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NFT: Need advice on dog food issue

mitch300 : 2/15/2017 3:07 pm
I know there are a lot of dog owners on BBI. Hope some can help. I am a first time owner of a dog. It is a Bichon fries. We habe had him since October 2016. He was born in April of 2016.
About 1 month ago he started not to want to eat his food.It is dry food. He would eat maybe half his portion in the am and maybe full portion in the evening and vice versa. My wife decided to add about a tablespoon of some wet food to his meal. She would coat his dry food with it. The reason we had the wet food is a few months ago he started throwing up and the Vet put him on thei wet food for a few days. We of course had to buy the whole case. Anyway he loves it. In fact the other day he separated any kernals that were not covered by the wet food and would not eat them. The issue now is we are running out of the dry food and have to purchase more. Obviously, I am going to get a different brand of dog food. However, will he now only eat any dog food no matter what the brand that is only coated with this wet dog food. Once the cans are done I do not want to buy more. What to do.
try putting a little water in the bowl with the dry food to soften it  
jlukes : 2/15/2017 3:09 pm : link
up
We use Darwins  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 3:10 pm : link
.
Just keep putting the dry stuff out  
Beer Man : 2/15/2017 3:15 pm : link
They will eat when they get hungry.
Mitch  
tbonfig : 2/15/2017 3:21 pm : link
I've had my two labs for about 4-5 years now and they hate the dry food. They're super bourgeois and will only eat if there are "mix-ins".

We've gone weeks without putting table scraps/meats, etc., in there as additional incentive and they will just not eat until the last minute.

Good luck!
Very normal behavior  
NYG27 : 2/15/2017 3:23 pm : link
Your dog now is 10 months old and has mostly fully developed already. Some dogs don't eat as much as they do from month 4-8 when their bodies are still growing at a rapid rate and need to eat more often to provide fuel for that growth.

Try putting smaller portions of his dog food and I 100% agree with Joe, add a little water to his dry dog food.
Yeah, mayne go to one meal per day.  
Jim in Forest Hills : 2/15/2017 3:26 pm : link
We use pumpkin mix, basically pumpkin in a can. Its healthy for them and adds flavor.
You  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 3:26 pm : link
guys are great! Being a first time dog owner has it's rewards. However, could be challenging.
My parents have a Bichon  
steve in ky : 2/15/2017 3:30 pm : link
and he has always been finicky with what he eats but I think they tried a few types of dry food and eventually hit on one he likes so good luck.

I'm curious though, why not just buy the wet food if he likes it?
Pick up some Broth Bowls  
GmanND : 2/15/2017 3:40 pm : link
They are about five bucks and come in beef, chicken, and veggie flavors. Goes a long ways. There is also pumpkin based similar products. I use them all and just rotate them. Dogs love it.
Steve  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 3:56 pm : link
good question. We might have to do that. However, since it is a lot more money for canned food we would rather try to keep the dry food.
That's  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 3:59 pm : link
with buying high quality dog food. I swear my wife treats this dog better than me. LOL
RE: That's  
steve in ky : 2/15/2017 4:03 pm : link
In comment 13362072 mitch300 said:
Quote:
with buying high quality dog food. I swear my wife treats this dog better than me. LOL


My parents dog thinks he's a human the way they spoil him. Maybe the Bichon brings it out of people LOL
Go to a raw diet.  
Beezer : 2/15/2017 4:12 pm : link
Much better for the animal ... and all in all, you can do it in a way that can even make it LESS expoensive than dry dog food in a bag.

The dog will go crazy for the food (raw chicken, with bones ... raw eggs, with the shells ... our dog eats raw carrots with his dinner ... he also liked baked potatoes (and will sometimes eat raw).

Upside, too, the poops disintegrate. lol
We fed our big fella (9 years old now)  
Beezer : 2/15/2017 4:16 pm : link
what we thought was quality dog food. Couple years ago he started having seizures. Not because of the food. But the seizures really knocked him around ... down ... sometimes out for days.

He's on meds, but we also decided to go raw with his diet. We realize he's getting some level of chemicals, even with raw chicken, but over the course of about a year, he's gone from listless and sad, to acting like a puppy again (albeit a slower puppy with some hip displasia lol).

He's a happy dude, wolfs his food twice a day, is leaner and absolutely has made a great turnaround.

Can't think of going back to the bagged dog food after seeing the radical difference.
Your  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 4:25 pm : link
not concerned about raw eggs and raw chicken and salmonella?
RE: Go to a raw diet.  
steve in ky : 2/15/2017 4:26 pm : link
In comment 13362089 Beezer said:
Quote:
Much better for the animal ... and all in all, you can do it in a way that can even make it LESS expoensive than dry dog food in a bag.

The dog will go crazy for the food (raw chicken, with bones ... raw eggs, with the shells ... our dog eats raw carrots with his dinner ... he also liked baked potatoes (and will sometimes eat raw).

Upside, too, the poops disintegrate. lol


I always heard to never to give dogs chicken bones because they splinter and therefore creates the possibility of choking them.
Try coconut oil  
SimpleMan : 2/15/2017 4:30 pm : link
Buy a good one with good ingredients at a grocery store. I microwave a spoonful and put it on my dog's food and she loves it. It is also good for their skin/coat. Just don't overdo it.
RE: Your  
steve in ky : 2/15/2017 4:33 pm : link
In comment 13362123 mitch300 said:
Quote:
not concerned about raw eggs and raw chicken and salmonella?


I think dogs rarely will get salmonella and an occasional raw egg is healthy for their coat.
I've had the same issue. One of my dogs  
Keith : 2/15/2017 4:34 pm : link
will eat cardboard if I put it in his bowl, the other is like yours. Eats when he wants, but sometimes would skip meals when we gave him the dry food. We started to put some water in it and mixed it up and now he eats it. Not nearly as fast as the other guy, but he eats it. It might also be tough for him to chew because he has a tooth issue.
RE: Your  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 4:34 pm : link
In comment 13362123 mitch300 said:
Quote:
not concerned about raw eggs and raw chicken and salmonella?


Do research. Raw is amazing for dogs. Check out Darwins like I posted earlier. Our dog has been on a raw diet his whole life. Everything is perfect. We give him raw pumpkin seeds and oil of oregano. Those two things kill any worms. As far as the sick part from raw food, dogs were once wolves. That is their natural diet. Their stomachs produce higher levels of acid which would kill any potential bacteria you think his harmful. Raw food gives them the necessary nutrients they need. My dog's diet consistes of:

Raw meat: turkey, chicken, beef, duck
Bone marrow bones
Rib bones
Tripe
Venison treats
Duck necks

We will also mix in some pumpkin ocassionally. Sometimes we do sweet potato (probably the only thing cooked). Then we will give him carrots and he likes broccoli stems.

I've heard u can do it if it's raw chicken, but never  
allstarjim : 2/15/2017 4:37 pm : link
Give a dog chicken with bones in. And consult your vet on this stuff, not a guy from internet.

My wife and I have been giving our boy the quality dry stuff, but that only makes up a little less than half of what we put in his bowl. The rest is frozen peas and green beans. I break up the green beans so it's easier for him to eat. Every now and again I fry him up his own egg.

On the topic, never give a dog anything with pork. They can't break it down, it gives them pancreatitis over time, and it could kill them.
Oh, we also give him a raw egg every morning  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 4:37 pm : link
and sometimes this blue green algae.
RE: Try coconut oil  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 4:47 pm : link
In comment 13362137 SimpleMan said:
Quote:
Buy a good one with good ingredients at a grocery store. I microwave a spoonful and put it on my dog's food and she loves it. It is also good for their skin/coat. Just don't overdo it.


Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food. If coconut oil is good for dogs it is soft enough to just scoop out. Try just putting a small scoop in his bowl without the microwave.
And before I get attacked about microwaves  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 4:54 pm : link
I am just talking about heating of any kind. Some foods can be beneficial when heated like tomatoes but make sure not to heat the oil too much.
SimpleMan  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 5:00 pm : link
I just read up on coconut oil for dogs. Very interesting. Thanks.
RE: RE: Try coconut oil  
Jim in Fairfax : 2/15/2017 5:00 pm : link
In comment 13362166 robbieballs2003 said:
Quote:

Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food. If coconut oil is good for dogs it is soft enough to just scoop out. Try just putting a small scoop in his bowl without the microwave.


That's a complete myth. In fact, for most foods the opposite is true.
RE: RE: RE: Try coconut oil  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 5:07 pm : link
In comment 13362182 Jim in Fairfax said:
Quote:
In comment 13362166 robbieballs2003 said:


Quote:



Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food. If coconut oil is good for dogs it is soft enough to just scoop out. Try just putting a small scoop in his bowl without the microwave.



That's a complete myth. In fact, for most foods the opposite is true.


What's the myth?
There's  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 5:14 pm : link
a lot on here about pumpkin. I would never think pumpkin and dogs.
try it on a cracker, or on some of those oo doovers!  
Victor in CT : 2/15/2017 5:23 pm : link
KranMars Delicious Mystery Appetizer!
Kranmar's Delicious Mystery Appetizer - ( New Window )
RE: There's  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 5:27 pm : link
In comment 13362193 mitch300 said:
Quote:
a lot on here about pumpkin. I would never think pumpkin and dogs.


Mitch, we all threw a lot of information out here. But, the best advice I can give is talk to people, see if their dogs have any issues such as allergies, see what food they eat and connect the dots. Also, see what your dog likes and have options. Sometimes you will have to give your dog medication and if he is being stubborn with his food now it may be near impossible to get him to take something he truly doesn't want to take. Also, I don't care if it is the supposed best food in the world, if anybody or person eats the same thing every day of their life there are going to be issues at some point.

Growing up, my parents gave our dogs basically the same food all their lives. Pur dogs have had great lives and lived long but they also had issues that I think were preventable. It ranges from multiple alergies, tumors that were both benign and cancerous, diabetes, etc. One dog developed bladder cancer. Another has stomach cancer. Every dog had their teeth fall out because the food sticks to their teeth and rots them away. They have had ear infections. One has lymes disease.

As you can see, there are a lot of issues. So, do what you think is right and pay attention to your dog. I never knew that you should brush a dog's teeth because my parents never did that. Now, I brush my dog's teeth often ever since he was a pup. There was a thread on this a few months or so back. Most people have troubld doing so. Maybe since your dog is still young that you can train him to tolerate it. It is not easy though.

Good luck. It is a fun journey. Enjoy it.
bladder stones  
ColHowPepper : 2/15/2017 5:30 pm : link
to add to mitch's query, any of your favorite hounds develop bladder stones that affected urination, so that the dog squats and squats, feels the urge but little or nothing comes out.

The stones are now much smaller because she's been on a Royal Canine Urinary SO diet, pretty strictly, but that dry kibble is expensive. I figure the Kirkland Dry food she had been on may have contributed to the stones, but the vet is kind of cagey about cause and effect and what other diets may work.

Oh, and Royal Canine is available through vets exclusively.
My dog  
mdthedream : 2/15/2017 5:36 pm : link
has been eating that way for 7 years. No biggy she eats when she is hungry.
Robbie  
mitch300 : 2/15/2017 6:16 pm : link
aren't you guys people? LOL. My wife plans on talking to the vet just to see what they have to say. I knew that there is a big dog community on BBI and would get plenty of answers. I told my wige I would start a thread on BBI and would get plenty of advice.You guys did not disappoint!
RE: Robbie  
robbieballs2003 : 2/15/2017 6:47 pm : link
In comment 13362228 mitch300 said:
Quote:
aren't you guys people? LOL. My wife plans on talking to the vet just to see what they have to say. I knew that there is a big dog community on BBI and would get plenty of answers. I told my wige I would start a thread on BBI and would get plenty of advice.You guys did not disappoint!


Lol, of course. I just mean in addition to BBI.
My dog was the same way wouldn't touch the kibble  
jcn56 : 2/15/2017 6:48 pm : link
I bought some freeze dried raw food patties from Stella and Chewy's. Expensive as all get out, but the ingredients list was solid. Eventually, got him back to eating kibble by mixing in a little kibble every day and waning down on the S&C. Still give him some of that, just not going through 4 expensive patties a day, more like a third of that.
Try this  
Lopes1984 : 2/15/2017 7:58 pm : link
It is designed for small dogs with fussy appetites. I know a couple of people that feed it and they swear by it.
Mini Special - ( New Window )
RE: RE: RE: RE: Try coconut oil  
Jim in Fairfax : 2/15/2017 8:07 pm : link
In comment 13362185 robbieballs2003 said:
Quote:
In comment 13362182 Jim in Fairfax said:


Quote:


In comment 13362166 robbieballs2003 said:


Quote:



Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food. If coconut oil is good for dogs it is soft enough to just scoop out. Try just putting a small scoop in his bowl without the microwave.



That's a complete myth. In fact, for most foods the opposite is true.



What's the myth?


"Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food."
dog food  
Simms : 2/15/2017 8:13 pm : link
www.dogfoodadvisor.com

why are you  
bc4life : 2/15/2017 11:56 pm : link
opposed to wet food?
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Try coconut oil  
robbieballs2003 : 2/16/2017 1:49 pm : link
In comment 13362304 Jim in Fairfax said:
Quote:
In comment 13362185 robbieballs2003 said:


Quote:


In comment 13362182 Jim in Fairfax said:


Quote:


In comment 13362166 robbieballs2003 said:


Quote:



Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food. If coconut oil is good for dogs it is soft enough to just scoop out. Try just putting a small scoop in his bowl without the microwave.



That's a complete myth. In fact, for most foods the opposite is true.



What's the myth?



"Microwave kill the enzymes and nutrients of food."


You apparently didn't read my post directly after that.
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