CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Magic Star on February 24, 2004, 11:32:45 AM
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I stupidly ran out of Autarky yesterday :roll: so had to nip to Asda to try and get a kibble as a temporary measure, it took me ages looking through all the different varietys, I decided on Bakers complete, I gave it to Indie last nite and was totally amazed as she ate the whole bowl in seconds :shock: which is so not like Indie. I gave her a bowl this morning too and again she woolfed the lot :shock: :) Now I am thinking of changing her on a permanent basis and wanted your opinion on the quality of this food :? Does anyone feed their dog it? if so, how do you find it? I need to build Indie up a bit, as looking at the dogs we saw at the show, she is very much on the slight side :roll: I need to know that what I am giving her is going to give her all the goodness she needs, so any comments good/bad would be helpful :)
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Hi Emma
I used to feed my three on Bakers they loved it all though Douglas was getting to be a bit fussy with it. It does have a high protein level and lots of additives so not 100% natural - no other problems with it though and the other two really enjoyed it. I had some free samples of James Wellbeloved so I tried this on the Boys and they all eat it with great relish. It is probably about £10 or so dearer than Bakers but 100% natural. I would of liked to of put them on Burns but my Pet Shop doesn't supply it unfortunately.
JMT
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Weve put Nell on Burns, and i,m realy impressed with it!!
Although its dear ,i think in the long run it will work out cheaper, as were giving her less than the JWB and the Autarky.
Also less waste from her nether regions, and a lot smaller if you know what i mean. :wink:
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Thanks for that Dessie, I have just read the whole list of ingredients and was shocked to find it had artificial colours and preservatives in it :shock: :( I have already tried the JWB with Indie and the Nutro and she just does not like them :roll: even if I add butchers tripe, she still picks out the meat and leaves the kibble :? Its back to the drawing board for me then :roll: I did see a moist complete food in pets at home, I will nip in there and check for any artificial watsits, unless anyone can give me some other alternatives to try, shes really not that keen on just plain kibble though :? I will save the Bakers and use them as little treats instead :) I don't want her filled up with additives.
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Emma the more you change her food, the fussier she is going to get. :?
I would choose a food and stick to it!!
mum
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Hi Emma
Always interested in other cockers feeding habits as Rigsby is sooo fussy :roll:
I tried some food called Nature Diet the other day and he ate it all (which believe me is a miracle). Its a wet complete food packed in a tray and is a natural food. Definitely try it if you can get hold of it.
I have also discovered another way to get him to eat his dry food (Science Diet). I lightly fry a small piece of lambs liver in olive oil, then mash it down to a paste consistency (this is like a recipe!), then mix with the dry food to coat it. Rigsby even crys for this one!
Gerry
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Emma,
You should have said, Billy is on Autarky I could have dropped some off for you, give me a shout if you need some as I nipping up to my sisters tonight.
Michelle
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Emma your welcome I was surprised and although my boys loved it and they have been having it for a year I thought I'd change them over to JWB and thankfully they really enjoy it. I'm not one for giving them plain biscuits everyday - their breakfast is usually just the biscuits but at tea time I like to give them something in it - sardines, nature diet, grated cheese, minced beef or minced lamb etc and they really love meal times. They also get their raw chicken wings and go mad for them.
As your Mum said you will only make Indie more fussy if you chop and change her food around. Are you coming to Crufts ?? If so why not pop around to the different stalls and get some free samples.
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Emma the more you change her food, the fussier she is going to get. :?
I would choose a food and stick to it!!
mum
:lol: Do as your Mum says, Emma...... you know Mums are usually right ! :wink:
I made the mistake of chopping and changing Jimmy's food as he was so fussy, a brief honeymoon period with a new food would be quickly followed by a return to pickiness in no time.
I'd give the Naturediet a try though (Pets At Home sell it), it worked with Jimmy. He eats nearly every meal now, although the change did also coincide with the arrival of greedyguts Misty. :lol: He wasn't overkeen on her polishing off her own food then starting on his. :roll: Even though he eats double what he used to do he still looks the same, sizewise. I wouldn't worry about Indie looking on the lean side, like Jimmy she's probably naturally that way .
I've never used Bakers Complete but am a bit suspicious about the way it looks, so many different colours makes me think it's that way to impress us owners. Dogs wouldn't give two hoots about it's appearance really as long as it tasted good.
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I think the way Michele described Bakers Complete to me once was totally right. It is made to look nice to the human eye so we buy it :wink: a clever marketing ploy, when really it is full of additives, so I suppose if your dog is quite naturally hyper anyway, this might just add to it :?
Emma/all who have picky eaters, I really do sympathise with you. I have tried ALL complete foods :oops: and get the same reaction with all, as Colin said the "Honeymoon" period doesn't last long and before I know it I'm back to square one :roll: Now I am sticking to the JWB which I have used for some time now, and I'm either adding Naturdiet or the AMP tripe which she really seems to like. I think I will just have to live with the fact that she's not a greedy dog. For the 2 weeks in the summer when I look after my friends cocker Roana it is pure heaven as she eats ALL her food :wink: I think the element of competition is good for her. So hopefully when cocker number 2 comes along...she'll think twice about walking away from her bowl and leaving anything in it :lol:
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Thanks for all your replies :D
Michelle thanks for the offer, but mum has some Autarky :D not sure whether to continue with it though, as she seems to gone off it :roll:
Maybe the answer is to get another dog :wink: :lol:
Mum has picked up some nature diet for me today, so will try her on that, I feel such a bad mummy, as I am probably to blame for her fussiness :oops: too many choices when she was a pup, if she wouldn't eat one thing, I would try her with something else :roll: I know dogs will eat when they are really hungry, but she does need some weight on her, don't think I can't do the chicken wings I would worry too much :roll: Ohhhh I know one thing, I wont be making the same mistake with cocker number two :wink:
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I think the way Michele described Bakers Complete to me once was totally right. It is made to look nice to the human eye so we buy it :wink: a clever marketing ploy,
A friend of mine who runs a pet shop told me for all the additives etc in Bakers you might as well feed them MacDonalds every day :?
Emma, you haven't been bad trying Indie with different things, its an easy thing to fall into, but I would try and do as suggested and find a food that is good and wholesome and stick with it. :D Perhaps mixing the Nature Diet in will do the trick :wink:
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Having two cockers definitely stops the pickiness that's for sure. So getting Cocker number 2 I guess will cure the problem for you!! :lol:
Candy used to eat every other day now she's as greedy as anything and looking very chunky these days.
I've just changed to Burgess SuperDog Sensitive and the dogs are MAD for it!! It's the lamb and rice variety. I checked the back of the pack before buying it, as you know I won't touch anything with colourings or additives and it's very bland - no wheat, gluten, soya, egg, artificial colours etc etc. The ingredients are identical to JWB but as I say, it's half the price. At first I was a bit concerned (odd bowel movements) but this week they seem to be doing just fine.
What's even more shocking is that they are eating it without Nature Diet added which is simply amazing!!
I've bought some AMP tripe to try and put some weight on Georgia as she's very lean - for those of you who have seen him - a lot like Jimmy but it's still in the freezer. If only I could remember to take it out and defrost it! :roll: Didn't get on too well with the chicken wings so I had them for dinner instead - cooked them first though!! :wink:
Loraine :)
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Lottie has Naturediet and loves it, having said that she'll eat anything :wink:
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I got Burns from their web site it was delivered the next day and works out at under 50p a day two feed 2 dogs!!
Although due to Bon Bon's colitis she is now on hills prescription but our 7 month old Border Collie, Barney loves it.
Our dog trainer says that Bakers complete could have a lot to do with with Barneys early behavaviral probs, far to much protein and artificial bits etc.
Good Luck
Jane
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We have the fussiest eater in the dog world.
She even takes roast chicken breast delicately from your hand and carries it to another room before eating it.
We've tried almost every type of dry complete food but at last she has decided to eat Purina Pro Plan, on its own, with no meat.
It's amazing!
Having said that, if she's true to form, she'll do exactly the opposite to what I say and won't touch her dinner tonight!
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A friend of mine who runs a pet shop told me for all the additives etc in Bakers you might as well feed them MacDonalds every day :?
Emma, you haven't been bad trying Indie with different things, its an easy thing to fall into, but I would try and do as suggested and find a food that is good and wholesome and stick with it. :D Perhaps mixing the Nature Diet in will do the trick :wink:
:shock: No wonder shes enjoying it :wink: Looks like i've got a little junk food cocker :wink: Michele thanks for that, when you put it in those terms, it certainly hits home! As I have tried the Nutro and the JWB before, without success :roll: I will pop to the pet store and have a good look through all the other possibilities :?
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I think what you will find though Emma, is whatever you change Indie to give her a few days/weeks and she'll go off it just like all the rest :wink:
To date I have tried, JWB, Nutro, Pedigree, Purina & Bakers :? I have definitley found it doesn't seem to be the dried food that makes the difference but what I add to it to encourage her to eat it :) So I have decided to stick to a good dried food one that is readily available (JWB) and then add the AMP products as there is quite a wide variety in these which adds a bit of variation :wink:
I am also alot tougher. Butty gets NO treats if she does not eat her brekkie/dinner :? The funny thing is she is actually very clever because she comes to me and looks at me with those doe eyes as if to say "can I get a biscuit mummy?" and I say "go and eat your dinner" :twisted: believe it or not this actually works :shock: she knows EXACTLY what i mean and she goes and eats it all :roll:
If its any inspiration to you Butty is doing really well with the AMP products i've never had so many clean food bowls :wink:
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:D Thanks Gilly, it does make me feel better when I see its not just me who has a faddy eater :roll: I guess I do give Indie too many treats and too much of human food, like toast and vege and pasta, rice etc But I just cant see her going without anything atall :? will stop being such a softie with her :oops: :)
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We feed both our pups on Nutro dried and JWB moist.....Jessie - our greedy cocker - always eats everything we offer her...even if its sticks, leaves, paper etc..however Saffi - our VVV Fussy Westie - is not motivated by food at all. She gets 10 mins to eat her meal (Jessie has finished in less than a minute!!) and if shes not eaten it its taken up. We also restrict treats so she realises she has missed a meal and maybe tomorrow she will remember being hungry and eat it all. (This sometimes works but sometimes doesnt!) People say we are too strict..we dont allow any human food (unless its cheese or liver for training) but both dogs look great and we mostly have very clean shiny bowls now :D
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I thought it was just me!! I also tell Georgia to 'Go and eat your food!' or 'Finish your dinner' in my stern voice AND SHE DOES. :shock: I finally getting back some control!!! :D
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This discussion has raised a good point.
Brin is currently on Purina Beta puppy (is this alright?) as that is what he was on when we got him. Recently he got bored with just dry food so we mix in a bit of Pedigree tinned puppy food and now he nearly always eats it all. I kind of have a bad feeling about Pedigree food. Is this unwarrented and is what I'm doing ok?
Phil
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This discussion has raised a good point.
I kind of have a bad feeling about Pedigree food. Is this unwarrented and is what I'm doing ok?
Phil
I think everything in moderation and it makes it more palatable for the dogs. I have used tinned Pedigree Chum mixed in with their dried food for years (not a lot) and interchange with Butchers Tripe and other varieties of tinned dog food.
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Just a quick update!!
Despite everyones good advise, I was desperate to get Indie to put some weight on :oops: and I continued with the Bakers, she has been absolutely fine on it :D no hyperactiveness and she looks foward to feeding times and cleans the bowl every single time :D She has definately put quite a lot of weight on :D which is just great 8) She is a totally different dog to be honest, in fact she is much calmer then when on the Autarky :? I know really that I shouldn't be feeding her this type of food and it does go against what I wanted for Indie, ie a naturaly food :roll: But she is eating it and enjoying it, gaining weight and she is not hyper :)
I hope no-one thinks bad of me for giving her an "unatural" food but I just wanted her to gain some weight, not for looks or because it suited me, but for her, looking back the tiny amount she was eating she must have been really hungry :(
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Emma I don't think you should have anything to feel guilty about :wink: As long as you and Indie are happy that is the main thing :wink: :)
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Hi Emma
I'm sure that nobody thinks bad of you - what suits one dog doesn't suit another and Bakers is obviously suitiing Indie. It is not always the case that the so called premium foods that are better.
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Don't feel bad Emma, there must be thousands of dogs out there, who like Indie find its what suits them best :) , otherwise Bakers would've gone out of business :wink:
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:) Thank you so much ladies for the words of support :) I know its not an ideal situation :roll: but its one I will go with for the short term, until I can get miss fussydrawers into an eating pattern :?
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just read everyones reply very interesting,,i always feed jasper on bakers,didn,t realise it had such a high protein content ,he also does get fed alot of pulses as the vet suggested it was good for keeping them calm along with pasta and rice,will seriously reconsider the bakers,,love the line,,,you may as well feed them mcdonalds,,no big macs for my boy,he,s a big mac himself,,tee hee,great advice cheers ziggy x :wink:
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:? Another update!!
Yes the honeymoon period is over :roll: and we are back to square one again :roll: I sent off for a Burns sample, she wouldn't even put it in her mouth :? She will eat the naturediet but don't know how long that will last :? Seriousley considering barf now, (except the chicken wings :wink: )
If I can give any new puppie owners any advise it would be choose a food and STICK to it :wink:
I can't understand why she is like this, as she is hungary, shes forever after what I'm eating, will try and whizz past my legs to get in the garage at the bins too :? But will not eat whats in front of her :evil: At one point I was having to leaving little handfulls here and there, as I found that if the food was on the floor, she would eat it :? Maybe she likes to hunt for her meal :roll:
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Hi Emma
an update on the AMP Tripe for you :wink: Butty...a notorious fussy eater is thriving on it :D even though its vile and looks like something you would scrape of the road :lol: :wink: it gets my vote.....at the moment I am sticking to the JWB and adding the raw tripe...have you thought of using this :?: Its the ONLY food that Butty ever licks the bowl clean with :wink:
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Emma, a friend of mine got round her dog not eating by tipping the bowl out onto the floor :roll: another thing she tried with success was after she'd had her tea she would put the dogs dinner on her plate (I know you doggy lot won't even bat an eyelid at this idea :D ) and the dog wolfed it down.
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Emma, a friend of mine got round her dog not eating by tipping the bowl out onto the floor :roll:
I used to do this sometimes when Jimmy was a picky eater. Other methods I used included leaving a treasure trail of kibble leading to his bowl. Jimmy's favourite was when I'd fill a lidless plastic bottle with kibble and he'd throw it around munching up the food. The things you have to do. :roll: :lol:
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Hi Gilly
I hadn't thought of the tripe, I am not sure I could stomach it :roll: I can't even touch ham at the moment without feeling sick :roll: , anyone would think im pregnant :? But, if as you say Butty is thriving on it and I know you also had problems with Butty's eating then I may well give it a try :wink:
Michelle, I will try the dinner plate thing this evening :)
I guess in one way its a good thing that it hasn't lasted long with the Bakers I do want her off it anyway :wink: Now I need to find a dry food that she will eat :roll: I never give her just plain biscuits anyway, she always has something added, be it butchers tripe, or pilchards and more recently naturdiet, but no matter how much I mix it in, she still manages to leave the kibble in the bowl :twisted: So far we have tried, Nutro, JWB, Autarky (lasted the longest) Burns and Bakers, anyone got any other suggestions for a natural food, i'm running out of ideas :?
Thank you for all your suggestions :)
PS: Mum, don't get your knitting needles out :wink: And YES I admit you were RIGHT (for once :wink: ) I should have listened to your advise re feeding Miss Fussydrawers :roll: These things are sent to try us :evil:
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Hi Emma
I know exactly how you're feeling :roll: . When we got Morgan, his breeder had him on Beta Puppy, soaked and mixed with a tiny bit of tinned food. I think I've said this before but he used to look at it as if it was radioactive - literally backed away as I put it on the floor :cry: . He'd look up as if to say "Okay, what else is on the menu tonight??". In fact the only way I could get him to eat it was dry. I had a ball that you filled with the kibble and he rolled it about scoffing the bits as he went along. I changed him onto JWB for a while and he liked it for a couple of weeks and then went off it.
Then I noticed that every time we went to a particular friends house he'd go straight to their dog's bowl (brave boy as the dog is a Boxer :shock: ) and ate every scrap. Turned out to be Beta Lamb and Rice so back we went and that's where we've stayed. He's still a grazer - his bowl is on the floor all day and he picks at it (not good, I know) but at least he's getting some nourishment :wink: .
The problem we have now is that Cooper wants to eat Adult Beta Lamb and Rice and Morgan wants Puppy Royal Canin. I put the bowls down and if I'm not watching they swap!!! :roll: :wink: :D
Cooper is a stark contrast to Morgan - talk about the mouth that never said no.
I hope you find something that suits Indie but you might find that, like Morgan, she just doesn't do big meals :wink: :)
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Hi Emma
The problem we have now is that Cooper wants to eat Adult Beta Lamb and Rice and Morgan wants Puppy Royal Canin. I put the bowls down and if I'm not watching they swap!!! :roll: :wink: :D
That used to really frustrate me, Candy was at the time on JWB and Georgia was on Purina and they were forever swapping bowls. In the end I didn't know who had eaten what! It was so much easier when they went on to the same food.
Emma you could try Indie with the tripe but be warned it STINKS!!
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I'll second that!
It really does stink but they absolutley love it. It's also great for putting condition on them. The Prize Choice 2kg bags don't seem as bad as some of the others on the market.
I've had some problem with our little boy going off his grub. So far have tried Pedigree, Butcher's tripe, beta, nature diet and JWB. I've dug my heels in with the last 2.
He doesn't always eat the nature diet (breakfast) but always eats the JWB (tea). with some cooked tripe and a bit of tinned fish. The remarkable thing is that his breath doesn't smell after all that.
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I agree...since Buttons has been on the Tripe her breath doesn't smell at all :)
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Update for you on Indies eating habits............................
Well as you all know shes a fussydrawers, she went off the Bakers, thank gawd!! Went out today to make a final decision on a dry food, that I will stick to NO MATTER WHAT!! :wink: Went to the pet store and scoured all the lables, anyway decided to put her on Hills Science Plan :D I will mix it with eiether, butchers, tripe or naturdiet on a rota :wink:
Have just opened the bag and gave her a few dry kibbles, she sniffed and walked away at first :roll: then came back and took one, then another and another, I put the bag in down, and thought no more about it, until I heard russle russle crunch crunch, there she was, in the cupboard head in the bag NICKING it :lol: :lol: Lets hope, she continues to enjoy it!! :wink:
Does anyone feed their dog Hills? Would be pleased to hear of your experiences with the food, good or bad :?
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All mine are on Burns (including the cats), and its great as there's less poo to pick up as well, and was going to also give some naturediet but it gives Wilf the runs for some reason. Hills has all those additives in as well. Burns works out cheaper than Hills as well (especially the cat food).
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All mine are on Burns (including the cats), and its great as there's less poo to pick up as well, and was going to also give some naturediet but it gives Wilf the runs for some reason. Hills has all those additives in as well. Burns works out cheaper than Hills as well (especially the cat food).
Thanks Penny, but have tried her with Burns :roll: she wont even put it in her mouth, spits it out in disgust :? Mind you from the whiff of that fish one, can't say I blame her!
I'm a bit confused as I thought Hills was a natural diet, having no artificial flavours or colours etc!! Or have I mis-read your post :?
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Sorry I forgot Hills are doing natural food stuff. My two are on minibites in the Burns and love it. Have you tried csj stuff (they are very generous with their samples): http://www.csjk9.com (http://www.csjk9.com)
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I'm not a big fan of Hills either though I know they have introduced a "natural" range which might be better - their other range tends to be high in protein, high in additives & expensive compared to other brands. But it's what suits your dog really - I wouldn't feed Hills but if it suits Indie, then that's fine :)
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I'm not a big fan of Hills either though I know they have introduced a \"natural\" range which might be better - their other range tends to be high in protein, high in additives & expensive compared to other brands. But it's what suits your dog really - I wouldn't feed Hills but if it suits Indie, then that's fine :)
Thanks Jane, I thought it was a good food :? Especially as its so expensive :roll: Well, will see how she gets on with it! I think Indie is gonna be one of those dogs that you have to chop n change foods with, to prevent boredom :? Shes like the Egon Ronay of dog food :lol:
Will let you know, how she gets on :wink:
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Emma send Indie round to me for a few days, i'll soon get her eating. :wink: But dont chop and change her! she will only get worse. :?
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Has anyone tried Oscars complete foods and if so what do you think of them?
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Emma, you are such a sweetie, but your Indie has got you perfectly trained running around in circles for her :lol: :lol: My advice would be offer food, then pick it up if not eaten in 15 mins or so and then nothing until the next meal etc. etc.
I would give the raw tripe a go if I were you though :wink: :wink: If she likes the naturediet, why don't you just feed naturediet on its own? Its a natural food that simply contains human grade meat, rice and veggies (carrots). Any food can claim to be the best for your dog, but if the dog won't eat it, its a pretty empty promise? :D :D
I hope you don't mind me asking why does Indie have to have dried food as opposed to wet/moist?
Linda and Jess
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Hi Linda
I know Indie is running circles around me :wink: I have tried the lifting the bowl up thing too :roll: and the skipping meals, the thing is if she doesn't like it, she just wont eat it :roll: She has gone 24 hours or more without eating, as I thought the starve her thing would work, but no, if shes made her mind up then she won't eat :x
I gave the naturediet a go too, but its upsets her tummie if she has too much meat, plus she doesn't to tolerate chicken very well :? I think the problem goes way back to when she was being weened, she had quite a rich weening diet, which we continued for a while after we got her :roll: Basically, she has been spoilt rotten with her food, I have given into her and I know I shouldn't, but when they are tiny, you get desperate and want to make them eat :?
I don't mind you asking me atall about the dried food, basically if she has too much meat, she gets sick :? Plus I guess that its more beneficial for her to have dried food as well as a little meat of some sort mixed in :? To try and stop the boredom setting in :roll:
Honestly Linda its a nightmare, it sounds so daft, me chopping and changing her food, and believe me I do know better :wink: but its really hard to see your little baby, walk away from every meal, without touching it, I have fallen into a very big trap with Indie, and no matter how hard I dig, I seem to be stuck :oops: and she is probably laughing, knowing she has me twisted around her paw :wink: :lol: But what else can I do :? I really can't bear to see her not eating anything atall, shes not the bulkiest of dogs and is quite petite and slim, I can't really afford to let her slip into non-eating mode for too long!
Maybe I should let my mum take her for a week, see if she can break the chain, she would probably be a bit tougher with her than I am :D :)
Thanks Linda :)
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Aww Emma,
I really do sympathise with you, I can tell how much you love your girl :lol: :lol: Why don't you try Indie on the lamb naturediet. my friends field spaniel can't eat any of the chicken varieties without getting a runny tum but she never gets upset on the lamb and she has this day in and day out and always eats it all :lol:
It's maybe worth a try Em unless......... raw chicken wings, ( I can see you squirming from here) :lol:
Alternatively you could try the raw meat products from A.M.P. These are not complete however so you would have to give a vit and min supp such as keepers mix from Dorwest Herbs. Lots of dogs tolerate raw meat much better than cooked. They still have the digestive system of a wolf despite being domesticated in other ways :lol: :lol:
Hope you break the cycle soon, good luck :lol:
Linda and Jess
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It's maybe worth a try Em unless......... raw chicken wings, ( I can see you squirming from here) :lol:
:lol: Definately a squirm Linda and a definate no too :wink: I just wouldn't risk it, I know a lot of people on here give them their dogs but its just not for me (worryqueen)
You certainly seem to know your stuff on the feeding Linda :) I will add some lamb nature diet to her kibble and see how it goes :wink:
Thanks so much Linda, it helps when people understand :)
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Emma...you know you are not alone :wink: I totally 100% understand your frustration and worry :? Butty is a small gilr too...and i do worry when she doesn't eat very much, but.....I have also come to the conclusion that she will not starve herself :wink: so I have got alot better and don't worry about it as much.
I do seem to be having some success with AMP products though...or another one along the same lines called Natures Menu (from the frozen section) if you can't stomach the tripe or raw meat, then this one is a good alternative :)
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:) Thanks Gilly! I will try the AMP if its helped Buttie, as I know you had similar problems with her :wink:
I really appreciate your comments, as it is frustrating and it can become a bit of a bind, constantly battling with them to eat :roll:
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My two are on JWB Duck and Rice - they love it ----but, they are at my parents' house at the mo and apparently sitting, waiting for Molly to leave her Bakers before eating hers and then eating theirs......
It's like kids wanting their additives from MacDonalds!
My advice to stick to feeding her good food. 24hrs without food won't hurt her. I free feed - food is there all the time. Many cockers are grazers and won't eat much food in one go. Try leaving small amounts of dry food down - once that has been nearly eaten, put some more in. It works for me.
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I free feed - food is there all the time. Many cockers are grazers and won't eat much food in one go.
You haven't seen my lot...........that would be their idea of "died and gone to heaven" :lol:
As I've said before though, you have my utmost sympathy as both Meg & Neneh (especially) were fussy eaters as puppy's :roll:
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I free feed - food is there all the time. Many cockers are grazers and won't eat much food in one go.
You haven't seen my lot...........that would be their idea of "died and gone to heaven" :lol:
As I've said before though, you have my utmost sympathy as both Meg & Neneh (especially) were fussy eaters as puppy's :roll:
Same here mine would eat until they burst, and the rest (the cats have to eat upstairs as theirs would be gone as well). Ruby gobbles her quota of Burns so fast she can hardly breath sometimes. If I free fed mine then I wouldn't be able to get them out the door they'd be so fat.
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I free feed - food is there all the time. Many cockers are grazers and won't eat much food in one go.
You haven't seen my lot...........that would be their idea of "died and gone to heaven" :lol:
As I've said before though, you have my utmost sympathy as both Meg & Neneh (especially) were fussy eaters as puppy's :roll:
Same here mine would eat until they burst, and the rest (the cats have to eat upstairs as theirs would be gone as well). Ruby gobbles her quota of Burns so fast she can hardly breath sometimes. If I free fed mine then I wouldn't be able to get them out the door they'd be so fat.
Yep - Boysie too! His whole life seems focussed on where the next bit of food will come from. I sometimes wonder whether if he was left alone with a large bag of food he would do a Mr Creosote. I have also noticed that chicken and turkey have an adverse effect on his digestive systen - maybe it's genetic?!
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Have had to move the big bag of Burns on to the stairs (where they don't go) as you often find Wilf with half his body in it doing self-service!
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Have had to move the big bag of Burns on to the stairs (where they don't go) as you often find Wilf with half his body in it doing self-service!
No doubt with the back end wagging vigorously!!!
The vision of that made me smile.... :)
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Same here mine would eat until they burst, and the rest (the cats have to eat upstairs as theirs would be gone as well). Ruby gobbles her quota of Burns so fast she can hardly breath sometimes. If I free fed mine then I wouldn't be able to get them out the door they'd be so fat.
Mine too - I think Lily would explode if I let her free feed :lol: The bags of Nutro are now under lock & key in our house after a few raiding expeditions led by Lily in the past :lol:
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right you lot....stop bragging about your dogs with insatiable appetites :lol: :lol: or Emma and I will send Butty and Indie to give you a wake up call :wink: :lol: :lol:
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I have to try with Douglas as I'm still trying to get those extra lbs on him and now I've increased his exercise back to two walks a day though so fingers crossed he will not loose everything he put on :roll: :roll: He is a funny beggar though as you will give him something he really likes, he will then sniff it and then come and see what else you've got.
He does love his Sardines in Sunflower Oil though and finished the whole bowl of food I gave him last night :lol: :lol: Might just have to give him Sardines every day, but his kisses aren't very nice :wink: very fishy :roll: He loves Digestive Biscuits as well :wink: funny boy
I must say that both Sebastian and Bart will only eat their fill and then leave the rest, they are on semi diets at the mo as they are both a tad over weight so they are getting their JWB, Rice Cakes and a little bit of NatureDiet, Cooked Mince, Chicken Wing/Drumstick, Sardines etc and they have lost a few lbs each so I'm pleased !!!
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right you lot....stop bragging about your dogs with insatiable appetites :lol: :lol: or Emma and I will send Butty and Indie to give you a wake up call :wink: :lol: :lol:
:lol: Way to go Gilly :wink:
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Emma,
We used to let Billy graze and constantly topped the bowl up :lol: we ended up with quite a chubby dog :shock: but the other reason for changing his eating habits is that with the prospect of getting number 2 we where concerned that a bowl of adult food would prove to much temptation to a pup :o We tried naturediet and butchers( only tiny bits well mixed) to try and entice him to eat his autarky in one sitting, he quickly went off these, then we tried Asda's smartprice mince (90p) frozen I boil a small handful of this with some water for a few minutes and poor over this autarky, he loves this and never leaves any. Oh and then there are the chicken wings :D
Michelle
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right you lot....stop bragging about your dogs with insatiable appetites :lol: :lol: or Emma and I will send Butty and Indie to give you a wake up call :wink: :lol: :lol:
Having had a picky Cocker and now one with an insatiable appetite I have to say I actually find the greediness more alarming. At least I can trust Jimmy not to eat any old rubbish when out in the park, Misty however is always on the search for a free lunch. I suspect that one day she will make herself really ill as a result. I just know the picnic season is going to be a nightmare too, she'll be straight in there scavenging with all the Labs. :roll: :lol:
Emma.... maybe when Indie brought you that dead wood pigeon she was trying to give you a hint as to what she would really like to eat. Perhaps you need to buy a shotgun. :lol:
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right you lot....stop bragging about your dogs with insatiable appetites :lol: :lol: or Emma and I will send Butty and Indie to give you a wake up call :wink: :lol: :lol:
Maybe we should arrange a swap for a couple of days...... :D
They say the grass is always greener.........
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It's funny, but my springer, who is also a very fussy eater and who more often than not walks away from her food licking her lips which frustrates the hell out of me (grrr!), weighed 20 kilos at her last check-up - the vet even referred to her as a big girl :shock: I told him to check her again, but he was right. How can a dog that doesnt eat, become hefty?
And as seems to be the way with anyone who has 2 dogs (especially a blue roan! :lol: ), Daisy is as greedy as ever, she weighed 17.5 kilos :roll: But I swear it has to be all muscle, as she is not allowed to overeat, and she gets loads of exercise :? Dogs, who'd have 'em :roll:
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Lotties greediness really does annoy me at times but then again, having a fussy eater seems just as frustrating.
Lottie has been on Naturediet for a few months now after having to come off the JWB as she used to get the runs :? I recently gave her some JWB again as we had alot left over and it didn't seem to cause a problem at all this time. I'm now thinking of reintroducing a complete dried food as the Naturediet is gone in seconds and at least with the dried food it takes her a while longer to eat it :wink:
I have just given her some samples of Burns and she loved it (but then she was trying to eat a broken terracotta pot in the garden lunchtime :roll: ..she's not fussy!!). I liked the look of the Burns though, it seemed slightly more moist than the JWB.
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Lottie has been on Naturediet for a few months now after having to come off the JWB as she used to get the runs :?
Out of interest Mary, was it the turkey one that had this effect? It does on Boysie, although on the lamb he is fine!
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Out of interest Mary, was it the turkey one that had this effect? It does on Boysie, although on the lamb he is fine!
No Maria, she wasn't keen on the turkey so we went back to the lamb. She suddenly started becoming very loose after being on it for months :?
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Honeymoon period over with on Hills now too :roll: do you know how I know this??
Last nite I fed her as normal, gave her hills with a tin of tuna, when I came out to the kitchen later that evening, (btw everyone else was in bed, just me and Indie downstairs) Indie had picked her water bowl up and put it on top of her dinner bowl :roll: which had all her dinner still left in it :roll: :twisted: The little rascall, can you believe that!!!! :roll:
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Oh, Emma, that's so funny! WHAT a character she is!
Indie has been turning his nose up at his Burns recently, so I've been adding some minced beef done in olive oil to moisten it - does anyone know if that's ok? He gets about a pack of minced beef every three days, and olive oil too obviously.
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Sorry, but I still say free feed.
Pip, for example, is a real greedy guts - he would eat any human food I let him and can't leave any butter out in the kitchen when I go out.... But with the same dog food laid out all the time, he does not over eat at all - I do believe it stops him from being porky.
I have always free fed rescues and fosters from day one - I've not had any problems at all over food.
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Having on just come in on this thread, i cam totally sympathize with Emma and Gilly and anyone else who has picky eaters. :)
I didn't get Laney until she was 6mths old, and apparently her breeder says that she ate like a pig :? but from the day i got her home she never ate a 'normal' meal, very often picking then spitting out, and at one time she starved herself for nearly a week :shock: I tried everything that you all have mentioned already and she had blood test to make sure there was notheing physically wrong, but nothing worked :( It got soo bad that i used to pick up food put it in her mouth and hold it shut until she swallowed..... i had a truely anorexic cocker :? :shock: If the RSPCA had seen her they would have had me for cruelty :!:
I did find this very frustrating, as i'm sure you all get, as all my previous cockers had always been on diets for over indulgin.
This went on up until her 1st season at 10 mths after which she would eat little bit s for a couple of days but she would eat eukanbua treat biscuits so i used to feed her these :)
Thankfully after taking advice from her breeder, i mated her on her 2nd season and have never looked back. From the day she was mated she ate like a pig. I would like to point out the is doesn't mean you should rush out and mate your little girles to make them eat though :wink:
Welshies are famous for being very picky eaters. Most breeders will tell you to expect this behaviour up to about 3 yrs old :shock:
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Thanks Torie! It is a constant battle and a worry as you know!
Perhaps I should speak with my vet :? I have to go in a couple of days anyhow, to get her weighed for her worming/flea treatments! I think she is quite thin for a cocker, I mean she hides it well with her coat, but when wet, its embarassing walking her, people must think we don't feed her :roll:
Just to give you an idea, this is the little rascall wet
http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/photo/New-R...Rogues/IM000236 (http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/photo/New-Rogues/IM000236)
Maybe she will fill out after her season, :?
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This went on up until her 1st season at 10 mths after which she would eat little bit s for a couple of days but she would eat eukanbua treat biscuits so i used to feed her these
Thankfully after taking advice from her breeder, i mated her on her 2nd season and have never looked back. From the day she was mated she ate like a pig. I would like to point out the is doesn't mean you should rush out and mate your little girles to make them eat though
Laney sounds just like Butty Torie :roll: hopefully when she gets mated on her second season, her eating habits will get better :wink: She's quite a petite wee girl anyway, so I don't expect her to be very big :wink: