Worried about Millie - she's not eating much

[Equus Leather]

Millie is my 1 yr old Italian Spinone. She's not spayed (as we will be breeding from her in a few years), up to date with all injs etc etc. Poo and wee all normal.

For the last 3 weeks probably she's been funny about her food. Nothing has changed regarding her food. She's fed at the same time as our old Spin, who munches away with no problems.

Sometimes she'll eat it all, others she'll hardly touch. Normally she'll eat about half and then walk away and leave the rest.

Not weighed her recently (will get this done this week), OH says she looks athletic, she certainly has lots of energy, but I can feel her spine, which I don't like.

She gets Skinners hypoallergenic duck or salmon and rice biscuits, with half a tin of meat thrown in. Originally she was on the recommended 2 scoups of skinners twice a day, but when she stopped eating so much, we took out a scoup and added the meat in an attempt to get her to eat. She's probably only eating half of what we put down.

Like tonight, OH has fed the dogs and watched them, and she's come back into the living room having not eaten much.

She shows interest in food (and between her and the older Spin they stole some ham off the worktop the other day, which she ate).

She is completely normal behaviour wise, is she just becoming anorexic?

 

[CAYLA]

I would not worry as long as she is not losing weight, she is growing and gangly and yet to fill out properly so she will look very different to your older dog in build.
Dogs are not like humans they do not need to refuel as regular as we do, they can and are designed to go for long periods without eating any thing at all.
I would weight her and keep a close eye on any weight loss not just going by your eye, split her meals into 2 so there is less fod in the bowl, u would be suprised how a dog will clear 2 lots of half full bowls then a huge bowlful at one time, and add a slurp of vegie oil.
If she is active and bright and her weight does not drop don't worry, my lurcher is like this, I never give him a full bowl, he is the only dog that gets his meals split

bit of trickery.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Will she eat really yummy stuff, like cooked chicken or cheese? Oh, yes, she will, saw the ham story!

Some dogs are just really fussy. I always take the bowls away ten minutes after feeding, if they have finished or not.

The bitch can be a bit sniffy, you can mix veg oil or natural yoghurt into the food or crack an egg in it and see if that works. I try not to indulge her too much, and she comes around eventually.
She will leave food more if her exercise is cut, which I appreciate!

 

[Equus Leather]

Thank you for replying

I shall get her weighed on Monday and then I can keep a proper eye on it.

She is as active and mad as ever, so not too worried.

Though she is producing some rather rank farts tonight!

 

[Bossdog]

My mother in law has a reallly fussy collie, he gets bored of any food if fed it long enough, she is constantly trying to find ways to entice him to eat but makes way too much fuss about it, they will eat if they're hungry!

 

[Dizzykizzy]

We have 2 GWPs, the pup (18months) will eat anything, anytime, her Mum is very like your young dog and always has been. We have found she rarely leaves her food these days (Orijen) but she never gets excited about food like the pup does. We feed twice a day and give them veg and raw eggs mixed in.
I love the Spinone breed, spent some time with my friend and hers today.