changing eating habits
Hi this is my first time posting. My 17 mo. old , 36 lbs. boy doesn't finish his food like he used to. He use to clean his bowl, now I have to spoon feed him half way through. It's been for the last couple of days now. He gets 2 cups of totw puppy and 2 tablespoons of wet food. He also gets a nuvet and salmon oil as well as coconut oil. He doesn't seem sick and I haven't seen him eat anything out doors other than leaves. He's had all his shots thus far. Any ideas?
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I'd watch out for the leaves... there are some leaves that they can throw up 3 or 4 days after ingesting that are completely undigested (like new, if you can believe that).. ..they are like eating plastic. If they do pass them they are typically undigested that end too. But lots can cause bad blockage. (Hate the fall!!) Glad he gets those supplements... Did I say he looks great! ??? Love your "handle" too... Hey look Steve, 'nother Marine!
Your Bullie sounds like he's going through a phase with his eating. Many times this can be caused from too much treats during the day, table scraps, or too much food during normal meals.
What I would do is eliminate all snacks. Others in your house may be contributing with added treats as well. For the next week cut his food back to one meal a day and provide in the evening or around normal dinner time. In the event he does not finish his food and walks away from it do not leave it for him to go back to. He needs to realize when it's time to eat - it's time to eat.
I prefer to feed all my Bullies once a day because I know it keeps their appetite up and I can balance their food intake so much easier by giving the volume and supplements to maintain a perfect balance for them based on the exercise and energy levels. I will admit, I do provide them big meal since it's only once a day but all my Bullies eat every bite knowing darn well there won't be another meal coming until the next day. With this said my Bullies eat every bite available to them and stuff themselves. Now I can promise you if I changed up my feeding schedule and split each meal in thirds and fed them all 3 times a day instead of once they would quickly become bored and spoiled by the food and start walking away from their food knowing they'll be another meal on the way in a couple hours. Any dog eating with this kind of finicky habit would surely be difficult to keep at an optimal weight because he or she may not be eating the volume of food best suited for them.
Try the once a day feeding for awhile and you'll see his appetite improve considerably. Years ago I knew a guy who bred and trained German Shepards for police work. He too fed his dogs once a week with a very balanced diet of a 5 star food with varied supplements mixed in which were changed up a daily basis. He also provided raw meats frequently as a supplement as well. He also explained that he fasted his dogs once every 3 weeks in order to keep a continued hearty appetite. His dogs were all as healthy as can be.
One day I'll have to take video of my Bullies during feeding time. They are like machines. As soon as the last bullie is provided their bowl I'm already collecting empty bowls. None of my Bullies are underweight and I have a couple on half rations in order to ensure their weight stays at an appropriate level because they are older and less active.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
P.S. If you are thinking of a dry food change, I'd try Pure Vita GF... the ones without Potato.