Feeding habits.

slookie

Hi all. We have a 4 month old boxer cross. Started him off on nuts when we got him but after a week he went off them. These were the same nuts he was on before we got him. Started giving him canned dog food and he loves it but makes cleaning up after him alot harder. Also he gets alot of scraps and leftovers from table, plus bones from butchers. I think I'm overfeeding him - gets fed 3 times a day. I want to try get him back on the nuts...should I soak them in milk or water. Think he finds them very dry. Also how often should I be feeding him? Thanks for help.

kylith

First I'd check to see that his mouth wasn't sore, but if he's eating bones that shouldn't be a problem.

Dogs aren't fussy eaters. He may have stopped eating the kibble because he's learned that if he turns his nose up at it he'll get something better.

Put down his morning feed and if he doesn't eat it within 15 minutes take it up and don't give him anything; no treats, no 'little bits', nothing, until his next scheduled feed time, then give him the kibble again. A healthy dog will not starve itself and once he realises that if he doesn't eat the kibble he doesn't eat anything he'll soon tuck in.

andreac

At 4 months he should be fed at least 3 times a day.

With the nuts, i wouldnt soak them in milk, as dogs are not tolerant to milk.

Canned food as no nutritional value to a dog really, its made up of mainly water and crap bits of meat. A growing pup needs a good quality dry puppy food as its needs extra protein etc for growing and will not get this from canned food so stp feeding that asap for the pups benefit.

I would geta dry food and stick with it. Try soaking half of his meal in warm/hot water and then mix in the other half when its a little moist.

Dont add anything to it for the moment as you are only encouraging the dog to be fussy. Try and establish a good feeding routine, set the food down, let the dog have 15 mins or so, then take it back up again whether its eaten or not, and repeat at next mealtime.

I would be careful giving such a young dog bones from the butchers, maybe wait until the dog is matured before doing that. Bones can be dangerous if they arent the right type of bones and splinter and cause damage internally to your dog.

Rive Gauche

I prefer to feed my dogs nuts because if you weigh dog and nuts properly you won't overfeed, also as you said the cleaning up part is easier!

andreac & Kylith's advice is really good but here's another suggestion - a plan B you might say!!

To get him back on nuts I'd advise stopping all scraps, leftovers and also the bones for now. As he likes tinned food mix some of the nuts with the tinned food and gradually reduce the amount of tinned food. You could soften the nuts in water first.

If the going gets tough just remember no dog ever starved to death through stubbornness!

slookie

Thanks for the replies. Thought for certain that I was overfeeding him. As you said he realises he will get something better if he sticks his nose up at the nuts.

andreac

Yeah you have to be tough, dont give in to him, it could take a day or 2 for him to start eating the nuts, but trust me, once he knows hes getting nothing else he will start eating them.

I have a dog that got a bit fussy and didnt eat for 3 days, kept turning his nose up at the nuts then finally said well feck this, i better eat it as im getting nothing else, so a dog wont go hungry.

With the amount of mealtimes, pups need to fed more meals than an adult dog. A good quality dry food will have feeding instructions on it and tell you how much and how often to feed a pup.