BARF

[Rhona W]

if we had a child here to tea, I'd kind of know how much to feed them.

Would you? I'd weigh them first! 

[Claire]

Crikey I have no idea what mine eat in weight.  I do know that Gracie (lurcher) weighs the same as Tilly and Hattie - and yet she eats about twice as much....   they are all different - just like we are all different.

I have absolutely no idea either.  A good hint for me is that Ruby will bury her food in the garden if I've given her too much.  When she does that it makes me stop and think, yes, perhaps her meals have been a little on the large side lately.  And sometimes she doesn't get an evening meal.  If she's snoozing all evening and doesn't 'ask' then I don't bother...I just give her a bigger breakfast in the morning.

[Naughty Pair]

to change the subject slightly...annie wont eat the actual bones - this morning she just walked away from her fresh chicken wing??

meanwhile teri would eat me if she could!

has anyone else had problems woth their cocker not eating the bones??

[DennyK]

I ran out of bones on Friday, so Paddy had Friday and Saturday with mince, veg and some lamb's heart chopped upinto his food - i.e. everything except the breast of lamb bones he normally gets.  Butcher didn't have anything suitable.  Grrrr.

Yesterday - got him some lamb bones (bigger and harder than his normal breast of lamb, but nothing he can't handle - large chops from the Tesco freezer section).  Wouldn't touch them.  Tried him with some oxtail (first beef he's been near for weeks but I was curious about his reaction) - wouldn't even eat the beefy outer bits.  Licked, looked, walked away and didn't return....

Then he scooted for the first time ever (that I can recall)...only did it once but of course, am paranoid that he's now got anal gland problems from lack of bones and continuing (like Annie) to refuse bones will make it worse.  I think he's heading for another episode...so it may be off to see Mark anyway very soon....

So yup - my dog refuses his bones too.....

[Claire]

You could try bashing the bones - softer ones like chicken bones - into smaller more manageable pieces.

Then he scooted for the first time ever (that I can recall)...only did it once but of course, am paranoid that he's now got anal gland problems from lack of bones and continuing (like Annie) to refuse bones will make it worse.

Can Paddy eat raw egg?  Even if the answer's no, you could still give him just the shell, that will firm things up.  So much so, Ruby got a bit constipated last time I made omelettes for me and OH.  She was looking longingly at the shells, and I think I let her have one too many... .  She adores them though, crunches away like a child with a packet of crisps.

[Naughty Pair]

will try a different bone 2night and some egg shells....

[Cob-Web]

to change the subject slightly...annie wont eat the actual bones - this morning she just walked away from her fresh chicken wing??

Molo got a bit fussy with the "size" of the pieces of rabbit I give him; he prefers it diced, than large pieces 

I'm afraid I'm a mean mummy, and once I worked out there was nothing wrong with the actual food, he was offered it for a few minutes and if he didn't eat it, it got taken away  He now eats what I offer him  - but still prefers chunks 

Bash the ones up for a bit, so they're not too intimidating at first - but I'm sure she'll eat it if its all that's on offer 

[Naughty Pair]

you are right

my OH chopped up the chicken wing a bit and smeared it in natural yog and away she went ate the bones in a flash.

so now they are both fine!

just had them clipped and they look lovely!!