Picky Eater Or Just Wanting Me To Add Something To It.

[Guest BrianL]

Hi All,

I have 4 yr old male who is a picky eater of sorts. We have had him for about 5 months

I had been feeding him Natures Domain from Costco but his stools were never really hard and he was still picky unless I occasionally added something to it.

So when I ran out of food. I decided to switch to Iams green bag on the reccomendation of posters here to firm up jis poop. It worked great and he hoovered the food the first 3 days.

Then It seemed he either ate too much or fast and had a upset stomach as it seemed he keep trying to vomit but never did. After 2 pudding poops he had a nice firm one again but now he will not touch his food. If I add something like a drizzle of low sodium chicken broth or rice he will eat some but not all. He just walks around and whines at me goes back to the food if I shake it around sniffs it and walks away.

 

I refuse to keep adding extra to the kibble food as I know he expects it so he just waits and whines. I am going to just leave his food for him to eat. I know he will eat it but I am determined not to let him dictate when I add the extras.

 

What say you all??

 

Thanks

Edited November 14, 2013 by BrianL

[OwnedBySummer]

I don't add extras to entice dogs to eat, either, although I will put considerable effort into finding a kibble that they like. And they have only a certain amount of time to eat it and then I'll pick up the bowl. I've never had a dog not learn to eat when served.

[Guest k9soul]

Have you tried just adding a bit of warm water to it? I add a bit of water to all my dogs' food when I feed kibble because it seems to go down easier.

[TheFullHouse]

Moisten it with some warm water and let it sit until the kibble absorbs the water. Dogs in the kennel are fed kibble but it is mixed with some extra's and moistened so they aren't used to eating hard kibble. Personally, if the dog is healthy, I don't add extra's, it just sets you up to keep changing additives because these dogs are smart!

[quarrystepper]

One caution about adding water to dry kibble. Some of the premium dog brands use citric acid as a preservative. It begins to break down quickly when moisture is present, and this can greatly increase the hound's chance of bloat. (I've read this from a number of sources, which I'm merely parroting since I'm not a chemical expert. Hopefully I'm not repeating apocrypha.)

[TheFullHouse]

If you're feeding twice a day instead of once a day, and restricting exercise right after eating, your chances of bloat are slim. I've fed my dogs moistened kibble for 10 years and have never had a case of bloat.

[PrairieProf]

One caution about adding water to dry kibble. Some of the premium dog brands use citric acid as a preservative. It begins to break down quickly when moisture is present, and this can greatly increase the hound's chance of bloat. (I've read this from a number of sources, which I'm merely parroting since I'm not a chemical expert. Hopefully I'm not repeating apocrypha.)

 

That is reported, but I think it was based on correlation in one small study. It is not accepted as any kind of major bloat factor, not that there is any strong consensus about anything as a major bloat factor. (My food does use citric acid, and I do add water. I mean otherwise you'd have to not let them drink after they ate if you were so worried about it.)

[Booker_Aye]

If you are not overfeeding him, have you checked for worms, particularly hookworms, which are very hard to eradicate? He has been with you for a relatively short time. My Booker struggled to rid himself completely of the hookworms he arrived with for at least a full year, and the hookworms really hurt his intestinal system. He would not eat when they got bad. Since Booker, I prophylactically deworm my hounds when they come to me on the schedule my vet recommends, three days in a row, then 3 days in a row a month later, then three days in a row three months later, with Panacur, and they also get a Droncit dose at their first vet visit. The problem with the hookworms is that they can become encysted in the dog's muscles, and reemerge at later times, after we thought they were all gone. It's a difficult situation.

[Brandiandwe]

It worked great and he hoovered the food the first 3 days.

Then It seemed he either ate too much or fast and had a upset stomach as it seemed he keep trying to vomit but never did. After 2 pudding poops he had a nice firm one again but now he will not touch his food. If I add something like a drizzle of low sodium chicken broth or rice he will eat some but not all. He just walks around and whines at me goes back to the food if I shake it around sniffs it and walks away.

 

This bit popped out for me. It would make me think that he doesn't like the kibble or it upsets his stomach.

[RedHead]

I agree...it could be picky eating or a reaction to getting sick on the food. It is a natural behaviour to not want to eat a food (or smell) that has made you throw up or be sick. I would monitor to see how he does on it. Adding extras is almost always promoted as a "bad" thing, but as long as they are healthy, there isn't a problem with it if you don't mind doing it.

[Guest BrianL]

Thanks all!, I was right in my assumption he was being picky and spoiled. I decided not to leave out his food all day and let him eat at his leisure. His poops are all normal and now he eats when his food is out. He still sometimes sniffs it and walks into the kitchen when we are about to eat and looks at the table and whines. but after I basically tell him this is your food and shake his bowl. He will eat.

I am taking him to the vet on Friday for a shot I will ask his vet about it but it just seems like he was trying to impose his will on us to add something.

[GeorgeofNE]

If you're feeding twice a day instead of once a day, and restricting exercise right after eating, your chances of bloat are slim. I've fed my dogs moistened kibble for 10 years and have never had a case of bloat.

 

And we've fed our dogs moistened kibble for 60+ years. We did have a case of bloat, but it was no where near a meal, and it was a Labrador.

[Burpdog]

Would you eat something you don't like?

 

Find something he likes and does well on.

 

Where do you live?

Edited December 5, 2013 by Burpdog

[Guest grey_dreams]

Would you eat something you don't like?

 

Find something he likes and does well on.

 

 

[Hawthorn]

There's nothing wrong with adding extras to kibble to make it more interesting. Many people do. Plain kibble is pretty bland after all. Food is such a large part of a dog's life that I think it's important to give them meals they enjoy. And I know everyone says it makes dogs picky but I haven't found that to be the case at all. My dogs get extras all the time, but will still eat plain kibble.

[Guest greytone]

My bridge baby was a picky eater and I would shake some grated Parm cheese on top of his food. Usually when I did this, he would eat it no problem.

[duncan41]

Would you eat something you don't like?

 

Find something he likes and does well on.

 

Where do you live?

 

Tongue firmly in cheek: You let him pick out the food at the store and that's the one he said he liked and would agree with him?

 

I just adopted a 10.5 year old and he came with the reputation of being a picky eater: won't eat kibble unless there is canned food on top - "to get him started" - and then will only eat half now and then half "later". Well, "later" doesn't work for us. Switched to the food we're feeding our other grey and BINGO - we got lucky! He loves it! He eagerly awaits meals and doesn't lift his head until every morsel is gone and tries to lick the shine off the bowl!

 

I'm not sure how many more signs he can produce to tell you that the food isn't right for him. Picky? Yes! Reasonably so? I would say that attempts to vomit, "stools never really hard" and pudding poo are clear indicators that the food doesn't agree with him.