Furry friend help...

My hubby and I took in a 4 year old Boston Terrier. We got her yesterday afternoon and she has yet to eat a bite! I know she's trying to get used to her new home, so I'm wondering if that's the problem. She seems to have settled in just find.. sleeps where ever she decides, and she's very loveable.

Windy's previous owner fed her a lot of table scraps, and my hubby and I don't want to get started doing that. She's overweight, and we want to get her weight down a bit.

ANY advice is welcome!

Are you trying to feed her dry food or canned? When my dog gets stressed he wont eat dry food. He will never turn down canned food.

My experience has been that quick, complete change is bad. Feed some of the old diet (scraps) with some of the new mixed in. Slowly increase the new and decrease the old. If you are feeding a good quality, complete dry food. Your friend will eventually thrive on it. I do this if I change brand or formulation on the dry food. Certainly helps to convert them over to the new.

When I got Puka from the pet store, they said she coudl get stressed and might nto want to eat. They said try to feed her anything and mentioned chicken nuggets.

My guess is she is stressed, and especially if she is overweight, she can probably go a while without eating.

As far as a diet for trimming her down goes, try getting a good canned food and mix just a little with a lot of warm water to make a soup for meals. She'll get nutrition and will feel full. The soup diet and little walks mornign and night will trim her down in a few weeks.

My mom and I took in a Min Pin rescue that was severely overweight. She looked like a seal pup and her little tail was not visible at all (when she wagged it, you could see movement under her back skin!). She was 8 pounds when we got her and she has trimmed down to a healthy 4.5 pounds (yes, she is a runty Min-Pin).

The previous owner always left out Kibbles & Bits. I started out trying to mix it with Purina, but she wouldn't eat any of it, so we've been trying just the Kibbles. Maybe I'll try canned food if she doesn't eat anything this evening.

Her nose is dry, too.. what's that an indication of?

She really seems to like taking walks, so I don't think that's going to be a problem.

Sudden changes in dog food isn't necessarily bad...just means dogs with more sensitive tummies may have irregular bowels for a couple days. I can completely switch the type of meat my dog eats (say, from chicken to venison to duck to rabbit) and her tummy doesn't miss a beat.

That could be stress also. Just keep an eye on her in case she does show signs of something serious...lethargy, vomiting, coughing up foam. I would say diarrhea too, but that could be the change in dog food

Thanks, y'all!

No sooner than I typed that, I mixed part of a treat that the previous owner sent with her up with some of her food, and she ate. Go figure!

I'll keep an eye on her nose.

One of the dogs my sister adopted didn't eat for three days due to stress. After that she was jsut fine. Is she drinking anything?

The nose could be a sign of dehydration. I had a dog once that wouldn't drink water when she was stressed unless it was really cold (it's funny the things you figure out ).

The 'new home, not eating' thing is pretty common. The adoption groups I work with always tell people it'll probably happen, especially with smaller dogs.

They often recommend mixing a little of the wet food with the dry. Try to keep dry food in the diet because it's better for their teeth than canned food.

When we got our two rescue pugs, it was hard to get the female to eat (no problems with the male). We started with the same food the previous owner was using (have since switched a few times) but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. Finally, the way I got her to eat was by hand feeding her. I kept moving closer to the bowl, then finally was able to just sit beside the bowl while she ate and eventually didn't even have to be in the room.

People thought I was nuts to do this, but I could only stand her not eating for so long--my "mommy" side couldn't handle it!

That is, assuming your dog actually chews its food. How many of us have dogs that just wolf their food down without chewing? Even my toy breed swallows larger kibble.

Dry food can actually be hard on dogs' digestive systems because it is hard and dry. If you do feed dry food, it is beneficial to your dog's tummy to mix it with just a little hot water and let it sit a few moments to let it soften a tad. That will help it digest better.

Well, according to what I have learned through the dog food company that I work for, as well as through several vets I have asked over the years, I do not believe that to be correct, Dip.

What I want to know is what does Ireland think of this new baby?

Just because a company makes dog food, doesn't make them "all-knowing." And I know there are lots of cooky vets out there too...

From experience, I used to feed Puka just dry. There were times when I would feed her in the morning, then take her to the beach that afternoon, and she would get so excited she would puke, and the kibble would be fully intact and indigested. Proof that they can have a harder time digesting and moving dry kibble along when they don't chew it.

I'd look at the wheat content also. Anything with wheat in it will make my dogs yucky sick!

My dogs eat dry food (IAMS) and sometimes they will just inhale it. It almost always comes back up unless they take their time to chew it up.

Maybe the newbie has a sensitive tummy???

Dip, I never said anyone was 'all-knowing'.
I just said I believe them over you.

Difference of opinion, and difference of personal experience.

I have to agree with MadisonCali. I adopted my miniature schnauzer when she was 5 years old. To that point she had been fed Gravy Train which is dry food mixed with water. She was only eating soft food. I switched her to dry food but the damage had already been done. Her teeth were horrible! The vet was pretty sure it was caused by her only having soft food her whole life.

Everyone has different experiences with their pets. My husband used to feed our sheltie canned food only. After the loss of our collie and we switched him to dry food it did take awhile before he ate it.

He is also a free-feeder and the dogs have dry food out all of the time AND they get a Meal Bone at dinner time. This is in direct contrast to my sister who only feeds her dogs once a day with dry food. They scarf it up quickly and they are also very health. I wish we did that - but I'm working on it. I will say, however, that the meal bones are making their teeth look better.

All 3 of the vets I have ever used with my animals over the years have said that both cats and dogs need to eat primarily dry food for their dental health and that if you're feeding ANY soft food, you MUST brush their teeth daily. I have a 16 year old cat with zero dental problems to show for the dry food wisdom - hooray!

Also, switching an animal's diet around isn't a good idea, according to my vets; animals aren't like people, who crave variety. They do best on a very consistent diet and when you may have to introduce new food due to health problems as the animal ages or develops health problems, it's best to do it very gradually over the course of at least 2 weeks, I've always been told. Switching out a pet's diet frequently simply to offer "variety" or because you the owner simply want to try something new causes digestive and behavioral problems and has no real value, according to those trusted vets I've had. I figure they know way more than I do, cuz after all, they've attended vet med school!

As for the not eating thing, pretty much every new animal I've ever brought home has gone through that for a few days, and yes it's awful for the animal's people! But it is, thankfully, very temporary; they will eat when they get hungry enough and get to feeling comfortable enough. Hang in there, and congratulations on your new family member!

It's been my experience from the vets I know and working at the animal shelter, that a mixture of wet and dry food is a good idea. Dry food for the teeth and some (not a lot) wet food to increase hydration (which could be causing the dry nose in your new pet). Some animals just don't drink water like they should.

1. Get her off table scraps right away, and put her on a good food. I recommend California Natural, but the top end Nutro is very good too. I know that bag of food looks a lot more expensive than the cheaper dog foods, but honestly, you save money feeding it. The dog will eat less, because the food is more nutrients, less filler, and you'll save on vet bills too. Another important hint is to not just put the food down and leave it there. Instead, when you eat, put the proper amount of food for her size based on the food you are feeding her, in a bowl when you eat. It's a pack thing, we might not understand, but if a dog sees it's time for you to eat, most will recognize that when you, their pack leader, are done eating, you will provide for them.

2. Don't worry about her not eating for a few days after you got her. Dogs will do that. You may try hand feeding her kibble as "treats" and see if she'll take it.

3. Take her for daily walks if at all possible for a while. Make sure that you lead her, and don't let her lead you. (stay in front of, or at worst, beside her while you walk) Not only will this reinforce that you are the leader, and help you to keep a submissive, balanced dog in your life, it sounds like she could use the exercise!

That is a very old school concept based on dogs being fed foods of lower quality, rather than premium foods that have advanced with time. It's not the protein or the grain that is a problem for dogs to adjust to new foods. It's the fillers and junk in poor foods. Working with a rescue, we take whatever food we can get for our fosters, and our vet actually recommends that you change the brand of the food you feed your dog every 3-4 months. He recommends a cycle of four different premium brands, each with different protein and grain bases to best fit a pet's needs. The exception is there for dogs that have allergy issues, or who have sensitive stomachs. There has been a lot of research, and it has been found that yes, if you feed your dog the same thing all the time and quickly switch them, they can get the runs, but there's no harm. On the other hand, if you cycle the foods, and use good quality foods, they get better nutrition from the cycling than simply staying on one food, and have fewer health problems long term.

Thanks for all the advice! Windy is doing wonderfully, and her nose is starting to get wetter. We haven't decided what kind of dog food to switch her to, but we may do that this weekend. She's eating good, drinking plenty, and we're getting her some much needed exercise. I think hubby, doggy, and I will all be very happy together.


When I needed furry friend advice, BOL was the first place I knew to come.

So glad to hear she's settling in!

THANK YOU!!!

Finally, someone who understands and believes the new school of dog nutrition! Too many people are caught up in the old school thought of hwo to feed dogs, including owners, vets, and dog food manufacturers.

As BF mentions, not all dogs are hardy enough to follow the "new" recommended diet, but the average healthy dog is.

I don't often switch Puka's dry food (dinner) but I switch the protein source of her raw food every bag (breakfast). Last bag was vension and the bag before that was chicken. The bag I have now is duck and I think I will go with rabbit the next bag. I also alternate each bag between two brands I like: Nature's Variety which is 90% meat and Primal which is much less meat and more veggie but is human grade (no sick or diseased animals or by products).

Puka is very healthy--no skin problems, no weird behaviors, never gets sick. I also don't vaccinate her beyond her initial series of puppy shots and one rabies shot I got her. The only time I've had to take her to the vet the past 5 years, aside from her knee surgery and getting spayed, was because she threw out her neck playing with a toy and got all stiff (gave her a cortizone shot).

You can buy bagged raw food?

Yup! It comes frozen in medallions, patties, and chubs. Puka is so small, I can get away with a 3 pound bag of frozen medallions and it lasts about a month. I put a few day's worth in the fridge so they can thaw. Then she gets 2 medallions for breakfast mixed with just a little hot water to take away the chill.

Here's the link to Nature's Variety. It even has info on what they call the rotation diet (changing the source of protein).

http://www.naturesvariety.com/



And here's Primal: http://www.primalpetfoods.com/

Dip, just because you believe in this type of nutrition doesn't make those of us who don't (including VETERANARIANS, WHO GO TO SCHOOL FOR YEARS YEARS YEARS to learn about this type of thing) wrong.

While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I do not appreciate you calling us 'old school' and saying that we don't understand.

We are not unresearched, I can assure you, and we understand pet nutrition quite well.

Thanks, I'll check those out later (from home). Every 'raw' diet plan I've ever seen required me to get real friendly with my butcher and spend more time on the dogs' food than my own. Not gonna happen. If I can buy better food already prepared though - I might give it a shot.

I already use a high-end dry food with chunks of real veggies/fruit and no corn or wheat. Supplementing that with soemthing like this would work quite well, I think.

If you have a Chuck & Don's Pet Food Outlet near your home, they have a good selection of raw food that you can buy frozen/bagged.

I have bought a bag now and then and used pieces of the thawed meat for training...

Madison, I'm sure Dip didn't mean to insult you or others who adhere to what has been the primarily accepted mode of pet nutrition.

My vet espoused the same as your's until my last visit. Then she said that she's changing her mind and believes that dogs (and cats too) would benefit from a more well-rounded diet including both wet and dry food. She even went so far as to say there's a belief that dry food was readily accepted by vets and owners because it's so much easier to feed.

Bottom line, I no longer have to feel quilty about giving my dogs scraps in their dinner.

Thanks MC, but we have *nothing* near our home. Seriously, the closest major city is over an hour away, and they aren't much larger/more retail-diversified than us.

In the same vein - do either of you know anything at all about the Natural Balance food rolls? They are basically giant meat sausages that you keep in the fridge and slice off and appropriate amount of per feeding. I can get those by mail-order (they ship them overnight in cold packs) and have considered them as one of my girls is getting older and I'd like to supplement her with some meat.

Natural Balance is pretty good stuff.
In my neck of the woods, they only carry it at Chuck & Don's and Petco, and I haven't noticed many people using for anything other than treats (cutting off pieces).

I kind of think of the rolls as somewhere between wet and dry, but the ingredients are pretty much the same (i.e. protein is the first ingredient and then there's a whole lot of other 'stuff' like in regular dry food and most canned foods (at least the good ones )

Haven't looked into them that much, thought, other than reading the ingredient panels...

I know. I'm being overly sensitive.
Sometimes her posts rub me the wrong way. I usually ignore them, but on this subject in particular I feel pretty strong about my knowledge, so I guess I spouted a bit.

I also agree with the wet and dry mix for dogs that can handle it; my point that started this whole thing was to try to keep some dry food in the diet because it's better for their teeth.
On that point, I will not back down. I will take advice from professionals (or 'kooky vets' as some people call them) on that, continue to use dry food and brush my dog's teeth once a week.
It's worked for me in the past, and it's working for me now.

And I would do table scraps once in a while, too, but my husband is COMPLETELY opposed. Freaks out if I try to sneak one.
One of his pet peeves in life is a dog begging for food, and since he puts up with my constant need to have multiple dogs and allow them on the furniture, I will give him that one thing.

Becca, there are some raw food mixes that come freeze-dried that you may be able to mail order also. The ones I've seen (can't remember the name) are like a flakey/course powder you mix with water. Seems easy enough and then you don't need room in your freezer. Some come fully balanced with meat already dried in them, and others come just with everythgin btu the meat, which you pick and add fresh yourself.

Not really table scraps in that it's mixed in with their dinner and they get fed before we eat. They must lay on their pillows while we eat or suffer the consequences. Poor spoiled babies.

Well, my girls already both get more table scraps than they probably should (not just meat) - as well as any raw trimmings left after I prepare the meat. I'm a big believer in "well-rounded" diets so they're both allowed whatever veggies/fruits/etc. they want. The heeler mix will actually steal apples off the cutting board if I don't watch her - she loves them!

We had a Springer Spaniel that would eat plums as high as he could reach on the bush - seed and all. He'd also eat very ripe tomatoes - if I noticed one was ready to pick, I'd have to go ahead and pick it or it would be gone when I got home. Guess we both liked them at the very ripe stage.