Hmm...How to Intice Trixie to eat

[Pam & Trixie]

Trixie is 10.5 months old.  She ate well til about 6 months old...She has been eating Chicken soup Puppy starting at about 9 weeks.

 

at 6 months she started skipping meals.  

Then she would eat really good for say 2 weeks...then skip...& back & forth.  When she was at the kennel in Late Oct she ate all her meals...And did that when we got home for 2 full weeks...So 3+ weeks of good eating...And we though she had out grown meal skipping.

 

If she has gone 1.5 days without eating I mix in Some Pumpkin & she eats her food all up & gets excited about it.

 

This week she threw up 2 mornings...the 'Im Starved Yellow Bile'  At least I hope thats all it is.  She was fine otherwise.  (and I lived with dogs for 20 years that threw up if we didnt feed them on time)

 

So I added Pumpkin in her food so she would eat...As she did not want to eat the plain kibble...

She is at the point where she picks out the kibble that has pumpkin on it & leaves the rest  : O

Even spitting out plain pieces on the floor.

 

I think she doesnt like the Chicken soup food...We have a new bag here : (

 

I think its time to gradually switch foods...She is 10.5 months...Can I  start to switch her to an adult food?

 

As a Puppy up until about 6 months she had a Sensitive tummy...So I dont want to rock the boat either...Though her stools have been 'perfect' for 3 months...

 

Is there a Kibble out there that May taste extra good to a Picky eater?

 

Suggestions?

 

Thanks

[Nella Krone]

My picky 10 month old doodle sounds alot like yours! The only thing that she will eat willingly is Acana no grain chicken mixed with hot water (just enough to soften the kibble but still crunchy) and pieces of fresh chicken. I mix everything all up with my hands and add drops of cold water to cool it off. It ends up looking like a creamy chicken soup, my Daisy loves it!! For breakfast I omit the chicken and add a hard boiled egg and mix again with hot water.

Acana does have a brand for sensitive stomach.

I hope this helps. 

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks Nella,  I will check out the Acana on line...I only have 1 store to shop at that carries 'good food'  So I also have to see what they carry...

[F, Calla & Luca]

I feed Acan and have had great service with Doggiefood.com. Spend $49.99, no way you can't and get free shipping.

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks F Parker.  They do carry all (it looks like) of the Fromms.

I will still try to buy my 1st bag local & see who she likes it.

(now to just make the decision to try Fromms ; )

[Trudy Harlow]

Pam, there are lots of discussions about this threaded throughout the Food Group.  Being a picky eater seems to come with doodle territory.  A dog can go several days without eating, so no panic about that.  Give her a small treat last thing in the evening and again in the morning to deal with the bile. 

Everyone on this website seems to think highly of Orijen.  My Paddy, who developed lots of allergies shortly after he turned 2 (about on schedule, according to my vet), ate raw food for nearly a year and then started rejecting it.  Now he's on Lotus grain-free kibble (duck) and Dave's grain-free canned food.  Over that, I sprinkle a probiotic and one Stella & Chewey's freeze dried raw lamb patty (crumbled).  He gobbles this up, but I'm being realistic:  It won't last forever, so I buy small bags of the Lotus.  My pet store will take back any rejected foods, but I still try to buy in small quantities.

If you do switch, do so very slowly.

When to switch to adult food depends on your dog's size.  Talk to your vet about it.

Do some reading on the Food Group and you'll be reassured that your experience is not unusual, and you'll see a lot of posts on how others have handled this problem.

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks Trudy,

I am reading & looking at old threads.  Still hard to decide what to try for a new food.  Since I have a new 30# bag of food...switching over gradually wont be a problem...its why I want to do it now...As I dont want to have to buy another bag of Chicken soup later to switch over on.  

 

I think The Orijen might be too hard on her tummy...Seems it causes many to have loose stools & I dont want to revisit that.

 

Trixie has been at a Steady 48# for several months...I dont think she will be growing anymore : (

 

Im ok with her skipping meals...But not when she starts throwing up because she is so hungry...but still wont eat her food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's a link to the results of a search I did about picky eaters here in the FG:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topic/search?g...

This may be the most common problem next to puppies with diarrhea.

The thing is, a truly picky eater is eventually going to refuse to eat anything you give her. So just switching brands will not help in the long run.

There are two things you can try. You can add fresh foods or freeze-dried raw toppers to her meals, or you can do a rotation diet, where buy a different "flavor" or formula of food every bag and keep switching it up.

Jack is a picky eater, and he loves Orijen. We rotate between three formulas. You can do the same with Acana.

Another food most dogs love is Fromm, and in their 4-Star Line they make about 10 different formulas which are designed to be rotated.

Most dogs seem to do well on Fromm. I would start with the 4-Star Chicken and Rice formula.

Or, you can add fresh chopped or scrambled eggs, little bits of any kind of plain meat, poultry or fish, green beans, pumpkin, yogurt, grated cheese, crumbled Stella & Chewy's patties, Ziwi Peak, etc. to her meals.

And yes, she is old enough to be switched to adult food.

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks for that link Karen,  I will go read it....Oops- thought it was a Link for a specific thread...I already did a search for picky eaters & am readign through it : )

 

The Fromm Idea interests me.  They sure sound 'yummy'  Maybe she wouldnt get bored with the food if we were switching it around each bag.  I called one store that carries it (not near me) But they seemed to carry only 1 of the four star foods...I will have to call some more stores & see if any carry at least a few varieties.

Thats agood idea to start with the Chicken & rice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Pam, if you go to the Fromm website, they have a store locator. You can access it from our Recommended Brands list on the homepage of the FG.

[Pam & Trixie]

Thanks Karen,

I have been to their website.  The closest store listed is 15+ miles from us.  The one I called couldnt tell me all that they carried in the four star line (she only named one & it sounded like that was all they had- kind of defeats the idea of rotating) ...So will try another & hope they carry at least a few varieties.

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Pam, you might also consider having it shipped. Lots of FG members use the on-line companies. Petflow is a good one, and there are others.

Also, if there are any privately owned, "boutique"-type pet supply stores in your area, you may be able to convince them to carry it, or ask the store who carries the one formula to order other formulas for you.

[Mara, Sadie & Zoe]

Sadie went through a picky stage. I found that toppers work. She gets her Fromm and honest kitchen and loves it. Licks the bowl clean. Sometimes I use other stuff, chicken with a little water, turkey with a little water, veggies...
The water/broth really helps.