FEEDING PROBLEMS

[louise]

Hello all,

I'm having problems with my 3 month old boy and wonder what anyone else is giving their setter?

All responses appreciated,

Marie

[Bryan Eagle]

Hi,

 

hopefully nothing too serious, if he is hungry he will eat - and is only a baby really.

 

we had Phil when he was about 3 months - before, he'd been fed on pub snacks, peanuts, beer, prepacked dog "meat" and had had several dry food changes of diet. We found that his being fickle was partly the problem, as was a mild dose of parvo virus, associating food with attention and not having routine. Regular worming worked well too.

Now he only gets Autarky dog food (dried pellets) twice each day, mixed with water. If he is lucky we'll add a treat such as a little gravy or cooked chicken skin. We feed him with his bowl on a chair - he had a smaller stool before then. This is  to stop him getting full of air when he eats.

In the day the only extras he'll get are carrots, apples and any spare veg from my allotment. Definitely no packaged stuff like shapes, chocolate, hide chews (a definite no!).

 

all the best with your pup

 

Bryan

 

 

[eva ciechonska]

Totally agree Tracy......if a dog is fed in an elevated position he is bound to gulp air down with his food.  I could never understand why the original advice was to feed like that.  I have always fed my dogs with their bowls on the floor.

Marie, many puppies start to go off their food at about this age.  It could be because they are beginning to teeth, it could be lack of competition or that they are just bored with what you give them.  We have all been through it at one time.  I have discussed various ploys with friends.  One strategy we have all tried with some success is to turn the food out of the bowl and on to the floor.  I have certainly found it to work.  You might try putting a handful of his food down.  If he eats that then chuck another handful, maybe in a slightly different place.  It can become a big game.  It might not work on Oscar but it is worth a try.  It is very frustrating having a picky eater but most pups grow out of this with time.

Have you tried pasta, spaghetti bolognese, any human food.  Forget about dog food for the time being and see.

You are not alone, believe me.......I wish you luck.

[Angela Roberts]

I spent all last summer throwing food around out of doors in an attempt to get my youngster eating but she was very bad.  I eventually spoon fed her twice a day with raw minced chicken and gave her chicken wings about every other day as she even refused them if she was offered them daily.  She was very lean but the weight went on very quickly.  I still spoon feed her breakfast but she will eat a big meal at around 6pm on her own.  She is nearly two now and I know from others I have had in the past that she will eventually start to eat properly but you just have to be patient.  Would an Irish starve itself to death?  I believe they would come very close.  Oh and food and water bowls are always on the floor here. 

[Sue and Cash]

Yes like the others mine eats with his bowl on the floor as well.  Cash is a very picky eater.  Often he won't eat his food until he insists on a small piece of his chicken treat.  It's like he has to get himself going first.  I only give him small amounts since he will leave it if I give him more.  He seems to like to eat three meals a day rather than two, but smaller portions.  I am at the point that if he asks nicely, he gets food.  He lets me know, boy does he let me know.  He won't give up if he is hungry.  I have gone crazy trying to get him to eat enough food.  We switch around between about five kinds of canned meats to add to his dry diet to keep him interested.  It must be a setter thing, or else they are the smartest dogs in the world (no doubt) and know how to play this game with us very well so that they get the best of the best from us.

 

[Nardi Rowe]

My late partner was a brilliant vet and breeder of Irish for over 40 years.  When I bred a bitch who wouldn't eat no matter what I bought/prepared/cooked for her told me not to worry as she would not starve herself to death. He told me by the time she was 2 years I'd need to be dieting her as she would have come right by then.   These words were absolutely true as this is exactly what came to pass despite my over anxiousness and efforts to prepare meals that she would eat.  He said there were some lines that were like this and they would eventually grow out of it .  Main thing was not to overly worry about it if they are healthy (albeit thin) with loads of energy.. Hope this is of help.

[louise]

Hello you beautiful people,

I've been slowly trialling the different suggestions I've received - I'm really grateful for the response,

so thankyou to all,

cheerio, Marie

  

[Sandra wilson]

My Holly is very fussy feeder I found a company in England that grinds up human quality food with the bones in chicken turkey beef lamb it has salmon oils veg and supplements so you no everything that is needed is in there it is supposed to be fed raw bot we make it into burgers and she now eats well . We also found that she likes her food wam. Ails just slightly warm her bones and she loves them .

[louise]

Hi Sandra,

Yeah it's a good idea, the closest I found is a cooked roll in the supermarket chicken mince with rice and veggies.