Feeding tips?

[Kate Ware]

Hi, does anyone have any tips on food and feeding?

My boy has gone off his food almost completely.. he will sniff it and pick around but he's not interested. He has been wormed and is not unwell at all so I know he just does not like the food.

He is having royal canin maxi junior and tripe (or other meat) I will feel him twice a day, it was three times when he was growing up.

 

When I have given him a tin of processed meat he will wolf it down but the nutritianal value is not good so I don't want to go down that route. Also I want something that'll keep the weight on and his condition... shiny coat, good teeth etc...

 

So, what feeds are good? I'm in England.

Many thanks

Kate

 

 

[John Bell Young - Mike Connolly]

I agree completely with your thoughts here. There's really nothing common about common sense in these matters, after all, and having it is important. It's true, of course, the bottom  line for dog food companies is profit, so one has to take with a grain (no pun intended) of salt what they have to say about their own foods, no matter the hype. Years ago, before the introduction of designer foods and the rest, dogs seemed to live pretty long and productive lives with fairly simple diets. It was interesting to read Paul Loeb's take on the matter, as he is more or less in favor of feeding one's dog healthy human foods (albeit, not directly off the plate or the table, of course!) The way we look at it is this: clearly, there are certain ingredients (such as road kill, feathers, hooves, formaldehyde, etc) which are best to avoid in any food, be it dog or human, if you can. As for grains and glutens, obviously it wouldn't hurt to avoid these either, if you can. (Though reading about the effect of glutens in humans, it seems that avoiding them altogether in a normal diet is not desirable, either =- as grains have other beneficial properties --but is only useful if one has celiac disease, where gluten tends to damage the villii in the stomach, and thus prevent nutrients from entering the blood stream. So, yes, there is a point at which reasonable concern becomes paranoia; after all, though some of these grains  may not be the best for canine or human health, they are not exactly poison, either.

Bostonians have long enjoyed a reputation for laying their own eggs. Oops -- just kidding! Actually, we live in rural Boston, in the countryside, so its easy to find range eggs here, which are a bit more expensive than supermarket brands, but for the peace of mind they bring, I suppose it's worth it.  These days, you can't be too careful, at least in this county. The FDA does not always do the job it is charged with doing. Just the other day, we learned that more than 50 %  - that's right FIFTY percent -- of the cows in this country which are slaughtered and used to make steaks and hamburger, etc, are infected with the dangerous staph bug, MRSA. Why this has not become a major news story I have no idea, no matter that we found the story on CNN's website. .

[Anne Bouman]

Hi kate,,

My boy also think his food isn't interesting enough. But I found out that he is a real fish-lover. So maybe that will work for your dog as well. I buy him tuna & salmon in can (on water bases) to make his dried food a little bit more interesting. In the weekends he's getting some pasta through his dried food. He just don't want to eat the same everyday !!


His coat is still very shiny, he is in great condition and his weight is just fine. So in my opinion it doesn't harm him at all ! Goodluck with finding your solution ! This works for me, maybe this will work for you as well.

Anne

[Dudley Duke of Lancester]

My old fellow eats healthy Orijens all fish kibbles.  That  would be boring & too dry but I chop up canned salmon, chicken or 'doggy bag' meat from my restaurant meals and mix in. Adding something fresh always entices Dudley. Also elevating the bowl facilitates eating. Because Dudley 'wolfs' down his food I bought a bowl with 3 obstacles in the middle so he has to chase food with his nose (eating as play) & tongue, which delights him. Also helps avoids the bloat. My problem is how to keep the tall boy from stealing foodstuffs off my kitchen countertops while I'm away, including a whole loaf of bread!