Fussy Eating

[Lanny1]

I have two little dogs and i think they have got me round their little paw. As they have gotten older they seem to be fussier about their food. They don't seem to like dry food anymore (especially one of them). They are 13 years old.I have to keep increasing the amounts of "nice" food instead.

Is this common?

[Pjrt]

*they don't seem to like dry food anymore* *13yrs old*.

First thing that comes to mind is time for a thorough dental check. If there are any loose teeth, pockets of infection, rotten teeth, broken teeth, exposed gums, abscess etc....... You try eating crunchy food with a sore mouth or wonky teeth!

[RuralPug]

blinkblink is spot on.

Dental check first.

Once teeth have been sorted, then it may help to mix up the soft food with the kibble. And decide if you are going to continue to pander to them or not - check out raw feeding websites online. You can give them yummy stuff that is actually good for them !

[Dogsfevr]

There old not common at all for eating habits to change,there sense of smell may be going & older dogs often look for different things.

We have had oldies that can be harder to feed & we just adapt,great eaters all there life

[Daisys Mum]

Dogs are good at masking pain.. As others have said, a dental check up to start with.

[Lanny1]

Thanks.

Had a dental check already. But she isn't skinny either.

[Boronia]

Penny (17) was getting the tummy ache after her dinner, the vet said to cut out all the acidic foods (like acv) and give her sweet potato and pumpkin with her minced turkey necks (my dogs are mostly fed raw).

Maybe your dogs are getting the stomach ache.

try feeding them a different brand of kibble and add the juice of boiled chicken frames or the juice of boiled sweet potato/pumpkin. Make a doggy-type soup out of the kibble and juices (Westiemum calls it westie-soup) and mix in some cottage cheese or mackerel

[Stitch]

What are you actually feeding them??

[Salukifan]

I find my older dogs tend to get fussier. Some meals are eaten with gusto. The same meal a week later is picked over.

I did increase variety and if not much is eaten, I offer another meal in the morning (I only feed once a day)

Food with stronger odours like tuna, mackerel etc seems to be well regarded.

My foods of last resort for Ted (RIP) were My Dog Puppy sachets, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (he loved that) and tuna on kibble. When they get that old, my view is that they can eat whatever they want.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Haredown Whippets

[Boronia]

What are you actually feeding them??

they get minced turkey necks with dog slops...some more info in this DOL topic http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/226201-barf-vegies/

Mac and Daisy still get the vegie slops but Penny has blander food, they all get a little Blackhawk fish & sweet potato kibble as well as turmeric and a little kelp powder sprinkled on top

I also give them homebrand mackerel in oil or water, they just love it.

Mac and Daisy get 1/3 of a chicken frame after their tea and Penny gets a couple of cut-up chicken gizzards...she can't have bone at all as she tries to swallow them whole and they get stuck.

[Stitch]

Meals for Mutts Salmon & Sardine with Brown Rice & Veg was recommended here on DOL for my old girl and quite honestly she hasn't looked back since I started her on it. (I am scared to actually say that as I don't want to put the 'mocka' on her! I so hope it continues.)

There are sooooo many different brands of dry dogfood available it is very difficult to know what is best for them. I used to feed all mine only BARF for many years but found they did better with dry food in the mornings and BARF at night. And of course as others have said, as they get older their preferences and also what works best for them does change. For mine, the same food given regularly is best.

Sometimes we can be guilty of giving them too much variety and sometimes we can also feed them too much.

I have a young boy who has been getting very picky and he is now on the end of some tough love. It is his second day on just BARF with no morning dry food and he is now looking for his next meal so problem solved with him.