Picky Eater

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:32 pm

My pug Charlie is a extremely picky eater. I've so far went through three different brands of dog food. (Dry kibble) Chicken Soup for Dog Lovers Soul, Iams and Authority. He doesn't eat it until he gets hungry enough to eat it. But he does go after my guardians dog's food which is called Presidents Choice dog food. This food has by-products and corn in it which is not what I like to feed my pug.

Any suggestions to how I can get my pug to eat his food? I have considered mixing wet and dry but I am on a budget. I have also considered doing the home made diet. (Like with the raw meats, etc)

I normally give him 1 1/2 cups of kibble, split into two meals per day, but he doesn't eat more than 1/2 a day. Its really starting to worry me.

Thanks,

Cass

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:43 am

Wow!!! I have no experience with a picky eater. Mine eats ANYTHING, including most recently a big rock! I would suggest the homemade diet. I think if you shop carefully you can do it quite cheaply (not where I live as there is no such thing as cheap meat in Korea). I give her homade food a few times a week, she gets SUPER excited when she sees me get a package from the freezer. I use recipies from Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. There is also a recipie for something called 'Healthy Powder' which you could make and sprinkle on the current kibble. Or try mixing water into the current kibble to see if it make it more palatable. Other members here who are more experienced than I don't follow 'recipies' and I am sure they can help you too. Good luck!!

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:43 pm

I have the very same problem with mine, he's a picky eater too. I havent solved this problem 100% yet because I always have to give him stuff he likes mixed with his regular healthy food to get him to eat. (If i dont do that he will eat only when he's really hungry). Sorry mine is not an answer but at least you can know you're not the only one with a picky pug Rolling Eyes

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:47 pm

is it just the food that is the problem or is it the place where they eat? i know this isnt a pug...but my 7 year old Lhasa Apso has an eating complex. she wont eat if anyone or anything is watching her, unless she is really hungury. we have an extra bowl of food up in our room where she sleeps and as soon as we turn off the lights to sleep...you can hear her munching away on the food. during the day we sometimes can get away with putting her bowl in the living room while cleo (our pug) eats in the kitchen. if she is hungury enough annabelle will eat side by side with cleo...but it just depends on her. i am sure others will give advice to food..but you might also watch and keep in mind it might just be the surroundings.

New user Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Posts: 1

Hi Cass -

How much does your pug weigh? I was feeding my pug that much food and it was way too much. He only needs 1/2 cup of food twice a day (with a few treats in between) and he's a very active pug. His weight has been stable at 20lbs for about six months now.

I also mix half dry and half wet and he LOVES it - he hated just dry food the same as yours Smile

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 2:54 am

Orion wrote:

Hi Cass -

How much does your pug weigh? I was feeding my pug that much food and it was way too much. He only needs 1/2 cup of food twice a day (with a few treats in between) and he's a very active pug. His weight has been stable at 20lbs for about six months now.

I also mix half dry and half wet and he LOVES it - he hated just dry food the same as yours Smile

i cannot stress enough about forgetting the numbers on the scales and be guided on what your pug looks like ..numbers on a scale do not accomodate type and if you have a very hardned dog muscle wise people forget that muscle weighs more than fat ...

Depending on what you are feeding does the cup per day thing work ,premium foods do give a base amaount on their products but remember its always a base some reqiure less some require more, other foods have different amounts of fat content than others so its a must to read all labels and most canned foods are made up of 80% water so not alot of nutritianal value in them yet again read packaging,age is also a factor depending on important growth stages in the dog.,

The most important be guided by what your dog looks like

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 3:14 am

for the picky eater ...

Stop giving so much variety ..set yourself on one brand and offer the meal once per day (depending on the age that is if the dog is nder 12 months of sge then two meals are required but reduce amounts) if the dog has not eaten within 15 mins of putting the food out then remove it offer the next day for a dog over 12 months or at next meal tim if under Smile

they wont starve but a dog has to learn food time is food time ...