Yet another issue with my white furbaby Marley

Well,

Lets start from the beginning when I noticed: About 2 weeks ago my 9 month old staffybull pup went to stay with his grandpa for the weekend while me and the fiancee went out of town. My dad has 2 miniature dachshunds who he ALWAYS leaves food out for. I instructed my dad on my pups feeding schedule, although I am not certain he followed it.

Marley eats "Nature's Variety: Instinct gran free" kibble in the various flavors. He also is supplemented with the Instinct RAW sometimes as well. He has always loved this food and scarfed it down. He enjoys his food so much so that we had to get him one of the slow feeder bowls.

Well we got back and picked Marley up and he is now hesitant to eat. He will eat some if you stand right there with him. Thinking his face/snout was getting to big for the slow feeder I put it back into a regular bowl and tried that, but no dice. He is supposed to be getting 2.5-3.5 cups of grain free a day and ive been lucky to get him to eat 2 cups/day since he has returned from my dads'.

His stool seems to be normal, albeit maybe a little soft at times. Color varies from a mustardy orange when its softer to a firm more regular brown stool. I just cant figure out what it wrong. I am worried that he is not eating enough and has no interest in eating anymore; remember this is the same dog who for the first 8 months of his life we couldnt get to slow down while eating.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: I feed him on a schedule once in the morning, once at lunch, once at dinner. Would I be better off just slopping the whole 2-3 cups in a bowl and letting him eat when he wants to? I just thought this was a bad practice to do so, but I am open to any and all suggestions.

Could he have contracted something at my dad's house causing him not to eat? Something else besides color, consistency in his poo that I should be looking for?

I just worry about him, he is a great pup, but a little stubborn. He is just now starting to REALLY fill out and is stocky as heck! Maybe I feed him too much? On the bag it says for 25-4xLB dogs to feed 2.5-3.75 cups daily. I weighed him with me the other day and he is at 40LBS! I thought over 38lbs for a Male was a breed fault? This food is very high protein and he is VERY muscled! But I worry he is going to get even heavier since he is only 9 months currently.

Is he past that point of needing/wanting to eat 3x a day and maybe I should just start a nightly feeding? same thing happens at each meal now though so I cant pinpoint a time of day when he is actually hungry so I can switch him to 1x a day.

Thanks for any and all advice, you guys are truly lifesavers for an owner like me. i have raised dogs, but this is my first StaffyBull. The wealth of knowledge here never ceases to amaze me.

Josh

Lol going through the same! He certainly should only be on 2 meaks a day, Moo got bored of her food and thats all I put it down too. As you said, if I stand and watch her she'll eat it, with a little encouragement, but recently she has left her breakfast and has only started to eat dinner if I add gravy, and then she has a habit of licking the gravy off and leaving the biscuits can't win.

I always go on her weight, even though she isn't eating she certainly isn't skinny, and if she is hungry she will eat, they never gonna starve. Her poo's have been up and down since I've had her. Runny/soft. I had her checked out for everything but there was never a cause for concern, it's just her. Since putting her on jwb (from advice here, thank you!) her poo is now fine and consistant, but as I said the past month she has gone off it! Strange things lol. She eats when she is hungry and as long as they are fit happy and healthy I don't worry.

Sorry for the long reply, but it has been stressing me out thinking she isn't getting what she needs.

You can wake up now

I'd reduce his meals to two a day at his age. I've fed twice a day for years - I think it's better for the digestion and helps guard against bloat.

The reluctance to eat could be due to the dachshunds - did they all eat together? If so, he may have felt a little unsettled eating with other dogs present - they may even have stolen his food!

As to his weight - don't worry about what the 'standard' says - if your dog is fit & healthy, if you can feel his ribs but not overly see them & he's bright & lively, then his weight is right for him!

maybe you just have to remember that the weather has changed do you think you eat the same in the summer as you do the winter as long as he is still the same playful energetic dog i wouldent worry to much try the one meal a day and see how it gose

giblet wrote:try the one meal a day and see how it gose

I personally don't think that one meal a day is sufficient for a 9 month old pup - at that age they're still having to take in far more nourishment for their growth than they can eat in one sitting.

janey wrote:Lol going through the same! He certainly should only be on 2 meaks a day, Moo got bored of her food and thats all I put it down too. As you said, if I stand and watch her she'll eat it, with a little encouragement, but recently she has left her breakfast and has only started to eat dinner if I add gravy, and then she has a habit of licking the gravy off and leaving the biscuits can't win.

I always go on her weight, even though she isn't eating she certainly isn't skinny, and if she is hungry she will eat, they never gonna starve. Her poo's have been up and down since I've had her. Runny/soft. I had her checked out for everything but there was never a cause for concern, it's just her. Since putting her on jwb (from advice here, thank you!) her poo is now fine and consistant, but as I said the past month she has gone off it! Strange things lol. She eats when she is hungry and as long as they are fit happy and healthy I don't worry.

Sorry for the long reply, but it has been stressing me out thinking she isn't getting what she needs.

You can wake up now

HAHA! this is good news to hear! kind of eases the mind a little!

Caryll wrote:I'd reduce his meals to two a day at his age. I've fed twice a day for years - I think it's better for the digestion and helps guard against bloat.

The reluctance to eat could be due to the dachshunds - did they all eat together? If so, he may have felt a little unsettled eating with other dogs present - they may even have stolen his food!

As to his weight - don't worry about what the 'standard' says - if your dog is fit & healthy, if you can feel his ribs but not overly see them & he's bright & lively, then his weight is right for him!

Well the dachshunds were very submissive to Marley, even in their own home, so I doubt it was an un-easiness. We paid a lot of attention when he was a baby about grabbing his food away while eating and putting it back down, petting him while eating, ect as to get him used to certain behaviors so he wouldnt ever be 'on edge' regarding his food.

giblet wrote:maybe you just have to remember that the weather has changed do you think you eat the same in the summer as you do the winter as long as he is still the same playful energetic dog i wouldent worry to much try the one meal a day and see how it gose

This has been going on for the past 2 weeks, its been 95+ degrees for months.

Caryll wrote:

giblet wrote:try the one meal a day and see how it gose

I personally don't think that one meal a day is sufficient for a 9 month old pup - at that age they're still having to take in far more nourishment for their growth than they can eat in one sitting.

I am going to try 2 a day like you suggested before. One in the morning and one at night. Bloat scares me as well since he is a very playful little guy, even after he eats.




I GUESS THE THING THAT SCARES ME MOST is that i've come across this article:

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359

Is nature's variety instinct a good food? I've just been itching for a reason to switch from that $$$ food, although I am not opposed to paying a premium for good food.

Is there any 'specialty, grain free food that you would recommend over the nature's variety? unfortunately I have to rely on 'commercial' foods as my schedule and Marley's wouldnt allow for cooking his food myself. I only shop for his food at Red Bandana or Top Dawgs (2 local 'specialty' stores).

Any suggestions on a GREAT food would be appreciated and thanks for the awesome responses thus far, as usual.

PS Caryll, we are thinking about adding a bull-terrier pup to our family & as another companion for Marley. Yours is too friggin cute and looks like quite a specimen!

Carylls the advice there then, it's taken nearly a year to plan my dog-nap of Dempsy (shhhh though )

I GUESS THE THING THAT SCARES ME MOST is that i've come across this article:

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359

Is nature's variety instinct a good food? I've just been itching for a reason to switch from that $$$ food, although I am not opposed to paying a premium for good food.

Is there any 'specialty, grain free food that you would recommend over the nature's variety? unfortunately I have to rely on 'commercial' foods as my schedule and Marley's wouldnt allow for cooking his food myself. I only shop for his food at Red Bandana or Top Dawgs (2 local 'specialty' stores).

Any suggestions on a GREAT food would be appreciated and thanks for the awesome responses thus far, as usual.

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t598-dry-food-recommendations?highlight=dry+food

Have a look here xX

Ive found with all my dogs when their growth slows down and they stop to shoot up so rapidly, they tend to stop eatin so much. I usually cut their meals back just one evening meal when they get to a year old. Another suggestion is that he might have gotton fussy about when he wants to eat his food as your dad might have left it down for him. If this is the case, give him his food for a minute, if he doesn't eat it take it away and offer him it again in a couple of hours. He will soon realise if he wants it he has to eat it NOW, or it will be taken away!

my1stStaffyBull wrote:PS Caryll, we are thinking about adding a bull-terrier pup to our family & as another companion for Marley. Yours is too friggin cute and looks like quite a specimen!

Think very carefully! They are NOT easy dogs. They have the strength & stubornness of the staff, plus they are so totally thick!

janey wrote:Carylls the advice there then, it's taken nearly a year to plan my dog-nap of Dempsy (shhhh though :-$ )

LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!!!!!