Feeding Advice

[Lise]

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Hi,

I really need some sound, sensible advice!

Floyd is approcahing 5 months on 23rd Aug, and I still have yet to see him eat 3 full meals a day (as recommended on packaging of grub he gets) I have to tempt him with tripe, but he tends to lick the tripe leaving his nourishing, balanced, expensive complete food.

The reason I am in favour of feeding him a complete dried food is I know he is getting everything he needs vitamin wise and its easier to clean up after he has been in the garden. ( i do feel a bit of a cop out though when I read about all the "BARF" followers though)

Upshot is I worry when he is being picky and he only eats a little so I give goats milk and a few treats, but then he got an upset tummy and vet said it was the goats milk..... and the treats :- "

So basically, I am prepared to add a little tripe if I have to, I don't mind the smell at all, but I do mind the sneaky whippet trying to trick me by lapping up the tripe and leaving the dried food and making me worry!!!!!

Does anyone know of a complete dried food that even the fussiest, picky, sneaky, tricky, gorgeous, cute whippet would eat?? regularly, and enough of.....

Many thanks

Lise

 

[JAX]

No . sorry , cant help you there, Dogs like people all have different tastes when it comes to food . To be honest I would give him what he will eat at his age. as he really needs any food intake during his growing period . You can always try to convert him to complete when hes done all his growing cant you . ) If he loves Tripe give him that with added vitamins or maybe soak a` few` complete biscuits and try to hide them in the tripe . Until hes eating `proberly I would restrict his `treats` too

One bit of advice I will give you is NEVER leave his food down for him to `pick ` at . If he dosnt eat it straight away or within 5 mins remove it and only put it down when hes hungry. Otherwise he will grow up to be a `grazer` , just picking ad lib,

Also ay 5 months he will be teething and maybe the complete food hurts his gums

Ive had one of the pickiest eaters ever `Fleur` , but even though she dosnt `devour ` food like the rest of the gang (w00t) she knows if she dosnt it it straight away its gone :wacko:

Good luck :luck:

 

[Lise]

Hi Jax,

Thank you for your advice, I can see that him being so young is an issue when I am giving him food and there is no reason why he can't try complete when he is older.

I wil take your advice.

Lise

No . sorry , cant help you there, Dogs like people all have different tastes when it comes to food . To be honest I would give him what he will eat at his age. as he really needs any food intake during his growing period . You can always try to convert him to complete when hes done all his growing cant you . )   If he loves Tripe give him that with added vitamins or maybe soak a` few` complete biscuits and try to hide them in the tripe . Until hes eating `proberly I would restrict his `treats` too
One bit of advice I will give you is NEVER leave his food down for him to `pick ` at . If he dosnt eat it straight away or within 5 mins remove it and only put it down when hes hungry. Otherwise he will grow up to be a `grazer` , just picking ad lib,

Also ay 5 months he will be teething and maybe the complete food hurts his gums 

Ive had one of the pickiest eaters ever `Fleur` , but even though she dosnt `devour ` food like the rest of the gang  (w00t) she knows if she dosnt it it straight away its gone  :wacko:

Good luck  :luck:  

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[dessie]

The reason I am in favour of feeding him a complete dried food is I know he is getting everything he needs vitamin wise and its easier to clean up after he has been in the garden

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Since when?? My Whippets fed on raw meat/bones & biscuit (or a Greyhound complete used as a mixer) do the tiniest hardest poos ever whereas the ESS that used to be fed on complete produced vast quantities of only semi-firm stools. I know which is easier to clear up!!!

 

[Dexter]

Wow!!

Your pup is the spit of my Dexter!!

Dexter did all this...in the end we gave him raw steak mince, and this seemed to 'kick start' his appetite.

We also crushed some dried food and mixed it in!!

He's my first whippet and like you, prehaps we worry over much?

Steve. :cheers:

 

[Tesa]

Beau was a very picky eat. Grated cheese over his meals worked wonders Lise. I didn't need to use much either. Just finely grated a small amount over his meal for a few days until he got the hang of cleaning his bowl up in one sitting :luck:

 

[Nicola]

Both my dogs have got bored with any complete foods I try, to the point that one got so sick of it, he just started to throw it back up. In addition, one of my dogs is a mini schnauzer, and eats like a horse, and the fact he gets bored of these foods speaks volumes in my book.

I now feed them Natures Menu and Nature diet, which they both really enjoy. I've recently chosen a pup, and I got a diet sheet for the pup, which had some interesting dietary components, which I will investigate further too.

I personally would desist from trying to feed them complete if they don't like it, but that is just after my own experience. Other have success with complete foods i know.

 

[Lise]

Hi Dessie,

I would feed tripe, mince etc, but I must need to add some kind of biscuit, and he is poo is alot firmer than our friends who give their dogs tinned food.

Could you elaborate and give me an idea of what and how much I feed a more diet of tripe, beef and mixer please?

LIse

The reason I am in favour of feeding him a complete dried food is I know he is getting everything he needs vitamin wise and its easier to clean up after he has been in the garden

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Since when?? My Whippets fed on raw meat/bones & biscuit (or a Greyhound complete used as a mixer) do the tiniest hardest poos ever whereas the ESS that used to be fed on complete produced vast quantities of only semi-firm stools. I know which is easier to clear up!!!

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[Lise]

HI Steve,

Have you any pictures?

I think I am going to try mince etc, I bought prize choice meats and will try those and try to sneak in some biscuits.

He is my first whippet and my first dog, so I am just trying to do my best and I its difficult when the vet said I need to stick to a complete food and not let Floyd run rings aorund me.

I do worry about him alot and especially as he is quite small anyway and very fussy.I can't believe this, as I am typing he is tucking into the cats dried complete food!!!!!

Lise

Wow!!Your pup is the spit of my Dexter!!

Dexter did all this...in the end we gave him raw steak mince, and this seemed to 'kick start' his appetite.

We also crushed some dried food and mixed it in!!

He's my first whippet and like you, prehaps we worry over much?

Steve. :cheers:

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[Lise]

HI Nicola,

Thanks for your advice, he came with nature diet but is not that fussed with it! basically he loves tripe but I am concerned tripe alone will not be enough so I am trying to find some thing to mix with it that he will eat!

Lise

Both my dogs have got bored with any complete foods I try, to the point that one got so sick of it, he just started to throw it back up. In addition, one of my dogs is a mini schnauzer, and eats like a horse, and the fact he gets bored of these foods speaks volumes in my book.
I now feed them Natures Menu and Nature diet, which they both really enjoy. I've recently chosen a pup, and I got a diet sheet for the pup, which had some interesting dietary components, which I will investigate further too.

I personally would desist from trying to feed them complete if they don't like it, but that is just after my own experience. Other have success with complete foods i know.

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[Pennymeadow Whippets]

Tripe is very good for the dog but have you tried mixing in a little pasta, or grated carrot? :thumbsup:

 

[Lise]

Hi,

Thank you all for your varied and useful advice, I am just tearing my hair out to know what to do for the best.

I agree tripe, beef etc is good and I have some. but what shall I mix it with, surely tripe alone is not enough for any puppy??

BARF diet isn't for everyone but I am able to incorprate some raw food, but please could someone actually offer some ideas on what to give as a complete balanced meal tripe and ???????

I have heard these discussions before with babies jar food v making own so I know there are bound to be valid and different opinions, I just need to advice.

Lise

 

[Dexter]

Pics!!

Yes I have pics but I'm not smart enough to attach them - I think the file sizes are too big?

Dexter is almost one now and a dam fine looking dog.

Steve.

 

[masta]

Hi, Thank you all for your varied and useful advice, I am just tearing my hair out to know what to do for the best.

I agree tripe, beef etc is good and I have some. but what shall I mix it with, surely tripe alone is not enough for any puppy??

BARF diet isn't for everyone but I am able to incorprate some raw food, but please could someone actually offer some ideas on what to give as a complete balanced meal tripe and ???????

I have heard these discussions before with babies jar food v making own so I know there are bound to be valid and different opinions, I just need to advice.

Lise

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give a smaller amount of a good dry complete food and mix in some minced liver with a little bit of cod liver oil so it sticks together and then gradually lower the mince or leave if your puppy is clearing up

 

[JAX]

If you give him raw beef mince . please Freeze it first , as it contains a germ that is fatal to dogs (w00t) ( can never remember the name , I know it begins with N :- " )

 

[Lise]

Hi Steve,

A kind lady on here who posts under the name moriate did them for me, and now I know what to do, do you have adobe photoshop?If not I coiuld do them for you?

Lise

Pics!!Yes I have pics but I'm not smart enough to attach them - I think the file sizes are too big?

Dexter is almost one now and a dam fine looking dog.

Steve.

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[Rosie]

This thread could have been written by myself a couple of months ago (in fact I did post a question called 'fussy eater' which is well worth a read as it contained really good advice). The best advice I took from that was that dried food isn't very appetising but like you I liked the idea of it containing all she needed and it's supposed to be good for their teeth as well. So what I did was just feed dried in the morning and now feed Nature diet for tea (changing the flavour every other day).

Also best bit of advice was to stop worrying and fussing - my Phoebe used to taste her food, watch me for any signs of 'oh my god she's not going to eat it' and then she would expect something 'better'. He won't let himself go hungry - maybe with the treats and you trying different things he doesn't get the chance to build up a proper appetite for his meals. Also I agree don't leave the food down (maybe she'll just eat a little bit more later.....). The first time I took away Phoebe's food after 10 mins when she'd only given it a sniff I felt awful and her face was a picture but she really scoffed her next meal!! Phoebs is now 10 months old (today!) and eating 2 regular sized meals really well but even now occasionally she'll just snack at breakfast but I take it away and then she eats extra the next day. I hope you find the right way for you soon - you know your dog the best and I found taking all the advice on board and then relating it to my dog and my worries gave me a really good solution. :thumbsup:

 

[Lise]

Hi Rosie,

Thank you for kind e mail!

I hope this fussiness passes and like you say the less I react the more he will ust get on with it.

I will let you know how I get on.

Lise

This thread could have been written by myself a couple of months ago (in fact I did post a question called 'fussy eater' which is well worth a read as it contained really good advice).  The best advice I took from that was that dried food isn't very appetising but like you I liked the idea of it containing all she needed and it's supposed to be good for their teeth as well.  So what I did was just feed dried in the morning and now feed Nature diet for tea (changing the flavour every other day). 
Also best bit of advice was to stop worrying and fussing - my Phoebe used to taste her food, watch me for any signs of 'oh my god she's not going to eat it' and then she would expect something 'better'.  He won't let himself go hungry - maybe with the treats and you trying different things he doesn't get the chance to build up a proper appetite for his meals.  Also I agree don't leave the food down (maybe she'll just eat a little bit more later.....).  The first time I took away Phoebe's food after 10 mins when she'd only given it a sniff I felt awful and her face was a picture  but she really scoffed her next meal!!  Phoebs is now 10 months old (today!) and eating 2 regular sized meals really well but even now occasionally she'll just snack at breakfast but I take it away and then she eats extra the next day.  I hope you find the right way for you soon - you know your dog the best and I found taking all the advice on board and then relating it to my dog and my worries gave me a really good solution.  :thumbsup:

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[Julie D]

Lise, your cheeky Floyd reminds me of Ella, she's 16 weeks and seems a bit fussy with food, doesn't like the James Well Beloved, which is meant to be so ggod for them, I did try the barf diet then she got a really bad tum and my vet quoted yours, only thing I haven't tried is taking her dinner away after 10 mins, but she looks so skinny(!) 'spose you got to be cruel to be kind. You do worry that they're getting all the nutrients neccessary.

We started to teach her manners by telling her to wait before eating, but she just walked away as if to say 'fine, see if I care !'

Is it ok to mix complete food with raw defrosted meat, I thought they got digested at different rates because one is dry ?

Read the other thread and this, thanks for all the advice.

 

[Seraphina]

The best way to get a dog to eat is to get him a friend - the competition makes wonders for appetite!

I feed my dogs only twice a day, even pups before 9 weeks of age; main meal in the morning and late afternoon bit of kibble. "Complete" food has been around only for few years, dogs survived happily without it for thousands of years. However you need to be careful with a young puppy feeding him too much beef, it is too high in phosphorus (? I think) which can cause imbalance and malabsorption of calcium. When you think about it in the wild beef was not very likely large part of dogs' diet. They would hunt small animals; rabbits, mice birds (if they could get them) and even insects-just like foxes do. I feed my dogs mainly chicken (necks or wings) which is high in calcium. I also grate cheese over food if I want them to eat more, I actually mix it in so it sticks to individual bits of kibble, so they cannot just pick the cheese off the top. But leave the food for 1/2hour and then take it away, wrap in plastic and keep till next feed time (in the fridge if there is meat) and give again next feeding time.

With particularly stubborn bad eaters I give Periactin for a little while until they start eating and then gradually withdraw over couple of weeks.

:luck:

Lida