Nacster Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I have a quick question I'm hoping someone can help me with I have a 6 month old sheltie pup - Bailey - who is teething (lost one of his molars yesterday). He seems to have gone off his food / he is having difficulty eating. This has been happening for about a week or two but where he has previously not really eaten his dinner or half eaten his dinner, he usually finishes his breakfast. The last couple of days he's really not touching his food - breakfast or dinner. I drove out to pick up two huge bags of Nutro yesterday thinking he may not like the Proplan dry food he's on but he's struggling with the Nutro as well... This morning there were small crumpled bits of nutro on the floor surrounding his bowl so it looks like he tried to eat it but he can't chew (maybe?)... Should I be soaking his food with something to make it easier for him to eat? I have 2 older dogs but never had any problems with their appetite - teething or not. Many thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 He may be finding it sore to crunch the dry food. We use Nutro also, when my boy was younger I used to soak it in either water or if you want to use milk ensure it's a no lactose or low lactose UHT milk. Water should be fine though. Don't make them too squishy though soak then for about 5 mins. Also make sure you don't feed him in between meals so he will deffinately be hungry at meal time. What I would do is if he did not eat his breakfast this morning I will not feed him untill dinner with the soaked nutro, if he doesn't eat that try breakfast if he still doesn't eat that give him some soft meat i.e. dog mince and if he doesn't eat that! Go to the vet as he should be checked out if it goes on longer that 24/48hours IMO There may be something bothering him besides the teeth. A vet would have a better idea of what to do. Hope it works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoL Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I was also going to suggest soaking the dry food. Keep the bones up to him as well - either that or let him chew your shoes LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 just soak the food for a while in warm water and give it to him when its cold. Also chicken necks stuck in the freezer until they are half frozen will help cool and sooth his itchy gums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacster Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Many thanks all - I will definitely try soaking his food tonight... We have a strict rule at our house that after 10 mins, whatever hasn't been finished gets taken away. And nothing in between meals. This has never been a problem before as my two older shelties are so gutsy they could probably win a world record with how fast they can wolf down their food. I will also pick up some chicken necks and make them cold to see if he is willing to eat these - they are usually his favourite... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 good on you for sticking to your no eating between meals rule. I'm only a newbie when it comes to dogs and found it very hard to start with to not feed him between meals. And then I slapped myself and got serious about it. It's the best thing i've ever done My boy is teething at the moment too...none have come out yet but I can see his adult teeth pushing his front babies up so the other posts are good tips for me also. Just thought i'd add that I have tied one of his tug toys on some string and hung it up. This way he is able to chew and pull for easing and also helps them on their way. This is something recomended to me by my breeder. It is good for in the middle of the night when no ones there to tug with him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacster Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Well the minimum amount of chicken necks I could buy at the local ionica chicken deli was over 1kg... So I have just bagged up like about 30 chicken necks and thrown them into the freezer for safe keeping Nick&erica love the tug idea - I did tie something to the roof of his crate when he was little but he wasn't interested.. might be worth another try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) Nacster, do you have your puppy on Puppy Mini?, they are a much smaller kibble and have been through this with Jemma, now 4, at times she simply will not touch the bigger kibble so we get her Adult maintenance mini, we too have had Jemma back to the vet for "teeth" problems (which didnt exist) at aged 2 Edited February 21, 2007 by Hesapandabear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacster Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Oh dear... We bought like a huge bag of the puppy lamb and rice - normal kibble... I might have to try the smaller stuff - he really doesn't seem to like the dry food Ate those chicken necks like there was no tomorrow (which doesn't surprise me really - he's always loved 'em)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 You can get nutro choice in can form...i'm not sure whether the qual is as good and the ingredients I dare say the ingredients would be the same...but it's a thought...maybe give him some of the canned nutro if he likes untill he's better? I'm not sure what the consistency is like but it should be nice and mushy Glad to hear he's ate something though. chicken necks are sams favourite also...and mine lol....they're a good nibble you know...make sure you cook them first mind if you try them yourself lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacster Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Glad to hear he's ate something though. chicken necks are sams favourite also...and mine lol....they're a good nibble you know...make sure you cook them first mind if you try them yourself lol I will tell my hubby that we're having chicken necks for dinner!!!! (We certainly have enough to feed a small village!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Nick&Erika and Nacster Please note that Nutro canned food is NOT available in Australia, wish it were as we used to feed canned Lamb and Rice puppy to our pups in NZ. Nacster the Lamb and Rice puppy kibble is only a tad bigger than the puppy mini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I know thanks...I assumed nacster got nutro kibble imported as I do. No where imports the stuff near me so a breeder I know imports it for us. I assume she would also be able to import the canned food also if I wanted it, but have not looked into it properly. I may be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Nick&Erica Your breeder would be a retail person only, the importer is based in NZ, they dont have a warehouse here themselves but use a large transport company in Brisbane. Sorry but it is impossible to get either the cans or the holistic range here in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 uhhhh....I know what you mean i'm just explaining myself wrong. I don't mean importing it herself personally, I mean buying it off a retail that does import around her area....anyways It is a shame about the cans! I was actually thinking about trying some but oh well thanks for the heads up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Nick&Erica, Ziwpeak is a NZ product in cans which is avail here but they dont make a puppy food. We use a desertspoon daily of the canned for ours and they LOVE it, it also comes in Dialy Cuisine which is like a beef jerky and also treats. Zieiwpeak is based on venison or lamb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nacster Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 Looks like Bailey doesn't like the puppy lamb and rice We've tried soaking it... mixing it... he somehow manages to sort out the old food (which is chicken) with the lamb stuff and eat everything but the lamb! I think he might be strictly a chicken boy...Will have to try the Nutro puppy chicken stuff - what to do with this humungous bag of lamb and rice? Anyone want some??? I've never had a fussy doggie before... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick&erica Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Hmmm...it sounds like it would be good if you were able to buy trial versions of dog food before having to commit yourself to a whole bag! In saying that I bet some companies do?!? I would say yes to the food but i've only recently bought an 18 kg bag myself...so I dare say it would end up going stale sorry ;) I really hope you find something for him which he likes soon! How is bailey going with the teething? Sam is being a bit grumpy and sooky at the moment! Understandably and CHEW! Luckily we've got a dining room set down stairs which he's hooked into...luckily it was free! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Nacster, no doubt you got your Nuto from 4 Paws?. Give them a call and explain the situation, see what the response is, they will have other puppy buyers and may be able to on sell at a reduced price as you have opened the bag. Then purchase a couple of 2kg bags at a time of the Puppy mini which is Chicken and Rice, see how he goes and then up to the 7.5kg bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milosmum Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Milo is 4.5 months (lab) and has gone off her food too, i spoke to the vet and he said that puppies usually go through eating phases where they eat like crazy at first but then they slow down (because their body has developed to its limit for the moment) then they will start eating like crazy again. I was worried too because at the start she would eat all the kibble in a couple of minutes and beg for more but now will sniff at it and sometimes nibble, sometimes ignore. I just leave it and find byt the time she is due for her next meal her bowl is usually empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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