Your Questions About [get Your Dog To Eat]
Susan asks…
Need help with my dog and her eating habits!!?
My dog is female and she is almost 4 months old. She eats really fast and doesn’t slow down. I feed her 2 cups a day, and only once a day. She is about 15 lbs right now. Will she slow down? How do I help her? Am I not feeding her enough? How do I make it so I can fill her bowl and she will only eat what she needs throughout the day? Thank you! She is a heeler/chow mix, and will get to be about 30 lbs?
admin answers:
When a dog eats too fast, it can be a serious problem. Your dog can choke, swallow so much air that they vomit or even develop bloat, which can be life threatening. Preventing your dog from eating too fast is an important part of properly caring for your pet yet can seem challenging, I know. But there are things that you can do to prevent your dog from eating too fast.
If your dog eats too fast, but seems manageable; you could opt to feed your dog by hand, literally. Place a few kibble in your hand at a time and allow the dog to eat from your hand.
If your dog eats too fast, but seems manageable; you could opt to feed your dog by hand, literally. Place a few kibble in your hand at a time and allow the dog to eat from your hand.
Another method would be to put a small amount of water into the dry kibble. Again, they will need to work at it a bit more but it also has the added benefit of releasing the gases formed when producing most kibble (compacting it). Extruded kibble is the exception to this and it’s hard to find. By releasing these gases, you also decrease the chance of bloat (gastric torsion).
Some owners find that free feeding kibble to a fast eater will take away the misperceived need of “I gotta hurry before it isn’t there anymore”. But please monitor this, especially in the beginning.
Most dogs look like they are starving and can probably eat as much you give them. However following the instruction on how much you feed her should be fine. Hope this helps.
Betty asks…
How much does my puppy need to eat?
Okay. He’s a 10 month old Doberman…dobermans are high energy dogs and we make sure he gets a lot of exercise! During the week this consists of going to doggy daycare during the day so he is outside and inside playing with dogs ALL day (like 9:00 – 6:00). He weighs about 70 pounds and I’m not sure exactly how tall he is. But I’m 5’5 and if you stand him up on his hind legs, he’s pretty much as tall as me!
Right now he is eating about 4 or 5 times a day and he gets a cup and a half. He is by no means even close to being overweight or anything like that. I know a lot of people say their dogs only eat twice a day. On the weekends when he slows down a bit, he’s only getting a cup 3 times a day.
He’s also really good about not eating if he’s not hungry. So he definitely doesn’t overeat. Does his feeding schedule seem right to you guys? And please save any sarcastic comments and keep them to yourselves 
I should also add, during the week, he gets 2 more 20 minute walks when he gets home from daycare and on the weekends I take him to a doggy park/conservation park so he plays and goes on hikes…we are usually there for about 2 hours.
admin answers:
Sounds like you have a handle on it. With all that activity he is burning off what he eats. When he slows down he won’t need as much as you are finding out on the weekends. Just monotor his weight and feed acordingly.. Have fun with him.
Chris asks…
AAAAHHHHH Food Obsession in dog?
Those of you who know me or those who have gone back through my Q’s (welcomed) know that I have a 5 year old Brit/Lab mix who has serious food issues bordering on aggression.
But what it definitely is: obsession.
This dog lives to eat. Doesn’t care about people, toys, or ‘out’ time if food is an issue. Will eat anything and everything that smells edible. Will eat deer sh it, goose sh it, cat sh it. Will counter-surf if I forget to put everything away. Has had mousetraps snapped in her nose while counter-surfing but will still try anyway. Will raid garbage- had to buy a locking garbage can.
If I forget to latch my baby gates she will run into the living room and take anything my daughter has left behind then go upstairs and eat the cat food.
I also had to buy a bowl that slows down how fast she eats because if I feed her in a regular bowl she will throw it back without chewing in about 30 secs then belch and retch for up to 1/2 hour which cannot possibly be good for her.
I used to worry that she was food-aggressive to the point where she would hurt my daughter- now a 2 1/2 yr old toddler, but the dog isn’t nearly as aggressive to her- but a lot pushier- as in: she will definitely try to take the food my daughter is holding- even when kid is saying “NO doggie. NOT YOURS.” She will bully my cats to get to a treat I’ve given them.
This dog also kills ‘varmints’ as in 2 groundhogs and one crippled squirrel that could not get out of her way. I’ve screamed her off baby bunnies and birds.
I foster kittens on a regular basis and will not allow this dog near kittens- they look and act like squirrels and groundhogs.
She is UTD on all meds and does get a reasonable amount of exercise- We live on 3 acres on which she plays daily and gets about 1/2 mile steady walk 2x day.
This dog has responded to training involving ‘join up’ type techniques that are used with horses and also being leashed in the house, being taught NILIF, being taught to sit and wait before entering/leaving the house, sit and wait before being fed.
But she is still completely obsessed. Tonight I brought 2 dog biscuits outside with me so I could give her one after her pee and poop. Dog wouldn’t do it. She was so concerned with the food on the porch that I had to bully her to pee. Had to take the treats inside.
I know this is old news for all of you who’ve followed this drama, but PLEASE HELP!!!
What do I do next?
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: I did 2x month sessions with a highly recommended trainer for 7 months until I oculd no longer afford trainer. I am daily using trainer’s techniques. Also big problem with this dog is growling while people eat (have to take dog out of sight of food) and hideous unstopping barking whenever there is the smallest noise inside/outside of the house. (I’ve described it as mouse farts and ghost leaves) The dog can’t seem to tell that it’s us closing the door to the dryer in the laundry room upstairs. Ballistic barking. Trainer feels issues are related- insecurity. Possible as it is a rescue dog, but I’ve never seen such a single-minded animal. And I’ve had a dog in the past that learned to open the fridge. Thank GOD Kaya isn’t that smart.
admin answers:
Feed a raw diet…that’ll teach her she has to chew.
Feed her in her crate…it eliminates any worries of food aggression.
There’s no reason to dip your hands or face in your dog’s food bowl: So don’t. Unless you like getting dog bit for some reason.
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Your Questions About [get Your Dog To Eat]
Laura asks…
What happened?
my dog died last year..he had symptoms of heavy drinking and urinating, and he shook at night a lot…the vet gave a blood test for diabetes but it was normal…the took a urine sample..nothing wrong…we went on vaca. to pick up my brother from the army so we left my dog at the vet for boarding and to get more tests..he died two days later..and no one knows why..they told us as a guess that it was a brain tumor…well i saw on mystery diagnosis a gurl had the SAME exact symptoms and she had somethin called diabetes ansipidus ..she hit her head in a car wreck and messed up somethin in her pituitary gland where her kidneys couldnt absorb water anymore…could this have happened to my dog..he did hit his head shortly before…but i didnt see it as that big of a deal..we did start thinking the dog food recall poisoning caused it..but now i think differently..nothign will change wat has happened..id just like to know
admin answers:
Diabetes Insipidus: The *other* diabetes
-is a rare condition caused by a lack of the hormone that concentrates urine
-is characterized by extreme thirst and frequent copious urination
-polyuria (excessive urination)
-polydipsia (excessive drinking)
-electrolyte imbalance
-possible dehydration
-low ADH levels
-urinalysis shows a low specific gravity
-Diagnosis includes ruling out other diseases such as hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism (in cats), renal failure, liver disease, pyometra (infection of the uterus), and other disorders
Mandy asks…
Kroger pet food recall.. Plz help!!!?
Well, I looked up the Kroger Re-call and it says that a lot of the Pet Pride foods for cats are on re-call, also Old Yeller dog food.. BUT, they didn’t say anything about Pet Pride PUPPY food.
I have been feeding my Doxie mix this food and for the past 2 evenings she has thrown up and been depressed/lethargic… which they say on the re-call are 2 huge symptoms the poisoned pets have been showing.
I am not for certain because like i said, the re-call hasn’t said anything about the puppy food, just cat food and the old yeller brand food that kroger sells.
The recall was issued because some of the products may contain aflatoxin, a fungus-produced carcinogen found in some corn.
One guy said he just buried his 9 month old German Shepherd who has been healthy but recently before he died, he became anorexic and lethargic.. he was feeding the pet pride puppy.. same as what i am feeding.
Someone advice plz!
What should I do??
admin answers:
When we are suspicious of a food, we immediately cook rice and boiled hamburger and begin feeding that until we know more about the recall. You can make a big pot of rice and use only a 1/2 pound of hamburger. Just make sure the rice has soaked up at least 3 times its volume in water. We use boiled chicken instead of hamburger sometimes. Our Vet approves of rice diet when any dog is ill or bad food is suspected.
Michael asks…
Dog food recall Addison’s Disease?
My Dog fell ill on 3-4-07 they say she has Addisons deisease but with the recall of dog food & hers being the same brand but in dry form should i be worried about her being POISONED and not Addisons? The symptoms of Kidney failure and Addisons are similar. High potassium, and low sodium, thirst ect. She is on Florinef & Pred. to regulate her potassium ect. Can her food be tested for the toxin?
admin answers:
The ACTH is definitive unless she was on predisone before the test. Also florineif would make her WORSE if it’s kidney failure…. AND no dry kibble is in the recall….
Check out www.addisondogs.com or www K9addisons.com
these lists have literally thousands of addisons dog owners and since there are few things we haven’t seen, we can help you and your vet get meds settled more quickly
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Your Questions About [get Your Dog To Eat]
Sandy asks…
Is this a balanced homemade dog food recipe?
My friend gave me the recipe for homemade pet food that she feeds her cats and dogs. She says that her vet passed it on to her. I’m just curious if it is actually a balanced pet food- especially for both cats and dogs. Here are the ingredients:
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Navy beans
- Ground turkey
- Eggs
- Wheat Germ
- LOW SODIUM beef bouillon cubes
* I didn’t want to take forever listing the measurements and cooking instructions- I’m just checking this combination of ingredients.
* Her pets sure do seem healthy- even the cat has a glossy coat. That what prompted me to ask her what she feeds them.
admin answers:
Too low in fat and unless the ground turkey makes up 80-90% of the recipe, it’s too low in protein. Dogs need a high protein, high fat diet to thrive. And I’d use oats or rice in place of the wheat germ since dogs have a hard time breaking down and using wheat as an energy source. Wheat has a thicker cell wall and it’s even hard for humans to digest, let alone dogs with their short digestive system.
Sandra asks…
Homemade recipes for dog food…?
My dog isn’t too keen on his kibble, and lately he’s been throwing up a lot, so I’m thinking about making boiled chicken, rice, carrots and garlic once a week and portioning out some for every day of the week.
Does anyone have any good recipes that were successful in their dog‘s diet?
Thanks!
admin answers:
80% Raw meaty bones (that’s bone covered in meat, your dog NEEDS calcium).
15% meat (any animal will do just NOT mince the dog needs to chew).
5% offal (that’s organs but no more then twice a week for liver and heart doesn’t count because it’s too much meat).
There you go!!!!
That’s exactly what dogs need, no veggies are necessary.
GOOD LUCK!
Nancy asks…
recipes for homemade dog treats/food?
does anyone know of any websites that have recipes for healthy and homemade treats or food for dogs?
thanks!
admin answers:
Http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/category/recipes/
http://www.halopets.com/resources/homemade-pet-food-recipes.html
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pets/pets.html
http://www.twodogpress.com/dogfood.html
http://simmertilldone.com/2009/10/07/retriever-retriever-pumpkin-eater/
http://dogtime.com/dog-food-recipes.html
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/blueberry-dog-biscuits?autonomy_kw=dog%20biscuits
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/izzys-apple-cheddar-dog-biscuits
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/homemade-dog-biscuits?autonomy_kw=dog%20biscuits
I also own The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook by Bubba Rose (love it!!!) and The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs (not as much variety but still awesome!)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=dog+recipe&x=0&y=0
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Your Questions About [get Your Dog To Eat]
George asks…
Raw Egg Debate for Dogs?
I was on a Doberman forum I frequent and I had mentioned that I occasionally feed Quattro and I had some responses about raw egg being bad for dogs.
Here was one response:
“Feeding raw egg to your dog is NOT a good idea..Best boil them hard and chop it into his kibble or give him as treats..
Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=1030″
After some research I have seen in a couple of places that feeding only the yolk raw is okay but nothing else. But then I also see that raw eggs (whole egg) are good for dogs.
Anyone care to shed some light on this?
admin answers:
Aphrodite those people are fearmongers and idiots. Avidin is in eggs…but so is a ton of vitamin B in the yolk! Not to mention a dog your size would literally have to ingest 2 dozen eggs a day before the avidin levels were high enough to be of concern. They always “forget” that part. So if you’re not going to feed him 2 dozen raw eggs you’re safe. They say the same thing about vitamin A and liver but as long as you keep raw liver under 30% of the total diet (liver is recommended as 5% of the total diet) you’re also fine.
These people tell facts but not the truth…does that make sense? It’s like saying marijuana can kill you…sure it can. In tests when exposed to enough marijuana smoke rats died…of smoke inhalation…not from overdose of any toxin, lmfao. Scientists who don’t want to be wrong will happily choose halfway right.
As far as salmonella…again, it’s found in every bag of dog food. Salmonella is everywhere. You have salmonella in and on you this very second. Dogs have evolved digestive systems that are more than capable of safely digesting and deriving nutrients from the 1 egg in 10,000 that contains enough salmonella to be “potentially” dangerous to humans. Also hundreds of thousands of people had salmonella poisoning last year (this number is probably in the millions because most don’t even know they have it and are fine). It normally manifests as a day or two of diarrhea. Salmonella poisoning rarely requires medical attention and over 90% of people diagnosed with it are sent home to rest and don’t even receive antibiotics…salmonella isn’t the ebola virus. Salmonella is overhyped to sell bleach and lysol. Chances are you have had salmonella poisoning and never knew it.
Sandy asks…
Can dogs eat raw eggs and egg shells?
as in you crack a raw egg in a bowl and put the shell in there with it and feed it to your pup. I keep hearing its good for them, is it true?
admin answers:
Egg is almost 100% protein, it can help build muscle and can help make their coat healthy…
I really don’t see the point in the shell, but my pup takes no interest in it but I do leave it there for him…
I hear the whites destroy biotin, but then I hear the yolk is rich in biotin, but if it really is true that it destroys biotin then you shouldn’t feed it often, I feed my 6 month GSD pup an egg every three days…
@Sophia – I sure hope you mean goats milk! Regular milk makes dogs sick, can be very hard on puppies…
@’Labman’ – Which is why you don’t feed it that often… I think you ought to do some research, I have met many people who have fed their Shepherds eggs since they were puppies, sometimes even everyday and they are perfectly healthy, my Shepherd pup is doing fine getting one everyday…
Ken asks…
feeding a dog a raw or BARF diet?
hi i have been reading a great deal about switching dogs over to the raw food diet and am still a little confused as to how and what to feed my 6 month boxer pup. Right now he is being fed Orijen large breed puppy formula dry kibble but I usually mix something in it like one egg twice a week or ground beef or a chicken breast, I also give him some cross cut beef shank with bone as a treat or a carrot, I was wondering if this is okay to do, and if I could copy some of your meal plans?
admin answers:
I feed exactly the same way as you. All three of my dogs get Orijen dry food and then the occasionaly raw food mixed in. I give raw bones, different raw meats, etc. I just can’t commit fully to feeding a raw diet and making it balanced. I feel if I have the base of the Orijen which is properly balanced I can add in other things when I can.
It isn’t that I disagree with feeding raw, I just don’t have the time to commit to making sure my dogs have a balanced meal.
My dog also loves carrots, apples, and bananas as treat.
@Bells~ Good to know other people think the same way. It isn’t that I don’t want to feed raw. I’m honest with myself. I’m lazy. Or rather I am busy. I have 2 kid and one more on her way. I just can’t commit the time to balancing it all out. So I go with good quality kibble and supplement.
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Your Questions About [get Your Dog To Eat]
Donna asks…
What would happen if my dog ate a stacker weight loss pill? ?
Yesterday morning me and my husband were awakened by my 3 year old male doberman peeing in the bedroom floor. My husband got up to rush him outside and he collapsed right before he got him to the back door. I then tried to get him to go outside and he pooped on himself. I looked at his gums and they were really white. I freaked out and then called the emergency vet and they told me to get him there as quickly as possible. This is about a 30 min drive and on the way there I sat with him in the backseat while my husband drove. When we got to the vets office he was fine. He was wagging his tail his gums had a little more color in them. They couldn’t find anything wrong. This vet proceeded to tell me that he had an irregular heart beat and that he may have a heart problem. I then took him to my regular vet when they opened and the run some tests on him and said everything seemded to be normal except that he had an enlarged prostate. He is not fixed due to him only having one testicle that has dropped and it was going to cost $400 to get him fixed. I know he needs to be fixed and I will take care of that later
The test results come back today and he said something about the liver reading being in the 900′s and the normal is supposed to be 120
He asked if he could have gotten ahold of anything like tylenol or anything like that. He said he has never seen it this high. After I got off then phone with him I remebered that a pack of stackers with one pill in it had fell from a shelf in the kitchen the other day and i picked it up and put on the kitchen counter. When i went to look for it it wasn’t there. I have searched the whole house, in between couch cushions, under furniture everywhere and can not find the wrapper or anything close to it.
Could this be what had happened to my dog? Will his liver recover from that?
Also my dog is acting normal since he arrived at the first vets office yeaterday morning at 5 am. He has been eating normally and drinking plenty of water. He has been acting like himself.
The vet had me bring him in again to run some more blood work to double check the numbers because they were so high. I can’t afford paying outrageous vet bills and I am hoping someone knows more then what the vet is telling me or if another vet can give another opinion. I would really appreciate it to hear responses from vets.
Thanks
admin answers:
The pill nearly killed him. If that pill had epherda in it then I’m surprised he came through as he did since it’s very dangerous to animals. His liver count was high because the pill was all in his system. He should be fine once it flushes out but also mention to your vet you suspect he ate the pill. The need to know and can tell you of any possible side effects. I hope your pooch gets better soon. Happy new year.I found a site that should give you some insight.
Http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.2001.218.225?journalCode=javma
Sharon asks…
My dog won’t eat, but will drink water, keeps throwing up phlegm, and is kinda out of it.?
My vet is closed today because it is sunday. My dog wouldnt eat yesterday, and he wont eat 2day. And normally if he wont eat his food i cut open a fish oil pill, and squirt it over his food and mix it then he eats it up. But i cant find the fish oil pills. He threw up phlegum twice 2day thank god he did it outside. I havent looked at it yet. And he has diarrhea for the past 2 maybe 3 days and that is including today. And he is just out of it today. I am not sure what it is. He wouldnt even eat cheese, and we had to give him his heartworm today. And he refused to eat the pill when he normally gobbles it up. We had to put honey on it in order for him to eat it. Then he had a little spark in his eyes.
So what do you think it is?
I am still looking for the fish oil pills, and i am wondering if i find it should i try to feed him his food.
Also he is on medication for his ears because of ear mites, which everytime we get rid of them they come back. And also our other dog gave him a pretty good scratch a week ago on his eye, so he also has ointment for his eye so he doesnt hurt so bad. And our other dog has thrown up once today, but she will eat and her poop is just fine. I think she threw up because she probably ate something outside.
But what is up with my other dog??
And if he doesnt get better by tomorrow we are going to take him to the vet tomorrow.
admin answers:
I would take him to the vet today because it sounds like he has some sort of tummy infection or has swallowed something but with your other dog throwing up as well I would suspect it is some sort of viral thing. Make sure he is drinking plenty of fluid and please go look at the vomit to make sure there is no blood in it. I know it sounds silly but has he ate the pills? At least give your vet a ring, surely there is an out of hours emergency number where you can get some advice? If he is “out of it” he might be dehydrated, pull the skin on the back of his neck to see if it springs back into place more or less straight away or if it stays put, if it stays put or takes a while to go back to normal he needs to be rehydrated straight away and this should be treated as an emergency.
Your dog is doing the best thing by not eating, if it;s a stomach bug you will only be adding to the stress by trying to feed him anything. Withold food for 24 hours then start by feeding a very bland diet of cooked rice and cooked fish or cooked rice and cooked egg. If you have any slippery elm powder, available from healthfood shops sprinkle some of this on top, sometimes called tree bark powder. Also Bio Yoghurt is also good for tummy upsets, helps to redress the bacteria in the tummy.
As for ear mites have you tried “thornit” which is a wonderful product based on an old remedy for earmites – link below. Also it will help, if he has particularly hairy ears to cut the hair from around his ears to allow air to flow, mites like dark, dank places!
Before anything else ring your vet for some advice because this situation could become serious very quickly.
Joseph asks…
My dog eats everyday but he’s getting skinnier?
I have a St. Bernard mix, and I feed him 5-7 cups of food a day, but he’s getting thinner? I know he’s not starving, so what kind of worms would do that? I would take him to the vet if I absolutely had to, but I’m wondering if there is some kind of worm pill I could buy if you know what it is.
I wanna try the pill first, then I’ll take him to the vet if it isn’t getting any better.
admin answers:
More than likely it is a very COMMON worm/worms that can be treated over the counter. Go to a feed store, dog/horse and Walmart used to carry it, but not sure if they still do and just get a very COMMON wormer. I think they are hookworms or whipworms. It tastes like butterscotch so dogs love it, and don’t worry about O.Ding him because it is very safe. It should work within a day or two, and you will see signs of worms in the stool. Be sure to pick it up A.S.A.P. So he doesn’t reinfect himself. If you don’t see an improvement in 2 to 3 days, or if he coughs up worms take a stool sample to the vet. You won’t have to pay for an office call, or shouldn’t, it is a test they do on the stool. You just need a teaspoon in a Ziploc sandwich bag. Good Luck.
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