Fussy Eater

[melzawelza]

Hi Guys,

I have a friend with two 2yr old maltese.

They're incredibly fussy and as a result the owners have only been feeding them cooked chicken with some veggies for some time now. Their vet really wants to get them onto a premium kibble to get some more nutrition into them but it's proving difficult.

I've told them all about taking the food away after 15 mins and skipping to the next meal, and they said they'd done that before to the point of getting to day 7-8 and the dogs had not yet taken one mouthful of food. They said that they had also started to become very lethargic and generally unwell by that time.

I am wondering if the dogs do just genuinely not know that the kibble is food??

What would you suggest as a next approach? The owners do not want to try the 'taking the food away' approach again as they mentioned what happened to their vet and he agreed that if they were getting lethargic etc then there needs to be another way to go about it.

Thanks in advance!

[W Sibs]

Charlie isn't a fan of kibbles... so we made a game out of it.

They can try mixing the kibbles in their main meal too... slowly introduce it to them.

[Prydenjoy]

Rather than kibble they could try pre mixed BARF patties or Vets All Natural with RMB's. Try cooking the meat and serving it warm just a little at first and as they become accustomed to the taste cook less and less until they are eating it raw.

Otherwise mix some mince or something with their kibble, Mango has just gone off her kibble but will eat if I mix it with about 50% ratio with her raw meal (means she is having 2 meals a day instead of 3 but the offer is there for kibble at mid day if she is really hungry!)

[Nekhbet]

If they dont want to eat it and they're healthy then whats the big deal

You can purchase dog vitamins and powders that they can sprinkle on the food if they're that worried. Mums pomeranian has lived on the diet of cooked chicken, the odd bit of rice, veges, take away and some my dog kibble when he feels like it (picks out the one he likes of course) 11 years and healthy as a horse.

[melzawelza]

^^ Pretty much ALL they eat is cooked chicken though, next to nothing else, as they turn their nose up. And the vet said he doesn't think they are healthy on that diet so wants them on a complete kibble.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I will let them know. I was thinking also maybe soak a small amount of the kibble so that it is more like a mush (I,e harder to avoid!) and then mix LOTS of chicken though. slowly up the ratio until they are maybe getting used to the taste of the kibble?

[MolassesLass]

Using warm water makes the dry food smell more and could be more enticing. Having cooked chicken all the time, they might be used to food being very smelly.

[Prydenjoy]

Mixing the chicken with mushy kibble sounds like a good idea to me, especially as having it mushy will make it harder for them to pick out.

[spottychick]

or mix it with chicken stock to make it smell. I seem to remember reading somewhere that making kibble soft and mushy isn't a good thing to do. Cant remember why LOL So just pouring some warmish stock over it should be good.

But I agree with others here - why move to kibble??? Just add some more variety to their home made food. My experience with vets is they tend to rely heavily on commercial dog food - especially kibble without really giving the alternatives any thought. Some pulped raw veggies would be good to add to their food and some supplements. And maybe try raw chicken necks or wings (warmed up by pouring some warm water or stock over them if necessary).

[spottychick]

PS My dog Pepper ate all raw food etc from when she was 6 weeks old. She first encountered "kibble" when someone gave her some at about 3 years old. She thought they were some kind of strange toy and batted them around the floor. She tried chomping on one and wasn't impressed. She just spat it out.

So yes, it's possible they have no idea that this wierd dry stuff is thought of as "food" by humans. Dogs are smart like that.

[poodlefan]

Hunger is a wonderful motivator to eat. Few dogs will starve themselves.

Sounds like your friends need to harden up and deal out a little tough love. The dogs have them well trained. Offer the kibble and only the kibble twice a day. Put it down for 5 minutes and walk away. Pick it up and offer no other food between feedings.

Most of the kibbles the vets sell aren't the best around. Offering a really good one might help. Foods like 4 legs also tend to go down well. Other options include raw chicken wings - great for their teeth.

[Nekhbet]

And the vet said he doesn't think they are healthy on that diet so wants them on a complete kibble.

What does he say is missing exactly? Cooked chicken can me made into a soup with some pureed veges added as a starter and work from there. Give them a good canine multivitamin if they are really lacking nutritionally.

[melzawelza]

Mixing the chicken with mushy kibble sounds like a good idea to me, especially as having it mushy will make it harder for them to pick out.

That's what I was thinking, that it would be harder for them to avoid as well

or mix it with chicken stock to make it smell. I seem to remember reading somewhere that making kibble soft and mushy isn't a good thing to do. Cant remember why LOL So just pouring some warmish stock over it should be good.

But I agree with others here - why move to kibble??? Just add some more variety to their home made food. My experience with vets is they tend to rely heavily on commercial dog food - especially kibble without really giving the alternatives any thought. Some pulped raw veggies would be good to add to their food and some supplements. And maybe try raw chicken necks or wings (warmed up by pouring some warm water or stock over them if necessary).

I love the chicken stock idea! As far as the kibble goes, I mentioned the raw feeding but they want to do what the vet suggested which is understandable. They've also spent a bunch on a big bag of food so they want to at least give it a go!

Hunger is a wonderful motivator to eat. Few dogs will starve themselves.

Sounds like your friends need to harden up and deal out a little tough love. The dogs have them well trained. Offer the kibble and only the kibble twice a day. Put it down for 5 minutes and walk away. Pick it up and offer no other food between feedings.

Most of the kibbles the vets sell aren't the best around. Offering a really good one might help. Foods like 4 legs also tend to go down well. Other options include raw chicken wings - great for their teeth.

I completely agree and this was the first thing I suggested but i'm not sure if you saw that they didn't touch a single bit of food for 8 days, and were actually becoming very lethargic and seemed quite unwell, and the vet agreed that this was not a good option. I think it's understandable that the owners don't want to do that if their dogs are visibly unwell from not eating.

And the vet said he doesn't think they are healthy on that diet so wants them on a complete kibble.

What does he say is missing exactly? Cooked chicken can me made into a soup with some pureed veges added as a starter and work from there. Give them a good canine multivitamin if they are really lacking nutritionally.

I'm not sure, i'd have to ask. They are very committed owners and definitely want to do the best by their dogs, but seeing as the vet has told them he wants them on science diet kibble that is what they would really like to do.

[Nekhbet]

vet has told them he wants them on science diet kibble

of course, didnt you know by some veterinarians it's the only food that is good for a dog If the dogs are not showing any ill effect, deficiencies etc then it's pushing for the sake of a dog food sale which I dont like. I would start with what they know and build gradually on it if the dogs are mildly lacking, or go the vitamin route while they build the diet if severely lacking. Many vets cannot get their heads around the fact a dog can be healthy if not on what they sell in the front room.

By the way there is a money back guarentee on hills if they wont eat it

[melzawelza]

vet has told them he wants them on science diet kibble

of course, didnt you know by some veterinarians it's the only food that is good for a dog If the dogs are not showing any ill effect, deficiencies etc then it's pushing for the sake of a dog food sale which I dont like. I would start with what they know and build gradually on it if the dogs are mildly lacking, or go the vitamin route while they build the diet if severely lacking. Many vets cannot get their heads around the fact a dog can be healthy if not on what they sell in the front room.

By the way there is a money back guarentee on hills if they wont eat it

I agree, I am not really a raw food convert but I think there are at least better kibbles than science diet. I didn't know about the money back guarantee though, i'll remember that.

I guess i'll tell them a few different techniques for getting them to eat it and if they still wont they will have to look into a home prepared diet instead.

Thanks for your help

[Nekhbet]

yup there should be, I know the premiums do have a palatability guarentee and the reps are happy to take it back.