1yr old and still having food nightmares!

[Dilemma]

Hi Everyone 

Could really do with some advice or comparing notes!  Sydney is just coming up to her first birthday and we still can't seem to get her food sorted.  So here's the problem... 

We want to feed her dry kibble but unless its mixed with some wet food she just sniffs it and walks away.  We have tried sticking to our guns, leaving it down for 15mins etc for at least 3 days (and then I buckle cos I'm so worried she'll starve to death  )

However, even with the mix of dry & wet food she still only seems to eat less than one portion of food a day.  Some days hardly any.  We've been mixing James Welbeloved with Pedigree wetfood for a number of months now, same feeding routine everyday (approx 8am and 7pm) but she just doesn't seem to want it.

I tried Pedigree complete this week as it looked a bit different, but it seems to have made her pooh turn bright yellow - not sure this is a good sign!?

She's not underweight at all (although am concerned she'll never fill out) so are we just trying to feed her too much? 
Do other people have this same problem?
Is there a magic food out there that Cockers love?
Should I give up with the kibble and go with wet food?

Am at a lost and would really like some friendly guidance!

Thank you
Gemma -x-

[bracken]

Hi gemma   My son has a cocker (amber) with almost identical problem she is 14 months now.   He would like her to have James Wellbeloved but she will not touch it any more,so he has mixed it with Pedigree tin food. She picks out all the wet tin food and JWB ends up on the floor. She has now won and is given just the wet pedigree twice aday    She also takes ages to eat anything my son has to encourage her along.
Strange thing is.... when she is with my 3 amber will eat JWB with pedigree tin and she eats quickly as my 3 do

Good luck not sure I am any help but you are not alone

[Annette]

Sorry you are having such problems.

I think some dogs are just not so interested in food as others, but I can understand that you want to get her sorted out.

I guess that you are fully satisfied that she has no health issues which might affect her feeding. Such things as a sore mouth, breathing problems? If in doubt, get her checked out first.

These dogs of ours can hold out longer than three days. I would find a good quality food that you are happy to use long-term, introduce it gradually by mixing it with whatever you are on just now and then do the leaving it down for 15 minutes trick again. But for more than 3 days!

I would steer clear of Pedigree food, there are loads of additives and I think the company's ethics may not be up to much either. If you want a wet food you could try Naturediet or Nature's menu. But I am not sure whether it is a good idea to mix it with dry. I have recently heard of a Burns mixer biscuit though if you want to investigate that.

Sorry, I don't have any experience with this really, we have the opposite problem. But I am sure you will get some good advice soon.

[Dilemma]

Crickey!  Longer than 3 days!?!?  How long is safe?  How long before she buckles!  Not sure my heart could cope with those big puppy dog eyes of hers!  Still... if its going to get it sorted then I must try!

[Dilemma]

Oh I forgot.... I have one more question for the panel....

Treats:  As well as her main food I cannot seem to find a treat that she goes nuts for.  So when we are out walking, calling her back for a treat just doesn't wash as she could take it or leave it! 

She'll eat all treats given, but I am yet to find that magic treat that she will do anything for.

We're starting agility training in a few days so I was hoping to have discovered her favourite treat in time for that.

Any suggestions?!?

[bracken]

I agree its very difficult when they are not happy with their food   my son is now just giving her Natures menu with alittle bit of small bite mixer and she loves it    He is a big softy and has given into her, but she is happy at mealtimes now and enjoying her food again.

She too is not bothered by treats and has no favourites.  (except small piece of cheese or carrot)

   She loves her ball though so this works well for recall    Good Luck with the agility bet she'll love it

[Cazzie]

Cut out the pedigree chum, stick to the kibble and stick to your guns  A dog will not starve and will eat when it is hungry  If it takes a day or 3 then so be it, its us that makes dogs fussy and my terrier was a glaring example and sticking to my guns has made her eat abs anything now 

[Helen]

Jarv is a BARF boy now, he didn't do well on kibbles (all except Arden grange, which is our standby if we need a kibble). What I found with him is that if it didn't 'smell' interesting, he wouldn't eat it.  Sometimes I added Naturediet, or put a tiny bit of crushed garlic in with it, or a little bit of warm water so there was some kind of smell.  It took until he was 18 months old for him to get an appetite, and now on  raw he really enjoys his food.

It is really hard when you have a naturally fussy eater - he wasn't 'bothered' with his puppy food when he was weaned in the litter either so it didn't start with us 

for treats - have you tried liver cake? do a search on here for the recipe as I know there's a long thread on it, it is genius for training, even for food fussy dogs 

[harveysmum]

Harvey is a fussy eater he is just over 9 months old now and we have tried all sorts inc JWB, Burns, nutures diet/menu etc. It didn't seem to matter what we tried he wouldn't eat it. This all came as a bit of a shock as our last cocker was a dustbin and would eat anything put in front of him we just presumed Harvey would be the same Anyway we were starting to run out of ideas until about a couple of weeks ago when I spotted "Wagg" in the supermarket and decided to try it. I know it's not the best food out there(but it's not the worst) but Harvey loves it and it's the only food I have seen him eat with some enthusiasim I know some people on here don't like it but we have tried all the premium foods without success and Harvey seems to be thriving on it which is the most important thing  I did check the packaging and wesite before giving it to him and I was quite happy with it

With regard to treats, I make homemade cheese bites which Harvey loves certainly improved his recall He literally shakes when he sits in front of me waiting for one

[Dilemma]

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice.  Its nice to know other people are experiencing similar problems.  I've had a good read through many threads and have got loads of info. 

I think the point about the food smelling appealing is a very good one.  As such I might look more into BARF - although not sure our freezer is big enough! 

Lots of ideas there on different brands to try and treats too - so will gradually try some and then stick to one and stick the the 15min rule (even if she does hold our for more than 3 days!!!  eeeek!) 

Thanks everyone!
Gemma -x-

[speedyjaney]

Crickey!  Longer than 3 days!?!?  How long is safe?  How long before she buckles!  Not sure my heart could cope with those big puppy dog eyes of hers!  Still... if its going to get it sorted then I must try!

Took our westie 7 days once....we won - she still eats kibble...they wont starve themselves......they will eat eventually!

Janey

[Workingcocker]

With treats normally the smellier the better cooked liver is my spaniels favourite. He has got placed in nearly every agility event last year going from Grade 1 to grade 6. Thanks to liver chicken or cheese.

My collie hates dry food but if I soak it and put in some tinned sardines. He wolfs it down. I think dry food is boring if they are used to tastier things! I mainly raw feed so he thinks its ryvita in comparison.

Good luck.

[Workingcocker]

Also Salmon grizzly oil helps if the food is soaked. I add a little bit. Makes their coats shiny too.

[bluegirl]

As others have said I'd pick a food and stick to it, if she's not underweight then the kibble must be working for her. I regularly fast my dogs once a week as a rule and can be longer if they are ill. (4 days has been the max I've need so far with the dogs, but when I went on my dog diet the author has fasted dogs for much longer and I decided to try a fast myself to see if what she was saying was true and I did a 6 day fast with ease (and I love food).
I've had fussy eaters in the past and I believe I really did exacerbate the problems worrying if they would starve and caving in.
 Now I would advocate a 2 day fast giving water only and another bowl of honey and water if the dog really seemed hungry. This would be done initially then I'd restart the kibble, put down for 15mins then remove if not eaten and continue. Seems a bit cruel but as others have said she's not starving now and won't deliberately starve herself unless she knows that you cave in. If she knows you are firm then there is no point wasting her time starving when there is no substitute or reward.

[debz]

Hi Thomas is now 19 mth's and has only just eating really well, I tried everything and anything the only thing he will eat is royal canine the mini dog he seems to prefer the smaller size I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE My friend also had the same with her westie he is now eating well on it too (the smell seems to be really nice too) Not to say this will work for you but i was at the end of my tether and it has worked for us so maybe worth a shot