Hello All

Sorry, I know it is a very similar subject to the other one on the board just now, yet somewhat different.  My pup is nearly 16 weeks old (Welsh Springer Spaniel) and I've got her since she is 8 weeks old.  She was never a good eater, she was on Pedigree Breeder Professional when I got her, I weaned her onto Eukanuba but stopped that after a few weeks because I read about their bad animal testing and because she didn't really eat it anyway. Since two weeks  she is on Naturediet.  She absolutely loved Naturediet and for the first time I actually could see her gulping down her food.  But as time went on she started eating less and less of it and now again of just sniffing at it and walking away.  Or she might eat a tiny amount (15 gramms) or sometimes more like 100 gramms (she should have according to her weight ca. 290 grams each meal three times a day) and walks away.  I could just cry.  I leave the food down for her for about 20-30 min, then I take it away till next feeding time.   The only meal she is eating is the last one of the day (9.30 pm), probably because by that time she is more hungry.  But I possibly can't give her a daily ration (870 grams) in one setting.  She never had runny stool or vomiting, so I don't think she has got an upset tummy.   I realise that she has titbits for training purposes during the day (home made liver bread or tuna bread) and she is very greedy on that.   If I stop giving her titbits how can I train her?
Her weight is about 8,4 kg and a week ago she was 8,2 kg.  I told the vet about it (a while ago now though) and he only said "I don't like them too fat."   I asked a local (EX-) breeder of Welshies, whether she thinks she is too thin, but she didn't think so.  I also told my breeder about it.  I got the advise to feed her every alternate day on 'meat and biscuits'.  But I actually am not sure what that means. 

Is there a solution for a picky fussy puppy?

Bagpipe

Sorry I made a mistake.  She was weighing 8.2 kg a week ago and today she was 8.6 kg (not 8.4as posted)

Bagpipe

Picky fussy yeaters are made not born.

I expect that the pup is picking up on your tension about the whole food issue and is beginning to find meal times a little tense herself and therefore loses any appetite she may have.

Chill, sit back and know that you are feeding a good diet with Naturediet, halve the rations and/or train only using her meals so that she has to work for it.

She may be filling up on the liver cake and actually consuming more calories than you realise!

When you relax about feeding times, I am sure the dog will too..........

Hello

I am very happy to change my behaviour if it helps the issue!!!  Because I actually don't want to change her food.  I want her to eat Naturediet, because it is a good dog food.
The amount of treats is about 30 gramms a day. 
Maybe I should just put down her food and leave the kitchen?  Because sometimes I'm there doing other things, sometimes I leave her by herself.  My husband is a bit guilty of making a fuss of her at times when she doesn't it, because the pup trained my husband, that his silly encouraging bahaviour helps (sometimes) having more interest in her food.  But I normally don't speak to her after she has her food, even if she doesn't eat. 

Bagpipe

Bagpipe

Who said you should feed however many grammes?  Was that the ND recommendations?  Because ND notoriously recommend very large amounts, lots of people have found.  There's no way my dog could eat as much as they say she should.  So my bet is that you are probably overfeeding her.

I think you should:

1. Halve her rations for 4-5 days.  Then feed something in between the half ration and what you were feeding.

2. Take her food away until the next meal time.

3.  Cut the ND into chunks and train with it.  (Dogs often appreciate food more if they have to work for it rather than getting it for free.)

Hello 1-2-3

Yes I was going after the ND recomendation.  I appreciate that this would be probably too much and I do give her less.  But I try to give her two third . 
This morning for example she basically didn't touch her food and I didn't train her, which means she didn't have any treats today.  At 2 pm I gave her 150 gramms of ND which she ate within 10 min.  Up to today I usually gave her seconds, because I was glad she ate and didn't want her to be hungry, but I didn't do that at 2 pm.  I will give her another 150 gramms for her last meal tonight, which she probably will eat.  But that does mean she had only 300 gramms instead of the rec. 870gr.  Hopefully she will eat her breakfast tomorrow.  But even if she should eat three times a day 150 gr, I will stick to what you say and carry on with that till Monday. And increase slowly.  I feel more reassured now after I got your advice, in cutting her meals, in order to find out what amount she feels comfortable with.
As far your third point is concerned:  "Cut the ND into chunks and train with it.  (Dogs often appreciate food more if they have to work for it rather than getting it for free.)"
I noticed that, because when she was on Eukanuba, she was quite greedy eating it as a 'treat' at training, but just left in more or less untouched in her bowl.

Thanks

Bagpipe

 

Hi - Definitely don't give seconds if your dog finishes it all quickly, not if you are sometimes having trouble getting her to eat at other meal times!

Just to give you an example of what I mean about the ND:

My 13mnth old large breed dog is supposed to have 2 and 3 quarters of a packet of ND each day (nearly 3 packs).

INSTEAD, I give 1 pack and is fine on this and is neither gaining nor losing weight.

So - just bear that in mind when you think how much to feed.

Also - just think of how much money you'll save if you don't need to feed what they say!!

Hello

That is quite amazing indeed.  One packet instead of nearly three.  I will bear that in mind !

Bagpipe