Hi again. Lately when I feed Lincoln he is hesitating before eating, and he eats really slowly. Actually he sometimes eat lying on his stomach. The other night he didn't finish his whole bowl so I put some of the crunchies on his crate floor and he ate them and then preceded to eat the rest. Do you think he doesn't like his food anymore? He used to eat it all at once, but he is getting older. I'm just so used to my dog Scott who gobbles up everything as long as there is a bit of wet food on top...LOL
Personally, I call laying on the floor with the face in the food bowl 'serious eating' LOL Maybe Lincoln has a good idea of how much to eat according to his activity level.
My doodle eats some of his kibble then waits for me to feed him the rest from my hand. lf I'm not home from work he waits for me sometimes before he will eat. My husband thinks I'm a little foolish but if that's what it takes so be it.
Luca usually won't eat much if anything if I am out and sometimes only eats a little. But I leave his kibble out and eventually he'll eat most of it. I think your dog would do the same when he got hungry enough.
It amazes me how different our Doodles are. Some are "chow hounds" and others seem to care less. Guinness was very much like this with kibble...any kibble. Part of his problem was that it just was boring for him. I remember the Food Group DKrs telling me to try to make it more interesting by adding some fresh ingredients, and that really helped, although there were plenty of times he would just pick out the "goodies" and leave the kibble. I would try that. Some pieces of chicken or a spoonful of whatever veggie you're having. He might be just getting really sick of the plain kibble.
Had the same problem- Tucker does not jump for joy with his food either. I add 1/4 can of wet food to give it some flavor. This has helped- he still doesn't get real excited about eating- but he does eat it.
I forgot what brand you are feeding, but try rotating within that brand by switching flavors (if you think he is just bored by it). For instance, Peri eats Fromm and there are 5 or so different proteins (flavors) within the brand, so you can safely rotate between feedings. I switch every time I buy new food and it keeps her interested. Last month was duck, this month is a combo of duck, lamb and chicken.
I'm feeding Lincoln Blue Buffalo Large Breed, and I throw in some Blue Buffalo, Newman's Own, or Wellness wet food in on top. He is really a slow eater now. When I first got in he ate like he never had food before!!! LOL Thanks everyone!!
Morgan does the same thing. She always eats laying down and sometimes, especially in the mornings, she really does not have any interest in eating. She does this for a while, then gets back to her normal habits of eating all of it at once. I don't want to get in the habit of adding wet food to their kibble, so sometimes, I pretend to be putting something in her food by just stirring it with my finger, and she will eat! Now, Maddie, her sister, is just the opposite - she is a real Chow Hound! So if Morgan has no real interest in eating, we have to take her food up or Maddie will eat hers too.
Yeah I feed Lincoln in his crate because I feed Scott as well and my three other cats together. They are all in the kitchen together, and it's quite a site at dinner time!! LOL Funny enough he has no problems gobbling down the cat food!!! :D
Samson always eats laying down. We had problems with him eating and being very picky until we started a rotational diet. We rotate through several different varieties of food that I am comfortable with. Both of mine do sometimes skip breakfast or not eat much if they haven't been getting enough exercise. But after trying many, many things with my one picky eater, I've found that rotating foods worked like a charm for us!
My dog Scott easily gets an upset tummy when I change foods so for him this would not be a good option. I always have to transition very gradually with him lest I end up with a very big mess to deal with!!! Yuck!!!! He has a nervous stomach or IBS for dogs I guess. He has sensitivies too. Itchy ears, and runny eyes. All signs of food allergies. I've never taken the time to figure out exactly which food he is allergic too, but lately I've been thinking of switching him to the new Blue Buffalo Basic Fish and Potato. It was easier and less expensive to be finally buying one big bag for both dogs.
I am having sort of the same problem... I was actually coming here too look for recalls on foods because M & M aren't eating in the evenings!! Well, they don't eat right away they let their food sit for a few hours first.
We are feeding TOTW high prairie and Solid Gold wolf cub right now.... Maybe they are just spoiled and want their wet homemade food on top at night like it is in the mornings?