# Off his food!



## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Barney is reluctant to eat his breakfast but does eat most of it eventually. Sometimes he has a chicken wing at lunch time but now he's not eaten his dinner. He's slightly underweight so I'm supposed to be increasing his good but he's eating less!  

And his brother has been off his food for longer. They both seem quite happy, I think, and have lots of energy.... I don't know if I should try some other food (he's on Nutriment, was on Natural Instinct before he went off that ) or stick with this. Any suggestions please, thank you ☺


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Are you varying the variety? After about 1 year I stopped the premade raw and started doing my own until I found a woman who started her own raw food business who makes it like I did with fresh ingredients - only processing is course grounding up the meats and freezing before shipping. 

The fact that he likes the chicken wings makes me wonder if more fresh foods and variety will work for Barney. Oh and Beemer had the same problem until I started mixing my own and then this latest food we get. I have also recently tried raw goats milk. They love it and seems to help keep his weight on. 


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

Yes, I would add variety to the diet. Everyday they can have a different flavour. We also we cook rice with chicken or lamb once a week and that lasts about 2 or 3 days. 
Still, Peanut hoovers everything but Coconut has to be hand-fed every morning  or he won't eat (unless it is rice/chicken/lamb).
Don't worry, it is totally normal that he goes through this. These poos seem to be very picky with their food.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks Peanut and Lexi&Beemer. He has 2 varieties of the Nutriment, but perhaps he needs more. I have vaguely looked at preparing my own raw food for him but it looks complicated, or at least difficult to ensure he gets enough of all the nutrients he needs.

He'd probably love chicken and rice but I'm wary about mixing raw with cooked food.


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

Personally, I don't think it should be an issue...the bottom line is that he eats and puts on weight. When they are sick, they always recommend boiled rice with chicken (I cook the rice with the chicken inside so that the rice has the taste of the chicken)...
So if that's the cleanest diet when they are sick, I don't think it would be a problem...but hey, I am not expert in nutrition!!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Yes, that makes sense to me! Thanks. 

I just came across a range of raw food by Benyfit, who happen to be nearby in Lewes, has anyone heard of this food?


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## Boo Cable (Mar 24, 2015)

I have never heard of Benyfit Lou and I live in Lewes!  Would be interested to hear more about it.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

It comes from here http://sussexbarf.com/, along with other raw foods, though no mention of puppy food on their site. Benyfit itself comes from further away - http://benyfitnatural.co.uk/pages/contact . I cant see anywhere else you can get it but both places deliver.
Barney's not eaten his chicken nutriment this morning so it's gone back in the fridge.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So based on all research I've done (yes focused on that rather than my dissertation) I now feed at least one meal every day a grassfed beef product. And then the other meal alternates between a duck, quail & sardine, and rabbit & pork blend. Their treats are freshly dehydrated anchovies and sardines. One meal a week is white fish and anchovies. And they are now getting some raw goats milk too. What I've read is that the vitamins and minerals from muscle of cows and bison are something that should be included in half their meals. I also get grassfed because of ratio of Omega3 to Omega6 fatty acids are supposed to be better too. 

What you've probably noticed is no chicken in their meal plan. On occasion they get chicken wings or chicken thighs but not as a regular part of their meal. So much of their treats and food in the past and even medications have a chicken based so I avoid it now. And frankly my two prefer other fowl over chicken (and turkey makes Beemer itch). 

If you can't get variety in the meals themselves, try changing up the raw meaty bones. Maybe duck neck, some part of the rabbit, whole quail. And it is doable on your own. Not too hard. Just time consuming. 


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Yikes, thanks Lexi&Beemer! He's only had a chicken wing today so Ive just bought some minced lamb, minced beef and liver to make more liver cakes. Hopefully he'll like the lamb tonight.


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

As you know Lou, Molly and Sid have natures diet which comes in various flavours so I have a few flavours always in and change it from day to day! My vets told me that if they have a fussy day as long as it's not too long not to fuss too much or it will just make them fussy and demand more. He said they're clever and will play you if they know they can!
My trick lately if they have a fussy day is to hide a few highly desired treats in their food and they usually eat most of the food in the attemp to find the treats.
I'm under no allusion that they will wise to it, but I've a few other tricks left up my sleeve!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Oh good idea hiding treats in their food! He's just woolfed down his lamb mince so perhaps he just needs more variety, but I'm not going to keep chopping and changing, though for want to stick to raw for the time being, even though something like natures diet is probably easier to get hold of and to feed. X


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> Oh good idea hiding treats in their food! He's just woolfed down his lamb mince so perhaps he just needs more variety, but I'm not going to keep chopping and changing, though for want to stick to raw for the time being, even though something like natures diet is probably easier to get hold of and to feed. X


Yes definitely they need variety just like we do! I like the natures diet because it's all good stuff. Cooked and easy to serve. No nasty smells in the kitchen and easy to pick up poop! Because it's cooked I can add any left overs, like from today's roast.this helps because I just add any left over veg or gravy to their dinner and they Woolf it down x


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Molly was incredibly fussy when I first got her and also very underweight. We ended up on Natures Harvest (one of the wet foods) but when she started to get fussy with that I opted for tough love. If she did not eat a meal I lifted it after a relatively short time (10-15 minutes) and then made sure she had no biscuits or treats at all until her next meal. 

It improved her eating and she then ate most meals straight away. She is now on home cooked food after being diagnosed with pancreatitis and has been known to have a tantrum demanding she is fed NOW if she thinks her meal is late


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

This was their plate when I did it myself. It's a ground meet of some sort, a bit of green tripe, chicken hearts, beef liver, and beef kidney. 









Here is what I get now. 









Essentially this woman basically did what I did but makes it into a blend and adds a few other ingredients. 

I used to spend a Sunday and prep pretty much a months worth of food (need freezer space) with the ground meats, tripe, hearts/liver/kidneys in separate baggies that were portion sized. Truthfully much more economical doing it myself but I had much more control and could make sure they got a fully balanced meal. 

The problem with a lot of the premades were that they had the same base formula. The other option is to rotate different brands. The formula isn't the same so they get some variety. Though variety in proteins is really what you want. Regardless, great of you for making such an effort for Barney. 


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

2ndhandgal said:


> Molly was incredibly fussy when I first got her and also very underweight. We ended up on Natures Harvest (one of the wet foods) but when she started to get fussy with that I opted for tough love. If she did not eat a meal I lifted it after a relatively short time (10-15 minutes) and then made sure she had no biscuits or treats at all until her next meal.
> 
> 
> 
> It improved her eating and she then ate most meals straight away. She is now on home cooked food after being diagnosed with pancreatitis and has been known to have a tantrum demanding she is fed NOW if she thinks her meal is late



Lol. I'm lucky if they take more than 30 seconds to eat their meal. Sometimes I distract them so they slow down. 


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Lexi&Beemer you're lucky to have someone to do that for you . I get a bit squeamish about skinned rabbits, hearts etc.😷 I just can just about cope with liver though! ☺


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I just checked out the soulyyraw website - what an amazing variety of healthy raw foods! I wonder if there is a UK version? That'd be fab ☺


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

This morning Barney didnt eat his breakfast (salmon nutriment) so I gave him a chicken wing at 11ish then just gave him a lunch of human grade beef mince and liver which he loved. I see now that mince for dogs has bone in it so clearly he needs to have that instead of human mince. 

I've just been making him some liver cakes as he sat at my feet sniffing the air waiting for him to drop bits of liver...

And here they are, in little fairy cake cases!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Ahhhhh is he still on three meals a day? It could be that it is time to drop down to two?

However if he misses a meal and gets home baked liver cakes I predict more fussiness in his future


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## Bundle (Apr 26, 2015)

Hiya, if he had a chicken wing he's had some bone. Your liver buns look good enough to eat! 

Alfie didnt eat his breakfast but has just eaten an egg (good source of calcium in the shell) tuna steaks and a piece of dehydrated liver  xx


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

No, he's on two meals a day; I gave him half a lunch as he hadn't had breakfast and he needs to be putting on weight. The liver cakes are for breaking into treats when walking/recall. that's ok isnt it?!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Liver cake for recall and lead walking is excellent 

Personally I would not give lunch if they had not eaten breakfast but that is just how I would approach it. Adding in extra's if they miss a meal feels too much to me like kids not eating their dinner and having pudding and sweets and purely in my opinion is more likely to encourage them to be fussy in the hope of being offered better.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Bundle said:


> Hiya, if he had a chicken wing he's had some bone. Your liver buns look good enough to eat!
> 
> Alfie didnt eat his breakfast but has just eaten an egg (good source of calcium in the shell) tuna steaks and a piece of dehydrated liver  xx


Tuna steaks?! Lucky Alfie  
I looked at tinned fish with bones, or tried to as I understand that's good for the little fussy monkeys, but its all boneless it seems


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

2ndhandgal said:


> Liver cake for recall and lead walking is excellent
> 
> Personally I would not give lunch if they had not eaten breakfast but that is just how I would approach it. Adding in extra's if they miss a meal feels too much to me like kids not eating their dinner and having pudding and sweets and purely in my opinion is more likely to encourage them to be fussy in the hope of being offered better.


Glad the liver cake is good for treats. I agree re making them fussy by offering different food, but as he is slightly underweight I am concerned that he might not be eating enough.


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## beekeeper (May 3, 2015)

Lou your delicious looking liver cakes in their pretty cases reminded me of our cake sale for Children In Need. I run a children's nursery and a mum arrived on Friday with a tray of 12 iced fairy cakes. She said there would have been more but one of their three dogs had eaten 24 that were waiting to be iced!  She left no evidence as she ate the paper cases too. They knew it was her though as she is the only one big enough to reach them (she's a 3 year old GSD) and the other two were outside. She'd pulled them down from the top of the microwave which was on the kitchen counter. Greedy girl!  
By the way, she got no dinner that night!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Oh my goodness, 24 of them! And their cases! I can well imagine Barney doing that too. He can reach my worktop if he stands on his back legs and so I have to make sure any food, or anything in fact, is not near the front of the worktop. 

Bloody dogs eh? Who'd have 'em


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I am possibly  slightly heartless but Molly was very underweight when I first got her - she had undergone a series of tests in her first home as the vet was concerned about how underweight she was.

Once I had found a food she ate fairly well I implemented total tough love and if she missed a meal she got nothing at all until the next meal. It did work well and improved her eating within a few weeks. At that point she was able to start to gain some weight as she ate well. She was 4.5kg when I first got her at 17 months and you could feel every rib and bone in her spine as well as hip bones standing out sharply. She now weighs a pretty good 5.5kg although I still keep her lean and can feel most of her ribs.

She eats really well these days on homecooked food but if she ever refuses a meal I just take it up (fairly quickly or Chance would eat it ) and she just misses that meal.


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## beekeeper (May 3, 2015)

Not heartless 2nd, that is exactly the advice I was given when dealing with a fussy eater. This is the food I'm offering. If you don't want it there's nothing else until the next meal and if you don't eat it soon, you'll have missed the boat. It took a few days but worked a treat, if you'll excuse the pun!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I agree if you've got a normal weight fussy eater, but Barney is quite skinny and I don't want him to lose more weight. He's loving his food now so hopefully his weight will increase.


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## beekeeper (May 3, 2015)

Yes you must need to pack the calories in if Barney's underweight. Glad he's enjoying his food again now.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I should add that when he doesn't eat a meal (like his breakfast today ) I don't immediately replace it. It goes back in the fridge or in the bin. He will then have a meal at lunch time as well as the evening so that he still gets enough food for the day.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So when they become picky I add smelly things. Canned sardines. Tripe. And these are complete meals. So is a whole raw egg. 
The other thing is to be careful how much liver you are feeding. You want it to be about 5% of daily intake. Seems that Barney is regulating his intake by going for chicken wings. You may want to try chicken thighs or drumsticks or the quarter to get more meat with with the bones. Or chicken backs. 


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks Lexi&Beemer!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I just added canned sardines to the chicken and lamb that he liked the other day but doesnt like today. He 'fished' out the sardines and left the mince. Little bleeder can starve now!


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> I just added canned sardines to the chicken and lamb that he liked the other day but doesnt like today. He 'fished' out the sardines and left the mince. Little bleeder can starve now!


Oh Lou your so funny! Would you really let the 'little bleeder' starve.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Yes Barb, he's a very very naughty boy!


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

You've got to give him credit he's more smarter than you Lou! You should have mashed the fish so the flavour coated his food ? 😉 x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Doh!! I thought mixing it in would be enough for the little smarty pants! Right, it's war now!  x


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

That it Lou show him who's boss 😂 x


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

This is too funny. 
These dogs are spoiled rotten, seriously!
Peanut didn't eat until we traveled to France & Spain last Xmas. Marianne decided that "I am not going to take their food with me", so because she is the boss, I couldn't do anything. 
So, off we went to France. ... After going to about 10 different supermarkets and pet stores, we realised that the quality of dog foods in France was rubbish and they only sold ****. So for a week Peanut ate Cesar's. 

We then went to Spain for another 2 weeks and the same happened. Cesar's food for 2 weeks. 

I would guess that Cesar is the equivalent of eating McDonalds for 3 weeks in a row. 

Peanut put on nearly 2 kgs in 3 weeks and she developed the appetite of a Rotweiler. 

It has taken her nearly a year to loose 2 kgs (well, at the end of the day it was around 25% of her body weight). Now she is back on her normal weight but she still hoovers any food that is put on her bowl. 

Moral of the story: I am going to France & Spain for Xmas with 3 weeks worth of her normal food 

Ha.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I mush up the sardines. Also sprinkle the juices on the rest of the stuff. The food I have now actually has sardines, anchovies, and smelt mixed in it. 

So the other thing I noticed - grassfed, organic meats and poultry are preferred by Beemer. Lexi couldn't care. But Beemer has the taste of a very wealthy human. 

Sounds like Barney may also need some healthy fats. Do you feed him coconut oil? 


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Janey153 said:


> I just added canned sardines to the chicken and lamb that he liked the other day but doesnt like today. He 'fished' out the sardines and left the mince. Little bleeder can starve now!



Hilarious!


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I refer you to my previous answer 

Adding stuff to the food will ultimately make him skip meals in the hope of getting better. Tough love is the best way to get him eating well.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I thought of you 2ndhandgal, wagging your finger at me as I added the pilchards! 

Lexi&Beemer, I was giving him coconut oil but haven't for a while but thanks for the reminder. 

Peanut I may end up with caeser, or lily's kitchen, if all else fails! It'd make my life much easier and he does need to put in weight ☺


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Or Gentle which I understand can be used with raw food - I have been sent a sample and he has had one piece which he liked (may not like tomorrow of course...) Has anyone used this food?


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Nothing really to add - although I'm wagging my finger too
Eat it or loose it - my dogs and kids know the rule (although my second son was appalling - he managed to convince a friend's mum, when he was on a play date aged about 7, that he had an allergic reaction to vegetables

Dot is thin - she has more than the recommended allowance of NI - wolfs it down - has chicken wing lunches 3 or 4 times a week and pockets full of treats regularly - but then she is never still and always jumps higher or runs faster than she needs to....
Thin is better than fat. It took Inzi until she was about 8 before she reached the weight the vet thought she should be....


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Yes, I felt your tut tutting at me  
If it wasn't that Barney was a skinny little thing then I wouldn't worry too much but the difference between his weight and his brother's is much bigger than it used to be. But I'm not going to keep chopping and changing his diet (other than trying the Gentle food alongside his raw) nor adding smelly stuff to food he's already turned his nose up at.
I'm the boss! (Yes Barney, I am really...  )


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Is Barney active 
His coat is fantastic?
His poops are firm and not vile smelling?
He is fine. Try not to worry.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Well done  will try not to wag my finger too much 

I understand how hard it it but as Marzi says as long as he is healthy don't worry about his weight relative to others. 

Molly was seriously underweight when I got her a kilo under her current weight as a 5.5kg dog means she was 20% under so tough love was hard, but it only took a couple of weeks for her to start to eat pretty well and at that point she could start to gain a little weight.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks Marzi and 2ndhandgal 
He's just eaten his Gentle food so hopefully he will continue to enjoy it


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

After sorting through the bowl/plate, and finding a formula he likes, I don't have a picky eater anymore. In fact Beemer tells me it's time to eat. So while some may have experienced increasingly finicky dogs, that has not been our case. 


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## Annabellam (Nov 3, 2015)

I agree, i think variety is what you need. In addition you could add some treats as additional food flavour. I think these help in supplementing the diet and adding that variety.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm trying various foods and this morning he's left his fish


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I would rotate - beef, fish, poultry - every meal. 

And I make them sit and maybe cruel, on occasion, I make them stop eating in the middle of the meal and make them wait before I let them finish. And I don't wait 5 minutes to pick up. I pick it up and put whole plate in the refrigerator if they don't start eating within 30 seconds. 


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

You're a hard poo mummy aren't you?! 😉


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

When I was in Kenya we imported a GSD from a top kennel in Germany, the breeder was raw feeding his dogs and he was adamant that they should only be fed 6 days out of every 7... the theory being that it gave their gut a day to rest and also kept their appetites keen. 
I have not ever done this myself - but I have no problems with missing out a day's food if mine have an upset stomach, which they rarely do...


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> I'm trying various foods and this morning he's left his fish


My two are not a lover of any fish unless of course it's the best cod loin that I buy for me and the hubby


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

He seems to like food one day and not the next. He's left his Gentle food this morning. His spine is, not exactly prominent, but you can feel it quite easily. He's not gained any weight in 10 days or so, and needs to. This is why I get concerned but I've removed his food and will give him something at lunch time, though no idea what right now!


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Quick question Lou, do you feed barney and stay or leave the room? Ok daft I know but Molly is a secret eater well that's what I call her she will only eat her dinner if I'm out the room, where as Sid is what I call a social eater and will only eat if there's someone or Molly with him!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

It can be either Nicki, usually I leave him with his breakfast and go back to bed for 1/2 an hour so, but in the evenings I'm around nearby. It doesn't make much difference either way I'm afraid!


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Ok just a thought! So he's just got an eating disorder.  to be fair I can feel SIDS spine even though to look at him you wouldn't think so, but that's because he's fluffy!


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Haha! If it wasn't for Barneys mohican hair do you'd see his spine I'm sure! X


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

I will skip a meal once a week but it's usually a day where I do a lot of training or play games so they get a little more than half a day. 
I will say that I have spent my time sitting on the floor hand feeding Beemer (sometimes even spoon feeding) because he was very much like Barney and I even had the vet tell me he needs to put on a couple of pounds. The advantage Beemer had was if he didn't start in time Lexi had no problem taking his. Maybe Barney is a social eater and he will eat when you eat?


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

There you go Lou , you need to get on the floor and eat with barney  x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I dont think he is a social eater - it makes little difference if I'm there or not; I just think he's a fussy bugger and I am not getting on the floor and hand feeding him young Nicki!  x


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> I dont think he is a social eater - it makes little difference if I'm there or not; I just think he's a fussy bugger and I am not getting on the floor and hand feeding him young Nicki!  x


Don't worry Lou,I've got a daughter who's a fussy bugger too!  x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

He's left his Gentle food, chicken wing but eaten an egg. I give up. That's it for the day!


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

My two have had a fussy day today  and though I know you can give them nature diet hot or cold I've never given it to them warmed up, so I've just tried them with it warm. Well what do I say it was like two lions fighting to get at it! I've never seen them clear their plates so quickly  x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Oh that sounds a good idea! Not sure you can warm up Gentle food, I will look into it x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

He'll eat his bloody toys - but food? Nah!


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Just looked at the Gentle website. Doesn't look very appetizing in the picture so I can't blame Barney for not eating it. Try putting some coconut oil and hot water on it. The hot water will melt the coconut oil and will bring out the aroma of the food. I did and still do that for Maggie. She used to be picky but now she loves her food.


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## beekeeper (May 3, 2015)

Just wondered if Barney has a sore tooth or mouth? But if he's still chewing toys, I guess not.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

He is chewing his toys quite manically so perhaps there is a connection?


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Lindor said:


> Just looked at the Gentle website. Doesn't look very appetizing in the picture so I can't blame Barney for not eating it. Try putting some coconut oil and hot water on it. The hot water will melt the coconut oil and will bring out the aroma of the food. I did and still do that for Maggie. She used to be picky but now she loves her food.


I thought I'd replied to this but clearly not! That's a great idea, thank you ☺


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Another thing I did with Maggie is to crumble one or two of the freeze dried Origen treats on the food with the coconut oil and hot water. The Origen treats are freeze dried raw so are really good for them.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks again Barb


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