Advice needed please!

[DaisyDuke]

Hi,
I'm a tiny bit worried about my dog, he's quite lean and everyone seems to comment on it but he's just SO active!
He runs around solidly from 7.30am - 8/8.30pm! and he wont eat his dinner! Sometimes he'll have a pick at it and leave some. Im trying to feed him twice a day but he's just not interested! Ive tried putting other things on the food to make it more tasty but he isnt really interested in that either!
Thanks for getting this far, any advice greatly appreciated.
p.s Dont think its the food as have tried several brands now and still the same! Thanks

 

[CAYLA]

My mam has little terrier like this

he is so active and eats very little........is he an only dog....they tend to be far more parkey...no competittion....less need to empty the bowl......does he get any treats/human food?

I wouldnt worry to much as long as he is happy and active...you could always castrate him....this may help in the weight department.

Do u remove the food bowl....or leave it down.

 

[kibob]

Is he always off his food or just occasionally? The reason I ask is that I have known a few "entire" dogs (I'm assuming yours is not castrated) go off their food at regular intervals when their mind is on other things.

 

[DaisyDuke]

Hi
He is castrated and it is all the time he seems to be off his food??
I may speak to the vets again or try yet another type of dog food!
Maybe im just letting him be too picky??!

 

[DaisyDuke]

I used to take the food bowl away but when he started looking lean again I started leaving it down!
Think I may be shooting myself in the foot!!

 

[CAYLA]

I would remove bowl......he is more likely to pay fresh interest in it....if you place it back down later..........than leaving it down all the time.

Try feeding him a small amount at a time.....rather than a full meal....then remove the bowl and offer the rest a little later.

I look after other peoples dogs and the ones that are in homes as an only pet are very fussy to eat....until they get used to being fed around the other dogs.....and they wolf it down

as they would rather eat it themselves, hungry or not ........than let the others have it.

If he is an only dog.....he has no competittion.....and his food is there when ever he feels like it.

If you do...........Try not to offer him human food/to many treats.....this way he wont rely on the extra food....and may be more inclined to eat his own.

He is obviousley getting enough food to sustain his energy use.....so I wouldnt worry to much......terriers are very active at the best of times.....as long as he is bright in himself.

 

[CAYLA]

My mams terrier is the double of the little terrier in your pic.....and like I said he is very lean.......and super active, he is also castrated.

I think we as dog ownwers tend to over feed.....cos we think of ourselves being hungry....or dog still looks hungry.....or wants some of what we are eating

When I say to My OH" how do our dogs have so much energy on such a small meal"( I never overfeed mine and only give one meal a day) My OH always says.......in the wild they would go days without food.....and survive on very small amounts if unsuccesfull in there kill......there bodies are built to function this way

I always laugh at him.......but maybe he has apoint LOL

Your little doggi obviously is not greedy.....and eats what he feel he needs.......wish we humans had such self control( well Me aleast) LOL

 

[GinaB]

If it were mine, actually I have done this with mine, if they haven't it finished by a certain time just take the food away and don't give them it back again til the next day. (I'm assuming you feed int he evening) they soon leanr to eat it all up before the bowl dissappears. Sounds harsh, I know but when you have tried all kinds of foods etc you really do just reach the end of you tether!

 

[suzysparkle]

One of my Huskies did this for a while a few years ago. Bottom line is, a Dog won't starve itself. Choose one good quality food and stick with it, don't chop and change and don't feed titbits. Put the food down at the same time (or as close too as you can) every day and leave it for a few mins then, if it has not been eaten take it away and don't put it back till the next day at the same time.

I know it's hard. We really worried about ours as he was running in harness and sometimes went 4 days without eating. We just made sure that we were feeding good food and he was always OK (We use Royal Canin 4300). He grew out of it after a year! It's actually quite common in our chosen breed.

 

[CAYLA]

Know what u mean re-husky thing.......my mams is aparky little sod......and basically as you said its best to let them go without.....rather than offer human/or different types of dog food.......as long as bright inself.....it is suprising how long they can go without food.

I think alot of owners tend to worry......and try to feed human food or a variety of food.......making it very difficult to get it back on a normal diet......once the dog has had the offer of the more delicious food

I look after a shepherd for a lady.......she feeds him best mince and liver......he is over weight in my opinion not hers lol

She says she feeds him this cos he dosnt like the dog meat (suprise suprise)

after 2 days at mine and not sniff of any mince meat.....he eats dog food

 

[DaisyDuke]

Thanks for all your advice!

Im going to try the taking away the bowl thing and think it could work or if that doesnt work i'll feed him with my dad's dog and then he'll definately eat it!!

I think im too soft on him some times

and he knows that he can get away with it and wait for our leftovers!!

Right.... NO MORE TITBITS!!

Im going to be strong!!

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[CAYLA]

LOL good luck

 

[fruity]

I know what you need to feed as i have a JR terrier just like that,pure tripe! Any dog goes mad for it and i bet you he'll eat up every bit of it! It promotes weight and condition.It's a natural food for them to and they thrive on it,it's goey stuff though and it stinks to high heaven.