Hi All,

My puppy (10 weeks) seems a bit fussy, sometimes she doesn't bother with her food at all, but will eat it if you put it in her mouth.  She's on the Hills food for large breed puppies.  As I said, she will eat it but not like you'd expect a lab to.  I've already changed her from Royal Canin as we couldn't get it very easily locally but I'm reluctant to change it again.

I wanted her on a dry diet for the sake of her teeth, but now I'm not sure what to do.  The vet has told me not to feed her raw meat under any circumstances and after some of the things I've read recently I'm not about to go against that advice.  Question is, firstly, should I be worried?  She is gaining weight and growing like mad!  My vet siad that a dog doesn't need variety and that adding protien to a complete food is bad practice as the extra protein has an adverse affect on joints (hips, etc).  Occassionally I give Kiera somethign different - coooked veg, chicken and a bit of watery gravy and she wolfs it down and then goes crazy like she's really excited!!!

I don't know what to, on the one hand I want to look after her teeth, weight and joints and on the other I want her to eat like she's really enjoying it.

I shoudl mention that we are 'reward' training her so she is getting a regular supply of nibbles - but mostly bits of the hills kibble from her daily allowance.....

Help?

Nicky x

creeps into nice quiet thread :D

Hi Nicky,

LOL - good on here isn't it ;) 
FWIW, I think she'll continue to be faddy with a dry diet while she's being offered tasty top-ups to her meals like chicken, veg and gravy - what would you rather have? <LOL>  Labs aren't known for being in danger of starving themselves so she's probably just protesting at bland food when she knows from experience that there are better things around.

I do add morsels of tasty treats or meat juices, small spoonful of raw tripe etc to dry food because they DO enjoy it more and I like my dogs to have pleasure in what they eat (I have a notoriously fussy eating breed which is meant to be naturally lean but would take this to extremes as youngsters :rolleyes: )  However, in your position I'd maybe just try pouring a little warm (originally boiled) water over the kibble and serving right away, i.e. you don't necessarily need to soak it so she still has the crunch :)

If you feel a real meany for not giving her goodies you could always use cheese, liver, roast chicken or such like for her training treats - but wait until she's eating her meals regularly first.  HTH.  Teri  :)

ps. a small blot on the positivity sheet is par for the course :P

Tee hee :D that's my first encounter with a stroppy know it all!!! (or not as the case may be - honestly some people!).

I'll try the warm water thing and cut back on the tasty stuff - trouble is I try and be really strict for a few days then I have a massive melt down and make her a full on tasty dinner - the same as mine, best chicken breast and everything!  What a nice mummy I am :)

Right Kibble and warm water tonight then, poor Kiera sounds grim doesn't it? :D

I'll be off home then, thank you!!!!!!!!!
Nx

Another tip that worked for us in similar circumstances to yours was to warm the dry food in the microwave (20 seconds on high but check that its not too hot as microwave powers vary greatly). the heat releases the aroma of the food which is supposed to make it more appertising for the dog. Our pup wasn't keen on having warm water added...I think she prefers the crunch of dry food?

As you've said, Labs are not the pickiest of dogs and certainly won't starve themselves. However, My Lab X was never keen on his previous dry food and would hold out for something tastier (which he usually got by giving the OH the big sad brown eyes :rolleyes: )but is now wolfing down Autarky since we switched him onto it. I also mix a little bit of NatureDiet with their food and they love it! Ideally, I'd like to feed just ND but with two big hungry hounds to feed, it's a bit pricey (and I can't buy in bulk from ND as they don't deliver where I live :( ).

I'm sure you'll get Kiera's feeding habits sorted out soon. Once she's eating you out of house and home, you'll wish you had the fussy Kiera back!! :D

HI teri - just a quickie as I've just got into the office!!  The hot water (cooled) worked and we also found out that my vile MIL has been feeding her all sorts of rubbish which hasn't helped.  Hopefully following last nights blazing row that has ended now - and I'm looking for a puppy-sitter/dog walker, I knew we should never have involved her in the first place!!!

I'll also try the microwave trick when I remove the water again!!

Thanks a million
Nicky x

Glad to hear it - about the pup eating that is not the row :D  Fingers crossed things are on the up ;)

Oh Honestly, MIL is a nightmare - she had a dog 27 years ago and she thinks she knows best - she knows nothing and is really having a negative affect on our training programme, etc.  And the result was a poorly puppy with a bloated tummy and being sick - she gave Kiera a full tin of Winalot puppy food!!! (She has Hills) it ended in a huge row between my OH and his parents along the lines of why can't you just do as we ask, is it so difficult to give Kiera a serving of biscuits for her lunch, but his mother just has to interfere, she hates being told what to do - I can't bare the woman.  As soon as I can find an alternative arrangement I will.  I'd rather pay someone to go in and feed her and take her out for a walk/keep her company for an hour or two a day!!!  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Not that I'm Mrs Angry today or anything AAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH ;)

nX

Hi Nicky

One of my labs gets fussy if she isnt really hungry or thinks she may get something else tasty. I put down her food for 20 minutes and if she hasnt eaten it it gets picked up and she has no treats (unless Im training her and then it is normally the least interesting I can find) until the next meal time. Main problem is stopping the other one helping out by eating it for her :D I have never known her miss more that 2 meals and then it normally turns out that she has been scavenging on the quite.

BTW I can sympathise with the MIL bit, but it is my OH that always insists on feeding them too many treats, fortunately not whole tins of food or I think I would have made it as far as the solicitors! 

i wouldn't worry if she is growing and putting on weight. in a few months you will miss the days when she wasnt interested in food and be chasing her away from every crumb she finds. are you adding water to her food or giving water seperate???