Picky Eater

[JeanieK]

Ollie is 10 1/2 weeks old and I don't think she is eating enough. I feed her Eukanuba puppy food and moisten it with chicken broth to entice her to eat, but she still just eats very little. For the past two days I have given her a tablespoon of cottage cheese at lunch time and she ate all of that.

When I took her in this week for shots, she weighed the same as she weighed two weeks ago. The Vet did not seem concerned, but then it isn't her dog.

Any suggestions?

[Patti]

Cali was and stillis a very picky eater. I have had to resort to food that I know is not high quality just to get her to eat something. She has a problem with hypoglycemia so I can't not let her eat. She is 8 1/2 months old and every day is a challenge to get her to eat. Today I esorted to a Mcdonald's hamburger just to get her to eat. I know what you are going through. Just keep an eye on her weight, I bought a postal scale and weighed her every week, and have Nutrical on hand for the times she doesn't eat.

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by Patti

Cali was and stillis a very picky eater. I have had to resort to food that I know is not high quality just to get her to eat something. She has a problem with hypoglycemia so I can't not let her eat. She is 8 1/2 months old and every day is a challenge to get her to eat. Today I esorted to a Mcdonald's hamburger just to get her to eat. I know what you are going through. Just keep an eye on her weight, I bought a postal scale and weighed her every week, and have Nutrical on hand for the times she doesn't eat.

Thank You. I did buy a postal scale and she still weighs 1 lb 9 oz. I gave her some green beans for supper, she ate some of them. I hate to not give her good quality food, because I want to breed her, but I guess poor quality is better than nothing. I might try canned food for her to see if she will eat that better. i was hoping she would outgrow it. She seems real frisky and playfull so it's not like she's sick. She is just like a 2 year old skin kid.

[TeddyBear]

Starsky didn't care much for the Eukanuba, Once I started him on the Nutro with lamb, he loves it. He finishes his bowl everytime.

[JeanieK]

Originally Posted by TeddyBear

Starsky didn't care much for the Eukanuba, Once I started him on the Nutro with lamb, he loves it. He finishes his bowl everytime.

thanks I'll try that. Does it come in puppy formula? BTW I love the name Starsky

[Patti]

If you can find Merricks fod Cali ate that for a little while where all the other high quality foods I bought she woudn't touch.
I just got her to eat for the second time today by giving her more hamburger , but not McDonalds. She is also in heat so I don't know if that is why she is hardlyeating or if it's just another picky phase.

[JeanieK]

Last night I broke down and gave her a cheaper brand, it' either Beneful or Pedigree, that I had here for my daughters dogs. Well anyway she loved it an today she is so full of piss and vinegar I can barely keep up with her.

The poor thing must have been starving so she was sleeping so much to conserve energy.

So I'm going to Petco to get some Nutro to see if she likes that. I haven't tried Science Diet yet either.

[Madvelazquez]

Dezi was not eating Eukanuba and I switched to Ultra Nutro and she loves it. She eats it all.

[lycansmom]

Luna has always been a very picky eater....we have had her on Innova Evo pretty much since we got her in late July but i have had to mix various things with it so we decided to switch just got her Science diet Sensitive skin formula and man she woofed it down (no pun intended )

[Latuya]

Gus was never really a picky eater. He would eat anything I have him but he wouldn't much of whatever it was. He was so skinny you could feel his ribs. The vet said he was healthy and to give him plenty of Nutical if I felt he wasn't eating enough. But after about a year and a half, he filled out. He's very tiny and only weighs 3 lbs. but you can no longer feel his ribs or anything like that anymore.

[ddiedre]

I've got one really picky eater and one not-so-picky eater. I decided that I would not compromise on the quality of their food, for health reasons. So, what I've done is mix the cottage cheese with the picky-man's food. I've sprinkled his with parmesan cheese. I've put hamburger with his food. And, the kicker-what has helped him gain a little weight on his otherwise skinny and emaciated frame-I made satin balls.

"Satin Ball" recipe for dogs who won't eat

This recipe is for dogs who desperately need calories and need to put on weight, but who have no appetite. It sounds yucky, but when these are done they are really appealing, even to me.
In my experience, this is a kind of "last resort and hope" food that many sick dogs will eat.

Mix all ingredients (like meatballs). I shape them like thick hamburgers rather than balls because they store easier in the freezer and thaw faster. Freeze in serving portion size. Nothing is cooked -- all ingredients are uncooked RAW and "Satin Balls" are served raw.

This recipe for Little Dogs (1/10 of full recipe) would be a good test to see if your dog will eat them before you make the substantial investment in ingredients of the half or full size recipe. See Notes below about the Total cereal, oats, wheat germ and vegetable oil.
Satin Balls for Little Dogs -- or to try out recipe on your dog to see if he will eat it.

1 lb hamburger
1 and 1/3 cups Total cereal
1 and 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 raw egg
6 Tablespoons wheat germ
1 package Knox unflavored gelatin
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons unsulphered molasses
Pinch of salt

I put them in little balls and freeze them. When I microwave them to serve them to my dogs, sometimes they get downright cooked. They seem to like it that way although they're meant to be served raw and I think you're supposed to dethaw them in the refrigerator-overnight or something. My dogs fight over them, but I always make sure my skinny little picky man gets the better end of the deal.

Good Luck