the only staff that dont eat :-/

Well when I say she dont eat I mean she does bit not alot! When we got her at 12 weeks she was on pedigree puppy, by the vets recommendation we changed her gradually to wainrights (sorry for the miss spelling), she ate that for few days but not all in one go, 3 times a day, I thought it was a bit boring so I mixed it with a bit of butchers puppy canned. Again by the vets recommendation ive got her down to one feed a day. Reading on here, wet canned is well......shit, I got her the frozen mince from pets at home, which I brown off a bit for her, and mix it with her wainwrights dry. Well, now shes barely interested, and hardly eats a thing. And now im getting worried, how many times exactly am I ment to feed her a day and how much and on what?? im lost please help me xxxxxxxx

If it makes you feel any better Holly is the same... she is meant to have 3 x 50gms (150mg total) of Advance dry puppy food each day.... lucky if we get her to have 50-100 the whole day... she just doesnt seem to care.
I put it down.. give her 10 mins to eat it.. then take it away and she doesnt seem to care... she just does the same thing at the next feed.
If i make her weetbix she eats it and if I give her a little bit of chicken in the bowl she will eat all the chicken and a little of the dry.. I dont think she has ever eaten all her meal yet!...
maybe we have fussy girls lol

Yeah sounds like it!! She'll eat pasta, if its mixed with the dry she'll pick it all out, ive put warm water with the dry to soften it a bit but she turns her nose up at that aswell!! Im glad im not the only one, I was starting to think id done something wrong. Phew lol x

My boy is 30 weeks and I still have him on 3 meals a day. He is being neutered on the 17th and after that I will probably reduce him down to 2 meals a day, seeing how he gets on.

I feed raw and he loves it and at the moment he has 300g of raw 3 times a day. When he was on just biscuits it was a struggle to get him to eat 2 meals, so when i put him on raw, he couldn't wait for meal times.

x

If you intend to stay with dry food, I'd experiment a little to see if she likes a particular one. Fish4Dogs is one that seems to please a lot of dogs. Also, at her age I'd probably feed her twice a day. Dempsey, at nearly 2 years old, is still on 2 a day, but that's because he eats so much he couldn't cope with just the one!

If she really doesn't like dry (and not all dogs do) then you'll have to look at alternatives;

1. canned (not recommended as it's too soft & squishy & does the teeth no good at all!)
2. Raw, or BARF diet.

If you choose the second one, then do a lot of research beforehand. Done right, it's a great way to feed & a lot easier than people think, but when you're starting out there's a lot to consider.

Having said all that, if she's fit, well, bright eyed & playful & isn't losing weight, I wouldn't worry too much about how much she's eating. She's probably just eating when she's hungry! At least she won't be fat! If you're worried about nutrients etc get a pot of supplements from the pet shop until she's found her appetite properly.

Molly was like that when we first got her, we found putting cooked liver on top of her wet food helped, or even a little bit of grated cheese.

She's currently on the raw mince from Pets at Home and she's loving it.

Keep persevering, you'll get there, as Caryll said, so long as she's fit and healthy and not loosing weight, I wouldn't be too concerned.
Molly can go a few days without eating hardly any of her food, so we get her regularly weighed just to keep track.

Piggy is not a greedy dog in fact she allows Alfie to clean out her dish...she will be 2 in May and we feed her twice a day..ships biscuit in the morning and meat with biscuit in the evening...she does seem to eat according to her activity..if she's been up and down the fields most of the day with the horses she's generally hungry.... on a lazy day she might not be too bothered..... I do spoil her and get a cooked chicken to share with her now and then....and Christmas Day she got her portion of sprouts turkey and all the trimmings by boxing day she was as fed up with turkey as I was....

Same with my cassie compared to Taz she she isn't interested in food, I just try to make it as smelly as possible and if she doesn't eat i leave it for the day and the next day she will wolf it down she'll soon learn food is precious.

This topic rings a bell!! When we brought Ruby home from rescue, she was suposed to eat supadog sensative - anyway as it turned out she was alleric to storage mites i could no longer feed her biscuits - more to the phone she had already stopped eating them unless i mixed a tin of sardines with them and put grated ceese on - i then started on chappie - and this turned to eating with grated cheese only then she stopped this. So then i turned to Ceaser like trays - having to cut them up in cubes the sie of a dice and hand feed her every lunch and tea - i tried so much in her bowl but she would not touch the bowl and i could not have food laying out all day esp in the summer! I even cook her baked sweet potato mixed with some type of fish and i have to roll these in to bite size balls! Any suggestions on what to do seen as even last week i left a bowl of food out for er and she did not touch it! She will only eat out my hand now! i really dont mind but everyone who sees me do it says its un natural.... I know staffs are stubborn and fussy but im starting to feel a little embarrassed haha!!

Have you tried raw? Mine goes crazy for raw ox heart. Finishes a large bowl (about half a kilo) in about 2 minutes.

IF WE WERE to feed raw... what do we need to look at ? i have no idea
holly goes crazy for meat if we are eating in.. etc
thanks

You need to read up on it. There are several sites on the internet.

I feed a raw meaty bone (lamb ribs/spine/neck) late morning/lunchtime & then raw meat late afternoon. Dempsey is chicken-intolerant so I can't give him chicken wings/carcasses, but a lot of people do. Make sure that the bones are as fresh as possible.

Don't feed the big, weight-bearing (marrow) bones, they're too rich & take too long to eat so they don't get all the goodness out of them. Don't give cooked bones either as they are likely to splinter.

Make sure your dog gets offal once or twice a week (heart is classed as meat, not offal, as it's muscle meat).

Freeze all raw meat for about a week if possible to kill any bacteria & defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight.

You can also add some small fish - mackeral is a good one - raw & whole, and some salmon oil or cod liver oil, but not too much.

A raw egg once or twice a week is also good.

Wow thats really good advice - call me stupid but as rubys allergic to beef would a cows heart and kidney be the same as beef (please dont call me stupid)!!! Also im a bit scared feeding her raw meat... is it really that safe? Whats the worst that could happen?? Im a massive worrier !! We do share egg adn solders every morning so i feel she gets a good bit of egg also, when i do salmon she has a steak & when chicken she has quite a bit but obv no bones. Thanks for the mince advice - i spend a fortune in pets at home as it is!!

Buster will eat anything! He is just an eating machine. You would think he was never fed.

If she's allergic to beef, I'd steer clear of anything beefy, including heart/kidneys just in case (and you're certainly not stupid to ask!). But you can replace them with lambs hearts & kidneys/liver. I don't give ordinary beef to Dempsey because of the high protein content - it sends him hyper!As to the chicken bones, they shouldn't be a problem as long as they are fresh and raw. NEVER give cooked chicken bones as they splinter into needle sharp pieces.

Salmon depends on where it's come from. I can't remember where the safe salmon comes from so you'd have to check, but some of it has very high mercury content (it may be Pacific salmon, I'm not sure though).

Oh right so they can eat the bones!! Thank you so much!! The salmon is normaly like a young fresh salmon steak thats been grilled or steamed! I do need to research natural food more i feel! Really appreciate your advice!!

When you say raw meaty bone - what do you mean? Not a shoulder of lamb im guessing and should they eat the bone as ruby will unless i take it off her? Also where do they eat the bone as ruby will put it on the special leather rug (anti dustmite) and no way could i have blood and flesh on it!!? Sorry to sound stupid she is my first and im learning all the way!

This might be of interest to you.............

http://www.ukbarfclub.co.uk/

nic01354 wrote:When you say raw meaty bone - what do you mean? Not a shoulder of lamb im guessing and should they eat the bone as ruby will unless i take it off her? Also where do they eat the bone as ruby will put it on the special leather rug (anti dustmite) and no way could i have blood and flesh on it!!? Sorry to sound stupid she is my first and im learning all the way!

The bone should have some meat left on it - enough to encourage the dog to rip & tear at the meat & to grind the bone down & eat it. If you have a proper butcher near you (one that cuts his own joints etc) have a word with him & ask if he can give you neck/spine/rib bones with a little meat still attached.

Dempsey eats his on the kitchen floor & I wipe the area with an anti-bacterial cloth when he's finished.

When is the best time to start them on raw?

soon as you like!

The bones should wait till they start teething, but the rest, anytime. A gradual changeover is normally best, especially for a pup.

im thinking of trying raw with memphis as he not showing a great deal of intrest in his dry aty the minute
got a lamb stewing pack from a supermarkety yesterday only cost 2.50 and there anough in there for a couple of days 4 shin peices and 4 sholder peices

Be careful of the pieces with small 'lumps' of bone as a lot of dogs will try to swallow it rather than chew it. That's why I feed neck/spine/ribs.

the shin got the long bone in it and the shoulder has a desent size bone to so all should be good.
tryed the raw chichen wings but wife anmd kids couldnt handle the bone breaking noise lol wife said it sounded like he was chewing someones leg off

The problem with the shin/shoulder bones is they are to thick (bit like me!)! The bone, as part of the dog's food rather than just a treat, has to be crunched up & eaten. The shin bone is fine for gnawing at and a bit of fun, but not as food. The shoulder blade is better, but still not ideal. That's why a lot of people feed chicken wings/whole carcasses. (I can't cause Dempsey can't eat chicken, which is why I give him the lamb neck/spine/ribs).

Caryll, I read the link that you posted on BRAF diet... good info... but you seem to know more and i am thick too when it comes to this sort of thing.
Holly hasnt touched her breakfast this morning... again!

When you say teething... when does that start?... i can see some teeth coming thru her gums... I would call them ( eye teeth in a child PMSL)

she had a nibble on the ends of the chicken wing.. you know those little tips.. she chewed them up well.. i sat there with her just incase.. she muched them no trouble.. (agree wit the horrid sound lol)
when you have time could you please suggest a few days meals?.

I am worried that i would give her food that was bad for her without realising it..

My sister must be onto this half half diet with her rotti.... she has always given him a mix of dry and vegies and bones.... here i was thinking she was trying to save a quid and get his weight down..... she 's not as thick as i thought she was lol

Unless your dog has an intolerance to a certain meat (eg Dempsey can't eat chicken, it gives him the runs, and I won't give him beef cause it makes him hyper!) then a mix of different meats during the week is best.

You should always freeze the meat first as raw meat can have bacteria in it which is killed when cooked, but could cause enteritis when fed raw. Freezing kills the bacteria anyway. Bones must always be raw, even if your dog isn't on a raw diet, and should never be left down if the dog doesn't finish it. I pick Dempsey's up & throw them away if he doesn't eat them within about an hour (which is just about never!).

With a pup, I'd start with a little raw mince mixed in with her dry food, and gradually change over. She should have a raw bone every day if possible (the odd day without won't hurt), but not the weight-bearing bones, ie beef/lamb/pork leg bones as they are too rich and can't be eaten quickly enough for them to do any good. You'll know if you're feeding too much/too little if you see your pup getting fat/thin! A couple of times week give some chopped raw liver or kidney, and perhaps a teaspoon of cod or slamon liver oil. You could also pulp some raw vegetables (carrots, cabbage etc). No point giving them whole or even chopped as dogs can't digest the cellulose unless they are pulpled or cooked, and cooking takes away so much of the goodness.

I wouldn't bother trying to make it 'interesting' for the pup - if they like raw meat, they'll find it interesting no matter what it looks like!

I personally don't mix 2 different meats in one meal as the dog might like one more than the other & will only eat the one he prefers!

Mostly, though, raw feeding is a matter of research & common sense.

Guys if you look in the health and nutrition section, find the topic/s that I put on there when I was considering feeding raw. Caryll gave me loads of great advice on there. I've started to change Charlie to raw and he loves it! He cant get enough of tripe especially. Its perfectly safe, and natural, for a dog to eat raw, as long as you get advice (thank you soooo much Caryll ) and do research thoroughly first.

You're welcome!

excellent thanks guys..
I have some meat in the freezer that we wont eat .. so i will defrost that and mince it for her tonight.
I will ask my sister where she gets her dogs bones from and go with that when she is a little bigger xx off to read the other thread xx

These are the sort of bones I give Dempsey. Lamb spine with a bit of rib still attached & some meat still on them. They're about 6 or 7 inches long, and about 3" wide.........

Mel Skora wrote:excellent thanks guys..
I have some meat in the freezer that we wont eat .. so i will defrost that and mince it for her tonight.
I will ask my sister where she gets her dogs bones from and go with that when she is a little bigger xx off to read the other thread xx

mel caryll will be able to tell you better but im sure iv read somewhere that dog mince is more shreaded than minced as they dont get the best out of it if minced

Mince is ok for a pup when you're just starting them on raw, but I'd get her off it asap. As Warren says, it would be better shredded, but it depends whether you're able to do that. If she likes the taste of the raw mince, then try cutting up some meat into small cubes, around half an inch each way to start with & then increase the size. Dempsey's meat is now cut into wide strips about 3 or 4 inches long & about 2 or 3 inches wide. I only cut it because, quite frankly, he's too thick not to try to swallow the whole ox heart whole!

If you feed bones, try to make sure there's enough meat on them for the dog to rip & chew it off - it helps keep their teeth strong, clean & white.

see i knew you would clear that up caryll thank you

Warren, what's with your mood thingy this morning? DEAD?????

its due to be changed lol thats my mood the middle dec to begining of jan bad times had

Only just noticed it - everything ok?

will be soon lol

Good.

bigwazza wrote:

Mel Skora wrote:excellent thanks guys..
I have some meat in the freezer that we wont eat .. so i will defrost that and mince it for her tonight.
I will ask my sister where she gets her dogs bones from and go with that when she is a little bigger xx off to read the other thread xx

mel caryll will be able to tell you better but im sure iv read somewhere that dog mince is more shreaded than minced as they dont get the best out of it if minced

Ahhhhh thank god....
I went to mince the beef.... then i thought how on earth will i mince it without a blooming mincer.... so i just cut it into little chuncks and hoped for the best... she loved it..

last night we had chicken breast , so i cut off the edges and fatty parts, white veins etc.. and put it in with her dry this morning and she loved it...
I ended up getting 5 days worth of beef out of 2 slices.. so it is all wrapped individual in the freezer ready to go... I will just take one out at a time...

So is it ok to give it to them cold? or should i let it come to room temp?.
she has had 3 great meals these last few days... i had a tuna sandbo and mixed the rest with her dry and she loved that too...
so glad i am trying these things... some meat here in australia you can pick up late at night in the supermarkets for a few $ as they are chucking it out.... buy in bulk freeze it and save some $$
off to the butcher tomorrow to ask for some bones..
I am having issues with her in the mornings...all she wants to do is be inside with us but i know she is busting for a wee and a poo, becuase this morning OH let her back inside and she went on the carpet. (poo)
I think she is too excited and just does a quick wee and wants to be back with us...
so i was thinking that if I got up (evertually took her for a walk on the beach) came home and gave her a meaty bone outside she would be occupied for the half hour i need to shower and get ready for work.