My House Guest

[Lilo-Lil]

It`s a shame about the ball thing, but some breeds are more focused on them than others.

I have to say I agree with you over the muzzle thing. One of mine wore one if off-lead due to his ability to find disgusting things to eat - he was a world champ! I hated using it, but without he was confined to the lead as he had a sensitive tum as well. It did mean he couldnt defend himself if he needed to, and so I had to be aware of which dogs were around him. If in doubt I took it off as him having "wind" was the lesser of two evils to me.

He wore a "baskerville" which meant he could still pant, bark a little bit and eat a treat stuffed inside it. I also had to put it on him at home if he went out in the dark or I hadnt been out on poo-patrol - he was that obsessed!

[misty]

Our old Harry wouldn't chase or run for a ball and we had him form a pup. Bless him he was old before his age. Freddie will sort of chase a ball but not that bothered. Barney the rottie loves balls, will even pick his ball out of several, bring it back, sit, leave and be ready to start again.
I do think it would be nice if he had some toys. Freddie has his own toy basket (worse than kids!) and today there were 4 dogs here. They played ball and tuggy and had great fun. Tomorrow I have got to search the garden to find all the toys!

[secret squirrel]

I will have to see what I can find.
He`s a bit off colour today. Noticed his poo was a bit loose when we were out last night.
Didnt eat his breakfast and then had an accident on the hall floor. At least its a laminate floor so although there was a considerable amount it was easy to clear.
He had a small piece of bacon yesterday. I think thats whats done it. Took his food up and sealed it. if he doesnt eat any tonight the whole lot will go in the bin and we will start again tomorrow. I have a chicken to cook tonight so I might save some of it for him and mix it with fresh cooked rice.
Apparently hes done this before. I`m told he has a delicate stomach. He tolereates chicken, turkey and rabbit and he has also had lamb, so I`m guessing its the bacon what done it. So it will be back to the trusty chicken kibble.
Hes cuddled up with me on the sofa, which is a treat as its usually out of bounds during the day unless he gets an invite.
Poor mite. Its rotten when you`ve got a dicky tum especially when you cant describe to someone how rotten you feel.
lorna

[secret squirrel]

Well it looks as though my furry friend will be with us until the new year. I will have to write to santa to see what he is bringing him.

He has decided this week to start being `picky` with his food and now doesnt like what he has been having for the last 4 or 5 days.

Mixers are all so different from when we last had a dog, with different flavours and gormet options. It takes for ever in Pets at Home, although `of course` he does like the most expensive brand. Well you would wouldnt you? If you could have seen the look he gave me yesterday when I gave him his breakfast. It said `yeah right, you expect me to eat that? no no no`. And he turned his nose up.

Do yours all have favourites and funny little eating habits? Do you have to be as cunning as I am going to have to be to get the little `darlings` to eat?
Please tell me , encourage me and make me laugh, I need it right now. There is too much stuff in my life at the moment and I need cheering up.

lorna

[wendy]

Ha ha... he is keeping you on your toes.
Yes mine have favourites. But they are given their food. If it isn't eaten in 10 minutes it is taken up and they get nothing else until the next meal. Which was breakfast, taken from the fridge and given again. They do learn that if they don't eat they go hungry. But I think it does help that I have 3 other dogs to help them.
Mine are fed raw meat and veggies, or mixer if I have forgotton to do the veg, and so get different daily. But I have found out that Dave will not eat tripe if I give it too often and yet the others would eat it daily.
Wendy

[madmum]

All of our dogs are different! our spaniel will eat anything! if he can roll in it first so much the better and yet he has a really sensitive tum and any raw meat gives him the runs Our saluki is a real thief and will counter surf given half a chance,he is very rarely sick and likes his chille very hot Both our big dogs have complete food senior ,chicken and rice ,from Tes&cos.Our new little fella is on chuddly puppy food and is not too keen although this is what he had at the breeders, so he has a very little chicken with it (i made the mistake of putting some roast chicken juice with his lunch instead of meat he loved it but had five very messy accidents in the night cos neither of us could get to the door fast enough!!)Huskies are known to have very sensitive tums so i guess i will be sourcing puppy food from now on

[kate egg]

My Springer spaniel has had a variety of foods, from home cooked lamb mince, brown rice and veg with a mixer, through to Bakers Sensitive.

He loved the home made food, and loves Bakers but I am not sure this is really good quality I had him on Nutro which is good quality but expensive and he often turned his nose up. I usually add half a tin of wet food to make it more interesting but he still managed to leave the kibble....

Now the cat he is a right fusspot, one week he loves Whiskas, then won't touch it, then Felix - ditto what a pest

[wendy]

Ah well, A dog won't starve to death, he would eat you if you died and there was no food.
But cats...that is a different matter if they don't want it they won't eat it.
Wendy

[misty]

Freddie only cares about food if you are eating it, then if you do put some in his dish he might turn his nose up at it. He is fed a raw frozen chick wing which he loves, then frozen mince with some Skinners duck and rice. All available from the local pet shop. He is fed once a day p.m and if it isn't gone by the morning it's taken away. They wont go hungry so don't worry and don't let him be too fussy. I am always wary of kibble with lots of colours and never fed over 20% protein. I bet he has a lovely Christmas.

[secret squirrel]

I certainly dont mind cooking rice and veg but I dont think his owner will be quite so dedicated when he goes home as she works full time in the city.

I have actually been taking it up when he doesnt eat it. I might just mix a bit more with what he left and give that to him tonight. Hes certainly not starving I can assure you. He ways just over 77Ibs. Hes like a r***y horse.

Any particular veg? he like carrots and sometimes he has apple segments which he is keen on. I shant be giving him a biscuit of he cant eat his main.
Blimey its like having a child. `no pudding until you eat your main` And yes he is keeping me on my toes.
lorna

[wendy]

They have what we have. I boil up the cauliflower leaves etc. for them as well. If I don 't give them to the chooks.
Don't give onion though it is not good for dogs, something to do with blood platelets. Also raw egg white isn't too good for them either. Can't remember why though.
All of them would sell their soul for raw carrot. I give these instead of processed treats.
Wendy

[kate egg]

Basically any veg like Wendy says except onions or mushrooms which are toxic to dogs. I used to add tinned tomatoes, any cooked veg to the brown rice and lamb. It was very healthy but I am so busy that something had to give He has maintained a very steady weight (about 22kg) and has a lovely glossy coat and plenty of energy so I think thats the best way of telling he's OK.

77lb???? is that a great dane?

[Lilo-Lil]

I`m with Wendy on the feeding thing. Mine get 15 mins (if only they ate that slowly ) to eat then anything left is taken up, and nothing else to next mealtime. It takes my spaniel less than a min to eat and she is trying to scavange off my Lab. He`s usually too busy fending cats off to bother with her! Funnily enough, I only took this one last week.

dogs and kittens - dinner.jpg (27.92 KiB) Viewed 4307 times

I give mine veggies etc with their main meals. The only treat they get is a small chew when I go out, and a few bedtime biccies. My Lab will do anything for raw carrot or apples.

Spaniels can be very picky eaters, but my Issy has always lived with Labs who hoover anything and everything. I suspect this is why she is so greedy.

[secret squirrel]

No hes not a Great Dane, hes a pure bred Doberman and hes gorgeous.
He is quite funny when he is hungry. He comes right up close and looks me straight in the eye and licks his lips.
Thanks to you all for your advice. I did exactly what I said and added some left over raw chicken, cooked lamb, cooked rice and a tomato that I found in the fridge.
He had no treats today and he has eaten the lot.

He loves carrots and apples so I will get in a bigger supply than usual. Actually when he leaves it or doesnt get to it soon enough, the cats help themselves.
My brother in law had a guide dog and they give her carrots on a regular basis as treats.

I must post some piccies for you. I need a new cable to up load them to my laptop.

[misty]

Freddie has a dish in the kitchen with his food in and another dish with some veg in (twin dishes on a stand) but he has his head on his Dad's lap watching him eat an apple which he will get some of in a second!