StaceyB Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 My pup Gypsy is not interested in anything I give her to eat, it's almost as if she see's eating as a chore. I have tried a heap of different dry foods and all sorts of wet food. She has always been disinterested in her food, but it seems to be getting worse as she gets older. I am currently feeding her Advance Puppy buscuits (for larger breeds) and human grade beef mince, mixed veggies, rice and an egg mixed in. I have tried so many different buscuits I can't remember them all, and I have tried pet mince from the supermarket and from Lenards, I've even tried tinned food!! I have tried putting gravy and different flavour stocks on her food to make it more appealing, but unless I actually stand there and don't let her leave she will only have one or two mouth fulls and then leave it - and she doesn't go back during the day to finish it later either. I have tried putting the food down and then taking it away but that doesn't seem to make a difference to her. Her adult weight will be approx 30-35kg (currently 17kg @ 6 months old) and even though she is not underweight now I am worried that she doesn't eat enough. Does anyone have any other tips or suggestions for me to try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) If she's not underweight, she is eating enough. How many times a day are you offering her food? Don't leave it down.. offer it for 5 minutes, pick it up and don't give her anymore until the next feed. Hovering over the food won't be helping I'm afraid. You'd be radiating anxiety I expect and some dogs prefer to eat alone. Are there other dogs in the house? Edited November 23, 2007 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyB Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 Hi Poodlefan, There are no other dogs in the house, we have cats but they all get fed at the same time so they don't bother each other. She has shown signs of food agression, which was why I started to hover around her food - I was hand feeding her and a just generally being close by and touching her while she ate so she is used to me being around while she is eating and doesn't show any signs of anxiety. I suppose that if she isn't underwight I shouldn't worry about too much, but she is the first dog I have owned and I am probably a little neurotic about things! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 You are probably doing what I was - overfeeding! Cut back both meals for two - three day and I bet you will see a massive difference! So if you feed 2 cups now of dry food and a bone or two, plus kongs for instance - reduce it to one cup a day split over the two meals and only a bone and if kongs are involved then take the biscuit out of her meal portions and add a tiny bit of cheese to plug the top. See i found out I was feeding Benson way too much and every morning (before I found out) he would not even glance at his food bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 You are probably doing what I was - overfeeding! Cut back both meals for two - three day and I bet you will see a massive difference! So if you feed 2 cups now of dry food and a bone or two, plus kongs for instance - reduce it to one cup a day split over the two meals and only a bone and if kongs are involved then take the biscuit out of her meal portions and add a tiny bit of cheese to plug the top. See i found out I was feeding Benson way too much and every morning (before I found out) he would not even glance at his food bowl. I was doing this too, halved Kyzer's meals and now he has appetite again :rolleyes: He is not underweight, just perfect. I was just giving him too much food poor little bugger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Easy done isn't it amypie!?!?! We think they need sooo much more than they really do - we forget that they are on 'super premium foods that are much more concentrated' as a wise person said to me and we look at the portion and think - nah that's not enough!!! But even the packets make us think more is better but each dog is individual and some need the specified amount (very few that are not worling dogs) and some need sooo much less if they are not super active Oh well we live - we learn and puppyhood is the easist time to make sure they are lean, as I have been told getting the kgs of an adult is really hard! You are looking for a girly hourglass shape from their ribs to their hips and a thin layer of skin over their ribs - but not so much you can seen each rib! I am still looking for the hour glass shape but we will get there! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Kyzer has always been lean (especially in comparison to his rellies, I saw some of his litter mates recently and they were little barrels on legs ) so obviously he self regulates :rolleyes: There are some very FAT little terriers out there and he obviously doesn't want to be one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyB Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 You are probably doing what I was - overfeeding! Cut back both meals for two - three day and I bet you will see a massive difference! So if you feed 2 cups now of dry food and a bone or two, plus kongs for instance - reduce it to one cup a day split over the two meals and only a bone and if kongs are involved then take the biscuit out of her meal portions and add a tiny bit of cheese to plug the top. See i found out I was feeding Benson way too much and every morning (before I found out) he would not even glance at his food bowl. Good Point! I think I'll try that tomorrow and see how we go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Benson is also a great deal leaner than alot of Goldens we see, yet I was told bu my mate (that is a vet) that he could loss 2-3 kgs to be much healthier!!! :rolleyes: opps :cool: Oh well at least we caught it early - so hard to know when you have never had a dog before and the packets tell you to feed so much when it is generally a cup or two less if you are giving them bones and treats for training. Also reduce dinner by a bit if they have had lots of treats during a training period! :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 You are probably doing what I was - overfeeding! Cut back both meals for two - three day and I bet you will see a massive difference! So if you feed 2 cups now of dry food and a bone or two, plus kongs for instance - reduce it to one cup a day split over the two meals and only a bone and if kongs are involved then take the biscuit out of her meal portions and add a tiny bit of cheese to plug the top. See i found out I was feeding Benson way too much and every morning (before I found out) he would not even glance at his food bowl. Good Point! I think I'll try that tomorrow and see how we go! Seriously to make sure it is nothing worse- keep it up for a minimum of three days!!! :rolleyes: Otherwise go to the vet! I was told that one day will not do as they have so much food in them they will not notice for a day or two - but by day three or four. either they are back to woofing down their food or there are underlying issues! Seriously everyone in the house must be under strick instructions not to give puppy anything else - maybe make a chart and pop it on the fridge and tell them she has to stick to this for just a few days to make sure she is not sick! That way they may understanf and not be "like whatever " Additionally of this works - keep her on that food plan and only up it if she is starting to get a little to thin!!! P.s. Benson is on a diet at 9 mths :rolleyes: because of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Yep, as said, I think you are overfeeding her. Cooper is 23-25kg and gets 3/4 cup of dry food with a small amount of raw meat once daily. Lamb flaps or chicken frames are given every 2 days in which he gets no raw meat with his dry. He eats every single biscuit and still scrounges around for more, but doesn't get any I like my dogs lean, and I believe a hungry dog is a healthy dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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