Helsbells03  Offline
early riser
Joined: May 10, 2011
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125 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 1
Lab Names: Indy
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Location: Wiltshire
Gender: 
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 Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:15 am Post subject: Lab won't eat much - any suggestions? |
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Indy is 10 months old but hasnt ever seemed to want to eat. In my experience, labs will usually eat until they burst however this gas never been the case with Indy! We give her kibble mixed in with some meat. On very rare occasions she will gulp it down, but she will usually just lick it then just have a few mouthfuls after much persuading. I end up putting most of it in the bin.
It's nor as if she is completely disinterested in food as she will beg for food my husband and I eat, and on walks I have to drag her away from any food lying on the ground!
I notice though that she does tend to eat a lot of grass and is sick quite often - could she be bulimic?
Any advice appreciated!
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fiz  Offline
doggys mum
Joined: Jan 26, 2009
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2654 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 3
Lab Names: Mischa, Bruno & Suzie
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| Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Fortunately I have not had a Lab who is disinterested in the food I put down. I do put a small amount of hot water in the kibble, and when they were pups a spoon of priobotic natural yoghurt.
Also at the beginning did not give our food at all until they had got used to there own, not sure if that helped with them not being picky though, as they are all hungry even when they have just been fed  .
I don't think I would worry if they were gaining weight, and it sounds like you are doing the right thing by lifting the food after it has been down for 10/15 minutes, does Indy get alot of treats between meals that maybe taking the edge of her appetite.
I have never heard of a bulimic Lab, but have heard some are picky until they've found the right food for the dog, hopefully one of those will come up with some ideas for you.
June
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paws Offline
old dog
Joined: May 24, 2010
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62166 LabPounds
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| Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, no I don't think dogs get bulimic. But there is some evidence to suggest that they do avoid things they don't like or that make them ill, sometimes they actually won't eat a food they turn out to be intolerant too even though no one knew they were like self preservation, strange but apparently true so if she really won't eat her food but wants to grab other things then I would personally change her food. I'm a soft touch I admit, for example my boy will not eat rice no way not at all he will stand and stare at a bowl of rice but will not touch it even if you put something on it, funny boy. I read in a book called Bones would rain from the sky by a well renowned dog trainer that a dog she was asked to help with was like yours and very picky she found though that changing the recipe of the diet the dog had that she suddenly started hoovering it up with gusto she presumably had simply not liked what was on offer.
Eating grass and being sick to me indicates a problem and I would have her checked out by the Vet, they do this when their tums hurt. Maybe she's intolerant to the food you're giving her it hurts her tum so she doesn't want to eat it even though she is hungry?
I'm not an expert and don't pretend to be but things I'd try if she were mine -
Smaller portions of the food, more regularly, split it into 3 or 4 meals a day
Moisten the food with water so its soft and smells more
Change the bowl to a different material - ceramic/plastic/steel - different colour
Move where she's fed to another place perhaps quieter place another room
Try putting the food in a toy she if she will play to get it out - mush it and put in a kong, leave dry and fill a kong wobbler toy let her chase it inside or outside the house
Change the food to one with a totally different protein and different carb source so if she has chicken and rice now go for a fish and potato
Cut out the treats so you know she's not filling up on those rather than her dinner - like children do you want a sandwich or sweets...
Try a home cooked diet for a bit - some plain mashed potato and boiled white fish or freshly cooked rice and plain chicken - will she eat that, does she wolf that down?
Do any of the above help or have you tried those things already?
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