General Questions & Answers- A Place To Start

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A few questions about specific feeding issues have come up, and don't seem to fit into any certain category among our discussions. Here's a place to post your questions, and maybe someone here can help, or least guide you to the right place.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Reply by Lake Girl 7 hours ago
Ok Food Group,
I checked each discussion group and hope you can help me. First, Dianne has been so kind and tried to help me, a couple of breeders have suggested things, and my own personal research on food, puppies, etc concerning finicky eaters. First, I have narrowed down the dry food choices that are better for my Molly. My research led me to discover a lot of frightening things about dog food, companies/w/rendering plants, ingredients, etc. I barely cook for my wonderful husband and me and given the fact that I do not trust my own judgement on nutritional value, vitamins, etc. I opt to go commercial. I am a worry wart. Molly is a perfect puppy...except her eating habits. I cannot keep adding, switching, and worrying over her food. I quit adding canned food, tried dry Chicekn Soup for the Puppy Lover, Innova, and now Soldi Gold. I finally decided to go with Solid Gold Dry Puppy Food, add a little Innova, add 1/8 tsp of Solid Gold Seameal, and 1 tsp of Esbilic (tsp powdered puppy milk), I add some hot water and let it soak. She ate it the first four days like it was the best thing since cotton candy (just like she did Innova). Now, here we go again. She skips meals, eats a few bites, and I have to hand feed again to get her to eat 1/4 a cup. Is it the poodle in her (according to some)...she is second generation, is it that she is just plain finicky, is it me???? Does anyone else have a puppy like this? Or am I worrying too much. Otherwise, she is happy, jolly, and loads of fun. Let me know what you think and have any suggestions. I am tooooo scared to let her go for days w/o eating. She just turned 13 weeks this pastMonday and weighs 10lbs 5 ozs. She was the runt in the litter. Thanks for your help. Molly and Lizette in TX

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[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Reply by Adina Pearson 6 hours ago
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I know it's kinda scary to see a puppy you love skip the meal. My guess is that she will not go days without eating. Getting food is too primal of a need for an otherwise healthy dog to starve itself. So since you are afraid to let her go for days, start small and just go one day. In fact, I would just pick one food without any embellishments and offer it to her three times a day and if she doesn't chow down within 20 minutes then taken away and offer it at the next meal. Just one day probably won't hurt much. It doesn't mean you can't hand feed some of the meal... I hand fed my puppy because we used his Kibble as training treats and we would train before each meal. Maybe put her food in one of those food dispensing toys so she must work for it and maybe she'll find it more fun. I know others disagree with my tough love when it comes to feeding... Ya Gotta do what works for you. But I feed nothing but Kibble. Except for occasional treats.

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[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Lizette:
It has been a long time ( 19 yrs) since I had a puppy, so I don't feel qualified to give much advice. If she were an adult dog, I'd say, don't worry about it...she'll eat when she's hungry enough. But I know puppies' nutritional requirements are different. I know that Solid Gold is about as good as commercial dog food gets; why are you adding the additional ingredients? If it is just to make the food more palatable, how about replacing a spoonful of the dry food w. a spoonful of SG canned puppy food added in?
Some dogs are just picky eaters...I don't think it has that much to do with their genetics, necessarily. (Read "Come have a little whine w. me" for more on THAT, lol) But i do understand your concern that such a young puppy needs to get her nutrition. Hopefully, someone else here can help.

[Lake Girl, Lizette]

Karen, The reason I add the Esbilic(spelling? the powdered puppy milk and add warm water) is because the first month we had her she only gained 1 1/2 lbs. and this is only because I keep changing food. Sometimes having to hand feed. I worried about soft stools during the whole thing but it went alright. I tried three dry puppy kibbles(Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover, Innova, now Solid Gold), and Wellnes, Merrick(which I pulled as soon as I discovered the rendering plant on their premises), Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover, and two holistic brandsof canned food. I boiled a piece of chicken for a while and added this. I resorted to adding a small amount of 2% grated cheese to the Solid Gold yesterday. I just have not found anything that lights her fire for more than a couple of meals and than she hits a brick wall and stops eating. I really don't want to embellish her food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Reply by Georgia's Mom 6 hours ago
I don't have much to offer other than I did go through something similar. When Georgia was around 11 weeks old, she lost interest in her food. But, like Adina, I did not embellish her kibble to try to get her interested and I also took the food away if she did not eat within an hour. I understand how you feel as I was worried too because even though she did eventually eat, she was eating maybe 1/2 of what she should have been eating. I started to hand feed her because for some reason she would eat out of my hand, but I didn't want her to develop a bad habit so I knew I couldn't keep doing that. I did end up switching her food to Wellness Large Breed Puppy and have not had a problem since. She happily eats within minutes of the food being put down. She only gets dry kibble for meals and a few other treats (i.e. a stuffed Kong) during the day.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Reply by Adrianne Matzkin 4 hours ago
When we brought Samantha home, we were told she wasn't much of an eater. I guess she just didn't like what she was being fed - Royal Canine Puppy. I changed that to the RC Large Breed Puppy and she seemed to be happy with that. I picked up the bowl after 20 minutes. Sometimes she only eat a few pieces the next meal. A fretful time but I knew she wasn't going to starve because of Puppy Kindergarten and all the treats she would get in class and during our home school sessions.
Several weeks ago, after discussions here in DK, she tried the Solid Gold Large Breed Puppy - glad I bought the small bag because she didnt like it. I switched to Whole Foods Holistic Puppy and she LOVES it! She eats app 1.5 cups for brunch (because she is not a morning Doodle) and finishes it. When it comes to dinner she becomes a chow hound. I cook for her and Loves her chicken, rice, pumpkin and green beans.
Since I started the WF Kibble and cook her dinner, she has grown a little taller and hasn't gained any weight. At 23" tall she weighs 61 lbs. She was a little chubby but I finally feel ribs again. She looks fantastic!!
I guess when it comes to what out puppy will eat, it is trial and error - what works for 1 might not work for another.
Does anyone know if giving a home cooked dinner is healthy for 3 month old puppies? If you are going to cook for your Doodle, at what age should they start?

[Sally, Echo and Emmi]

Hi! May I ask if you can tell me more about the Whole Foods holistic puppy? Is it purchased at a Whole Foods store? Is it their particular brand? I am getting a new puppy and am trying to figure out what I am going to feed her and it isn't an easy decision!! Thanks for any info on this product!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

See my replies below...I know it's confusing because of the way the discussion was re-posted, but it's Adrianne who uses the food, I think it is from Whole Foods market.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Sally,
It is Whole Foods store own brand. They have a puppy and adult kibble. I went to purchase it when Jacquie (I think it was Jacquie) stated she was feeding that to her pups. I give Samantha kibble in the morning and I cook dinner for her. Usually chicken, rice, veggies (green beans, sweet potato, brown rice, sometimes pasta) - sometimes beef or pork if I have had that for dinner myself. I did find that turkey didn't sit well with her.
For supplements, I will be started Samantha on Nupro. Read all the discussions in this group and sit with a pen and paper. It can be confusingbt dln't let this make you nuts. Ask questions - everyone in DK is very happy to help!
When do you get your puppy?

[Lake Girl, Lizette]

Karen I could not find Whole Foods Holistic Puppy Food on the internet. Does the product you use go this title? Would you let me know. Thanks. Lizette

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Lizette, it's Adrianne who uses the Whole foods product- let's hope she'll answer these questions. I believe it's from Whole Foods market.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Yes, Whole Foods Market. They have stores in Illinois. I checked their website and looked in store locations. They are all over the US and Canada, as per their website. She has been eating it for 2 weeks and still loves it!