Nature diet...I've think I've made an expensive mistake this morning

[NotanotherAlfie!]

When Alfie was a puppy he was quite poorly and whilst the vet was investigating she suggested that for the following week we fed him on Chicken, rice and green beans.  Well to cut a long story short, when Alfie learnt that there was more to life than kibble he decided he was not going to eat it.  After trying just about every kibble and wet dog food on the market I have been giving him fresh cooked food, such as chickem, heart, liver with rice, veg etc.  This is getting to be quite a chore and very difficult to supply when we go away.  I decided that i should look into different wet dog foods.  Having read Naturediet I decided to order some. 

I stupidly ordered it and THEN decided to email naturediet with a couple of questions.  I asked them what it looked like as I know my dog well and if it looks like tinned dog meat he won't touch it.  Thinking that this company who believe in good nutrition for dogs I expected them to come back say it was whole chunks of whatever variety I chose.  They told me it is not like tinned dog food more like Pate!!!!!!!  Ok so having bought "chunky" dog food before and "Loaf" type dog food i can't quite understand why she claims it does not look or smell like dog good.

She also stated that the veg they use are carrots.  Considering the description of their food states VegetableS as in the plural, how do they get away with only using carrots.  I currently give Alfie 2 or 3 diff types of veg, so I am thinking my food might be better for him.

I wanted to change Alfie's food firstly for the inconvenience and secondly and prob most importantly because I just thought his coat looked dull and was thinking as I am not a dog nutritionalist perhaps I am not feeding him right.

I have emailed the company I have ordered the food from (not naturediet directly) to see if I can cancel the order. naturediet have very kindly offered me a couple of samples.  IF ONLY I HAD CONTACTED THEM FIRST.

Alfie won't touch loaf type dog meat I'm sure he won't touch this.  Anyone use this food with a fussy eater which has been successful?

Sorry to go on, feel a bit of an idiot! 

[JennyBee]

I'm not quite sure what the problem is . Brodie used to be an incredibly fussy dog and I have tried her on a variety of wet foods, and they all look pretty much the same as NatureDiet. It's maybe smoother and not as strong smelling, but it does smell like dog food (especially the fish ). She is now on ND senior/lite (there are quite a few varieties) as she has to be on a low fat diet (I can't chop and change her food like I used to) and is doing very well.

Wainwrights wet food is a food she used to love and is very good quality too

[Helen]

You've made a rod for your own back by pandering to Alfies 'wants' 

I would try him on naturediet - you can warm it slightly in the microwave so it smells more.  If he doesn't eat it after 30 minutes lift it and try again at the next meal. 

He won't starve himself - if he's hungry he'll eat it 

I think Naturediet's response is ok - I wouldn't expect samples and a refund after I'd ordered something.

Naturediet is a decent complete food.  Dogs don't need vegetables and at least carrots seem to be one of the more digestible ones.

Try it.  And be firmer 

[JeffD]

Yes Teal was on this for her first 5 months (Puppy version), yes it looks like Pate it has rice as well as carrots Teal did like it at first but had started to turn her nose up at it towards the end and I would have to add gravy or some other flavouring or she would not eat the amount she should have.

I had no complaints about it other than she suffered some smelly wind and occasional bad breath, I switched to raw because of this.

[NotanotherAlfie!]

You've made a rod for your own back by pandering to Alfies 'wants' 

I would try him on naturediet - you can warm it slightly in the microwave so it smells more.  If he doesn't eat it after 30 minutes lift it and try again at the next meal. 

He won't starve himself - if he's hungry he'll eat it 

I think Naturediet's response is ok - I wouldn't expect samples and a refund after I'd ordered something.

Naturediet is a decent complete food.  Dogs don't need vegetables and at least carrots seem to be one of the more digestible ones.

Try it.  And be firmer 

I ordered the food from one company but asked the question directly to Naturedirect.  The prices on their site are higher than distributors!  Alfie eats Broccoli and carrots at the moment.  I can understand the point you make in if he is hungry he'll eat it.  I just think it would be nice if my dog ate his food because he loves it rather than, this it mate, eat it or go hungry!  When a dog can go two days without eating kibble then eats it reluctantly I had to do something about it.  I would love nothing more than a dog that wolfs down a bowl of kibble and licks his lips looking for more, but if you have a dog like mine it's not that easy to sit and watch them go hungry.

[ollie nathan's mum]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

[NotanotherAlfie!]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

Raw or fresh is undoubtably best, but when you go away it is a right pain!

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

 my fuss pot refused to touch it,  he did like wainwrights  wet food ( pets at home).
 

[fenby]

Harvey was a very fussy eater, but he adores nature diet. He has been on it for over a year now, and runs up and down stairs with excitement when it is meal time. You maybe pleasantly surprised Alfie might love it.

[JeffD]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

Raw or fresh is undoubtably best, but when you go away it is a right pain!

To be honest I don't really think its to much of a pain, I just go to the supermarket and pick up something for the day if no fridge or freezer available, pork ribs, breast of lamb, mince or chicken.
It works out a bit more expensive but if its only for a week or 2 each year

[NotanotherAlfie!]

Harvey was a very fussy eater, but he adores nature diet. He has been on it for over a year now, and runs up and down stairs with excitement when it is meal time. You maybe pleasantly surprised Alfie might love it.

Oh I hope so, I really hope so.

[NotanotherAlfie!]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

Raw or fresh is undoubtably best, but when you go away it is a right pain!

To be honest I don't really think its to much of a pain, I just go to the supermarket and pick up something for the day if no fridge or freezer available, pork ribs, breast of lamb, mince or chicken.
It works out a bit more expensive but if its only for a week or 2 each year

What do you do when you go away without your dog.  Last year I had to cook 9 portions of food and freeze so we could go away. 

[JeffD]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

Raw or fresh is undoubtably best, but when you go away it is a right pain!

To be honest I don't really think its to much of a pain, I just go to the supermarket and pick up something for the day if no fridge or freezer available, pork ribs, breast of lamb, mince or chicken.
It works out a bit more expensive but if its only for a week or 2 each year

What do you do when you go away without your dog.  Last year I had to cook 9 portions of food and freeze so we could go away. 

I have never been away without her, to be honest we did bring up the possibility of one of my 3 kids looking after Teal for a couple of weeks and it went very quiet and they all left for home with out giving us an answer!!!! bunch of cowards 

[elaine.e]

Ollie was the same with Kimble and he would go days without rather than eat it. I changed him to raw and never had a problem. Good luck

Raw or fresh is undoubtably best, but when you go away it is a right pain!

Mine are on raw but I always have Nature Diet in the house in case I forget to take their raw food out of the freezer in time. Nature Diet smells strongly of the main ingredient of whichever variety you're feeding and my 2 both love it. They usually have it about once a week. It has a pate like consistency but is very dense and I mash it up with a fork for William and Louis, but you could also use a knife and cut it into chunks.

[Archie bean]

Archie was weaned on nature diet and kibble but started spitting out the kibble fairly early on. He then went off the nature diet too and turned into a right fusspot. I put him onto wainwrights wet and he utterly adores it. If Alfie doesn't take to the nature diet then I would give it a try.