Fussy eater feeding advice?

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goatbabies

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Hi everyone, have just joined, this is my first post :)

I have a two year old border collie who is quite a fussy eater. I stopped giving her wet food as it runs right through her, so she just decided that she wasn't going to eat the dry food on it's own. She currently gets WAGG. I have tried mixing things through it (gravy, mushy peas) and she will eat it like that for a while then gets bored and goes back to not eating it.

If I change the dry food she will again eat it until she gets bored. She obviously just wants wet food but it's no good for her! She also waits to see if she is going to get any table scraps (which she doesn't) then goes in a huff about it and won't eat her own dinner.

She is very active, comes to the yard with me for a full day of roaming and gets plenty hillwalks etc, so it's not as if she isn't hungry or doesn't need the food!

Is it OK to chop and change brands of dry food whenever she gets bored of it? This really isn't a habit I want to get her in to, but in two years I've still not found a food she will happily just eat.

There is nothing medically wrong with her, it's just sheer fussiness.

Any advice?
 
personally, i would put in a small amount of wet food- it makes my boys ill too. I dont give the recomended amount, they get a third of a pack of nature diet in the morning and evening as a tasty addition to thier bowl. i think the reccomended s something rediculous like 3 packs! obviously if thats the only food source they would need that much but mine couldnt cope with a pack a day.
Also how long do you leave her bowl down for?
I have the neighbours dog stay with me when shes away, and it started as a fussy eater. i would put her bowl in front of her, and she would get 4 mins to eat it. after that i took it away and she would get nothing until dinner- and another 4 mind to eat it. They will only choose to go hungry for a day or so before they get the message. Hope any of that is helpful:)
Plus i know colliuies are a nightmare! I had one who would lick clean peas and tablets, they would be left soptless of food in the bottom of a spotless bowl lol :rolleyes:
 
I've been through very similar with mny dog, he is 1.5 years old, runny tummy with wet food, extremely picky with dry.

He ended up in puppy hospital in the end as he wasnt eating properly and was allergy tested allergic to beef, lamb and cows milk.

He now eats tinned chappie and is thriving on it, I wish I had discovered it for him sooner but we got there in the end. It has none of the things in dogs are often allergic to and they use it alot at rescue centres.

He has not had a runny tummy since!!

Wondered if it may help your dog.
 
Wagg isn't the best food in the world. Try something like Skinners Field and Trial or Wainwrights from Pets at Home, they have wet and dry ranges.
Agree Chappie tins are good for sensitive tums.

Offer and remove after ten minutes, if she doesn't eat, offer again next mealtime, dogs rarely starve themselves.
 
Tons of food threads on here but basic rule of thumb seems to be avoid supermarket food and check ingredients. Wagg contains BHA/BHT, potential carcinogens and is pretty much one of the worst quality foods you can buy. Horrible stuff. :(

To encourage her to eat, once you've chosen the main food, drizzle on some salmon oil or add tinned mackerel/raw egg on top.

Talk to Neversaynever on here, she has lots of collies!
 
Thanks for all your help!

I usually give her half an hour to eat it then take it away, but will try cutting it down to ten minutes. I always knew to avoid Bakers, didn't realise WAGG was a bad one too, will get something different next time - thanks for that tip!

Are there any wet foods to avoid? I bought a Webbox thing for something different, I'll mix the smallest amount of wet food through as I can!
 
Raw eggs are fine and great for firming them up bowel wise, I feed them whole, shells and all. Like CT says, fish/fish oil is good too, or natural yoghurt.

The Webbox stuff is OK but IMO it has no nutritional value whatsoever so grand if it is just a timewaster/topper/Kong filling etc.
 
It totally depends on what you are willing to pay/prepare but alot of fussy eaters do better on homemade cooked or raw BARF type diets. If her stomach is not agreeing with certain premade foods sounds like she has an intolerance to one of the ingredients if it happens each time. Alot of dogs have reactions to wheat. If you still want to feed dry food BURNS is a good dry food. Find one that is mainly meat/rice and higher protein content from meat not meat deretives or other dodgy protein sources that they dont list well.

In the wild canines tend to eat every 2-5 days, its recommend to give a dog one fast day and if you feel bad doing this to give them a knuckle bone on that day.

Also for fussy eaters put the food down once a day, dont leave it out or feed in two meals. Take it up, the next day put it down at the same time. etc


Of course before doing any of the above outrule any medical reasons a dog would be off its food. But yours does sound like a fussy eater and not due to medical reasons from what you say.

I also find putting small amounts of coconut oil( or any good oil) or ACV onto biscuits helps them to clean up.
 
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