# Really getting scared



## Rin (Feb 6, 2013)

I have posted to a couple of the people that I found that had difficult eaters but have gotten no feedback, so I will open it to everyone
My little LaCie has been a difficult feeder from day one. I am getting very scared to the point of wondering if I can do right for her
I have tried many different foods all of which have been 4 or 5 star foods and she will eat it for a week tops then refuse. I am scared to let her go without food for to long. I just don't believe the saying, that she will eat when she is hungry, will work with her.
On the food pkgs it gives you amounts of food your pup should eat and what she consumes is barely half if that. How much weight do you put on the manufactures feeding requirements?
Please help and advise, like I said I am very scared for her.
She is now 10 months and weighs 6.8 lbs. My vet does think she is a little thin but says just keep offering her the food.

Many thanks in advance for your help and advice


----------



## nwyant1946 (Jan 2, 2013)

*Mia is a very picky eater as well. I feed both wet and dry. The dry stays the same, but I switch the wet all the time. She just likes the variety of tastes I guess. I just mix a little bit with her wet food and as long as she isn't eating the same thing everyday she's happy.*


----------



## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

What foods have you tried? Have you tried different types of food - like kibble, wet, dehydrated raw, frozen raw, etc?


----------



## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

Those feeding guidelines are usually pretty inflated. How much does she eat? A little underweight is not a bad thing. As long as the vet isn't alarmed I wouldn't worry about it.


----------



## Madison's Mom (Dec 26, 2007)

I have two picky eaters, too. They eat Deli Fresh with a little boiled chicken mixed in. It's the first combination that has worked. They eat this in the evening. They have access to Fromm kibble at any time.


----------



## elly (Sep 11, 2006)

Both of my girls get only 1/2 kibble cup for the day.1/4 in the morning and than in the evening. Mercedes is about 7 pounds and Whitney is 3.8. Actually Whitney get a little less. They do get treats but very tiny pieces.


----------



## Rin (Feb 6, 2013)

I have fed her these wets:
Merrick puppy palate and the pot pie
Stella and chewy chicken and surf and turf
Science puppy
Chicken soup for the soul
Evangers

Dry she won't even attempt but
Science
Evangers chicken and the white fish
Merrick puppy


----------



## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I have always found most of the foods I try say 1/2 a cup for 5lb and thats what my boys get a day. You have to keep an eye on it too depending on your dog, like for us, Rocky is a pro couch potato. He really weights about 6.5lb but I still give him no more than 1/2 cup a day because he's so inactive. Tucker, on the other hand, is so active that he's ok with a bit more.

Anyway, have you tried freshpet? You can find it in many grocery stores, and pet stores as well. It's a refrigerated roll. I've started feeding it again to the boys, they just love it.

All in all I wouldn't panic unless the vet says there is a real problem and from what you've said it doesn't sound like that's the case. Does she go days without eating anything? I almost wonder if she's just spoiled and holding out to see if she gets something better


----------



## maltese manica (Nov 6, 2012)

I'm agreeing with the others!!! My three are picky eaters as well!!! It's hard, and can drive you nuts!


----------



## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

Kris eats anything not nailed down. Spookie usually eats just so he won't get it. But she's heading into a picky spell, I've been putting a pinch of grated cheese on hers. So far it's working. She gets about 1/2 cup kibble, no wet.


----------



## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

Sometimes picky eating can be a symptom of illness..your vet said she is a little thin. I suggest running a complete chem panel and CBC...I have 3, and none of them are picky eaters..


----------



## Zoe's Mom88 (Apr 25, 2011)

I have a terribly picky eater too. I would try giving the wet food with a few pieces of baked chicken in it. Cut the chicken up very small and mix it with her food. If she is refusing to eat at all I agree with April a Chem panel and CBC should be done.


----------



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Have you tried sitting on the floor and hand feeding her? I used to do that with Abbey....thought I was creating a monster, but she eats by herself now....:thumbsup:


----------



## CathyJoy (Mar 27, 2013)

Carter is a picky eater too. I feed her Natural Balance, small bites mixed with a teaspoon of Taste of the Wild wet food. She just wouldn't enough if I gave her dry only. I feed her a little under 1/2 cup twice a day but probably should make it just 1/4 cup twice since she isn't very active. She gobbles it up with the wet food in it!


----------



## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Lucky is a picky eater and I do hand feed him. I keep 3 types of kibble on hand and will see if he will eat one of them each day. I feed him first thing in the morning, before we even come downstairs. I try to get him to eay about 20 kibble each morning -15 is good. I then feed him in the evening, I try to get him to eat 15-20 each night. He also gets scrambled eggs, feta cheese, vegs and fruit. feta is a big favorite.

I keep kibble out all times. At night some rare times, he will get out of bed and I hear him crunching on kibble.

At petco you can get trial packs of some food fo $3. I pick up natural balance this way. You can akso try a little salmon, salmon oil, and olive oil.

Good luck.


----------



## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

Boo was picky when he first came home and I got scared so I started adding wet to his mix and gradually would reduce the wet until it was down to one teaspoon. He is finally now eating dry only, but I will say he never gobbles it down and is a nibbler. Of course, tonight was the first time he actually ate it all in one sitting.


----------



## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Jodi isn't a picky eater thankfully. He is about 9 to 9.5 lbs. and eats 2 meals a day: 1/3 cup of dry kibble for each meal. sometimes he will leave a tbsp. or so but not usually. 
Often I will add warm water and let it soak in for a few minutes and then put it down for him.

How much is the recommended amount on the package ? and how much does he eat (1/2 that you said).


----------



## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

My girls get 1/4 cup each of Fromm Salmon Tunalini mixed with warm water for breakfast. For dinner they each get 1/8 pound of FreshPet Vital salmon and whitefish. Total food intake for the day is about 1/2 cup. 

When I started adding water to the dry food, they started gobbling it down.


----------



## munchkn8835 (May 23, 2010)

Ollie eats Acana Grain-Free...all three flavors....rotate them. My husband sprinkled (very little) some of his treat (freeze dried salmon) on it and he gobbled it up. Funny thing is he won't eat it without the treat for my husband, but does for me! He gets 1/4 c in the a.m. and 1/4 c for dinner.


----------



## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

My malt WAS the most pickiest eater ever. The only food she will eat are:
1. Now small breed kibble with a little bit of olive oil on top....if there is no olive oil on it, she will not eat it ! 
2. WERUVA canned food ...this IMO is the BEST !
3. Nature's Variety ( canned)

I found the Weruva to be the best because it is very similar to human food.... it smells like grandma's chicken soup !

Good Luck--hope you will give these a try.
...oh and also I add either coconut shreds or olive oil sometimes to the foods.


----------



## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Often kibble is just too darned hard for their tiny mouth/teeth. I've over the years found that taking the kibble and putting into plastic baggie and smashing it up with a hammer/mallot helps a lot to encourage them to eat. 
I feed 1/2 kibble and 1/2 human food. 
I buy the chicken breasts on sale ( boneless/skinless). I cook with a tiny bit of parsley , and cut it up finely, and add that and some of the broth to the dry kibble... plus green beans daily then add whatever other veggie we may be having and mix some in as well. My two devour it! 
I change the protein sometimes using talapia, salmon, Eggs .


----------



## Rin (Feb 6, 2013)

Thank you to each and everyone that responded to my plea.
I don't feel so alone in my struggle with little picky eater.
Thanks for all of the suggestion that I will most certainly try
Knowing that the manufactures of the foods tend to blowup the quantity of food per day gives me new hope

Once again Thanks


----------



## luvmybabe (Dec 30, 2012)

My Yoshie is very picky/finicky eater. He eats good for about 2 weeks then has nothing to do with the food. He went 4 days without eating and I caved and gave him our food cuz I couldn't take it any longer (was struggling that long but listened to the "he'll eat when he's hungry") that is not true with all dogs and Yoshie proved that. He wouldn't eat dry food unless mixed with canned for the longest time but will eat a lil bit if I put some on my living room floor for him which I do. He is (well was) eating Wellness canned but hasn't for weeks and he has 3 different flavors and I rotate each day. I have added a bit of yogurt, pumpkin, coconut oil to it for something different but he tires of stuff so easily.


----------

