Bonnie is now 1 year old and has always loved her food. Last week I changed her from JWB puppy complete to JWB adult maintenance, mixed as usual with a couple of spoons of natures diet/menu or sometimes a raw egg. Exactly coinciding with this change she has become rather hesitant to eat her dinner and rarely finishes it all. Is there such a big difference between the puppy and adult complete that she would notice? It seems too much of a coincidence that she may just be eating less because she has stopped growing so rapidly -on the very day I switch her food.

I don't know very much about food other than raw, but my guess is Bonnie does not like the taste :rolleyes:

There is usually quite a lot of difference in the protein levels (and meat content) between the puppy and adult versions.

Also have you changed her onto a different meat source.

I know they do various flavours in the adult but just two in the puppy, so is she getting the same.

I would not have changed straight from one to the other but would have mixed them together for a couple of weeks gradually reducing the puppy and increasing the adult.

She will also not need as much food as she did while she was growing so fast and will now just be maturing.

If you want her to eat the food then give her no option, put it down and lift it after a few minutes (though it won't keep if you are moistening it).  She will have to eat when hungry.

I would give her the Wet food at one meal and the dry as her main meal in the evening.  Are you sure she isn't a bit plump, and also is she due in season?

>There is usually quite a lot of difference in the protein levels (and meat content) between the puppy and adult versions.

I agree,this is one of the reasons why i have always fed puppy food to my adults(small breed) when available.

The adult maintenance is 20% protein and 10% fat
The puppy is 30% protein and 15% fat.

Quite the difference.

I agree,this is one of the reasons why i have always fed puppy food to my adults(small breed) when available

I thought larger breeds shouldn't be fed puppy food for too long, because it can cause them to grow too much too quickly?

I must admit I did just change her straight from one to the other, but in the same flavour i.e lamb or fish, that she enjoyed in the puppy food. I add a bit of warm water which seems to bring out the aroma, then mix a little bit of wet food or egg. The only thing that has changed IMO is the protein level. She is not at all plump, infact fairly skinny (the vet recently commented on what a nice weight she is)
This morning she totally ignored her meal after one sniff (fish variety) so I binned it and tried her with the moistened lamb kibble with a bit of wet mixed in-she was more enthusiastic but left about half. She is very well and bouncy, but it's so unlike her not to dive straight in when her dish is put down! Infact when she is staying with her breeder she is fed in a different room to the other dogs because she wolfs her meal down then starts on the other dogs' food LOL
I am not bothered what food she eats as long as it is one of the 'better quality' ones and she enjoys it.
I'm sure it would be more enjoyable for her to be fed raw but as a vegetarian I find that a bit difficult, and I don't think it would be easy when she goes to stay with her mum and the others.
Also, no she shouldn't in theory be due in season--started her 1st season 3 months ago

Well firstly, none of mine like the fish variety. I always only feed Puppy food for the first 4-5 months, then change onto the Junior until about 7-8 months, then onto Adult. Maybe you could try a small bag of Junior and see if this helps so that the change isn't too dramatic. Try adding a slightly different meat taste instead of what you are already using but quite honestly unless there is something wrong with her then she could well just be being awkward. I have had all of mine go through the stage of not liking their food (I use JW), but if it does continue then a definite check up at the Vets is recommended. I am not trying to scaremonger here, but one of mine went off her food a couple of months after her season. I took her to the Vets to be on the safe side as I decided that if she was just being awkward then I would have to just remove her food until she started asking for it. (She would at this stage eat things like liver and any bits of meat offered) Unfortunately, she was suffering from a Pyometra and was spayed immediately. Please don't be frightened by what I say, but just assess how you think she is. I might add that at first I didn't believe my Vet as she was so well in herself.

what are the signs of pyometra so I can watch out for it? As I said she is very well and full of energy, no discharge,  or temperature, so I don't think she is poorly.

I can honestly say she didn't have any signs other than off her food but could be tempted with 'nice things'. Normally it would be excessive drinking, high temperature and a general lethargy, discharge, either all together or only one syptom showing.  As I say I really thought she was just messing me about and I am usually the first one to know if my dogs are 'off'. Only that I had a brilliant Vet who just had a nagging doubt I would have been in real trouble. Just keep a good eye on her. I really am not trying to frighten you it is just that I was very troubled that I hadn't even thought that she was ill. Must say she is coming up 13 years old now and had it done when she was about 5. You know she is probably just being a little minx or she genuinely has gone off the food.

thanks Alisongold. I may buy a small pack of the puppy kibble that she enjoyed and see if she is picky with that too. That should help me to find out if it's just the new adult food she doesn't like or whether she is really off her food. Think I will have to invest in the 'Book of the Bitch' too !

Keeping my fingers crossed that it is just the food Bonnie doesn't like!

Have yo not got any of her precious food left/  If not I suggest you get soem and then you can gradually wan her off it bit by bit.  On the other hand if she doesn't want to eat it then you will know it isn't the change in food.

I've bought a small pack of the puppy kibble and have given her some  tonight. She wasn't that enthusiastic about it but did eat it all. I'll see how she is tomorrow. Usually she jumps around in circles at dinnertime and talks to me!

Looks like you may have to change the food. At least she ate it albeit unwillingly.

>Looks like you may have to change the food.

I agree.

I really do believe dogs get bored of eating the same food every single day,especially plain ol dry kibble.

I feed my dogs the best dry food that i could find with a high meat content,and i still add extra meat,fish, tidbits with nearly every meal.They still eat plain dry food,but no where near as enthusiastically as when there's something added.

It would be like us having to rely upon someone else for each of our meals,which was a plain bowl of undercooked rice with a supplement powder added for breakfast,lunch and tea.We would appreciate it and enjoy it much more when something extra tasty was added :D