Feed time behaviour modification help pls

[PucciNPoni]

Hello HHO AADers

A little help please for a client? Older (9yo) Cavvie that is rather ermmmm....fat but has always been rather spoilt. I'd noticed that the dog's skin was dry and I suggested that she add something to the food, but the woman then revealed that the dog must be hand fed (UH?) or it won't eat. <Okay, I reckon you're feeding it a little too much love, for starters - but by HAND???>

I suggested that she put down food 2x a day (morning and eve) and if she doesn't eat within thirty minutes, remove it and put it down again the next time. I told her not to add anything to tempt her to eat, just her food, dry as it is. I promised her that her dog would NOT starve herself, but would get the idea eventually that food bowl down means time to eat, and if she doesn't eat, nothing comes by hand.

Am I mean for suggesting this? Any better suggestions? Then once she learns to eat on her own, I can make some dietary recommendations.

 

[Maesfen]

FWIW I agree with you. What an utterly stupid owner, poor dog.

 

[Booboos]

Totally agree with you. I would be even meaner. If it's an adult dog, I would only give one feed a day, down for 10 minutes then removed if the dog does not eat it.

 

[Bug2007]

Totally agree, i would do one feed a day too.

 

[jsr]

Tell her to put a bowl of raw meat down. Never seen a normal dog turn it's nose up and that and yet to meet a raw fed dog thats overweight, bad skin or has bad teeth either.

 

[PucciNPoni]

phew, was beginning to wonder if I was telling her something horrible. To be honest, I think it's not necessarily her fault - the dog belonged to someone else and she's inherited it - but being a novice (only had the dog for about a year now) she just doesn't know any better. I am also going to suggest she gets the dog's thyroid checked as the coat and weight are suspiciously thyroidy

 

[lexiedhb]

Tell her to put a bowl of raw meat down. Never seen a normal dog turn it's nose up and that and yet to meet a raw fed dog thats overweight, bad skin or has bad teeth either.

Now ya see- this is what i thought, until I offered Dex a lump of raw chicken, which he licked, took, spat out, and left- and this dog will eat ANYTHING- so much for my plan to get him on to raw!

 

[MurphysMinder]

Absolutely the right advice. As you say the dog won't starve itself, and sounds like missing a meal or two wouldn't do her any harm anyway.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Christ, is the dog called Tricky woo?

 

[Scranny_Ann]

Defo the right advice! Sounds like an edition of 'It's me or the Dog'

I would only leave food down for 10 mins at a time and only once a day.

 

[jsr]

Now ya see- this is what i thought, until I offered Dex a lump of raw chicken, which he licked, took, spat out, and left- and this dog will eat ANYTHING- so much for my plan to get him on to raw!

Must admit all of mine were hesitant about the chicken, I started mine off with minced meat (Anglian Meat Products do bags of minced meat, great for starting off with), and then worked up to chicken wings etc. Mine all polish off anything now without a thought, except Liver..never got one of them to eat that yet..can't say I blame them!!!

 

[lexiedhb]

I did think that maybe it was because it does not really smell of anything.

 

[soloabe]

I did think that maybe it was because it does not really smell of anything.

Its probably because he has only eaten dog food all his life and he has no idea what it is.

It took mine a good week and some time watching the others eat raw to get the idea.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Big dog was swapped late in life and still ignores some raw (pig trotter has been put back in fridge, I despair!) but will eat any chicken and mince, so I echo the mince idea.