# Ben and Emma are sick of their food



## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

Morning everyone....well I have been combing these topics and haven't really come up with anything...my pups are sick of their food. They are on Pro Plan kibble. I dont' mix anything in with it and they just seem bored and uninterested in feeding time. Eventually they eat, but they don't get excited  I really don't want to start getting them used to boiled chicken mixed in with their food. What can you suggest I mix in with their food that would be healthy and tasty? I walked around Petsmart the other day, but came up w/nothing! Help please


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

Are they supposed to get excited about their food? Lilly has never been excited about her food but she eats it. Some days she eats a lot and other days hardly anything but I didn't really think that there was a problem with that. Some dogs eat to live and some live to eat so I wouldn't worry too much that they don't get excited about their food, as long as they are eating.


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## a2z (Aug 23, 2004)

When Zoey gets bored with her food I switch to another kind for a meal or two. She used to switch between Canadae chicken/turkey and Solid Gold lamb and rice.

Now that she has IBD she is on Hills I/D and talk about bored! I give her the dry food as a treat now. 

Go to a store and ask for sample bags. Most stores have them.


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## schatzi's mom (May 13, 2007)

Someone on here had suggested grating a little bit of the NB food roll over their dry kibble. I tried it and it worked wonders! Kadie is just like your two. She will eat but she's not really excited about her food. But as soon as I grate some of the NB over the kibble, she devours it. I know Petco sells the little sample size ones which last about a week for about $2.


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## lynda (Oct 11, 2005)

Try putting it in a strainer and running warm water over it to bring out the flavor.


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

> Are they supposed to get excited about their food? Lilly has never been excited about her food but she eats it. Some days she eats a lot and other days hardly anything but I didn't really think that there was a problem with that. Some dogs eat to live and some live to eat so I wouldn't worry too much that they don't get excited about their food, as long as they are eating.[/B]


I agree. Linus eats if he's hungry, but completly ignores the food if he's not. I'd only be worried if they were not eating at all. Plus, they become finicky eaters if you keep changing their food around.


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Boo is a picky eater & sometimes gets bored with dry kibble. But they both basically love their Natural Balance kibble. I switched for a while during all the recalls but switched back to NB. When Boo was a puppy, I had to put a little chicken or lamb babyfood in with his kibble to get him to eat it. Those days are over now, both my babies usually eat with gusto.


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## TheButtercup (Mar 3, 2005)

occasionally, the buttercup "fasts" and turns her nose up at her dinner for a day or two at a time. right now, it's likely because it's so hot and we don't have A/C at our place. we're all miserable here :smheat: 
sometimes, i think it's just because she doesn't have an appetite. i'll often take her dinner into the bedroom at night and find she gets off the bed around 3am to pick at it. 
she will eat every last kibble if i sprinkle some parmesan cheese on it though


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## jazzmalt (Feb 6, 2007)

I just went through Miko's great hunger strike for nearly two weeks of tearing my hair out and worrying myself silly. :smpullhair: He just flat out does not like to eat, and it's been a huge challenge to figure out what he would eat, however reluctantly, but at least well enough to grow on.

I read all the picky eater tips I could find on SM, and tried a lot of them with no success. Here are some of the suggestions I tried, but Miko refused to even take a single taste of off my fingertip, just smelled them and ran (almost literally): several brands of canned food (both high-end and retail), Gerber's single meat babyfood, several brands of dry kibble, fresh boiled chicken (I'm not kidding!), tunafish juice drizzled over his food, heating his food in the microwave, grated cheese, cottage cheese, and I'm sure there are several more I've forgotten. Thank God for Nutrical, because we went through quite a few days here and there where he just absolutely refused to eat as much as a single kibble. Of course, the vet ran all the bloodwork and chemistry panels and there wasn't a thing wrong with him. He just hates food.

Finally we hit upon a routine that he will eat. Even though it still takes a ton of encouragement to get him to eat, sometimes handfeeding him a little bit at a time, here's the ONLY thing I can get 1/4 cup/day of into his tummy:

Science Diet puppy kibble and Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul kibble mixed together 50/50
Halo "Liv-a-Littles" whole beef treats - crumble a half of one over his food
Halo "Dinner Party Beef & Herbs" - sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon over his food 
1/8 teaspoon plain yogurt with live cultures - mix into the above and let it soak for about an hour before feeding

I really shouldn't complain, because it could be a lot worse. He could insist I cook for him, but he hates it. He could insist on canned dog food, but he hates it. He could insist on a revolving door of changing his foods all the time, but he hates that. The above is the only thing he will eat. I don't know if any of that will help you. I can only say, if you haven't tried flavoring your doggy's kibble with a little bit of plain yogurt, they might like that. And, if you're just looking for flavoring to sprinkle over their food to spice up their lives a little bit, both of the Halo products mentioned above are used for that purpose. At least Miko likes these, and he hates everything!


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## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

Coco is a picky eater, too, since she stopped eating puppy food. She seems to alternate between Flint River Ranch and Canidae. One day she'll eat one and then it's the other. Last night it was both. When I switched from one to the other, I mixed them, and she would pick one out and then the other. She's truly a picky eater of her food, but whatever we have out for our older Cairn Terror <EG> is what she likes the best. Unfortunately, it is diet food for Seniors, so it isn't good for her. I try my best to keep it out of her reach, but she will catch us with that door ajar on occasion.


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## dsstoube (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi,
Jass is so precious!
I was told that carrots and apples are 2 treats they love. Have you ever tried those? I decided when I was getting my puppy I did a lot of research with the food. LIFE ABUNDANCE IS WONDERFUL. Several breeders I know use it and it has NO bad anything in it. Her treats are that quality also. You can look it up on there website and listen to that guy on the video talk. I was in shock when I found out what some of these dog foods had in them. You can send for a free sample of their food, treat ,supplement[.
Take a look and tell me what you think.
Debbie


quote name='Jazzmalt' date='Aug 4 2007, 03:44 PM' post='415856']
I just went through Miko's great hunger strike for nearly two weeks of tearing my hair out and worrying myself silly. :smpullhair: He just flat out does not like to eat, and it's been a huge challenge to figure out what he would eat, however reluctantly, but at least well enough to grow on.

I read all the picky eater tips I could find on SM, and tried a lot of them with no success. Here are some of the suggestions I tried, but Miko refused to even take a single taste of off my fingertip, just smelled them and ran (almost literally): several brands of canned food (both high-end and retail), Gerber's single meat babyfood, several brands of dry kibble, fresh boiled chicken (I'm not kidding!), tunafish juice drizzled over his food, heating his food in the microwave, grated cheese, cottage cheese, and I'm sure there are several more I've forgotten. Thank God for Nutrical, because we went through quite a few days here and there where he just absolutely refused to eat as much as a single kibble. Of course, the vet ran all the bloodwork and chemistry panels and there wasn't a thing wrong with him. He just hates food.

Finally we hit upon a routine that he will eat. Even though it still takes a ton of encouragement to get him to eat, sometimes handfeeding him a little bit at a time, here's the ONLY thing I can get 1/4 cup/day of into his tummy:

Science Diet puppy kibble and Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul kibble mixed together 50/50
Halo "Liv-a-Littles" whole beef treats - crumble a half of one over his food
Halo "Dinner Party Beef & Herbs" - sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon over his food 
1/8 teaspoon plain yogurt with live cultures - mix into the above and let it soak for about an hour before feeding

I really shouldn't complain, because it could be a lot worse. He could insist I cook for him, but he hates it. He could insist on canned dog food, but he hates it. He could insist on a revolving door of changing his foods all the time, but he hates that. The above is the only thing he will eat. I don't know if any of that will help you. I can only say, if you haven't tried flavoring your doggy's kibble with a little bit of plain yogurt, they might like that. And, if you're just looking for flavoring to sprinkle over their food to spice up their lives a little bit, both of the Halo products mentioned above are used for that purpose. At least Miko likes these, and he hates everything!
[/QUOTE]


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## paddys mom (Aug 17, 2007)

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Some one tell this to my fiance. He is obsessed with trying new foods all the time. I keep telling him he needs to stick to one if we don't want a dog with diarrhea for its whole life. He finally seems to be listening so lets hope this lasts.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Gosh, my two are nutso for their food. They looove it. They used to eat Newman's Own but they changed (cheapened) their formula and now K & C are on Castor & Pollux. I like a food that uses mostly organic ingredients and uses free range chicken.

Here's a very short video of Catcher when he was younger and used to eat in his play pen. He still is the same way... Kallie, too!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jHkxwAbdo4

I just went to look at the ProPlan site. Their verbiage touts how good the food is but the ingredients don't live up to their hype at all. It's got a lot of corn and fillers and by-products. I know that a lot of breeders like ProPlan but I bet if you can get them on a premium food you'll see lots of improvements. Here's a link to Castor & Pollux: 
http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/store/dog

Are your two using puppy food or adult? I'm not sure if Castor & Pollux makes a puppy food, though.

BTW, your babies are gorgeous!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> Gosh, my two are nutso for their food. They looove it. They used to eat Newman's Own but they changed (cheapened) their formula and now K & C are on Castor & Pollux. I like a food that uses mostly organic ingredients and uses free range chicken.
> 
> Here's a very short video of Catcher when he was younger and used to eat in his play pen. He still is the same way... Kallie, too!
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jHkxwAbdo4
> ...


That is so interesting about Newmans Own! Julie just mentioned finding it in Target and said it had soy in it and asked if soy was okay in another thread

I was surprised she found it in Target and wondered if they'd changed the recipe. The exact same thing happened with Royal Canin. I'd fed it my cats for many years and it was always hard to find. Only a few upscale pet boutiques carried it. I was so excited when Watham started selling it here in the US and Petsmart carried it. Then I found out they'd changed their recipe when they mainstreamed it and added corn, a cheap filler. The pet boutiques around here won't carry it anymore because they no longer consider it a premium food.

I agree about Pro Plan. You can do much better than that. Ask your vet about one of the new high protein, low carbs foods. I am hearing more and more positive things about feeding dogs and cats a high protein diet that is low or no carb since they are carnivores. A lot of vets feel that the high carb commercial diets we've been feeding our pets are causing a lot of the health problems they are seeing including diabetes. Carbs are sugar and their bodies just weren't designed to handle all that sugar.

I feed Lady Natures Variety Prairie (kibble has a little grain). Innova's Evo is high protein, too. Champion makes Orijen which is another high protein food, but it's made in Canada and a little harder to find here in the US. You can't get it here in North Carolina.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

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Newman's changed their formula a few months ago. They added soy and a couple other things that I didn't care for. I'm glad it happened because I like Castor & Pollux better. It is similar to your Nature's Variety kibble in ingredients and analysis (except C&P is organic). I do wonder about EVO though. I respect the Innova brand but I had always thought that high protein was hard on the kidneys. EVO is 42% protein and 22% fat as contrasted with Nature's Variety at 26% protein and 14% fat and Castor & Pollux at 25% protein and 13% fat. I would have to take a leap of faith to go with EVO ... not sure I'm ready for that yet!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Interesting.

I asked Lady's new vet (opthamoligist) about the "hard on the kidneys" theory after he said it was the high carb commercial diets that were responsible for the epidemic in pet diabetes. He said said that was "old" thinking and new studies support the high carb diets because cats and dogs (especially cats) are carnivores and simply can't handle all that sugar.

Lady ate Evo for about a year and had blood work done several times in that period with absolutely no change. The only reason I switched to Prairie was because of her food allergies. She needs alternative protein sources that she's never been exposed to. 

Have you gotten your _Scared Poopless _ yet? The subject is discussed there, too.

My reason for switching originally was because of Lady's diabetes. I was never happy with the high fiber foods recommended for diabetic dogs as the fiber came from awful things like peanut and soybean hulls, basically "floor sweepings". I started reading about good results with diabetic dogs and Evo when it first came out and tried it.

Now that I've been researching it more, I really feel it's a better diet for our pets. I am in the process of trying to convince my cats, though. So far, they are refusing to give up their high carb food. :smilie_tischkante: 

Commercial kibble is big business and if you think about it, it's much cheaper to fill it with carbs especially cheap ones like corn, than to have its primary ingredient be meat.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Interesting.
> 
> I asked Lady's new vet (opthamoligist) about the "hard on the kidneys" theory after he said it was the high carb commercial diets that were responsible for the epidemic in pet diabetes. He said said that was "old" thinking and new studies support the high carb diets because cats and dogs (especially cats) are carnivores and simply can't handle all that sugar.
> 
> ...


Nope, my book hasn't arrived yet. It seems like its been ages since I ordered it, too! I do think there are good carbs and bad carbs. The only carbs in Castor & Pollux are Organic Peas, Organic Barley, Organic Brown Rice, and Organic Oats. It's sooo hard to know what the best thing to do is. With humans, I pretty much have it figured out. With our Malts, I'm not 100% sure. I do look forward to reading Scared Poopless. But I'm sure I'll then be even more confused!!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I am certainly no nutitionist, but it is my understanding that all carbohydrates, no matter what the source, are converted by the body into glucose (sugar). Simple carbs, like soda, are converted to sugar faster where complex carbs like grains are converted more slowly, but they still end up as glucose.

You might be interested in this article. It's mainly about feline diabetes, but does address a high carb diet and dogs, too.

http://vettechs.blogspot.com/2006/02/felin...ion-key-to.html

You will just love _Scared Poopless_! I think NMR is having trouble keeping them in stock since so many of us here have bought it!


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## Tanner's Mom (May 27, 2005)

I have been absolutely devouring Scared Poopless. Once I placed my order, I think it took about a week to get it. What a great little book. Isn't that Chicklet something else?


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