Needs to gain weight - what's a good high calorie/carb food?

[Linda and "Toby"]

My vet said that I need to put some weight on Toby.  He's 1 1/2 yrs old and currently on Canidae Beef and Fish which he's not crazy about. He always just sort of picks at his food and walks away before finishing it.

 

She said I should consider switching him to something higher in calories/carbs, but not necessarily higher in protein. (What's wrong with a food that's high in protein?) Does anyone have a suggestion for a good premium food that I should try? 

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

All due respect to your vet, but she's wrong about "not necessarily high in protein", and wrong about higher carbs putting on weight. For dogs, carbs are the least likely macronutrient to be absorbed or utilized.
Try EVO...very high in calories, and grain-free, so the carbs are the type that more easily digested and utilized by a dog.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Good to know! It seems that vets aren't necessarily the best dog nutritionists. (After all, they are still pushing Science Diet.) \

Thank you for the info. They carry it at Bone Appetit (where I buy my dog food.) I'll pick some samples up this week. Which flavor/variety does your dog like best?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack has never had EVO, except for one bag of the herring flavor which he refused to eat...don't get that one, it stinks to high heaven! There's a current discussion on EVo here in TFG right now, I know the Red Meat is a popular one. Our search feature is on the fritz, so I can't search past discussions.
But they only have three formulas for adult dogs, the red meat, the turkey/chicken, and the herring. I'd go with either the meat or chicken. They also do each in a "small bites" formula for dogs who like smaller pieces.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Glad to get the heads up on the (stinky) herring! Won't get that one! It's nice that they have small bites, too,

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Linda, I have the same problem. How old is Toby? Has he always like this? Sheila is 4 months old and she too is a picky, sporatic eater. Makes it a challenge to find rewards she will work for in training. Are hard boiled eggs a good food for dogs?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I feed hard boiled eggs as part of my home cooking...but no more than 3 a week.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dee Dee, I just sent you a message responding to your question. You really can't compare a 4 month old puppy to an 1 and a half year old adult dog in terms of weight or eating habits. Linda's vet has told her that Toby needs to gain weight; unless Sheila's vet tells you the same, I would not try to put more weight on her than she is gaining naturally. It is dangerous for a puppy to gain weight too quickly, that can lead to hip dysplasia & other joint problems. If Sheila is energetic and playful, her eyes are bright and she is alert, she is eating enough. Your vet will tell you if there's a problem.
Some dogs just are not food motivated. it is much easier to put weight on then to take it off, and a lean dog is always healthier than an overweight one. I would realx and not worry unless there is a reason for concern from a health standpoint.
To answer the question about eggs, they are fine in moderation. Jack weighs 85 lbs and his vet has said he can have 3 eggs per week.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Hi Dee Dee! Toby is 1 1/2 yrs old. He has always been a picky eater. I often have to put a couple teaspoons of Swanson's lower sodium chicken stock on his food (it comes in a tall, resealable container in the soup isle). Sometimes it takes a tiny bit of cheese over the dry food to entice him to eat. I'm hoping I will have more luck with EVO. It would be nice to see Toby gain some weight by eating something he enjoys. (He weighs 30 lbs. His mom is a miniature poodle; dad is a full size golden retriever.)

As for treats, there is one snack that both of my dogs go CRAZY over. It's called "Bellyrubs" Organic, all natural freeze drived beef liver dog treats. It's small and would make an excellent reward for training. The first time I gave one to Toby he ROLLED on it instead of eating it! Then he saw my Husky eat one and his expression was so funny. Like, "Wha---? You mean, I'm supposed to EAT this???" hahaha!

I've scrambled eggs for my dogs in the past and they've enjoyed it. I would imagine that boiled eggs would be even better for them. Occasionally I'll get some lean ground beef and boil some meatballs for them. Sometimes I add a little bit of rice to the water while it's cooking. This is a once-in-awhile supplement - not a regular part of their diet.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I used to worry too when Guinness was a puppy and very, very picky. I was concerned that he just wasn't getting all the nutrients he needed. But, the vet said his weight was always perfect...she does like them a little lean. It's interesting that since he's been on home cooking and eating everything I put in front of him, he's only gained about two pounds (and most of that is just normal growth). So, they do seem to get what they need, and we should worry less. I know that's easy to say. We just seem to feel better when we see them eating and enjoying their food...that's the Mom in us.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

About picky eaters and weight; there is not all that much relationship between the two. Jack is the pickiest eater in the world. He will not touch peanut butter, yogurt, most kinds of cheeses, any kind of fruit or vegetable, rice, and the list goes on. When I got him at 14 months of age, he weighed 60 lbs. He is now almost 5 and a half and weighs 85 lbs. He gets only 2 cups of Orijen a day, half a cup of fresh food, and a couple of treats. That's not a lot for an 85 lb dog. The problem now is getting some weight off him, which is hard to do when he doesn't eat much to begin with. Picky eating doesn't always equal a dog who's too thin.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Good point, Karen. My Akita didn't eat all that much and we constantly struggled with him being overweight. He had bad hips, so this was a real concern. Fortunately, we discovered that he LOVED raw carrots, so we were able to help him drop down to a healthy weight by switching him to that as a treat.

If Toby was picky but at the right weight for his height/size, I wouldn't be too concerned. But, he actually is a little too thin. I can see why my vet wants him to put on a few pounds. But, he's not very interested in eating his meals, so it's a bit challenging.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I really believe that in the area of a dog's weight, the vets know best and their advice should be followed. The issue of overweight pets has gotten a lot of attention in veterinary publications recently, and most vets are on top of this.