THK Embark - not putting on enough weight?

    • Gold Top Dog

    THK Embark - not putting on enough weight?

    I switched Rascal to THK Embark about 2 weeks ago. So far he's doing fine poop-wise, and he seems to really like the taste of it, but I'd really like him to put some weight on. Right now he's getting 1/4 cup (dry - so 1/2 cup when moist) two times a day, and sometimes he won't even finish that. I've tried just feeding him more, but he won't eat it.

    When I leave for school in the morning, he also gets a mini Twist-n-Treat with a smear of liverwurst and 5 or 6 Wellness Core kibbles. When we go for walks in the mornings, he also gets Primal chicken nibs as training treats (http://www.primalpetfoods.com/product/detail/c/12/id/41 - basically pure chicken). He gets maybe 5-10 of those pea-sized treats.

    I've upped his exercise lately, so I think he has increased calorie needs. But if he won't eat enough of the THK to get those calories, what should I do?

    Any ideas??

    • Gold Top Dog
    Maybe try adding some protein, some scrambled egg bits? Have you tried emailing THK?
    • Gold Top Dog

     You could def try adding protein, but for the best suggestions, check out THK's facebook page - they seem to be especially quick about answering questions there.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I would definitely email THK to see what they recommend.  They are usually full of helpful suggestions.

    If he's not finishing his meals, you might stretch them into 3 feedings instead of two, so that he might be more apt to finish it off.

    • Gold Top Dog
    Thanks, guys! It never occurred to me to talk to the company, heh. I'll give it a shot! As for the feedings, I definitely thought about it and have tried, but he's just not interested. He's always been a light eater - he was free-fed when I got him, and could probably be free-fed even now. When he's done, he's done. I've tried talking to him about puppies starving in China, but no dice...
    • Gold Top Dog

    With the embark I found myself having to add some cooked oatmeal to the meals to help Echo put weight back on. She got very skinny on just embark alone (same for preference as well). 

    Worked for us. I'm interested to hear what the folks at thk have to suggest :)

    • Gold Top Dog

    I would also try adding carbs. Jewel eats 1/2 cup total of Keen (dry measured, I add a ton of water) per day, and one small NB biscuit. She's maintaining beautifully at 14 lbs. She must have a slow metabolism! LOL

    • Gold Top Dog
    Thanks, everyone! Apparently this is a fairly common issue on THK (?) - I posted on their facebook and they sent me a link to a FAQ here: http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/2010/06/17/ask-lucy-how-to-help-a-pup-gain-weight/

    They said:

    ,i>

    Fat and carbohydrates are especially important for weight gain. Consider supplementing with meat such as lamb, which is especially fatty and calorie-dense. If you feed chicken, include the skin, which is the fattiest part. Some grain-free and low carb diets such as Embark cause a pup to become quite trim (just as with low carb diets for humans) so increasing the grain content slightly or adding a vegetable such as sweet potatoes, can help.

    Some pets do experience increased stool volume and a slight slimming down when they first change to a new diet, as a natural part of the detox process – especially when transitioning to a higher fiber diet than before. This usually subsides naturally after a few weeks. If it doesn’t, that may be a sign that a different recipe should be tried.

    So, I guess I'll try adding in some meat and carbs... I'm kind of annoyed, because I was looking at THK as a kibble substitute, not as a home cooking supplement. I'm not convinced I'll be organized enough to feed myself regularly, let alone Rascal... but I'll give it a shot, and at least go through this (giant) box. It was expensive, so I want to use it! If he only does well with additional stuff added in, I might switch to something else... very frustrating!

    • Gold Top Dog

    I would add some high quality fat, some sardines perhaps and it may even entice him to eat more. Lightly scrambled eggs with a bit of butter would be good as well.

    • Gold Top Dog
    I've been giving him sardines - I'm sure that will help. He's eating about 1-2 sardines per day right now, so I'm sure it will help both fatten him up and give him glossy fur.

    The thing is, everyone here always says the 30% rule, right? That if you're feeding a balanced food, your supplementary food (like mix-ins) shouldn't make up more than 30% of the total feedings, or else the overall nutrition will no longer be balanced. So why then would I need to add things to THK? Also, wouldn't the add-ins (like meat, or sardines) mess up the overall nutritional balance? If I'm adding 2 sardines a day to 1/2 cup (dry) of THK, I feel like that's already over the 30% guideline.