Puppy not eating

[Pizdets]

Hi guys,

I've had some great advice on here before so wondered if anyone could help.

Our 8 month old daxie x puppy is a complete joy and full of beans, but he's a horribly picky eater. Food he'll wolf down one day will sit untouched for hours the next. He's not underweight but I'd say the thinner side of healthy. We asked the vet about it the other day and she said he was muscly and slim but fine and suggested we feed him a bit more if we're worried (if only I'd thought of that!!!) Then gave us yet another packet of hills science plan, which I told them several times he hates as 'his palate might have changed' (it hasn't).

He's fed a mix of iams, raw and cooked meats (depending on what I can tempt him with) and waitrose dog food, but there's nothing (except chicken wings) which he'll always consistently eat.

Should I be worrying about this? Will he just eat if he's hungry and I should stop obsessing? Or is there a trick to getting a fussy dog to eat all his meals?

Sorry, long post but I wanted to try not to drip feed!

Piz

I have just given up with my 9 month old underweight Border Terrier and gone Barf. We are in our 3rd week now and only thing he has left was heart. He wasn't keen on kidney but ate it with sardines on.

It is the first time he has ever been excited at meal times and I doubt we'll go back unless we come across any big problems.

I'd have a go a raw food - sounds like he'd be interested if he always eats the chicken wings. He'd only need a small amount per day as he's a tiny little thing, so it needn't take up a load of room in your fridge or freezer. So many people on here (and my brother) have moved over to raw and rave about the small, solid poos and how much happier and healthier their dogs seem ...

Fan, thanks for replying, that's really interesting. He does much prefer real meat and raw meat and he gets it quite often (although bloody waitrose ground steak as I start to feel guilty at the meat counter!).

How have you found it? Don't you need a lot of freezer space? Have you noticed any difference in your pup since you switched?

Sorry for all the questions!

Piz

Thanks ladyturmoil. I think I spotted some threads on here about it, so will take a look. Never really thought of doing it properly before but if you think it'll work then I'll give it a go!

Also, the vet nurse was quite horrified when I said we give him raw chicke bones and said dogs should only have beef bones if bones at all. I always thought raw chicken bones were ok, can I ask what other peoples' experience is of this?

Oops, I put bones above and I meant wings. Sorry!

I was the same 3 weeks ago My thread is on here if you want a peak!

It has cost me under £25 to fill a drawer and a half in the freezer with 2kg of chicken mince, 2 kg of tripe, chicken thighs and wings, lamb and pork ribs, oxtail, lamb mince and some 'value' mince off the market with everything inc heart cobbed in plus kidney, liver and heart. It will last a while as like yours he is small.

I have weighed it all and put in marked freezer bags so I can sort through and match up weights of boned meat and mince etc easily and I can cram it all in.

He is enjoying his food and has buckets of energy and small less stinky poo. He had lots of tummy trouble before but none at all since we switched.

I have also given sardines, raw eggs, yoghurt and also bits of left over veg, w/wheat pasta and rice just because he likes it.

Raw chicken bones are fine it is cooked that are a no no. I'm expecting my vets to be appalled to be honest!

That's great fan, thanks. will go and look for your thread now. One more question if I may...when you feed him boned meat, where do you do it? we have an open-plan downstairs so have been chucking his wings into the garden recently but worried about how to manage it when it's colder!

Right, will search for that thread now and get my research on!

Piz

In the garden too. I'll cross the winter bridge when I get there but as a hardy terrier good sense is telling me that he can probably deal with it but if not we'll reassess. I feed none boned stuff inside in his bowl as before. I think my thread was called 'another BARF thread' or something similar but Ladyturmoil posted some great links on it.

Great, thanks fan, have read your thread and the one ladyturmoil linked to - not sure if I feel excited or scared! I do feed him some raw food already, so think I'll try and up his raw % for now and also try some new foods like fish.

He won't eat raw kidney and is picky about liver, but I do cook it with some mince and rice then blend and he's generally ok with that. I wonder if cooking the meat is ok or if it ruins the nutritional value somehow?

God, spend more time worrying about the dog's food than our own!

Also took a look at the pics on your profile after reading the other thread...what a gorgeous little dog, he's adorable!

I have said the same! It is ridiculous. Good luck with it

Right, today he had a bowlful of home made dog food which I pulled out the freezer (liver, kidney and cheap mince cooked in with a small handful of pasta and carrots) then a big chunk of white fish (frozen) for lunch and I'll give him a chicken wing for dinner. So far he's guzzled the lot and I can see I'll have to start weighing etc soon so he's not getting too much!

I feel much better for knowing he's eating and enjoying his food, hope he keeps it up! Thanks again fan and ladyturmoil for the support.

Piz

Great to hear he's enjoying it. I can't wait for our next weigh and worm visit as I think mine is finally chunking up nicely too!