Food issues

[candycat]

I actually have two issues here... not really related but I didn't want to start to separate threads.

So issue number one - how do you guys handle leaving food/water out? Obviously in this heat we need water out all the time and the kitchen is the only place we can keep it. And I try to leave dried kibble out as well because Candy is SUCH a bad eater that you have to coax her to eat. But the flies are insane in the kitchen (and thus the rest of the hosue) since we've gotten the pup.

Issue number two - again, it's Candy being a bad eater. She will happily eat meat but she won't eat dog food. I know dog food is pretty bad as it is so in the near future we will be buying pet food from the local butcher (they sell local beef and even pet food packages for cheapo) but what is a realistic expectation for how much a golden should be eating in a day? I know in dog food amounts what she should be, but how much "real food" amounts? The vet said when we adopted her that she's at least 10-15 lbs underweight easily, and she can't even get spayed until she's fattened up a little. But I can't seem to coax her to eat - and our food budget is pretty limited as it is, so I need some cheap options to get her to eat. Right now I mix meat in with dried food and add whatever fat drippings we have and stuff, so she will at least eat a little bit (she won't eat the dog food plain) but she's not really eager to eat.

BUT she WILL eat all kinds of OTHER things. Non-food things. Wool, dog poop, whatever is in the trash. We do try to hide the trash cans now and stuff but it's just weird that she is always eating non-food but she won't eat food. I'm at a loss. Otherwise she seems relatively healthy, although her coat is not as shiny as I would like it to be.

[greenmagick]

Usually free feeding is discouraged, and sometimes having set mealtimes can help picky eaters.

What food is she on and what others has she tried? Is she on a high calorie grain free? That may help. How much is totally going to depend on the dog and the food.

If she likes meat, then switching to raw sounds like the way to go. Make sure you are getting edible bones as well as just meat though (organs too!)

[candycat]

Why is free feeding discouraged? My kids and I all graze through the day and don't even have too much as far as set mealtimes are concerned (though we will have a big meal at some point through the day). Why is it different for dogs? (I'm not being snarky, just curious.) I'm not leaving all her food out at once, but usually there is some dried food available.

[Ola_]

I agree that often it seems feeding on a schedule gets many dogs to eat better. It takes a couple of days but then they realize, hey, the food won't be around for long, I'd better eat some!

Raw does sound like a good idea, it's easy to digest too so I've found it's helpful for both putting on weight and taking excess off. I wouldn't be adding fat drippings though, it gives many dogs an upset tummy (the cooked fat is tough on their digestive tract unlike raw fat). Plus you risk pancreatitis. I don't think putting on weight at all costs should be your goal, instead try to get more quality food in her. How old is she? All dogs tend to fill out as they mature, going from a "gangly teenager" to a regular looking dog.

[Oubliette8]

Originally Posted by candycat

Why is free feeding discouraged? My kids and I all graze through the day and don't even have too much as far as set mealtimes are concerned (though we will have a big meal at some point through the day). Why is it different for dogs? (I'm not being snarky, just curious.) I'm not leaving all her food out at once, but usually there is some dried food available.

Many dogs lack the ability to self regulate. You eat when you're hungry, but many dogs will gorge themselves past the point of gross obesity if allowed to. I'm sure there are different theories for this, one theory I've heard is that wild canids never know when they are going to get their next meal, so if they find a meal, they are programmed to eat as much as possible in case its awhile before they get their next. Some of it seems bred into them- certain breeds, like hounds and labradors tend to be voracious and eat everything and anything, even if its well beyond what is good for them.

The other issue with free feeding is that it hard to tell if your dog changes eating habits. Often that can be a first sign of illness. But if you keep the bowl full, it may take awhile to notice that Fido isn't eating. Or if he simply starts eating less, you might not notice that either. With multiple dogs its even harder to tell if everyone is getting what they need.

In your case, one thing I have found, which greenmagick mentioned, is that having a schedule can HELP picky eaters. My first dog had always been on a schedule at home. When I moved out, I decided to measure out her daily ration and just leave it out all day so she could eat as she pleased. She hardly ate anything at all! I was worried she was sick etc. Well, I put her back on a schedule and she started cleaning her bowl again. I'm not sure if she forgot to eat or what, but the schedule was what she needed.