to the vet about what to do. I'm glad your system is working for your dogs. They are really cute BTW. I've always wanted an apricot poodle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 My standard poodle tried the whole "I'm a fussy eater" thing with me, too . He'd follow me every time I went to the fridge, hoping there was some more raw food in there for him. I was feeding a dry food- raw food mix, 3 times a day (pup). Dry food= food of last resort, still, but now he knows it's that or nothing in the evening. He went without for a few days, then soon changed his mind. His weight is fine and it took only a few days for him to realise food gets taken away if he doesn't eat it. Represented to him later. It's easy to feel sorry for your dog when they're a rescue. I've had pound dogs in the past. I'm sure she'll respond well as long as you're consistent. Healthy dogs will not starve themselves. Is she skinny now? If not, don't spend any time at all worrying. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobayashi Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 As a quick side topic, where in adelaide did you get it from? I've started looking into swapping willow over to barf and have started to feed her a little raw food in with her biccies at night, and she seems to be lapping it up. She was actually starting to go off her dry food a little, but ate her whole bowl in 2 mins with the raw stuff mixed in with it. I guess it might be harder if shes got the taste for the food you usually had. Its been hard not to feed willow the occasional tidbit, but so far i have managed. The picking the food up trick DOES work, thats what we did when she first started going off her dry food. She refused to eat her food in the morning, so i picked it up and her next meal went in a few mins People say puppies and dogs are like kids, i swear they are a lot MORE work But so rewarding when you have a happy pooch snuggling up with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 People create "fussy eater" dogs and cats. It's time to be firm with this dog and only offer what you plan to feed from now on. If it's the ready-made BARF patties, can I suggest you also give raw meaty bones at least every second day? This is how the BARF diet is meant to be delivered: RMBs make up the bulk of the diet, followed by offal, then veg/fruit pulp, then any 'extras' you feel like adding such as sardines, yoghurt or egg. Offer the food slightly warmer than straight from the fridge. You can achieve this by microwave cooking it for approximately 30 seconds at a time until it's just off 'cold'. You may like to mash the patties up a little to lose the shape as some dogs are 'funny' about food not looking like food. DO NOT offer any other foods - she will not starve herself. If you go adding stuff, offering other foods, etc then the dog has you perfectly trained, so don't fall for that. When I adopted Molly, she had only been fed dry food. At first she was unsure of what to do with a chicken neck...or offal...or veg pulp...or raw egg... But she learnt that if she didn't eat what was in the bowl, it got taken away or another dog ate it, and she went without. I did break open a chicken wing by smashing it up a bit, and when that didn't work, I warmed it ever so slightly...which worked. Good luck. You will need to be patient but it's worth it for a healthy dog IMO. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 I found the easiest way to make the switch is to combine the barf with some raw mince (I started at about 30/70 as a mix) and slowly reduce the quanity of the mince. You can do a fair bit to increase palatability by serving your dog's food at room temperature or slightly warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 10, 2007 Share Posted September 10, 2007 People create "fussy eater" dogs and cats. It's time to be firm with this dog and only offer what you plan to feed from now on. If it's the ready-made BARF patties, can I suggest you also give raw meaty bones at least every second day? This is how the BARF diet is meant to be delivered: RMBs make up the bulk of the diet, followed by offal, then veg/fruit pulp, then any 'extras' you feel like adding such as sardines, yoghurt or egg. Offer the food slightly warmer than straight from the fridge. You can achieve this by microwave cooking it for approximately 30 seconds at a time until it's just off 'cold'. You may like to mash the patties up a little to lose the shape as some dogs are 'funny' about food not looking like food. DO NOT offer any other foods - she will not starve herself. If you go adding stuff, offering other foods, etc then the dog has you perfectly trained, so don't fall for that. When I adopted Molly, she had only been fed dry food. At first she was unsure of what to do with a chicken neck...or offal...or veg pulp...or raw egg... But she learnt that if she didn't eat what was in the bowl, it got taken away or another dog ate it, and she went without. I did break open a chicken wing by smashing it up a bit, and when that didn't work, I warmed it ever so slightly...which worked. Good luck. You will need to be patient but it's worth it for a healthy dog IMO. :D Sally... They do train their humans well ,in regard to feeding You have to be very consistent and firm. She WILL eat new food eventually, without you resorting to your leftovers...and NO , she won't starve herself and make herself ill if she is an otherwise happy , healthy girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sally Posted September 11, 2007 Author Share Posted September 11, 2007 I know she won't starve herself, but she just hates raw food. She lasted three days without eating when I tried the BARF, I'm worried how long she will go. The poor thing was so irritable because she was so hungry. I should be tough I know. She's still got this infected lump on her tail, so I'll try and build up the strength to be tough on her after she gets over that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 you worry too much. She has learned so well that you will feed her and it looks like you gave up. A dog wont die after 3 days of no food, especially if its in good condition. Be tough. Put the food down, 15 minutes then nothing till tomorrow. And keep going until the dog eats it. Dont give tid bits, snacks etc in between either and DONT GIVE IN! Dont ask the dog, tell the dog. Here is your food, you eat it or you dont eat anything at all. Hence why I have owned nothing but pure canine vacuum cleaners for the past 15 years hehehe irrespective of breed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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