Help New Puppy Won’t Eat Breeder’s Diet.

[kitcat]

Hi all, (first post so hope this works)

I’m the proud new mum of a gorgeous 8 week old golden retriever (Leah).

She’s been home with us since last Tuesday night.

Our breeder sent us home with a book of instructions including diet.

For example:

• Morning - weetbix, puppy milk & bit of honey (or vegemite toast)

• Afternoon - chicken necks (6)

• Dinner – super coat, mincemeat and pal puppy.

Unfortunately she doesn’t seem too happy to eat it.

She is happy to dig up the garden and eat anything she can find (possum poo, old dried bone, her hidden day old chicken neck, and crayons), but she wont eat her food at meal times. She has never touched the weetbix, will only have the occasional chicken neck (about 2 a day) and pretty much won’t eat the dinner mix unless desperate and only about 2 tablespoons (she loves vegemite toast but I don’t really think that is appropriate every day)

We realised the first few days she was unsettled and nervous but she seems a bit more relaxed now. In desperation dad gave her a bit of cooked steak from last nights dinner which she woofed down and loved, so its not nerves now.

I fear I have a FUSSY EATER. Ahhhhhhhh.

How far do I indulge this? We don’t want have a fussy eater in the house and I know if I chop and change food, or feed her our food, I will create exactly this.

It’s only her first week so what is the step by step approach.

So here are my questions.

1) How long do I stick to the breeder diet if she isn’t eating it.

2) If I try new food, what brand could I try? I would prefer not to spend a fortune and would prefer if possible to purchase from the supermarket.

3) How long do I try each new food?

4) Also when can she have raw bones and what type is appropriate for a golden pup.

I would really appreciate any advice.

Cheers

Cath

[Steve]

Smart puppy !

How long do you stick with the breeder's diet ? - You dont - The sooner you ditch it the better.

You know already Im going to try to nudge you toward feeding a raw food diet - Raw meaty bones , raw foods and table scraps.

If you have to feed a commercial diet from a supermarket Id go optimum but I would add some thrive D and table scraps .

You make the decision as to what her food is going to be and stick with it . Puppies often eat very little when they first come home because the litter isnt competing with her any more . Put the food down . Whats not eaten in 15 mins pick up and take away - she'll eat .

She can have raw meaty bones now. Chicken wings are great but any food bones are good.These are soft bones she can chew and not have to work too hard over. No recreational bones until a bit later.

[persephone]

hello, and welcome

ermmm

you will only have a fussy eater if you play by HER rules!

She is correct in not eating her weetbix and milk..she needs neither (vegemite toast is fine for a treat )

Of course she likes cooked steak!

But...

chicken necks, bones, meat/mince and a premium puppy food are much better for her.

If she seems happy and bright...

She will eat if she is hungry

She will eat 'her' food if NONE other is offered (eventually)

I'm sure you will get lots of help here

enjoy your puppy!

edit..Oops..I was typing as you were posting, Steve .. snap!

Edited April 14, 2007 by persephone

[Staff'n'Toller]

What Persephone said

but I will add that if it were me, I would be spending some money on super premium food for the first couple of years of her life...an excellent quality large breed puppy food that encourages controlled bone growth etc. Particularly if you are adding raw bones/necks/wings it's not as expensive as if you were feeding it solely.

My favourite is Eaglepack at the moment, but you could go for Nutro, Hills, Royal Canin....

Mel.

[bloss344]

Cute puppy. I get my goldie in 2 weeks and I've named her Leah too!!!!!

No helpful advice that hasn't been already posted except I've done some research on puppy foods and have decided to gradually change her over to Eagle Pack large breed from the breeders diet.

[Mil]

She sounds just like our new puppy

He eats everything in the garden but is now showing no interest in his food. Apparently bark and leaves are more appetising.

We just tried mixing some chicken stock into his eukanuba food to make it softer in case his mouth was sore and he wolfed it down.

I don't want a hungry puppy, but I definitely don't want a fussy eater either...

[laffi]

I have a 3 month old golden retriever girl. I feed her Royal Canin Lab Junior (I get it online, it's much cheaper and more convenient). She is eating it like no tomorrow and she looks stunning. I changed her diet within few days of getting her.

[Nekhbet]

CRIPES!!! That dogs food is so full of fillers no wonder its not eating it. Its a dog. Ditch the weet bix, supercoat and canned gloop. I have 3 large dogs (25kg, 37kg and 55kd) and a 15kg bag lasts me a month (thats around $90) because I give them bits and pieces from the local chicken factory and some cooked food (costs me about $3 to make up a large pot of veges and rice) so if you work it out your little pup will be really cheap on a premium, breed specific dog food. I find supermarket brands are not really closely suited to most breeds either, they cast the net too wide for who they get fed too.

It pays to invest in a better dog food at this stage. You can supplement it with chicken necks, wings and lamb flaps so it will last you longer and you dont feed large amounts. Royal Canin, Nutro, Eagle Pack are up there and you can start with a smaller bag - I think all 3 brands come with a money back guarentee so if your dog WONT eat it you return the uneaten portion and get a refund. You wont find them at the supermarket but then again I completely avoid the dog food isle unless I'm grabbing some dried liver treats or cat litter

[kendall]

Like others have said- don't feed the weetbix and milk (totally not necessary ). I would also feed a premium biscuit with raw meaty bones and chicken necks and vegies etc. Soaking the biscuits or adding small amount of stock can help (as already suggested). Not alot different to add sorry!

You have been given great advice from DOLers here - good luck with your pup .

[kitcat]

Thanks for all the good advice.

I agree I think some of the food it was suggested I feed my puppy was way too “human” for her own good.

I’ll stick to the chicken necks and look into some other premium options. A bit more online research will be in order I think.

I’m happy with the idea of raw and table scraps but I want to make sure she will eat some standard diet before I start giving her too many options. In my house there isn’t always table scraps at the end of the meal.

A further couple of question?

When people are talking about “bags” of food does that mean that puppy is getting dry food rather than wet (tinned) food?

I thought puppy’s needed mixed wet and dry? (ie tinned mixed with biscuit) not dry on its own.

Also

If I make up a batch of rice and veg (not a problem) is this something I could freeze.

Any “big dog puppy” recipes or just whatever goes in the pot?

Thanks for all your help

Cath

[goldielover]

Hi Cath,

Pups don't need tinned food... it's mostly water (and quite expensive water considering it has very little nutritional value).

Do look into BARF but best to get your head around it first. Alternatively feed a super-premium food. My choice of food for golden pups is Eagle Pack Large and Giant breed puppy as this food can safely be used in combination with bones and other bits and pieces and it's protein level isn't too high. It can also be used for 12 months or so. Try to keep the level of protein at 24% or lower as you want to grow your pup slowly. If you choose another premium/super-premium brand with a more protein, then switch to the adult food at 5 months of age.

You can feed rice, but it's just a filler really. Vegies need to be basically mushed up as they cannot digest them otherwise. Some people stick them through a juicer (and add the juice back into the mix at the end).

Other things i feed my golden girls include: chicken necks and carcasses, lambs necks (cut in half), brisket bones, sardines in oil (home brand is fine), whole raw eggs (but only 1 a month for a puppy), cottage cheese, human grade mince, natural set yoghurt, and an omega blend for a great coat.

In the 'photo' section there is a golden retriever thread... we'd love to see some pics of Leah!

[GoldiesRgr8Poodles2]

I loved my breeders diet and have stuck to it for my goldie and my new puppy too!

Ditch puppy milk.. It has no nutritional value. Also if you put food down and you pup doesnt eat it. dont pick it up and take it from them. For the first couple of weeks my boy was a grazer. He just ate when he felt like it so i left the appropriate amount down for him to eat slowly.

The diet he started on and is till kinda on follows.

Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed is great cause it has extra's in it for big dog bones. Fresh mince chicken, beef, lamb and a little pork (but not too much cause its a little fatty) and fresh veggies and fruit. Saradines in oil.

At 8 weeks 4 feeds a day. spacing it out but the biggest meal mid arvo with 1 cup biscuit, 250grm mince and half cup veggies.

Early morning 1 cup biscuits

Mid morning 500grm of mince

mid arvo as above

night half cup biscuit and 150grm mince.

My boy is just 6and a half months 27kgs and aprox 24 inch to the shoulder. Im sure his health is part breeding but i think alot is diet. But i dont know this is just what the breeder gave me and it worked. But a friend of mine uses optimum on her cockers and they have the best shiney coats and are really healthy. But please dont use pal! its cereal based so you have to feed them 4 time as much to get the nutrition from a meat based dry food. And tinned is pretty much the same except its water. Either way they get fatter on that food and not as healthy. The higher quality the food the more solid, less frequent and less smelly the poo is too!

Anyway...

Happy Goldie

[Poodle wrangler]

OMG what to feed is a huge topic.

Read the list of ingredients of some commercial dog foods- it's awful (meat byproducts, tallow fat, corn (filler++) etc.).

Our pup loves chicken necks, chicken wings, pet mince (raw) mixed with vegies and rice. I add some tuna in oil (mixed with veg, rice) a couple of times a week, too. I also give some dry food, but it would be < 50% of his diet.

Most advise keeping a pup lean (i.e. don't overfeed) to promote healthy, gradual bone growth. Best of luck with your dear pup :D .

[mollipop]

My 12 week Goldie pup has 2 meals a day. Morning and night he has 1 cup of dry (premium quality) and about 2 Tbsp of mince, canned food, sardines, eggs or cheese etc. If eating the dry food is a problem, soak it in hot water first to soften it, though at 8 weeks she should be able to cope with the dry. She doesn't need the weetbix, toast etc. I don't feed mine chicken necks or wings cos he tends to vacuum up food rather than chew it. All my Goldies are the same - real guts! I sometimes give him warm milk at bedtime to calm him down. The lactos-free longlife milk is cheaper than the puppy milk at supermarkets.

PS If you are in Sydney the GR Club is having a puppy info day at St Ives Showground this Sunday, 22nd. If you want more info please message me.

[Asalei]

It's not uncommon at all for a new puppy to not eat. We brought our two girls home and the first morning they hoofed down their food like there was no tomorrow. Then after that, they wouldn't eat. Being our first set of pups as adults (and being a couple) we were quite worried. The vet said no to worry if they were still drinking water, which they were. We didn't like the idea of taking the food away from them but it was for their own good..

They still don't eat as much as we were told to feed them and often miss meals, but there's one thing for sure is they won't miss out on not eating their chicken wings. I swear they wait all day just to eat those chicken wings.

We ditched our breeders diet probably 2 days after bringing them home when we realised they weren't eating it. The excitement of being in a new house with new people was too much to consider eating as well! They got used to it and now if they don't eat, we just take it away. She needs to learn that she should eat when the food is put down because it won't stay there until shes ready to eat it

Our vet also told us that canned food was an expensive way to feed a dog dry food. So we stopped feeding them the wet food and have only ever fed them dry food. They are on Optimum puppy and we won't be changing this until they are 12 months old when we should take them off puppy food.

[First Time Puppy Owner]

Hi There

My Benson is only 8 weeks and 3 days old and I have had him for 1 week and 3 days at home. At first he wouldn't eat his biscuits much either (Hills Science Diet - Large Breed for Puppies) but I have combined it with half a slightly wisked egg and boiled rice and now he is eating like a trooper. Also pigs ears and small lamb shanks with a fair bit of the meat removed so it doesn't fill them up are great chew toys on top of their other toys. If the lamb shanks are large at the butcher ask them to cut them in half.

As everyone is saying though cheaper dry food is not great because it has more go juice in it and makes them hyper as my friend who is a vet said. It kind of be like you drinking red bulls all day long. Try the egg over the biscuits - Im sure your baby will be eating all his biscuits in no time!

Good luck and have fun! If your having as much fun as I have been I bet you could sleep for years

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

We feed Nutro to our dogs and wean our litters on to it as well.

As poodlewrangler has mentioned some of the dry products contain absolute rubbish.

Nutro has no animal by-products, no chemical preservatives, added colourants, wheat, corn or maize.

Although we start the puppies off on dry which has been softened this is only for the first few weeks of weaning, by the time they go to their new homes they are just on dry.

We also feed Ziwipeak which contains no preservatives, fillers etc. BUT they do not make a puppy food so our 6 month old had her Nutro puppy and a little Ziwipeak daily.

We also feed chicken wings, and sardines in oil.

If you decide on a dry product PLEASE read the ingredients list and guaranteed analysis thoroughly before making a decision.

[Shazbot]

I feed both mine beef mince and dry food. For dry food I buy new balance or hills. I do give minced turkey or lamb and also steak & kidney for a change. They love pasta and veg leftovers, but we don't have many leftovers in this house! Chicken wings/frames and brisket bones to chew. This is basically what my breeder told me to feed them. They were both a bit fussy to start but they wont go hungry. Like a child, they will eat if they are hungry.

[kitcat]

Dear all,

Thank you all so very much for your advice.

I went out the next day and brought a bag of Eagle Pack. She started eating it straight away (so the supermarket stuff is going in the bin). I’m not sure how long she will be on that brand as I had to drive to South Dandenong to get it but certainly the premium food was a great improvement.

Her coat has improved, she is far happier. And I no longer dread getting up in the morning to try and feed a little pup who wouldn’t eat.

There has also been an amazing improvement in the bowel motions - less smell, no more runny poos etc

So far her diet is.

• Half a cup of dry food in the morning (she doesn’t eat it all)

• Chicken necks in the afternoon – about 4

• Small handful of mince and half a cup of dry food in evening

Her appetite is slowly increasing. She always leaves a little bit so she can’t be starving.

I will go over everyone’s suggestions and add a bit more into the diet gradually.

The bones are next (lamb flaps as suggested).

Thanks again,

Cath

[Weimlover]

Good Choice Eagle Pack is great food IMO When she gets a bit older try giving her a Turkey neck (or just buy small ones now), my dogs love them