Gone off her Eden!

[airyfairy76]

Hey all - I posted this on the COFB page on Facebook, and thought I would get opinions here too

As of about a week ago, Lottie has completely gone off her Eden.  It's got to the stage where she won't even touch her Eden. I normally mix it with a little wet food like Naturediet and even that doesn't make a difference.  I've just given her half a tray of wet food on its own as she hasn't eaten anything today (and not very much for a few days now) and she wolfed it down, so it's definitely the Eden she objects too.  She won't even pick the wet food off from around it, so it seems she hates the smell of it.  I have tried playing hardball, but there's only so long you can do that - she's a little enough girl as it is at 9.2kg - although not underweight, she can't do with losing any. 

So any similar experiences and/or recommendations for a grain free food would be most appreciated! 

Now what to do with 10kg of Eden - any takers?! 

[Archie bean]

I had exactly the same experience with Archie. The only difference being that in the end he refused the naturediet too. I tried various kibbles (you can get samples online from some of them) but he wouldn't touch it. That's when I switched to the Wainwrights wet, which he loved from the get go. Initially I tried mixing it with kibble but he sucked it off and spat the kibble out so I abandoned kibble completely. He would eat it now I think, but he loves his Wainwrights so I'm happy to stick with it.
Assuming there isn't a medical issue affecting Lottie (sorry, I can't remember if she is spayed, due a season etc?), then only you can decide if you want to persevere with Eden in the hope that she eats if she's hungry enough, or if you want to try a different kibble. I know there is a possibility of creating a fussy eater if you keep chopping and changing but my personal feelings with Archie were that I wanted to find something he was happy to eat and not just have him eating because if he didn't he would go hungry.

[airyfairy76]

She finished her first season a month and a half ago (will be spayed in April) - still eating her treats and nighttime Bonio. The only thing she won't touch is Eden - she will eat her doggy friends Science Plan kibble if she is allowed near it! Otherwise fine in herself - walk today was normal haring about with aforementioned doggy friend.  She generally has a cast iron constitution - trying other foods (or eating rubbish!) has never upset her digestive system.

Good to know similar experience - wet food varies between NatureDiet, Natures Menu and Wainwright. Think I'll nip to Pets At Home at lunchtime tomorrow and grab a couple of small bags if they have them of Applaws and Wainwrights dry, at this stage just to see if she finds them more palatable.

[Andrea Ellie]

I can't help with a similar experience but Ellie has Simpsons 80/20 fish variety and seems to love it. We are still on our first bag so hope she stays loving it. Hope you find something that Lottie enjoys soon.

[airyfairy76]

That's good to know - Simpsons is one of the ones I've been looking at

[Sharpie]

Hi there!

Exactly the same thing happened with Daisy a couple of weeks back..(she is 14 months and spayed)..she was on Pro Plan (normally mixed with a little bit of mackerel or Lily's Kitchen), and she just went off everything..it was really difficult..

Anyhow, the dog trainer said it was actually reasonably normal for a dog to do this at about Daisy's age..ironically, I have just changed her to Eden, and she is now loving her food.

You may find it's "just a phase"..

I feel your frustration though!!

Happy to buy your Eden off you though- (and happy to collect) - if you don't manage to get Lottie back on it

[airyfairy76]

Hi there!

Exactly the same thing happened with Daisy a couple of weeks back..(she is 14 months and spayed)..she was on Pro Plan (normally mixed with a little bit of mackerel or Lily's Kitchen), and she just went off everything..it was really difficult..

Anyhow, the dog trainer said it was actually reasonably normal for a dog to do this at about Daisy's age..ironically, I have just changed her to Eden, and she is now loving her food.

You may find it's "just a phase"..

I feel your frustration though!!

Happy to buy your Eden off you though- (and happy to collect) - if you don't manage to get Lottie back on it

From Milton Keynes? That would be fab lol.

First of all though, I have ordered some trial sizes of Simpsons 80/20 today, and will also grab a small bag of Wainwrights at lunchtime tomorrow from the P@H near work.  Hopefully one of them will be favoured - the Simpsons looks close to the Eden ideology, so fingers crossed....

[Andrea Ellie]

I did a really slow change over to Simpsons 80/20 and it went ok. So far so good. I do sometimes think she should have more food (not because she's hungry but because I think it's not a big amount of food) but everywhere I have read indicate that for this type of food, you feed lower amounts. Guessing you found that on Eden too.

[airyfairy76]

I did a really slow change over to Simpsons 80/20 and it went ok. So far so good. I do sometimes think she should have more food (not because she's hungry but because I think it's not a big amount of food) but everywhere I have read indicate that for this type of food, you feed lower amounts. Guessing you found that on Eden too.

Quantities look very similar.  Think it would be more of a shock to change to a food where quantities were so much more, as have had her on Eden from just 13 weeks...

 

[Andrea Ellie]

Ah, that makes sense.

[Sharpie]

Hi- yes- I can collect if you do decide to get rid- I am just in Cambridge..

(could have a joint dog walk as well possibly?!)

[airyfairy76]

Hi- yes- I can collect if you do decide to get rid- I am just in Cambridge..

(could have a joint dog walk as well possibly?!)

Sounds fab! I'll let you know how it goes

[airyfairy76]

Thought I'd do an update - Monday I went to P@H at lunchtime, ostensibly to look for samples of Barking Heads and Wainwrights.  Ended up speaking to the in house "nutritionist",who had never heard of Eden or Simpsons, but who  from a behavioural point of view thought I should stick it out for another week or ten days (after one week already) being as strict as possible.  I don't really put much faith in their "qualifications" but she seemed nice enough, and actually advised me not to spend money lol.

However, I HAD already ordered a trial size of Simpsons 80/20, so thought at least that was there if I caved in. 

Since then - dinner last night she ate about two thirds, with me holding the bowl.  Today she ate no breakfast (thoigh was trying desperately to see what I was eating) and then this evening ate two thirds straight off, and the rest I did as "find it's" around the house which encouraged her to eat it.

Additionally, the trial bags of Simpsons 80/20 arrived and she seems to love it.  Used it as training treats, and she was actually harrumphing if I wasn't giving it to her quickly enough, which was encouraging.  I did the "Whiskas test" as well - Simpsons in one Hand, Eden in the other. Derogatory sniff at Eden, went loopy over Simpsons.  I was thinking I would persevere for moment with Eden as have so much of it, but the more I think about it, I can't help thinking she was never as enthusiastic about Eden as she is about this new one, and wouldn't it be better to give her something she actually wants?  And I am encouraged now that my willpower can be greater than hers, and she will eat....eventually.

At least I know there's someone who'll take the Eden of my hands if I switch over now.... 

[HBP]

I am never convinced of their qualifications either after a friend and I overheard a P@H "nutritionist" advising a lady to feed her dog slices of buttered toast for breakfast as part of a weight loss diet... 

[Sharpie]

Yup- will definitely take it off you- no worries