# Best food for a very picky eater?



## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

Ever sense I got Axel he has been very picky...I have tried Wellness LBP, Canidae ALS, and now I'm on Orijen which he loved at first but now will no longer touch it. He is starting to get pretty skinny in the hips now, and I need to find something he will eat on a regular bases. 

He is 8 months now so I was thinking about trying TOTW Pacific Stream which is the one with lower calcium (1.9%) Any other ideas?


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## Jrenkie (Jun 9, 2004)

I've tried the Pro Plan Select Salmon and Rice formula and my relatively "aloof" eater started running to her food bowl.

It's been the most palatable kibble by far and personally, I think the ingredients are of sufficient quality that I'm comfortable feeding it to my pack.

Good luck,


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

Do you free feed by any chance?

I have no idea if you do or not, but that can "worsen" the problem of a picky eater.


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

I tried pro plan as well when I got him, it was the food the breeder had him on. He didn't touch it what so ever. 

I do not free feed. He only has access to it 3 times a day....he usually ignores it for a day and eats it the following day. he acts hungry...he will run up to it...sniff it, then walk a way.


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

Hmmm...I've never had a picky dog like that...unfortunately that was the only suggestion I could come up with...









Just thought I'd mention it to see if it helped.


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## lylol (Feb 18, 2009)

My guys arent picky so not sure this helps... but I have been trying the TOTW samples as training treats and snacks and everyone loves them... based on that I am going to get the Salmon to try for my youngsters daily feed (due to the lower calcium as well)


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

I know he loves Purina small bites because my girlfriend feeds her dog that...the food is horrible but he eats it...so which is better....great good he hardly touches...or crap food he will eat.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

You may want to cut down the meals from 3x a day to once in the morning and once at night. I switched my pup over at 6 months to twice a day and she's doing great. How much kibble per day does he eat in total?

Has the vet said anything about axels weight or does he/she think he's healthy? Has he been tested for worms or anything like that? Just making sure it's nothing medical thats causing him not to eat.


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

he has been tested for everything because of a loose stool issue he has had on and off sense birth. The vet says he looks skinny, but he doesn't seem to concerned. His ribs don't show, he just gets really skinny behind the ribcage between his rear legs. 

it really just depends on the week how well he eats...there are weeks he will eat 4 cups of food the entire week, there are other weeks (though rare) he will eat 4 cups of food a day.

I have tried limiting his food to only twice a day, or even once a day, it doesn't seem to really matter as he doesn't touch it when he does have access to it anyway.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Well if he's been tested and the vet says he's healthy, i think the best thing to do would be to get him on a schedule. Dogs love consistancy. Feed him once in the morning and once at night at the same time every day. Do not tweak the schedule at all. 

When you feed, put the bowl down and give him 10-15 minutes to eat. If he doesn't finish his meal after those 10-15 minutes, pick the bowl up and don't offer him any more food until his next meal. 

A healthy dog isn't going to starve himself. Eventually he'll pick up on the schedule and he'll look forward to meal times because he knows when its coming. My dog wakes me up at 6am sharp every morning for her first meal and goes nuts the second i get home from work at 530 because she knows it's dinner time. It's her routine and it's worked for her. He might always be a picky eater, but its worth a shot. I know it can be very frustrating, but do your best. Think of it like another form of training.


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Axxelvet doesn't seem to concerned. His ribs don't show, he just gets really skinny behind the ribcage between his rear legs.


Your dog is not too thin. He doesn't eat because he's had enough. I have to admit I'm a bit flabbergasted by all the posts I see in this forum about GSDs that have appetite issues. I have owned lots of GSDs and have not had a single picky eater.

I suspect that in 95% of the posts about appetite, the dog has a health issue (w/c a vet check s/d uncover), the owner free feeds, the dog does not get enough exercise, or the dog is not too thin at all, and may even be overweight. Fortunately, some GSDs are smart enough to stop eating when they've had enough, otherwise, we'd have even more overweight dogs.

I don't know if there is a sticky somewhere in one of the forums, but if not there should be one, showing pics of GSDs in good shape. Just google working line kennels in Germany, and see how their dogs look like in the pictures.

And like people, individual dogs can be naturally skinnier or have different body types than others. But a GSD that does not show any ribs is absolutely not lacking in food.


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

Guess I will get some pictures up to show what I mean. Either way, I won't except he goes days with out eating because he "has had enough" 

I brought this concern to the breeder months a go and he said the same thing, he won't starve himself, don't worry about it....but I can't help it I worry when the same food has been sitting in the bowl for 2-3 days at a time.


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

Just some pics of how GSDs that are in shape, not too skinny, not too fat, look like.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/374694.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/130130.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/332302.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/128320.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/399629.html
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/395083.html


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: AxxelEither way, I won't except he goes days with out eating because he "has had enough"
> 
> I brought this concern to the breeder months a go and he said the same thing, he won't starve himself, don't worry about it....but I can't help it I worry when the same food has been sitting in the bowl for 2-3 days at a time.


then the problem is you...not the dog.


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## Fafhrd (Dec 3, 2008)

Try adding some good, lean "human" food to the kibble.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Ocean
> 
> I have to admit I'm a bit flabbergasted by all the posts I see in this forum about GSDs that have appetite issues. I have owned lots of GSDs and have not had a single picky eater.


Same here. I have had several GSDs and dogs of other breeds over the last 30+ years and have NEVER had a "picky eater". Maybe they just come into my house knowing that I will NOT cater to them. Either they eat the dry kibble I offer, or they go HUNGRY. Those are the only 2 options.


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Ocean
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: AxxelEither way, I won't except he goes days with out eating because he "has had enough"
> ...


So you are going to tell me with a straight face he should go days with out eating? 

BTW if he looked anything like those pictures i wouldn't be worried.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

post some pics, but I see axel was born less than a year ago so hes going to look like a goofy, skinny teenager at this point. He definitely should not be close to filled out so he's most likely normal if thats what your vet said. In your defense, you're worried about your little guys health - i can't knock you for that.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Dante







's his Nature's Logic. 

He still "dances" every time I pick up his food bowl

With previous foods if I put his food down and then went outside, he'd leave the bowl and sit at the door until I came back in - then go back and finish.
Now he finishes the food first and then comes and sits by the door!!

He's been on it since July

I did ask Nature's Logic if their food could be fed to a pup and they responded it could because the vitamins and minerals all come from natural sources and are not synthetic

http://www.natureslogic.com/


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Barb E.Dante
> 
> 
> 
> ...


2.1% calcium is outside my comfort zone at 8 months I'm afraid.


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSD
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Ocean
> ...


Ditto yet again!! My dogs eat whatever's put in front of them. I've switched foods a couple of times (as I got more educated on ingredients







) without a single problem. My dogs are the opposite of picky...they're pigs!!


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

Consider yourself lucky. The dogs I have now will eat anything thank heavens but Vishnu had a lot of health issues and he was very picky.


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## AQC82 (Jan 19, 2009)

> Quote:2.1% calcium is outside my comfort zone at 8 months I'm afraid.


Why is this amount of calcium out of your comfort zone? Does he have a medical condition that this amount of calcium could aggrivate? 

Just a thought to maybe try Pet food flavor enhancer's such as this:
http://www.miraclecorp.com/stewartpet/flavor1.htm

It might get him more interested in his food and keep him eating everyday and once he's used to the schedule you can either start weaning him off it or just keep giving it to him. Maybe he's just getting bored


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: AQC82
> 
> 
> > Quote:2.1% calcium is outside my comfort zone at 8 months I'm afraid.
> ...


Probably because that is quite a bit higher than a lot of folks recommend (Which is no more than 1.5%) for a large breed puppy.


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: AQC82
> 
> 
> > Quote:2.1% calcium is outside my comfort zone at 8 months I'm afraid.
> ...


As not to go into to great of detail, excess calcium has been shown to cause skeletal abnormalaties in large breed puppies....and I simply don't see a reason to take the risk. When he gets about a year to 15 months old I may switch him.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

And most foods I would not feed at the same calcium level, that's why I asked Nature's Logic about feeding their food. I would however probably feed the Nature's Logic.

The fact that the mineral/vitamins are natural and not synthetic makes sense to my brain that it would be different.

I'm guessing that puppies fed a raw diet may also be getting more than the 1.5% calcium.


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

Here's some pics of a GSD close in age to yours. This GSD is just right for his age, not too skinny, not too fat.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1013020&page=2#Post1013020

From your posts, it seems that Axxel is your first GSD. If you have had experiences with other breeds like Labs, GSDs typically do not have the kind of belly that most Labs and other common pet breeds have. GSD puppies do tend to have a belly, but once they get to your dog's age, they lose that and tend to be on the slim side until they fill out between 2 and 4 years old. My males don't even get to their thick adult bodies until they're 4.


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

A nice series of adult GSD pics male and female that can be used as a guide by people who always wondered what GSDs in perfect condition and weight are supposed to look like. Notice the lack of bellies.
http://www.griselda.de/wuerfe.htm


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## Grims (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks Ocean. Actually Axel never had a belly...he was only 8 pounds at 9 weeks old. He is now 62 pounds at 8 months old. He is doing better...he has put on 7 pounds in the last 3 weeks. But that si recovering the 5 he lost when he got a throat infection. 

Yes, first GSD. I have owned primarily rotties most my life.


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## Sashmom (Jun 5, 2002)

I just got my Rescue dog Sat, he came with ol roy, I sent hubby out to get him better, I told him something with Beef in it so he 
got Merrick Cowboy Cookout, think thats the name....the one with beef. 
HE LOVES IT. eats it dry, he looks forward to his AM and PM Cowboy cookout LOL 
It seems to have pretty good ingredients, we used to buy the canned Merricks for Sashi, my other GSD. 
Ive got Niko on a diet so holding off on any extras, he picked up low fat treats. 
Also, you might try Royal Canin GSD, my Sashi LOVED IT. 
Merricks isnt grain free but has alot of veggies and fruit in it, sounds good


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## mmarie (Feb 25, 2009)

I've had problems with picky eaters with my first two GSDs. The first was not free-fed and didn't get to what I would consider an appropriate weight until she was about 6 and we brought home a new puppy that tried to eat her food. Of course, once she was used to the puppy she went back to being picky. Bella we free feed at night because we learned when she was a puppy that she would go DAYS without eating unless we left the food over night. I always hear her in her bowl sometime between 12 and 2 in the morning. Again--picky eater, she'll still refuse her food if its not what she wants.

Luckily, I don't think I'll be having the same problem with Duke. He'll eat pretty much anything and everything, at least at this age, which is already a huge improvement over Angel and Bella who were content to starve themselves at an age where they needed food.

The trainer I used with Bella suggested Natural Balance Dog Food Rolls--they come in beef, liver, and turkey.

http://www.naturalbalance.net/dogformulas/DFRolls.html

They STINK, but thats what got Bella interested in them. When Bella is acting like she wants to starve herself I will give it to her alone, as feeding it alone means 5-6" of the roll. If she's just acting a little picky, or if I think she's losing weight, I'll crumble it to little pieces and add it to her regular dog food to up her interest in her meal (sometimes this even makes her eat it when I put it down, and not wait until we're asleep!). I also used little pieces of this for training Bella as it was a great treat AND a way to get the nutrients she needed in her.

Duke and Daisy go CRAZY for this stuff. We feed them just a little bit before bed. We use it to reinforce recognition of their name, and I've started to teach Duke the "come" command.

The best part is, if you decide the ingredients aren't what you want for your dog--a little bit on top of your preferred kibble will go a long way in convincing Axel to eat his dinner.


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