Very Fussy Gsd - Needs To Gain Wait

[annukya]

Hi everyone,

I have a 18 month old GSD that is on the skinny side.

I am trying to get her to gain weight, and also trying to find a good diet that she will enjoy. Originally I wanted to feed her on a mix of Premium Dog Food (Royal Canin GSD) and raw meats and veges (Chicken mince etc). However, she has never liked raw meat - and just won't eat it. I have tried taking it away thus starving her and it makes no difference. She won't touch raw. I have had many dogs in the past and they have always enjoyed having the chicken necks, raw mince etc so this is really puzzling to me! Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

Also, being a GSD, she has a very sensitive stomach. If I feed her anything out of the ordinary (even in a 30% new food to 70% raw ratio) she will throw up. Mind you, the only things she doesn't seem to mind eating (and doesn't throw up) is cooked human meat (like chicken breasts!).

At the moment I am feeding her on just the Royal Canin and it is going well but she still isn't gaining much weight. I have heard some people say that Great Barko is a good food for putting on weight - does anyone know much about this? And how does it compare to the Royal Canin?

Just a final note, my dog has been to the vet and everything is fine - my vet said she was slightly underweight but its probably because she likes to run, with the food thing she said 'give it time' and the dog will start wolfing everything up. I just want some opinions and advice from anyone that might have gone through something similar!

Thanks all!

[WalandLibby]

However, she has never liked raw meat - and just won't eat it. I have tried taking it away thus starving her and it makes no difference. She won't touch raw. I have had many dogs in the past and they have always enjoyed having the chicken necks, raw mince etc so this is really puzzling to me! Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

In feeding tests dogs generally prefer cooked to raw. But most dogs love both ;-) Is she eating a full ration of RC or still picking at it? My dog (not a GSD) has never been a good eater which I put down to him being a stressy child - he always ate enough to get by and he wasn't skinny, but he didn't act like he 'liked' ordinary food. As he's gone on to develop terrible liver disease I wonder whether eating gave him nausea. Has your vet done blood tests or only done a physical exam?

[annukya]

However, she has never liked raw meat - and just won't eat it. I have tried taking it away thus starving her and it makes no difference. She won't touch raw. I have had many dogs in the past and they have always enjoyed having the chicken necks, raw mince etc so this is really puzzling to me! Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

In feeding tests dogs generally prefer cooked to raw. But most dogs love both ;-) Is she eating a full ration of RC or still picking at it? My dog (not a GSD) has never been a good eater which I put down to him being a stressy child - he always ate enough to get by and he wasn't skinny, but he didn't act like he 'liked' ordinary food. As he's gone on to develop terrible liver disease I wonder whether eating gave him nausea. Has your vet done blood tests or only done a physical exam?

She just picks at it

And the vet has done both blood and physical - but nothing!

[Bokezu]

I have a Vizsla boy who has always been a pain to get to eat, plus he doesn't like raw although he has always liked raw chicken wings, and is now eating raw kangaroo tails, but he is 22 months now, so getting a bit better. I have to cook everthing for him, my 3 girls all love raw mince etc... but I cook his and mix it with a bit of rice which he now eats. I buy premium kibble but he rarely eats much of that, but did find Eukanuba "performance" did put some weight on him, I am now trying Innova Evo which he quite likes. We also buy him sausages and pork strips ect... and cook for him, because I show him

Don't know why some dogs are like this but its not through being spoilt as some people say Good Luck with your girl, I can't give you any advice, but someone told me they seem to get better as they get older

[annukya]

I have a Vizsla boy who has always been a pain to get to eat, plus he doesn't like raw although he has always liked raw chicken wings, and is now eating raw kangaroo tails, but he is 22 months now, so getting a bit better. I have to cook everthing for him, my 3 girls all love raw mince etc... but I cook his and mix it with a bit of rice which he now eats. I buy premium kibble but he rarely eats much of that, but did find Eukanuba "performance" did put some weight on him, I am now trying Innova Evo which he quite likes. We also buy him sausages and pork strips ect... and cook for him, because I show him

Don't know why some dogs are like this but its not through being spoilt as some people say Good Luck with your girl, I can't give you any advice, but someone told me they seem to get better as they get older

Thanks for that! Yeah, my girl is not spoilt! I literally took the food away and she just starved for a week! LOL. But hopefully time will help and I'm glad there are others out there who have to cook everything!

[ish]

Sounds to me like you're doing the right things - but I'd just ride it out and don't stress about her. Lots of GSDs, especially the really active ones, struggle to keep weight on until they reach maturity. You'll probably find once she hits 2, she'll suddenly start getting rounder with little extra effort on your part - thats what I've found with mine.

I've used Great Barko and found it great to put weight on, but I think in your situation, with a dog with a sensitive tum, probably best to stick with the RC which you know agrees with her.

[WalandLibby]

And the vet has done both blood and physical - but nothing!

Well that's great. Is she generally a bit anxious? because often anxious dogs don't eat really well.

[WalandLibby]

Lots of GSDs, especially the really active ones, struggle to keep weight on until they reach maturity. You'll probably find once she hits 2, she'll suddenly start getting rounder with little extra effort on your part - thats what I've found with mine.

I read something recently on a GSD site about not allowing a GSD pup to loose it's puppy fat because it is hard to get it back on, which struck me as a bit strange. Does that make sense to you?

[Larrikin]

I have GSD my boy was very picky until he got a sister, he'll still turn his nose up at things like veges and pasta unless I put liver sprinkles on it. (Brought from Coles)

I have found that lamb flaps but weight on and Bonnie Working Dog dry food

My friend feeds satin balls to her dogs to put on weight and swears by them I found this reipie below. They must be avaliable commercially she can't cook.

Good Luck

SATIN BALLS

This recipe is one for putting weight on an animal quickly, as some use it for putting a couple extra pounds on a show animal prior to the big day, or an animal that may have been ill and needs a weight gain program. It has also been reported that this recipe will help with some forms of hair loss, such as when your dog(s) blow their coat, to keep the coat healthy and shiny. This recipe is entended to be fed raw.

10# hamburger meat

1 jar wheat germ

1 lg box of oatmeal (uncooked)

1 1/4 Cup vegetable oil

10 eggs

10 sm pkgs unflavored gelatin

1 1/4 Cup unflavored molasses

A pinch of salt

1 lg box Total cereal (2lb's)

(You may also add a pinch of garlic powder to add flavor)

Mix all ingredients together well, much like a meatloaf....put into separate freezer bags and freeze, thawing out as needed. It puts weight on in a very short time, not to mention the gloss in their coat. You can use it every day when they have a show to do and it does not produce diarrhea. It can be fed alone or with kibble.

[KitKat]

I feed Great Barko/Uncle Albers to my GSD's and have found it very very good for them - google the company and email them explaining why you are looking at their food and ask if they could send a sample - the sample i got proved enough meals for both my boys for three nights :nahnah: At least that way you can try it she if she has an issue with it and if it works great, if she tosses her cookies you know not to try it again

Euk is now doing a GSD mix which might be worth a try as Euk is usually good for putting weight on a dog. Also which Royal Canin one are you using? the Maxi/GSD/4800?

[KOE]

Oliver would be one of the worst eaters around

but he will eat eukanuba with strawberry yoghurt and I have found he likes natures gift in a tin

now he has eukanuba with natures gift chicken rubbed through my hands with a yoghurt after wards/

[4 Paws]

where abouts are you located?

[JENCOL]

Try the Satin Balls, have been using them for one of mine that needed to gain weight (although Collie not GSD)My guys all love them, even the fussy's. I also feed Eagle Pack Power to assist weight gain, At times its really hard getting the Max calories in which is what is required and where the Satin Balls come in. Coats come up brilliantly as well!

Edited June 5, 2008 by JENCOL

[vnv]

My parents GSD is the same. He won't eat anything cold but he does eat raw if it's warmed slightly (or at least room temp). He's mainly eating chicken frames at the moment.

[mellukjac]

I have a JRT that doesn't eat. I have tried all things. She wont eat if its raw, she wont eat if there is too much in a serve, she wont eat if its to big. Just because she ate something yesterday doesnt mean she will eat it today. She hasnt eaten any dry food in any way shape or form until today......YAY. Today, I made her a mince and vegie and rice dinner with some biscuit mixed in. She ate it. She will also eat Natures Gift tins, but I have to hand feed her.

If she is eating, we dont move, speak or barely breath so we dont disturb her. She is a skinny minny but you cant see bones.

[WalandLibby]

I have a JRT that doesn't eat. I have tried all things.

Has she been doing this all her life? I did this briefly while my boy was sick and it was soooo much work. You deserve a medal!

[~*Shell*~]

Zero had a similar problem with not eating.

Turns out that the things he wouldn't eat are the things that make him sick (vet believes he has some kind of intolerance to an unknown ingredient) - at the moment he's eating pedigree naturals (not exactly what i wanted to feed him but he's doing well on it and it's the only thing aside from supercoat that i've found that doesn't make him really sick).

I want to try him on orijen and eagle pack but at the moment i'm finding them hard to get in small bags (don't want to pay $100 for a big bag only to find he gets incredibly sick off them).

[4 Paws]

Zero had a similar problem with not eating.

Turns out that the things he wouldn't eat are the things that make him sick (vet believes he has some kind of intolerance to an unknown ingredient) - at the moment he's eating pedigree naturals (not exactly what i wanted to feed him but he's doing well on it and it's the only thing aside from supercoat that i've found that doesn't make him really sick).

I want to try him on orijen and eagle pack but at the moment i'm finding them hard to get in small bags (don't want to pay $100 for a big bag only to find he gets incredibly sick off them).

Shell,as mentioned before PM me if you'd like as i have all sizes in stock of Orijen (400G,2.5kg,7kg and 13.5kg)

[WalandLibby]

Turns out that the things he wouldn't eat are the things that make him sick (vet believes he has some kind of intolerance to an unknown ingredient)

This is what I suspect was going on with my boy. Have heard that fussy children who only want bland food often have intolerances to the chemicals in more highly flavoured things. Would not be at all surprised to find that something similar was going on with at least some fussy dogs.

[KitKat]

Zero had a similar problem with not eating.

Turns out that the things he wouldn't eat are the things that make him sick (vet believes he has some kind of intolerance to an unknown ingredient) - at the moment he's eating pedigree naturals (not exactly what i wanted to feed him but he's doing well on it and it's the only thing aside from supercoat that i've found that doesn't make him really sick).

I want to try him on orijen and eagle pack but at the moment i'm finding them hard to get in small bags (don't want to pay $100 for a big bag only to find he gets incredibly sick off them).

Check with the store/s you use and see if they have a palatability guarentee on the food they sell (so you can take it back if dog doesn't eat it/gets sick/etc), or ask them if you can get samples - even if it's just a couple of handfuls from a broken bag etc.

Also Evo is now available in Aus which which is pretty good stuff as well..expensive tho.