celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I'm looking for any tips on how to improve Ben's appetite, his old owner say's he's always been a poor eater, she used to "free feed" which probably hasn't helped matters, I've changed him to a more calorific food, one recommended for lactating bitches, and adding half a pouch of Natures Menu. Problem is, because he's now getting more exercise, he's actually lost 3K, he was 40K, he was very thin before so losing 3K is a lot,he feels like skin and bone under all that hair, he's healthy otherwise.I'm inclined to try feeding him once a day, which is a trick that worked with other picky eaters I've had, but being a large breed I'm a bit concerned about the potential for bloat, I've also read that nutritional yeast flakes can help stimulate a dogs appetite, so might try that. Obviously I don't want to make the situation worse by giving him more and more tempting foods and creating an even pickier dog....anybody have a clue what else I can try ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I changed to free feeding/grazing a long time ago as i find its best for the dogs to eat when they want and how much they want and not have to eat a whole meal if they are not ready. This especially applies to picky feeders. None of my dogs have ever had bloat and even picky feeders and delicate tums like GSD's have done really well that way. Have you tried a good balanced complete and added bits to it like sardines,sunflower oil (that helps put on weight gives them good skin and coat and dogs love it).I would assume that you have tried all this tho.I think its a matter of perseverence and finding something that tickles his taste buds and sticking to it. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 corned beef is always a good one to add to a dogs dinner as its fatty and tasty. Had success with a few rescues getting weight on that way, and a few customers have done well with it too. I always add it to burgess supadog sensative with a bit of hot water. Burgess seems to be good at keeping weight on in its own right too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Problem with the free feeding is that the other two scoff it, Spud will be taking on the outline of the Hindenburg soon I'll try the Corned Beef, haden't thought of that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 If you are wanting him to put on weight, I would have thought feeding him smaller meals more often would be the best way to do that - is it worth trying that to see if he will eat that way, might fit in more with his previous free feeding too? Maybe a smaller meal would be less overwhelming for him? I know it's a different situation but when Sweetie was ill and lost her appetite and weight, our holistic vet advised to feed her more often (so I did 3-4 meals a day as you would for a puppy) and to add fish oil and olive oil to help boost appetite. Sno is the pickiest of our dogs, the others wouldn't walk away from their bowl for anything but he will walk away, have a cuddle and if he gets scared about something, he does need a bit of coaxing. Appreciate that's not necessarily a route you want to take but I find sometimes I just need to sit with him and perhaps hold the bowl, and he'll eat then. Some would consider me too soft I'm sure, but I do it for him because I know he's a sensitive soul and many days he will eat happily on his own. I guess you are possibly not at the feeding-in-the-same-room-as-another-dog stage yet? But if/when you are, having another dog around might help encourage him to eat too? Also, you have probably thought of this, but when was he last wormed, maybe that needs doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Hmmmm, I dunno about the small frequent meals, it's worth a try. I've had fussy dogs, but nothing like Ben, he's just not interested in food, he seems to eat the bare minimum, about a third of what Spud eats, so very little. He was wormed just a few weeks ago, so that's not factor, and he's already eating beside the other two, if either of them go anywhere near his bowl he'll walk away from it I'm considering taking him into the vets to see if there could be an under lying reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khanu Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I'm mean. When I have had picky eaters I put the food down for 10mins and if it isn't eaten it gets taken up and they don't eat again until the next meal time. Some other points: My dogs get fed twice a day so any picky dog has the chance to eat at least twice. I wouldn't pick up the food after 10mins if they were actually eating it. But if they've left it it goes. My lot get fed a lot through training anyway. However if I had a dog who was that picky I wouldn't be giving them food during training either. I want them to learn that at dinner you eat it or it goes. I wouldn't add anything to the food if I didn't want to continue doing that forever. My sister has managed to make her collie incredibly picky and has to continually change what is added to get him to eat. Plus if you are feeding complete you run the risk of completely unbalancing nutrition by adding stuff all the time. I feed raw so there is variety in what they eat anyway, although I've done exactly the same thing when I fed complete. Make sure it is just pickiness and not illness especially if he is losing weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Thanks Khanu, I don't think your mean at all, just firm, what you've described is precisely what I've done with previous dogs, none of it concerns Ben in the slightest,he doesn't like treats, and I'm talking cheese, hot dog's, liver cake, he's just not interested in food at all, the only thing that he seems keen on is raw lamb necks,but I'm afraid my pockets aren't that deep. I've got a 3.30 appointment for him at the vet's, so we'll see what she thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Hope he is ok I know people suggest the picking it up after x minutes method but I've read of various dogs who just don't seem to care and end up eating even less, so as Ben is already underweight, I wasn't sure about suggesting it. The vet check sounds like a good plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 corned beef is good mushed up sardines or pilchards can also be quite appealing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 He had a good going over at the vet's and without taking bloods, the verdict is, he's very healthy, but very lean,had a good chat with the vet (awfy nice lassie who's new to the practise)and she suggested Angie's previously mentioned, small meals often, since he has been used to being a grazer she thought he just needs time to adjust to twice a day meals, but I've to get him weighed again in a fortnight's time, if he's lost weight again, then she'll think about doing bloods on him. The Corned beef...well, I swanned into Sainsbury's with one thing on my mind....Corned beef, I bought mince, Loydd Grosseman bolognaise sauce, spaghetti, lamb livers, bread, 2 wee baguette's, I was half way down the road before I remembered the Corned Beef , so he's had to make do with liquidised lamb's liver, which he sooked of the kibble and spat on the floor . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khanu Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I think trying a few times over the course of the day is a good idea. Personally I would still only give him 10mins each time though, just give him more chances. What about getting him to work for his food? When Khanu was an only dog he was awful at eating, even when we started feeding raw. He was very much a take it or leave it dog. He wouldn't even take a treat as a freebie. However he would work for his food and eat it happily once he'd earned it - he is a strange one I know. Maybe you could give him meals as training sessions? I still did the 10min thing with Khanu and he did start eating better. Now he is in competition with the other dogs he scoffs it down I'm just wondering how you feed him at the moment? Is he fed with the other dogs in the same room? Maybe it's a bit stressful? If he is really very bad and you can't afford for him to lose anymore weight I would perhaps try different things out - location, timing etc. and gradually change it so he gets used to eating the way you want. Did the vet check his teeth? I'm sure she did, but that was how I discovered that Willow had something stuck in her teeth. She wouldn't eat anything which was very unusual..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khanu Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Just seen that he is eating with the others around. Is he any better at eating if he is alone? Particularly if he is walking away if they come near his bowl, he may be a bit worried about eating around them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Very glad the vet doesn't seem concerned about his health Just seen that he is eating with the others around. Is he any better at eating if he is alone? Particularly if he is walking away if they come near his bowl, he may be a bit worried about eating around them? I was just thinking the same thing, having read that he is eating with the others at the mo I know Sno will walk away from his food if he gets scared by something, though the dogs are all very good at leaving each other to eat and only swapping bowls once they're done. Sno has become increasingly food motivated but still not so bothered as the others. Well unless it's steak Also, have you thought about trying him on some flower remedies to help him settle in? I don't know whether things were stressful for him before he came to you but even moving into a wonderful new home is a change for him, so maybe some things to help him adjust? I tend to give new and existing dogs Bach Walnut (for change) when we have a new one arrive and others depending on the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 He's been eating in his own and in company, and there's really not much difference unfortunately, and I've tried the training for food....wasn't interested. I'll give the flower remedy a bash, I happen to have Walnut so easy done. I phoned his breeder this evening and he'd had a similar problem with one of his boy's, he fed him good ole' Chappie, which did the trick, so i'll try that one too. He really seems to be a hard nut to crack, I've tried feeding him outside, which usually works with other dogs, not our Ben I tried him with Robbie's tonight, which is a dehydrated food, mild interest,it was served warm with lamb's liver added, but he really perked up when I added some spag boll...obviously he can't live on spag boll, no matter how good Mr Grossman thinks it is I can't thank you guy's enough for the idea's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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