New Dog only wants human food...

• fuzzy_dogs_mom Posted : 7/17/2006 8:37:50 PM For some reason, the dog food bags recommend a lot more food than the dog is likely to eat.  I have a 63 lb. lab/shepherd mix and he's doing good to put away 1-1/2 cups a day  - maybe less if the weather is hot like it is now. Joyce 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Edie Posted : 7/17/2006 9:43:58 PM we let her roam free even when we're away) Do you mean in the neighbourhood or your house?? I cant add much to what the others have said,except to get her on a premium food,non-supermarket food 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• loveukaykay Posted : 7/18/2006 12:31:55 AM Canned food "can" be more healthy of course depending on which kind of canned your talking about and which dry your talking about.  I would certainly not be a can from your local grocer.  To feed a dog that size all canned is sort of unrealistic anyways.  I would just free feed her as you wish and as long as shes not getting thin or lethargic, is pooping and drinking normally and is otherwise fine... it may just be her eating habits.  I would find a good quality dry food and stick with it for a while. [linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#TopDry]http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#TopDry[/link] Welcome! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• loveukaykay Posted : 7/18/2006 12:39:27 AM I forgot to add...   Supplementing her diet with human food is okay just make sure its not the bulk of her diet as it wont be balanced and also make sure you know which to avoid such as onions and grapes...    Heres a bit of info on adding human food to their diet.  I generally just add some jack maceral and green beans or something to the food... but its mostly dry dog food (Innova).   [linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood]http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood[/link]   And heres the link to the site itself.. .lots of good info.  Some otehrs here also have great links....   [linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html]http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html[/link] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mudpuppy Posted : 7/18/2006 9:11:15 AM If given the choice most dogs won't eat dry kibble, especially the same kibble day in day out. Perfectly normal. It's much healthier to feed a variety of  fresh foods (people food), but you do need to do a little research and/or buy a recipe book in order to ensure the diet is nutritionally balanced. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Cadd Posted : 7/21/2006 1:58:17 PM Wait a minute....no unions & grapes?  Why? My dog's been eating grapes since he was a puppy (he's 11 years old now).  He also eats oranges, apples, watermelon, grapefruit, strawberry, blueberry, banana along with ALL different types of veggies. Is there a reason we shouldn't feed dogs grapes? I also give mine union, garlic, parsley, etc. (well, it'll be mixed in his food).  Is this bad as well? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mudpuppy Posted : 7/21/2006 2:38:23 PM [linkhttp://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/pet_health/raisinsandgrapes.cfm]http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/pet_health/raisinsandgrapes.cfm[/link]   onions and garlic will damage your dog's blood cells if fed regularly. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Cadd Posted : 7/21/2006 5:12:26 PM Damn!  My dog has been eating grapes along with other fruits since he was a puppy!  Although his portions are tiny, I'll still cut back.   Same with union & garlic!  Sometimes when we have salad, we'll give him some and he'll have raw union & raw bits of garlic.  Guess I have to stop doing that as well.  For 11 years, I haven't noticed any issues when he ate grapes, union & garlic.  But thanks for the info.  I'll make sure he stops eating these along with chocolate.   PS - How about cooked unions & garlic?  Will they hurt dogs as well?  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• ron2 Posted : 7/21/2006 5:46:16 PM The sulfide in onions can create hemolytic anemia in a dog. Garlic is in the same family, though not as toxic. I don't know of any data that shows cooked onion and garlic to be less toxic. But several foods, especially holistics contain garlic. The amount is small, no doubt to limit toxicity, which makes wonder at the benefit of having it in there at all. Others have sworn by feeding their dogs garlic that it keeps the mosquitos away. At the very least, it will keep vampires away.   0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Twin Posted : 7/21/2006 7:13:02 PM Here are my 2 cents...   My dog is quite the picky eater also. He will act like he is not hungry at all when I put down his food. He will sniff at it and walk away. Can get rather frustrating because my dog before him (Labrador Retriever) would eat anything at anytime of the day no matter what! That is what I am used to, so this new picky pup is rather different than what I am used to. My suggestion would be to go get a variety of samples of high quality brands...Innova, California Natural, Chicken Soup, Canidae, Solid Gold, Natural Balance, etc. and do a taste test with your dog. Put a little bit of each food on a separate (identical) plate. I used paper plates because they were the easiest. Then see which food your dog goes for first, doing this test many times. Whichever one she chooses most, go get that food and stick with it...do not change it if she starts to leave it also, this will only show her that if she does not eat you will go get something different. You need to be the one in charge.   I also mix a little bit of the matching canned food in with my pups breakfast, not too much, just enough to cover the dry and give it a strong smell. I do not mix canned in with dinner, because I want to make sure he does not get addicted to eating JUST canned. Then, like others have mentioned, put out breakfast and dinner for 15-20 minutes, then pick it up. Do not ad this amount to the next meal either, just start over. I also noticed that the farther apart you space the meals, the more hungry he gets. So feed her early in the morning and then in the early evening...depending on when you get up. Maybe like 7:30am & 7:30pm. In addition, I do not give too many treats throughout the day.   I hope this helps! I am going through the same thing...[&:] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login