Sophie my westie puppy who is now 20wks old has been eating her dry food since I got her. Last week she stopped eating it.
Me in my wisdom started adding mince. chicken etc even a some custard to her food which i dont mind. 
Amy is my rough collie shes 6 and is supposed to be on reducing diet due  to being overweight with getting tit bits. SORRY.
The puppy is loving her food but i feel so guilty ive been slipping Amy just a nibble
How do i stop feeling guilty that Amy cant have
Jean
ps they are fed seperately puppy eats in the puppy pen

> How do i stop feeling guilty that Amy cant have

It is not healthy for Amy to be overwieght, giving her extra will not help her weighloss so giving her extra is bad for her, it can damage her health, mobility and quality of life. Don't feel guilty, afterall, you wouldn't feed her somthing like anti-freeze (because you know it will harm her) even though she would enjoy the taste - exactly the same for the treats. You are not depriving her of food, you are giving her health, mobility & the quality of life that brings, she'll manage just fine without the treats if you don't make a big deal of not giving them to her :)

I would ad that if pup is just being fussy (as opposed to being ill) I think you are making a rod for your own back by adding temping, tasty morsels ;)

No puppy isnt ill shes just turning her nose up if the food goes in dry. Think she gets the smell of the food cooking in the kitchen. 
Also being very careful about Amy because dont want her getting arthritis after losing 1 dog already with arthritis. She gets no biscuits or these weebox chews either now and only give a morsel of the chicken or mince once a day. Amys doing very well with her weight loss she looks better and her movement has improved imenssley Also plays well with the puppy
Its me whose feeling guilty. 
Jean

> Amys doing very well with her weight loss she looks better and her movement has improved imenssley

Brill :-D There you go, you KNOW you are doing her good by sticking to the diet, so stop feeling guilty!! :)

Thanks maybe i just needed reassuring
Jean

I think the pup has got YOU well trained :D....but custard....?! honestly?

I've found 20+ weeks is a prime time for pups trying to train their owners to give them more/different titbits ;) have seen it happen so many times now, I expect it.  Not saying it's difficult not to panic, because it's the first reaction - if pup won't eat they'll get ill etc.  but unless pup is actually ill then it's possible pup is nearing the adult weight/height so growth naturally slows down, and pup naturally isn't as hungry as they don't need the same amount of food.

What can also happen is that eventually you will run through every different type of food until there's nothing your pup hasn't tried and got bored with.  Then you have a dog who won't eat because he expects you to provide yet another novel food - which you can't :(   I know, I was that person many years ago, until I wised-up ;)

I agree at about 5 months the rate of rapid growth has slowed a bit so pups can afford to be a bit fussy, and it works ;)

Thanks all for the kind advice. This little madams working my system then
Jean

Hello,
Just to say Dill's observance fit my little madam to a tee.  I was well on the way to becoming a well-trained puppy feeder when I finally had the sense to put my foot down.  I've never looked back.

I feel no guilt whatsoever in being very strict with Maisie and Billy's diet.  The result is, that they are both a perfect weight whilst I am overweight!!!  I would feel more guilty if they were over-fed and fat like me. Look at this way-they are lucky enough to have me controlling their diet- I could do with such a person!!!!!!!

Basically the bottom line is, that if your vet says cut the food down thats what you do - make it up to her with extra walks and games - now that is healthy!!

Now i know the reason for Amys weight gain im hoping she will go back to normal once she starts the medicine for the underactive thyroid
Jean