Have Solved The Problem:

[Loving my Oldies]

I've finally stopped waiting 15 minutes and then picking up ignored food bowls.

I'm feeding them once a day - LOL.

Actually I do give them a bit of jerky or a chicken neck mid morning and then give them a big feed at night and it seems to be working. Every little morsel licked up in record times.

[Maddy]

This is what I do but even then, I put dinner down and two out of three hounds just roll over and go back to sleep. It's not like they're being fed Chum, either- it's raw mince stuffed into chicken frames or pieces of fresh sheep, still on the bone- the foster dogs go nuts over it.

I think part of it as that with raw meat, it's so filling and provides so much for them that they're not inclined to eat every day (except for the fat, old glutton dog who'd eat all day, every day if he had the chance.)

[Loving my Oldies]

LOL! Bunter would eat all day and every day if he could, but the others just eat to stay alive. With regard to the raw meat being so filling - that had never occurred to me. Most of their diet is raw meat.

I had long ago stopped worrying as they aren't exactly fading away :D ; it was just annoying to see them sniffing and prancing and backing away as though I was trying to make them eat nasties - LOL - and then pick up the full or just picked at bowls.

[poochmad]

I've finally stopped waiting 15 minutes and then picking up ignored food bowls.

I'm feeding them once a day - LOL.

Actually I do give them a bit of jerky or a chicken neck mid morning and then give them a big feed at night and it seems to be working. Every little morsel licked up in record times.

Out of curiosity, what do you feed them?

It's amazing the turnaround when a dog misses a meal, LOL. Henschke used to be a pain in the butt to eat anything, now because of Jindi literally waiting for him to step away, he now eats whatever is in front of him. :)

[huski]

I can't say I really ever have dogs refuse to eat in my house! Everyone eats everything they are given with gusto here :laugh:

[megan_]

Same here - they lurve their food. No bowls though. They either work for it by training or get a bit of dry in an activity toy. I don't actually own bowls.

I dog sat two dogs who got el cheapo dry only over Christmas. I gave the young one some raw and she was perplexed. She eventually got the gist of things then loved it.

[Loving my Oldies]

Out of curiosity, what do you feed them?

A mixture of raw (beef, chicken, roo) and steamed pureed vegetables - the vegetables have to be pureed or they won't eat them. Sometimes a bit of rice mixed in, sometimes egg beaten into it.

I get my food from Aussie Pet Supplies in Marrickville including the treats of roo jerky, dried chicken necks, dried roo bones all Sydney produced. I don't feed them cans, or any of those strip imported foods. I read in Urban Animal a long time ago what was done to produce those rawhide knots and never bought them again.

However it is such a long trip that I am trying another supplier and should have the first supplies this Tuesday. If I'm not happy with their food, I'll continue to make the trek to Marrickville (Sydenham actually).

http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/246581-quality-pet-food-supplier/

[Loving my Oldies]

Same here - they lurve their food. No bowls though. They either work for it by training or get a bit of dry in an activity toy. I don't actually own bowls.

Mine would starve :D

I dog sat two dogs who got el cheapo dry only over Christmas. I gave the young one some raw and she was perplexed. She eventually got the gist of things then loved it.

That's sad.

[Maddy]

Same here - they lurve their food. No bowls though. They either work for it by training or get a bit of dry in an activity toy. I don't actually own bowls.

Mine would starve :D

I dog sat two dogs who got el cheapo dry only over Christmas. I gave the young one some raw and she was perplexed. She eventually got the gist of things then loved it.

That's sad.

Same here.

Actually ingesting it is enough work for them :p

Having fed both kibble only and a raw only diet, I noticed a huge difference in appetite. On kibble (super premium, tried several brands), at least once a day, more often twice. On raw meat.. meeeeeeh, whenever they feel like getting up and eating. The Sandmonster hound often won't eat dinner yet she remains festively plump and is in great condition (sand aside).

[voloclydes]

We often get fresh meat, as in rabbits shot or the odd roo, Sophie will starve.... She will not eat it, she eats the fur after it goes manky, but fresh, nup.

They get working dog kibble, I run out and had to buy supermarket kibble.... Leo huge amounts of weight and was starving... Really hungry.

I will never buy it, again.

[EdmundH]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

[Loving my Oldies]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

True, but dogs aren't humans and the general doesn't always suit the specific. :)

[EdmundH]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

True, but dogs aren't humans and the general doesn't always suit the specific. :)

In your opinion.

Metobalism is metabolism.

Calories are burned by movement, not by sleeping.

[pebbles]

I tried to switch mine to morning feeding for that reason, burn off the calories. Yes they ate the breakfast gladly but drove me crazy in the evening although they got a small bone that wasn't tea!

[Loving my Oldies]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

True, but dogs aren't humans and the general doesn't always suit the specific. :)

In your opinion.

Metobalism is metabolism.

Calories are burned by movement, not by sleeping.

Yes, in my opinion .... and, more importantly, knowledge of my dogs and our routines, such as they are.

They eat anywhere between 5.30pm and 7pm of an evening and we are up for hours after that.

[Jed]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

True, but dogs aren't humans and the general doesn't always suit the specific. :)

In your opinion.

Metobalism is metabolism.

Calories are burned by movement, not by sleeping.

The rationale of feeding dogs at night is so that their stomachs are not full during the day so they are able to move about and work freely without a stomach load of food ..... which can cause problems. Dogs like to sleep after eating.

Other more important reason is that if you feed a dog at night, and his tummy is full he will go to sleep and digest his food. He is less likely to be running around all night, or barking all night.

Edited to say - I had this problem with mine, DD, and I solved the problem by feeding all but the incredible guts, and the keen by slow eaters, together. Of course, there were great scrambles and some growling, but they settled to it and all ate better and seemed to get enough.

Apparently quite a few breeders etc. do feel their dogs together. They are fed separately again now though

Edited February 18, 2013 by Jed

[Loving my Oldies]

LOL Jed.

Mine are fed as follows:

Bunter in a room by himself because he is a vacuum cleaner and even having him around wouldn't get the others to eat up without fussing (have tried - LOL).

Myrtie in the kitchen on newspaper, because she is a very messy eater and whilst a good eater, she is slow.

The other three (Danny, Jeune and Tamar) out on the deck together.

The positioning of the dogs for meal time has been in place for quite some time, but the latest regime (ie feeding at night) seems to be working well. They are hungry and eager by the end of the day. And after about 1/2 hour, we go for a walk around the neighbourhood.

And before anyone tells me that I shouldn't be walking them after a meal, I wait for 1/2 hour and our "walk" would try a snail - LOL.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Danny's Darling

[Tapua]

At home to maintain weight my guys get 1/3 in the morning and 2/3 at night about 6pm. They dont get a feed on the morning of a show or if I am trialing - so they are keener to please. However I find the mornign feed helps to settle my dogs. They each get about 5 -10 mib training in the morning then breaky and then they tend to sleep most of the day. I find they are very settled at might with a meal. I wet my dogs meals with water and in winter they get warm water so it is a warm feed. They coat, weight and general fitness is good on this routine.

[EdmundH]

Main meal in the morning.

Light snack at night.

Human dieticians will tell brekky is the most important meal of the day.

True, but dogs aren't humans and the general doesn't always suit the specific. :)

In your opinion.

Metobalism is metabolism.

Calories are burned by movement, not by sleeping.

The rationale of feeding dogs at night is so that their stomachs are not full during the day so they are able to move about and work freely without a stomach load of food ..... which can cause problems. Dogs like to sleep after eating.

Other more important reason is that if you feed a dog at night, and his tummy is full he will go to sleep and digest his food. He is less likely to be running around all night, or barking all night.

Edited to say - I had this problem with mine, DD, and I solved the problem by feeding all but the incredible guts, and the keen by slow eaters, together. Of course, there were great scrambles and some growling, but they settled to it and all ate better and seemed to get enough.

Apparently quite a few breeders etc. do feel their dogs together. They are fed separately again now though

By that rationale human athletes who deliberately load up on carbs or steak etc before a fight, a footy match, a marathon etc are all wrong.

Are you also suggesting humans with non-sedentary occupations who have a hearty brekky would be lethargic & unfit for a decent mornings work?

It is only a matter of opinion of course, but in my opinion your rationale is seriously flawed.

Altho i can see there could be a problem with continiously over feeding.

Which wouldn't matter whether it was done morning or night.

[Loving my Oldies]

Sheesh, now you've done it EdmundH. I told my dogs that, in a thread about their eating habits, the term "athletes" had somehow mysteriously appeared.

They are hiding under the bed and refuse to come out unless I promise them they won't be sent to bootcamp. After brekky that is.