Guest tubbys Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Hi I just got my new little girl we've had her now for 2wks and at every meal she justs picks out the wet food I did have her on beniful but I thought maybe she didn't like it so i switched her to costco's lamb and rice and she is still doing the same thing. I have been leaving the bowl down for her and i've noticed that late at night she will eat more of it sometimes and sometimes she will finish the bowl.Should i be picking the dish up after i feed her so she can't pick and then only putting it down when i feed her again? I just don't know what to do and I don't want her to start losing weight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverhound Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Try moistening it, or adding a little grated cheese. My Joe also really likes honey! Quote Masterful Joe and Naughty N Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mychip1 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Welcome!!! Some of them are very finicky eaters. If she just came from the track, she is probably used to a raw meat diet. Some of them are just picky about kibble. Our EZ has always been. Apparently he came from one of those kennels that did a nightly stew for their hounds. Seven years later, as he approaches his twelfth birthday, we still battle the food fight. Mix ins, add ins, etc. are necessary. Riverhound metioned honey - our EZ loves Maple Syrup! Shredded cheese does work really well also. But we have to be creative...too many nights in a row of the same thing and he gets bored! Just be careful and keep an eye out for diarreah/loose stool. You need to watch closely to be sure that none of these addins impact her negatively! Good luck and keep us posted! Quote Robin, EZ (Tribal Track), JJ (What a Story), Dustin (E's Full House) and our beautiful Jack (Mana Black Jack) and Lily (Chip's Little Miss Lily) both at the BridgeThe WFUBCC honors our beautiful friends at the bridge. Godspeed sweet angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I was told when we got our first that no healthy dog ever starved to death when food was available. That said....we found that smelly foods work best. Kibble mixed with natural yoghurt or fish (anchovies I think), broth or stew which are warmed, raw meat, cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) Some also may not like where you choose to put the bowl and it just needs relocated. Some prefer raised bowls. Some like ceramic instead of steel. Some want you in the room while they eat. Some want you out of the room while they eat. It took me over a year to find a kibble which Summer loves. I'm not thrilled with it because it has wheat and corn gluten meal and I'm currently trying to see if I can switch her over to a different kibble without that in it -- so far, so good! I wet her food with warm water, immediately put it in the raised feeder and down the hatch it goes. No more add-ins, no more struggling, no more frustration. Chin up and keep trying! Edited February 1, 2012 by OwnedBySummer Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest emma Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 From my experience dogs should not have a food available to them whole day. Even if they won't eat everything, after like 10 minutes or so, the bowl should be taken away. Then they will learn that if they won't eat at a set time, they will have to wait until the next time. Usually when the food is available to them whole day they won't really eat it cause they will rely on the fact that the food will always be there for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrianRke Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Which type of canned food are you using? the stew type? or the regular ground mush type? If I mix the stew type with the kibble, mine will pick out the hunks from the stew. If I use the regular canned food, I mix a little warm water and stir it with the dry kibble, coating every piece. When I do that, they eat it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tubbys Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 From my experience dogs should not have a food available to them whole day. Even if they won't eat everything, after like 10 minutes or so, the bowl should be taken away. Then they will learn that if they won't eat at a set time, they will have to wait until the next time. Usually when the food is available to them whole day they won't really eat it cause they will rely on the fact that the food will always be there for them. Thats what i was thinking but there is something about a greyhound u know what they went through and i just end up caving in. I just want her to be as happy as possible and make up for all of the wrong that was done to her. But i try and take the food away for a few days and see what happens. I did try adding honey this morning but it didn't work and i moved her bowl i also have been adding wet food to it different flavors to see if she likes anything. with the cheese is it a certain kind cheddar or american the thing is don't different cheeses have different additves in them? I just feel so lost when she doesn't eat I was told when we got our first that no healthy dog ever starved to death when food was available. That said....we found that smelly foods work best. Kibble mixed with natural yoghurt or fish (anchovies I think), broth or stew which are warmed, raw meat, cheese. What kind of cheese did you find that works the best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) I have been leaving the bowl down for her and i've noticed that late at night she will eat more of it sometimes and sometimes she will finish the bowl. Had a girlhound that I joked would be a supermodel if she was a person. She would never eat with anyone looking but would polish off the whole bowl at night. I have free fed countless dogs successfully and if you only have the one I don't think any of the neighsayers can really argue against free feeding as you know how much you put down. As an aside none of my dogs have ever liked lamb and rice, but they would grudgingly eat it. Usually when the food is available to them whole day they won't really eat it cause they will rely on the fact that the food will always be there for them. No dog will starve because they have food all the time. Edited February 1, 2012 by Hubcitypam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest emma Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Usually when the food is available to them whole day they won't really eat it cause they will rely on the fact that the food will always be there for them. No dog will starve because they have food all the time. Ehm I'm not talking about starving. Why would a healthy dog starve? I'm saying that if they know the food is there all the time, they will not eat properly when they should. They will leave food in their bowl instead of eating it whole cause they don't have to worry it will dissapear. And if the food is not only a kibble but also other stuff, it is actually unhealthy cause bacteria can grow. Btw, how can you maintain a routine, and no excercise after eating rule when the dog nibbles food whole day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mariah Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I went through this with our new dog. The thing that fixed it was feeding her on a schedule (breakfast at 7am, dinner at 6pm). If she didn't eat, we took up the food after about twenty minutes. Because she knows exactly when her mealtime is, she looks forward to her meals and enjoys them before they go stale/icky. She's also more interested in treats than if she had been grazing intermittently throughout the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandiandwe Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) I was told when we got our first that no healthy dog ever starved to death when food was available. That said....we found that smelly foods work best. Kibble mixed with natural yoghurt or fish (anchovies I think), broth or stew which are warmed, raw meat, cheese. What kind of cheese did you find that works the best? My observations indicate any type, especially for our garbage guts. However, we keep her away from soft cheese and blues. We give them both small amounts of cheddar which is pre-sliced (not the plastic stuff, but in similar packaging). Cottage cheese has also worked on kibble. Edited to add: make sure you don't give too much at first until you establish that yours is not lactose intolerant and can handle dairy. Otherwise the results will be unpleasant all round. Edited February 1, 2012 by Brandiandwe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Moisten her food. Add some hot water to it and let it sit until the kibble absorbs all the water. Put it down for about 15 minutes. If she doesn't eat it put it in the fridge and offer it to her around dinner time. Greyhounds are fed early in the morning at the track, around 6:00 so she's used to eating at that time. They are only fed once a day. If you want to feed her twice a day, do it at the same time every day. All of mine have come home and are fed at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. If someone doesn't eat then they wait until the next meal time and they chow down big time. They have all learned this routine from day one. The only time I've added anything extra to my dogs food is when they have become seniors and I'm having a hard time keeping weight on. I follow the same routine and have for all these years and it works for us. I was also told a healthy greyhound will not starve itself so I've never fretted over food issues with mine. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 ... how can you maintain a routine, and no excercise after eating rule when the dog nibbles food whole day? Are you are talking about bloat? If the dog isn't gulping a whole bowl of food to beat the clock the no exercise after eating rule makes as much sense as the myth that humans shouldn't swim for a hour ater eating. You'll find lots of articles stating that deep chested dogs fed once a day are more likely to bloat than those fed more often as they bolt their food and swallow air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest emma Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 ... how can you maintain a routine, and no excercise after eating rule when the dog nibbles food whole day? Are you are talking about bloat? If the dog isn't gulping a whole bowl of food to beat the clock the no exercise after eating rule makes as much sense as the myth that humans shouldn't swim for a hour ater eating. You'll find lots of articles stating that deep chested dogs fed once a day are more likely to bloat than those fed more often as they bolt their food and swallow air. Have you read what Mariah wrote? That's EXACTLY what I meant. Why do some people have to always assume other people are wrong or uninformed? I' didn't say anything about feeding only once a day. I said to feed on schedule. I am VERY familiar with the bloating, thank you very much. I am giving an advice here but some people just have to criticize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) Hi I just got my new little girl we've had her now for 2wks and at every meal she justs picks out the wet food I did have her on beniful but I thought maybe she didn't like it so i switched her to costco's lamb and rice and she is still doing the same thing. I have been leaving the bowl down for her and i've noticed that late at night she will eat more of it sometimes and sometimes she will finish the bowl.Should i be picking the dish up after i feed her so she can't pick and then only putting it down when i feed her again? I just don't know what to do and I don't want her to start losing weight! Can you try adding some water to her food? Angus wouldn't eat it when it was dry. He'd eat a few bites and choke so he gave up. Costco is MUCH better for her than Beneful. Glad you switched. You can also try a teaspoon of pumpkin all mixed throughout...or yogurt. Also you can try to mix her wet food so all the kibble is covered that way she won't just pick out the wet food. Sorry i didnt read all the posts, some of this may already have been suggested. Good luck!! Edited February 1, 2012 by verthib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighsayer Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Mine prefer the Costco chicken and rice. I have one twelve year old with kidney disease. She is very skinny and can't keep weight on her. She is very picky about her food. I have tried mixing in mushy canned food, grated cheese, tiny slices of hot dog, sliced chicken, American cheese, yogurt, hamburg, veggies, and anything I have in the fridge. She does better eating three smaller meals, rather than two larger meals. She will usually finish them. I feed all the dogs at 6:30 am and 5 pm. If she doesn't eat both meals, I give her another meal at 8pm. She ate scrambled eggs for a few weeks, but won't touch them now. Your dog is still getting used to a new life. I suggest you keep meals on schedule. She should figure out the routine and look forward to her meals. Does she have any health problems? My dog is old, sick, and losing weight so I do whatever I can to get her to eat. She is also on several medications which have an impact on her appetite. As long as your dog is healthy, you should try to maintain a regular schedule without going crazy adding in extra stuff to entice her to eat. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Is your dog still in pain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vers Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Tubbys, when you can, it would be great if you can give an update in the thread you posted in Health: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/282506-she-is-screaming/ If she has been in pain or discomfort, that would easily explain the lack of appetite, though there are a number of others things that can as well. I hope she's doing okay and that you can give an update soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tubbys Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Is your dog still in pain? we rushed to the E vet and they didn't know what was wrong with her until her blood work came in.she passed away and we are very upset and sad. she died of sirs but they think it was 2nd to an undetected cancer.she was my baby and my princess Tubbys, when you can, it would be great if you can give an update in the thread you posted in Health: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/282506-she-is-screaming/ If she has been in pain or discomfort, that would easily explain the lack of appetite, though there are a number of others things that can as well. I hope she's doing okay and that you can give an update soon. it was my older grey who was in pain she passed away it's still very hard to talk about but thank you vey much for your concern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tubbys Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Im very happy to say my new little girl is now eating at full meal. using ground wet food helped a ton and also picking up her bowl if she doesn't eat has worked like a charm! . thank you sooo much for everyones GREAT ADVICE. one other thing though I've noticed while reading on this site that some of you are not nice to eachother and i would just like to say that " We are all parents here of furry children and just like parents of human children we all have different parenting styles and that even though we all might not agree with eachother their is no need to be mean to eachother. So PLEASE PLAY NICE. THANKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Glad to see your little one is eating. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Very glad she is eating better. That was an additional stress you don't need right now. Very, very sorry about your other baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I'm so glad she's eating well! YAY! And I'm so sorry to hear about your older girl. Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vers Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Tubbys, I am glad you found a food strategy that's working for your new girl. I sympathize; I have a committed picky eater who you can read a little bit about at this link if you ever need more ideas. It sounds as though your girl is much more willing than mine. I am so, so sorry to read that your older hound has passed so suddenly; I hope the love you shared with her brings you some comfort. And I am 100% with you on the play nice. This is a forum to learn from and support each other; that should be the focus and you have reminded me of that -- thank you. Wishing you and yours all the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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