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No interest in food... picky eater? (long)

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  • No interest in food... picky eater? (long)

    Hey all~
    I dont post often, Im more of a lurker and chatter~ but I have been struggeling with keeping wt on Sway since the day I brought her home at 12wks or so. She came from the breeder on Raw. We kept it up for a while (5/6 months or so), but she soon lost interest in it, stopped eating the bone and then just quit eating it all together (all the while struggeling to keep wt on her) She was a bab of bones... ribs, spine and hips! We blamed the not eating bones on her teething so we busted the bone up~ didnt make a difference, she still wouldnt eat it. So we decided to switch to kibble. We put her on Eagle Pack, she hoovered the first few days worth of meals and then would go a day or so without eating, then quit eating it all together as well. So after a while of dealing with that we switched to TOTW. She did awesome on it. She loved it. So we have been on it for 5ish months and still has bouts where she wont eat for a day or so.... ( tough love here, if she doesnt eat her meal when i put it down, it sits for 15 min then gets picked up and doesnt get put down till the next morning~ she eats twice a day. When she first started refusing meals I started adding 1/3 can of the canned totw to each meal... hoovered it for a wile and then would refuse meals... so all of this makes me think that she is getting bored with her food. So we started switching varieties between the totw. Again, doing well for a while but then by the end of the bag, goes back to her picky stubborn ways. I dont want to keep catering to her! I want her to eat and KEEP WT ON! She eats around 6 cups a day split between morning and night. She barley finishes what I give her, so adding more would be pointless. And she shows no interest in it what so ever~ all my other dogs are bouncing around at meal time.. barkign and carying on.. not Sway. She absolutely could care less.. lazy in the living room... I have to call her to her kennel sometimes even lead her by the collar in there... (not a kennel issue~ she loves her kennel) She acts the same way with treats... no interest.. she is not food motivated at all.

    We show her, but after the many many comments this past wknd at a show.. regarding her wt.. we decided to take a hiatus untill we get her where we need her to be. No sense in throwing all our money into hotels, gas and entry fees if her wt is goin to keep her from placing.... She is 12 months old right now, and has not gone into heat yet (tho several of her litter mates have, so it should be soon) But im hopeing that, that will help her to fill out.

    Sorry, Im writing as things are coming to me~ so bare with me as its a little choppy. When we got Sway the breeder told me that both parents are picky eaters and she struggles with their wt~ (should have been a red flag, but heinz sights 20X20) She wanted me to keep Sway on Raw, and when I told her I was planning on switching her over and asked for kibble suggestions she told me " I dont know what to tell you, as I am gun shy with Kibble".... so not a lot of help there. Had I not found dol my dogs would all still be on Science Diet~ The other day I had some chicken hind quarters int he freezer that got freezer burnt, so I thawed them and tossed them out to the dogs.... She showd mild interest in it, but it took her forever to eat it... but she did manage to get it down.. but you could tell she wasnt thrilled.... so needless to say going back to raw is out of the question.

    Vet visit ruled out parasites and such, and there is nothing medical to say why she cant keep wt on. Maybe she needs more calories? Maybe ist time for another food switch?~ I like the idea of grain free, but if grain inclusive will keep her filled out I may head that direction.

    *sigh* help please
    Im sure I forgot a ton of info, so just ask away! Thanks a million!
    ~*Hailey*~
    sigpic
    Sway 4/21/10 - 11/26/13
    "Our hearts still ache in sadness, And secret tears still flow, What it meant to lose you, No one will ever know."

  • #2
    Could be a few things
    She could be coming into heat
    She could be allergic to the food.
    She could be ending a growth spurt
    She could be picky
    I would start by cutting down on the food if she does not eat what you gave her.
    If that doesn't work. I would suspect allergies.
    You may also want to try satin balls, if she is old enough.
    "The human language, as precise as it is with its thousands of words, can still be so wonderfully vague"....Garth Stein The Art of Racing in the Rain

    Comment


    • #3
      I have lived what you are living with Sway. Loki is fussy.. picky.. diva.. you name it. We struggle to keep weight on him all the time. We did as you did - switched kibbles around, trying to find that 'magic' one that he'd love for the rest of his days. No luck. We added canned tripe, canned food, sardines, eggs, cheese, baby food.. that worked for a while until he remembered he was supposd to be a diva and stopped eating consistently again

      We made the switch to raw back in December. It went SO well in the beginning, but it's been a struggle the last couple of months. He was gaining weight.. and we are back down in weight again because he has days he won't eat at all. I still think he does better on raw than he ever did on kibble which is why we are sticking it out (our latest discovery is that he will eat with gusto if we feed him once a day, later at night - around 9pm - I only expect this to last a week or so of course )

      Ironically enough, Loki is also a show dog and I doubt he'll be shown at all this year given his ribby look

      All that to say - I sympathize. I wish I had advice, but I have a feeling we'll always struggle with Loki's eating habits and it's one of those things I'm going to have to learn to embrace

      Comment


      • #4
        Yep thats Sway 100% Just when I think I have found something that works she goes right back!
        All that to say - I sympathize. I wish I had advice, but I have a feeling we'll always struggle with Loki's eating habits and it's one of those things I'm going to have to learn to embrace
        The thing that really worries me, is that both of her parents were/are the same way.. they are raw fed as well.
        ~*Hailey*~
        sigpic
        Sway 4/21/10 - 11/26/13
        "Our hearts still ache in sadness, And secret tears still flow, What it meant to lose you, No one will ever know."

        Comment


        • #5
          Hailey, I feel for you. I struggled & struggled with Skyy's weight when she was younger. It does get better as they mature, although the heat cycles can still throw a curve ball at you.

          I might try cutting back a little on the amount and maybe adding some Dyne High Calorie Supplement (Theisen’s carries it) to offset the lost calories. Really, it’s some trial and error to find what works for Sway…but the whole time it’s also a balance of not catering to her too much.

          Wish there was an easier solution! Tough love has worked well, but there were times when I about couldn’t do it. Seemed to never fail…as soon as Skyy would start filling out, she would go on a hunger strike.

          Satin balls might help maintain weight, although they won’t help cure the picky-eater part.
          Bev
          Foto Danes

          Ch Payaso Flighty Star Alliance RN CGC CHIC
          sigpic

          Comment


          • #6
            God, I feel for you as I have a 6 1/2 year old who is the same way. It took me a while to figure out that he doesn't like eating in the morning at all no matter what wonderful things I add in. So he gets lunch after 2 p.m ( if he is in the mood otherwise it will be later ) and before he goes to sleep at 9:30 p.m . He is a very active dog so it shows when he doesn't eat a day or two so I understand your frustration especially when you can't show .
            I do hope you find what works for you guys
            sigpic

            Comment


            • #7
              Unless she has changed significantly from your signature photo, I would say she looks just fine. Keep practicing tough love. A healthy dog will eat and will not starve itself. A week before shows give satin balls if needed. Also, remember many handlers equate weight to substance. If your bitch is overweight, especially with a brindle or a harl you are going to just get extra body roll.
              sigpic
              Logan, Member GDCA and Past President GDCMF
              Int'l CH & AM GCH Legacys Killer Instinct, TT, CHIC (Kaos)
              www.lokenigreatdanes.com

              Comment


              • #8
                Wish I had some advice for you but it really is trial and error.. My Bambi is 2 1/2 yrs old now and I am still struggling to keep weight on her... Currently she is looking a little portly, for once.. But only weighs in at approx. 120ish pounds (haven't weighed her recently) and is 32" at withers.. However, her usual weight fluxes between 105 and 115 ( most times its closer to 105 at which time she almost always looks Anorexic.) but as long as all her physical exams keep coming back clear, I guess there is really not much I can do... My vet does not seem concerned, just states to the fact that she appears to have a high metabolism and to just make sure I'm keeping up with the calories and to feed when she seems hungry...
                Last edited by Purple Raine; 05-18-2011, 02:49 AM.
                Teresa n
                sigpic

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Brindledanelove View Post
                  Hey all~
                  I dont post often, Im more of a lurker and chatter~ but I have been struggeling with keeping wt on Sway since the day I brought her home at 12wks or so. She came from the breeder on Raw. We kept it up for a while (5/6 months or so), but she soon lost interest in it, stopped eating the bone and then just quit eating it all together (all the while struggeling to keep wt on her) She was a bab of bones... ribs, spine and hips! We blamed the not eating bones on her teething so we busted the bone up~ didnt make a difference, she still wouldnt eat it. So we decided to switch to kibble. We put her on Eagle Pack, she hoovered the first few days worth of meals and then would go a day or so without eating, then quit eating it all together as well. So after a while of dealing with that we switched to TOTW. She did awesome on it. She loved it. So we have been on it for 5ish months and still has bouts where she wont eat for a day or so.... ( tough love here, if she doesnt eat her meal when i put it down, it sits for 15 min then gets picked up and doesnt get put down till the next morning~ she eats twice a day. When she first started refusing meals I started adding 1/3 can of the canned totw to each meal... hoovered it for a wile and then would refuse meals... so all of this makes me think that she is getting bored with her food. So we started switching varieties between the totw. Again, doing well for a while but then by the end of the bag, goes back to her picky stubborn ways. I dont want to keep catering to her! I want her to eat and KEEP WT ON! She eats around 6 cups a day split between morning and night. She barley finishes what I give her, so adding more would be pointless. And she shows no interest in it what so ever~ all my other dogs are bouncing around at meal time.. barkign and carying on.. not Sway. She absolutely could care less.. lazy in the living room... I have to call her to her kennel sometimes even lead her by the collar in there... (not a kennel issue~ she loves her kennel) She acts the same way with treats... no interest.. she is not food motivated at all.

                  We show her, but after the many many comments this past wknd at a show.. regarding her wt.. we decided to take a hiatus untill we get her where we need her to be. No sense in throwing all our money into hotels, gas and entry fees if her wt is goin to keep her from placing.... She is 12 months old right now, and has not gone into heat yet (tho several of her litter mates have, so it should be soon) But im hopeing that, that will help her to fill out.

                  Sorry, Im writing as things are coming to me~ so bare with me as its a little choppy. When we got Sway the breeder told me that both parents are picky eaters and she struggles with their wt~ (should have been a red flag, but heinz sights 20X20) She wanted me to keep Sway on Raw, and when I told her I was planning on switching her over and asked for kibble suggestions she told me " I dont know what to tell you, as I am gun shy with Kibble".... so not a lot of help there. Had I not found dol my dogs would all still be on Science Diet~ The other day I had some chicken hind quarters int he freezer that got freezer burnt, so I thawed them and tossed them out to the dogs.... She showd mild interest in it, but it took her forever to eat it... but she did manage to get it down.. but you could tell she wasnt thrilled.... so needless to say going back to raw is out of the question.

                  Vet visit ruled out parasites and such, and there is nothing medical to say why she cant keep wt on. Maybe she needs more calories? Maybe ist time for another food switch?~ I like the idea of grain free, but if grain inclusive will keep her filled out I may head that direction.

                  *sigh* help please
                  Im sure I forgot a ton of info, so just ask away! Thanks a million!

                  I can definitely sympathize as well. It has been a tremendous struggle keeping weight on Jazz his entire life. He peaked at 128 pounds about 4 months ago, but right now is holding steady at around 117lbs and he is roughly 35"-36" at the withers, so you can imagine how lanky he looks.. His is due though, because of Addison's Disease. What I have found food wise though is that any grain free diet made it very very difficult for him to gain weight on. We've recently put him on Innova Large Breed Adult which is grain inclusive, but still regarded as a very high quality product. And he has begun to fill out a little more. So I'm hopeful that it will continue.

                  I also know, that many people on here who feed Taste of the Wild, (not all) claim to have issues keeping weight on with that food. I don't know what it is about it but from what I've seen on here, it's not uncommon.

                  Around 12 months is also when Jazz hit another growth spurt and his eating habits changed up a bit too. He was on raw at the time as well, stayed on raw for about 4 months and numerous reasons, had us switch him back to kibble.

                  I know I'm not much help, or saying anything that no one else hasn't said already but, you're not alone :/.

                  I would though, suggest going to a grain inclusive food. Something like Innova, Wellness or Merrick even.
                  Last edited by jazzybinks; 05-17-2011, 08:55 PM.
                  sigpic


                  Jazz- my sweet sweet boy
                  Diagnosed with Addison's Disease October 20, 2010. (2 years old)
                  R.I.P. December 21, 2012
                  Age 4.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Unless she has changed significantly from your signature photo, I would say she looks just fine. Keep practicing tough love. A healthy dog will eat and will not starve itself. A week before shows give satin balls if needed. Also, remember many handlers equate weight to substance. If your bitch is overweight, especially with a brindle or a harl you are going to just get extra body roll.
                    Unfortunately she has dropped in wt since then... you can def. see her spine and her hip bones are protruding.. as far as ribs, its hard to tell most of the time with her brindeling unless the angle or light is just right. She doenst look malnurished.. just under weight. In pictures she doesnt look to bad, but in person its easier to see. And when people at shows are continualy asking what food she is on and that she could stand a few extra pounds.. it gets old. I know Sway will never be a 'huge' dane with tons of bone and substance but she can def. use a few more pounds and I know what you are talking about with the brindle/harl roll Is she old enough for the satin balls? I have a recipe for it and am willing to give it a go!
                    I also know, that many people on here who feed Taste of the Wild, (not all) claim to have issues keeping weight on with that food. I don't know what it is about it but from what I've seen on here, it's not uncommon
                    I have considered this as well! I have since been considering a grain inclusive food. I have had a lot of people suggest Diamond Naturals? as a good choice for wt gain/maintnence. It can be discouraging at times. I dont want to take a break from showing, but when she drops wt or stops eating i stress about it and she picks up on that and then it just gets worse. *sigh*

                    Anyways, thank you all for your suggestions and encouragement! Its comforting/encouraging to know that others have been there or are there right now...
                    ~*Hailey*~
                    sigpic
                    Sway 4/21/10 - 11/26/13
                    "Our hearts still ache in sadness, And secret tears still flow, What it meant to lose you, No one will ever know."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by jazzybinks View Post
                      I also know, that many people on here who feed Taste of the Wild, (not all) claim to have issues keeping weight on with that food. I don't know what it is about it but from what I've seen on here, it's not uncommon.
                      TOWT is relatively low in calories; only 360 kcal/cup while most other kibbles are 400+ to 500 kcal/cup

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Brindledanelove View Post
                        Unfortunately she has dropped in wt since then... you can def. see her spine and her hip bones are protruding.. as far as ribs, its hard to tell most of the time with her brindeling unless the angle or light is just right. She doenst look malnurished.. just under weight. In pictures she doesnt look to bad, but in person its easier to see. And when people at shows are continualy asking what food she is on and that she could stand a few extra pounds.. it gets old. I know Sway will never be a 'huge' dane with tons of bone and substance but she can def. use a few more pounds and I know what you are talking about with the brindle/harl roll Is she old enough for the satin balls? I have a recipe for it and am willing to give it a go!
                        I have considered this as well! I have since been considering a grain inclusive food. I have had a lot of people suggest Diamond Naturals? as a good choice for wt gain/maintnence. It can be discouraging at times. I dont want to take a break from showing, but when she drops wt or stops eating i stress about it and she picks up on that and then it just gets worse. *sigh*

                        Anyways, thank you all for your suggestions and encouragement! Its comforting/encouraging to know that others have been there or are there right now...
                        I wouldn't give satin balls all the time, but a week or so before shows to keep in her in weight should be fine. It adds weight fast, so make sure you aren't over doing it.
                        sigpic
                        Logan, Member GDCA and Past President GDCMF
                        Int'l CH & AM GCH Legacys Killer Instinct, TT, CHIC (Kaos)
                        www.lokenigreatdanes.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Another Update

                          Ok.. so, much has happened since my last post.. First, I found out that several of Sways littermates are also super picky eaters and are struggeling to get wt on and keep it on. Also, with some further digging and questioning I found out that a couple of her sire's littermates also struggeled w/ wt gain..

                          So, after talking with the owners of some of Sways littermates I decided to switch her over to NutriSource (2c in the AM and 3-4c in the PM). Two of her littermates are on this and are thriving! So I thought.. whats to loose? I put her on it the end of May and she seemed to be doing really well on it. Then the end of June she went into her first season ~ and for the first week and a half or so she ate like a pig!! Waiting outside the bathroom door when I was getting food dished up (never done before), salivating all over the place in anticipation, eating out of her raised feeder (which she hasent done in over a year) and even groweld at one of the other dogs trying to sneak a bite ( before she never cared ~ she would let them eat out of her bowl, heck she would let them eat the entire bowl if I wasnt there to run them off ) She was just starting to look really good. A few ribs, minimal spine and zeor hip pins!

                          Then by the last week or so of her season her appetite started dropping off again.. and here we are a couple weeks out of her season and she is nearly completely off food and back to 4-5 ribs, nearly all of her spine and major hip pins..back to square one!

                          4 days ago she ate only supper, next days she didnt eat the three times i offered it to her, next day she ate only 2.5-3 of the 4 cups I offer her in the evenings, yesterday she turned her nose up to breakfast.. but I forgot to pick it up so she did eventually eat it before noon, little dogs could have helped as well? I stoped over at Bev's and got some canned tripe and some freeze dried meat (afs?)and sprinkled some of the afs on her evening meal and she ate it w/ no issues.. I also picked up all ingredients for satin balls while out.

                          So heres where we sit, the first weekend in September we have our first show since I pulled her from the ring in mid May (seems much longer than that), Sooo:
                          #1- I can continue to add the freeze dried meat untill the new wears off
                          #2-I can switch it up from the fdm and tripe, again untill the new wears off
                          #3- I can introduce satin balls

                          Now my question on Satin Balls, how big do I make them and how often do I feed them? Would it be best to give her them after she eats her kibble? because Im afriad that if I give them to her any other time she will flat out refuse her kibble like she has in the past.. So could I cut her kibble amnts in 1/2 or so and once she finishes them give her a sb treat? Idk..

                          Opinions? Suggestions?
                          Last edited by Brindledanelove; 08-12-2012, 05:19 PM.
                          ~*Hailey*~
                          sigpic
                          Sway 4/21/10 - 11/26/13
                          "Our hearts still ache in sadness, And secret tears still flow, What it meant to lose you, No one will ever know."

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Brindledanelove View Post
                            #1- I can continue to add the freeze dried meat untill the new wears off
                            #2-I can switch it up from the fdm and tripe, again untill the new wears off
                            #3- I can introduce satin balls

                            Now my question on Satin Balls, how big do I make them and how often do I feed them? Would it be best to give her them after she eats her kibble? because Im afriad that if I give them to her any other time she will flat out refuse her kibble like she has in the past.. So could I cut her kibble amnts in 1/2 or so and once she finishes them give her a sb treat?
                            I would do #2 & #3. Maybe try cutting back a bit on the kibble, in hopes of convincing her you're in charge. For Satin Balls, you can do them whatever size you wish. If you do them as a large meatball, I would probably do, oh, six/day...three at a time, after breakfast/dinner. If she doesn't eat breakfast or dinner, switch to doing some mid-day instead.
                            Bev
                            Foto Danes

                            Ch Payaso Flighty Star Alliance RN CGC CHIC
                            sigpic

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              So last night I whiped up a batch of satin balls and let Sway taste some of the canned tripe~ She really enjoyed the tripe and wouldnt leave the kitchen as I was preparing the SBs.

                              So this morning I added some tripe to her food~ she wasnt thrilled.. go figure lol.. she did eat it, but picked at it for a while. So once she finished that I gave her a Sb. Well............. I must have made them to big.. She carried them around like she does her tennis ball.. Just wallowing it and prancing all about the house and dropping it to watch it roll around~ Once I cornered her in the Kitchen she did manage to eat it.

                              I couldnt tell if she was excited to have it, or she really thought it was a new ball ah well.. down the hatch it went and Ill keep an eye on her wt gain..

                              Im thinking since they are close to tennis ball size I should start out with 2 a day?
                              ~*Hailey*~
                              sigpic
                              Sway 4/21/10 - 11/26/13
                              "Our hearts still ache in sadness, And secret tears still flow, What it meant to lose you, No one will ever know."

                              Comment

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