Brinkley and Orijen

[Heather & Brinkley]

Hey guys!

I posted this in the regular forum as well. We switched Brinkley to Orijen six months ago or so. For the first four months he scarfed the food down. He's not one to scarf food...I never have to worry about him overrating. He stops when he's full and eats when he is hungry. But as of late, I've noticed that he is less interested in his food. He will still beg for regular food, which we don't give him. Sometimes he will get up in the middle of the night, go downstairs, eat the food in his bowl and then go back to sleep, but he isn't nearly as interested as he was previously. Yesterday, I was gone most of the day but my parents said he didn't eat at all. This morning I switched out the old food with fresh food and he didn't eat it. Just now, he went over to his bowl, sniffed it like he was hungry and then walked away without eating. I really wanted him to eat and do it on his own, so I sprinkled some chicken broth on the food. He ate all the chicken broth in the bowl and some of the food, but not much. He's definitely not sick but could he be sick of his food?

He's very active and I want to make sure he's eating enough!
Thanks in advance!

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. If he's hungry, he'll eat. If he is healthy in all other respects, he won't starve himself.

You might try rotating flavors of the Orijen. Cosmo is on the Senior Adult formula most of the time (even though he's not yet 2--he has an elbow issue and needs the extra joint nutrition and controlled calories), and we recently rotated in a bag of Regional Red. He really loved it!

Adding a little variety might pique Brinkley's interest!

[Amanda and Cody]

I have the exact same experience with Cody from time to time.  I agree that switching flavors is a good idea.  They get bored with food.  He will eat when he is hungry.  I was feeding Cody Orijen for about a year and then decided to switch to Acana (made by the same company).  He seems to like the flavors better.  Experiment and give it time.  Good luck!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I posted this in your other discussion as well:

How old is Brinkley? Sometimes, a change in eating habits can reflect a slowing of growth. Even after dogs have reached their full skeletal growth, they continue to gain lean mass, and their metabolism will reflect this. After they've gained their full adult muscle and bone mass, they may require less food.

I also find that their eating habits do go through cycles, sometimes related to the seasons. They may go through periods when they are more or less interested in their food, and if they are showing no signs of illness, have normal energy, etc., it's fine.

Many people rotate formulas to prevent boredom, and lots of foods are designed for this. There is no reason you can't switch to a different Orijen formula and alternate with each bag.

Toppers are fine, too, if you are absolutely sure that the dog is not ill. Tempting a dog to eat when there is illness brewing can be very dangerous. It can exacerbate pancreatitis and certain GI diseases or illnesses. So the general rule of thumb is that if a dog tells you he doesn't want to eat, believe him, especially if there is any vomiting or other signs of nausea or digestive problems. A normal healthy dog will not starve himself.

It doesn't sound like Brinkley is ill, though, so I would consider switching formulas. Or you could just wait it out and let him eat as he sees fit.

[Carolyn Shusterman]

Hershey (13 mo. 16 lbs) is also a picky eater.  We boil chicken breasts in large batches and freeze  in 1/4 cup pieces.  Each morning and evening we shred the chicken piece and hide it under 1/2 cup of good quality kibbles, fingering she will eat the kibbles by way of collateral damage.  We have four kinds of kibbles we alternate.  One time Arnie  was curious as to which she liked better and set up a buffet of 4 bowls and the four kibbles.  Do you think we spoil our doodles?

[Heather & Brinkley]

Ha!! That's great! A buffet of kibble!

[Heather & Brinkley]

Thanks everyone! I will try a variety! Maybe Orijen should market a variety pack!
And Karen, Brinks is two. I also answered in the other post. He turned two in Nov.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You could always do what I did, buy two or three 5 lb bags at a time and alternate, but it gets realllly expensive, lol.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Ha! I may buy another big bag and switch off every other day...since I just bought a huge bag of his original! Ugh!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I keep the kibble from big bags in a big tupperware-type container to make sure it doesn't get stale.  I think it helps keep it nice and smelly - Luna loves really stinky kibble, especially fish-based ;)

I wash the container out between bags to make sure there aren't any mites etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's what I have had to do ever since JD came back positive for storage mite allergies. Washing out that big deep container on wheels was a PITA, though. So now I debag all the kibble into huge ziplock storage bags and keep those in the container.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

The problem with storing it in plastic is that the fat from the kibble can leach into the plastic, and plastic residues can contaminate the kibble,  making the kibble rancid. Glass storage jars are better

Do not pour kibble directly into dog food containers.

This is a very common, but dangerous dog  food storage practice!

1)  Residual fats and oils that settle at the bottom and sides of the pet food storage bin can become rancid and contaminate fresh new food. 

2)  Harmful chemicals from plastic pet food containers can seep into the dog food. 

3)  This increases the risk of storage mites, mold growth, and bacterial contamination, leading to food poisoning, vomiting and/or bad diarrhea.

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/pet-food-storage.html

A Few Words about Plastic Dog Food Storage Containers

I've already emphasized the importance of using only containers and liners made of food-grade plastic, but even food-grade plastic may contain some potentially harmful chemicals that have been shown to leach into food.

One of the main culprits is Bisphenol A, or BPA.

In the European Union and Canada, the use of BPA is banned in baby bottles, and a recent FDA report raised concerns about BPA exposure in young children and babies.

Since most dogs are similar in size to young children, BPA may be harmful to dogs as well.

Does this mean that plastic dog food storage containers should be avoided?

No, as long as you keep the food in the original bag, I believe that containers made from food-grade plastic are fine. Some plastic dog food storage containers are labeled BPA-free, but this is not the norm.

If you're very concerned, I suggest contacting the company that makes the container and inquiring about their use of BPA.

That said, even if your plastic dog food storage container is 100% food-grade and BPA-free, you should still keep the kibble in the original bag or use a food-grade plastic liner that is replaced when you open a new bag of kibble.

Here's why: Plastic surfaces are porous. This means the kibble's fats and oils can leach into the plastic where they eventually turn rancid and end up contaminating the next batch of fresh kibble. Over time, the oils can even disintegrate the container's walls to the point where air can penetrate.

http://www.dog-nutrition-advice.com/dog-food-storage-containers.html

[Connie & Kramer]

These are some good tips on how to incorporate variety. I never gave much thought to the storage issue. Living in Florida, if there's a bug, there's a chance we'll get it. Do you think storing the food in bags in the freezer would keep it even fresher? I've always stored my flour in the freezer just to keep the bugs out.