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The doghouse

pup ignoring his Millie's unless ...

2 replies

Dieu · 27/01/2016 10:22

I add something else to it ...

Yes, big mistake (one of my many as a first time dog owner), but I took to adding a wee bit of tuna here and there, if I had a can open for the kids' sandwiches, or a bit of shredded chicken breast if some left over from dinner.

He now won't really touch it on its own. Adding hot water doesn't make much of a difference.

In fairness, I do think many dogs start off loving their kibble, but then become bored. It's been the same with any food I've tried with him. I really would prefer to continue using Millie's, as he has long fluffy fur, and it keeps his stools nice and firm. I've tried him on several of the recipes now.

Any thoughts ... continue as I am doing, or go cold turkey with the extra bits? He's almost 9 months old, so I guess he'd eat if hungry enough?

I daresay he'd love a raw diet, but as a single working mother of 3, with 2 pets, I'm just not sure I'd have the time ....

Oh, and I read on here that someone gives their dog's kibble a squirt of salmon oil, both to keep it interesting and to benefit their coat. Where would I buy this (didn't see it at the supermarket), and is it made specifically for dogs?

Many thanks ... as always.

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pigsDOfly · 28/01/2016 19:41

I think a lot of dogs do go off food they've previously been happy with.

I'm in the process of going from wet to dry food for my dog because she was eating less and less food and I found myself having to hand feed her several times in order to get her to eat anything. I tried quite a few tricks in an effort to keep her on the food; adding things, as you have, but it hasn't changed her mind she just eats the tasty stuff and leaves the rest. I also hoped she'd eat if she got hungry enough and I don't think it's helpful to keep chopping and changing their food but she just would not eat.

In the end I gave up as I was beginning to get a bit worried about how little she was eating, and started her on another wet food but she went off that as well after a few weeks.

We're now on day four of the change over to kibble, which she absolutely loves, so I will see how it goes, but I'm already wondering what I'm going to do if and when she goes off that.

She's nearly 5 years old and this isn't the first time this has happened. Some dogs are just picky I guess and once they've gone off something I'm not sure there's much you can do to changed their minds.

I think she was about the same age as your dog when she went off her first food, also a dry food, hence the change to wet.

In your shoes, I'd be inclined to look around for something of equal quality and see if that suits him.

I know a lot of people on here are of the opinion that raw is the only proper way to feed but I wouldn't be happy feeding raw; I don't know enough about dogs' dietary needs at the most basic level to trust myself to create a healthy diet for my dog.

Anyway, you sound as if you've got enough on your plate already :)

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Dieu · 28/01/2016 20:43

Thanks Pigs. Interesting, isn't it? To my mind, it would stand to reason that they'd get fed up of the same kibble after a while. I'm lucky in that Teddy will scoff the whole lot if something tasty is put through it (even a single teaspoon of tuna!), whereas my cat will pick out the good bits!
I'll carry on as I am then ... even if it does seem a tad indulgent!

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