Dog Food

gobbles

Hey. Does anyone have any idea as to how to get a dog to eat new food. We recently changed are dogs diet though she is very reluctant to eat the new food. Thanks

Matt1

My friend / neighbour put food down at same time every day for acceptable length of time then took it away again. The dogs soon realised that if they didn't eat up at meal times then they would get hungry.

Whilst if like me... feel really sorry for dog who can't bear the horrible new food so relent very quickly, return to the old food (or better) and throw in additional treats as a "sorry, what was I thinking of my firend"!!! :rolleyes:

Run_to_da_hills

gobbles wrote: »

Hey. Does anyone have any idea as to how to get a dog to eat new food. We recently changed are dogs diet though she is very reluctant to eat the new food. Thanks

There is a lot of unbranded rubbish on the market particularly in the cheap German supermarkets and Tesco. You will know if the food is any good if your dog is healthy and has a good coat and temperament. If you give your dog a bad diet you will see it in him, same goes for cats. Giving your dog a bad diet is like you living off fast food burgers. I would only get the best branded food I could afford

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I assume you want to know how to wean your dog onto a different food as oppossed to a comment on the quality of dog food.

The accepted method is to add the new food gradually to the old so that over a week or so the dog has gone from old food, to mix of both, to new food. That usually works. The first comment on removing the food after 20 minutes or so if not eaten is also advocated.

gobbles

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

There is a lot of unbranded rubbish on the market particularly in the cheap German supermarkets and Tesco. You will know if the food is any good if your dog is healthy and has a good coat and temperament. If you give your dog a bad diet you will see it in him, same goes for cats. Giving your dog a bad diet is like you living off fast food burgers. I would only get the best branded food I could afford

The food we got was perscipted by our vet. Our dog has arthritis and she says that other people thinks it works very well....we hope.

Run_to_da_hills

gobbles wrote: »

The food we got was perscipted by our vet. Our dog has arthritis and she says that other people thinks it works very well....we hope.

Must be good then, Ex was prescribed Hills Puppy large breed from her vet when it had sore paws. Still uses it but it is very expensive.

Outkast_IRE

I buy a big bag of red mills dog food in maxi zoo in cork dog seems to like it and she has good coat etc so happy with it good prices too for a lot of the red mills stuff

sorella

We feed almost all raw food.

Having seen what goes into dog food as 'meat"

Coats are thick and glossy; eyes bright and they love it.

Whispered

I usually feed mine royal canon, the last few days I haven't been out a lot and the OH picked up one can of a well known pet food to tide him over until today when I can get to the vet.

I gave it to him last night and have never seen anything like it! He went a little bit mad for about 30 mins, tearing around the house, barking, nipping, fighting with cushions, just being hyperactive. Then crashed out. It was like watching a child after a few bottles of coke!

I will never feed it to him again. I was shocked how it gave him just a quick burst of energy. He also spent the rest of the evening begging for more food, like he was starving.

With regards to changing food, I would go with the mixing the foods for a while, start with maaybe 3/4 old food, gradually increasing the amount. Leave it down at set times for about 15 mins. Then take it up. If the dog doesn't eat it, he will when he gets hungry. Don't give in. He wont starve

sorella

Raw red meat has a similar effect on our bouncy wee one; chicken is fine. she is hyped anyways. But give her red meat and she bounces all night.

Blessings

helena.ryan wrote: »

I usually feed mine royal canon, the last few days I haven't been out a lot and the OH picked up one can of a well known pet food to tide him over until today when I can get to the vet.

I gave it to him last night and have never seen anything like it! He went a little bit mad for about 30 mins, tearing around the house, barking, nipping, fighting with cushions, just being hyperactive. Then crashed out. It was like watching a child after a few bottles of coke!

I will never feed it to him again. I was shocked how it gave him just a quick burst of energy. He also spent the rest of the evening begging for more food, like he was starving.

With regards to changing food, I would go with the mixing the foods for a while, start with maaybe 3/4 old food, gradually increasing the amount. Leave it down at set times for about 15 mins. Then take it up. If the dog doesn't eat it, he will when he gets hungry. Don't give in. He wont starve

suraheg

If you mix the new food in with the old food over about two weeks gradually reducing the amount of old food then he shouldnt be too stressed about it all. Its not a good idea feeding your dog raw meat as there can be parasites in it, unless you treat your dog for worms every 3 months then it's going to get worms..
I recommend any dry complete veterinary brands. i.e. Burns, Royal Canin, Hills, Iams, Eukanuba etc. Pedigree Chum and Baxters and all those cheap supermarket brands have really high salt and fat content so may be tastey but not necesseraly the best idea for your pet as they can toilet more frequently with these feeds. Also you need to feed your pet more of these to give him his daily allowance. Dry Food's better for the teeth and gut, and a with a complete food you shouldnt have to give him anymore food as its everything he would need, as long as you know his weight and measure it out every day. you should feed your dog twice a day and make sure you take it up after about 20 minutes, just so he gets used to a routine and knows who's the boss!

Hope this helps

Branoic

Anyone use or have any opinions on a brand called Franks Pro Gold? The local pet shop owner here swears by it.

sorella

Not true; except for pork which we never give raw.

( you are saying that Irish beef and chicken has parasites?)

And of course our dogs get wormed . We know what we are at. We have bred champions for over 40 years now and always raw food.

Kibble is OK very occasionally.

We also feed vegetables of course.


SINCERE apologies for going off thread, but....

suraheg wrote: »

If you mix the new food in with the old food over about two weeks gradually reducing the amount of old food then he shouldnt be too stressed about it all. Its not a good idea feeding your dog raw meat as there can be parasites in it, unless you treat your dog for worms every 3 months then it's going to get worms..
I recommend any dry complete veterinary brands. i.e. Burns, Royal Canin, Hills, Iams, Eukanuba etc. Pedigree Chum and Baxters and all those cheap supermarket brands have really high salt and fat content so may be tastey but not necesseraly the best idea for your pet as they can toilet more frequently with these feeds. Also you need to feed your pet more of these to give him his daily allowance. Dry Food's better for the teeth and gut, and a with a complete food you shouldnt have to give him anymore food as its everything he would need, as long as you know his weight and measure it out every day. you should feed your dog twice a day and make sure you take it up after about 20 minutes, just so he gets used to a routine and knows who's the boss!

Hope this helps

leadinglady

I would try using both good ideas above. Mix in slowly and over a period of time. Is the dog used to dry food? because if you try to give her a dry food and she was used to wet or 'human' food, you will have your work cut out for you!!! If thats the case I would add a tiny incentive, I foster and occasionally get a dog who wont eat what I give. Gravy usually does the trick, even the water off your cooking at home, veg and all!

suraheg

sorella wrote: »

Not true; except for pork which we never give raw.

( you are saying that Irish beef and chicken has parasites?)

And of course our dogs get wormed . We know what we are at. We have bred champions for over 40 years now and always raw food.

Kibble is OK very occasionally.

We also feed vegetables of course.


SINCERE apologies for going off thread, but....

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_eating_raw_beef_harmful
http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/LSTOCK/001/SA_InfoPaks/docs/Parasites.pdf


why do you think its known to not put any other food somewhere raw meat has been? Theres lots of bacteria that can be harmful in raw meat.
Also animals need a complete diet full of a range of vitamins and minerals which isn't provided on a raw meat diet

gobbles

Thanks everyone. She seems to be gladly eating away at it. There also seems to be a bit of better movement coming from her as the vet said there would.