Purina Beneful?

    • Gold Top Dog
     of dog do you have?  If it is a large breed (over 50lbs at maturity) then it needs to be on a large breed puppy diet.  Also a puppy should not be away from it's mother until 8 weeks.

     
    Er...I;d like to clear up this (common) misconception.  By 4-5 weeks, mum is done with puppies.  She's had it with them and they are weaned.  The next e-4 weeks (longer with toy breeds) are crucial for pups to spend with the litter, as that's when they are learning proper manners and the bite inhibition.
     
    You definitely got your puppy too young, which I wouldn't doubt is the partial cause of the eating troubles.  If it is available anywhere, perhaps try some Natural Balance meal rolls.  They come packaged like ground beef in packaged tubes.  Good stuff, lots of dogs love it, and the ingredients are great ^_^
    • Gold Top Dog
    yes i know i got my dog too young but that is the age that the owner let them go
    she wasnt a breeder just a farm lady that has a female with 10 pups
    so whoever pays for a pup first gets it
    shes an excellent puppy and this is her only issue
    she does love the rolled form of dog food so ill look out for the better stuff
    ty =)

    btw she is a catahoula leopard dog X blue heeler
    • Gold Top Dog
    I have had English Setter, irish Setter and Golden retriever puppies and none were ever picky eaters as puppies and for the most part not even as grown dogs.  My son has had two lab mixes and neither were picky eaters.  But i do know some dogs are and for some reason, and this is probably just conincidence, all that I have know (friends dogs) were smaller dogs. I don't know if it is true or not, but I have read and heard many times that by chaning their food often, you make them into a picky eater. 
     
    This is a little different, but my boys ate what was put on the table or went hungry and there is very little they won't eat.  The older one does not like Brussel Sprouts, the younger does not like beets.  The older son has made his kids eat what was put on the table or go hungry, and they eat like he does.  The youngest, however, has catered to his little girl and if she didn't like what they fixed for her, she would fix something else...or they would run up and get her chicken nuggets at McDonalds.  At 3 it is a nightmare to feed her because of them getting her what she wants (and I fear she is not heating healthy at all)
     
    I am not saying this applies to dogs, but I think it could in some cases, not all, but some.  Dogs are pretty snart and they will figure, as a child will, that if they don't eat what is given to them, they will get something else.
     
    On the other hand, I would NEVER make my boys eat something that didn't agree with them or that they truly did not like.  I always did sprouts and Harvard beets at about every other night (I liked them both) along with a "everyone likes" corn, green beans, peas, etc.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Now, let me sidle over the fence, totally confuse everyone and allow me the chance to agree, in a fashion, with Edie. For what you pay, you can find a food that is more appropriate. Most of us here feel that a formula should have meat or meat meal as, preferrably, the first ingredient. According to Mordanna's principle, the first ingredients upto and including the first or only fat comprise the bulk of the food. Anything after is in trace or supplemental amounts. IMHO, a low or no animal protein should be saved for dogs with meat allergies or kidney issues. That is, I think dogs are omnivores and should have meat along with the vegetables or grains. The downfall of by-product is that the levels of protein may vary as opposed to a meat meal, which is consistent. For example, fur, fingernails, and hair are made of protein but in a form that is not digestible to humans or dogs. Nor is that necessarily the by-product used in dog food. Organs are also considered to be by-product since they are not the first cuts of meat people buy. Wild canids eat by-product all the time.
     
    So, it is not a sin to try something you might think is better but be prepared to go back to what was working, at least for a while.
    • Gold Top Dog
    feed her meat,bones,veggies,chop,rolled oats,rollover and berries

     
    if you're feeding her all this good stuff, why do you want to feed her kibble? and why on earth would she want to eat kibble if you'll feed her real food? 
    Why don't you look into how to prepare nutritionally balanced meals and just continue feeding her this way?
     
     
     
    • Gold Top Dog
     [linkhttp://www.holisticblend.com/]Holistic Blend[/link] is another Canadian food that I have heard people like.
    • Gold Top Dog
    ive always fed my dogs that way but i was told it wasnt balanced
    so i figured if i gave her dog food too it would balance everything

    we have never fed our farm dogs dog food with exception of this puppy.....they eat what we eat
    i know its definatly not balanced but we have never have any sick or malformed dogs and they have all lived to be over 14 years
    maybe because it is a farm and our dogs can go eat what they need more of
    they will hunt for gophers and mice if they need more meat etc

    but i will continue to feed her that way with some kibble to hopefully give her all the nutrience she needs
    =)