Eating

[helen mentz]

I have enormous trouble feeding my 4 month old yorkie. She hates pellets, just intermittently eats them from my fingers. If I cook for her, she will never eat the same twice. She likes meat, chicken, lamb, beef, fish, sausage, eggs, cheese but hardly eats much at all and I worry about her. Sometimes she just will not eat breakfast. She is very healthy and vigorous, but it is so hard to know what to feed her. She will not eat unless I hand feed her and there is no feeling of competition if I try to feed her with the other dogs. She is just not really interested.

Can anyone help or has a similar problem.

[lovespandp]

Pellets? Like in kibble?

What dry food do you feed her? Sometimes just a switch of proteins can help. I know my Peanut will not touch anything Venison. His favorite protein is Duck, but will eat any Lamb, Salmon, Turkey..

You should really watch the human foods you give her, Yorkies can get pancreatitis quickly especially giving her sausage. I would stop giving that to her right away. Sausage is way to greasy/fatty. Too much cheese isn't good either- they cannot digest dairy so dairy is not good for them. A little here and there isn't a big deal, but too much will cause serious health problems.

You need to find a good balanced kibble for her that she likes and that is healthy for her. You can even find a good wet food and mix a little of that with her kibble- it will help her eat. I have been feeding Weruva wet food along with Canine Caviar dry and it has been great. No issues and he licks his plate clean. It is the only dry food that works with his allergies and the only dry that he will eat even without wet food.

The Weruva wet food is great, it’s a great company. The food looks like human food so your baby will probably love it. It manufactured in a plant in Thailand- this is a human grade plant that process the tuna for Subway. Very good company, safe product. Peanut really loves this food.

Weruva - People Food for Pets

Hopefully you're able to find something, I know the stresses of the food- finding what is best and what your baby will eat-

[kreuer]

Originally Posted by helen mentz

I have enormous trouble feeding my 4 month old yorkie. She hates pellets, just intermittently eats them from my fingers. If I cook for her, she will never eat the same twice. She likes meat, chicken, lamb, beef, fish, sausage, eggs, cheese but hardly eats much at all and I worry about her. Sometimes she just will not eat breakfast. She is very healthy and vigorous, but it is so hard to know what to feed her. She will not eat unless I hand feed her and there is no feeling of competition if I try to feed her with the other dogs. She is just not really interested.

Can anyone help or has a similar problem.

My Lexi was exactly the same way! She is still not a big eater and skinny, but healthy. I tried everything. I tried mixing with wet and she seemed to love it the first time, but when I gave it to her the second time she wanted nothing to do with it. I got so frustrated trying to get her to eat. Only one thing worked. I simply put her dry food out in the morning and left it there all day. She would sometimes go sniff it and then look at me like, "I'm not eating that!" But I refused to give in. The first day she didn't eat until late afternoon, but once she was hungry enough she ate. It took a few days until she realized this is what she was going to eat and she had no other choice. Some days she would still not eat until afternoon, but she always ate. You have to also remember that little dogs don't have to eat as much as big dogs and she will not starve herself. How big is she?

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by kreuer

My Lexi was exactly the same way! She is still not a big eater and skinny, but healthy. I tried everything. I tried mixing with wet and she seemed to love it the first time, but when I gave it to her the second time she wanted nothing to do with it. I got so frustrated trying to get her to eat. Only one thing worked. I simply put her dry food out in the morning and left it there all day. She would sometimes go sniff it and then look at me like, "I'm not eating that!" But I refused to give in. The first day she didn't eat until late afternoon, but once she was hungry enough she ate. It took a few days until she realized this is what she was going to eat and she had no other choice. Some days she would still not eat until afternoon, but she always ate. You have to also remember that little dogs don't have to eat as much as big dogs and she will not starve herself. How big is she?

You have to be careful with these little ones not eating, their blood sugar can get low quick and things can start to go downhill.

Peanut has never been a “morning eater”. However he has to eat before I leave for work otherwise if he doesn’t I will come home to a 4 pound dog with low blood sugar shaking in the corner.

I started him on the wet food Weruva, it has really helped. I will mix a little in with his morning breakfast and he will gobble it up!!

Your Lexi sounds like my Peanut so just be cautious when she doesn’t eat. If she starts acting nervous, shaking or any other signs that aren’t normal give her something to eat. It doesn’t take much for their blood sugar to drop.

[kreuer]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

You have to be careful with these little ones not eating, their blood sugar can get low quick and things can start to go downhill.

Peanut has never been a “morning eater”. However he has to eat before I leave for work otherwise if he doesn’t I will come home to a 4 pound dog with low blood sugar shaking in the corner.

I started him on the wet food Weruva, it has really helped. I will mix a little in with his morning breakfast and he will gobble it up!!

Your Lexi sounds like my Peanut so just be cautious when she doesn’t eat. If she starts acting nervous, shaking or any other signs that aren’t normal give her something to eat. It doesn’t take much for their blood sugar to drop.

Yes, you are very right about the blood sugar, that's why I asked how big she was. I guess I just got lucky with Lexi. She never had issues with this. I did this when she was only 4 months and 3 pounds and she never had any issues with hypoglycemia. She did throw up bile once or twice in the morning, but nothing else. I am a stay at home mom so I was able to be home to watch her. I guess I should have mentioned to look out for signs of low blood sugar.

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by kreuer

Yes, you are very right about the blood sugar, that's why I asked how big she was. I guess I just got lucky with Lexi. She never had issues with this. I did this when she was only 4 months and 3 pounds and she never had any issues with hypoglycemia. She did throw up bile once or twice in the morning, but nothing else. I am a stay at home mom so I was able to be home to watch her. I guess I should have mentioned to look out for signs of low blood sugar.

Oh good, some people don’t know about it. It took me a couple times to figure that’s what was going on with Peanut. I couldn't figure out why he was throwing up bile when I would get home from work!!
That is good you’re home, that was my problem I have to leave to go to work.. That’s good Miss Lexi doesn't have any problems with that! How much does she weigh?

Peanut is 7 years and 4 pounds.

[matese]

I cannot recommend any foods, my Cody is not a fussy boy lucky me, he eats anything, meaning dog food, I do not feed ppl food. What I wanted to advise is sausage PLEASE do not feed to your baby, it is way to greasy, filled with fat. Greasy,fatty human foods like bacon, chicken skin, pork fat, steak fat, may / can / will cause your baby pancreatitis down the road. Many, many years ago my grandfather would feed his Pom fat from pork, chicken etc. he said fat was good for their skin & fur. If you are coming from that kind of pet up bringing that is all incorrect. Do not feed any greasy fatty foods to your baby. I hope you find something yummy that your baby will enjoy to eat.

[kreuer]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

Oh good, some people don’t know about it. It took me a couple times to figure that’s what was going on with Peanut. I couldn't figure out why he was throwing up bile when I would get home from work!!
That is good you’re home, that was my problem I have to leave to go to work.. That’s good Miss Lexi doesn't have any problems with that! How much does she weigh?

Peanut is 7 years and 4 pounds.

Right now Lexi is few ounces under 5 pounds and she turns 1 at the end of this month. She is much better at eating now, still super skinny. I ended up getting a Shih Tzu a couple months ago and he is the complete opposite of Lexi. He wants to eat all the time. I had to start schedule feeding which I was worried about since Lexi was used to free feeding. Sometimes she still does not eat breakfast, but she will eat at lunch time and dinner. If she eats breakfast, she will not eat at lunch time, but will at dinner. I remember the first month I had her I was so worried about her not eating enough I tried everything! I know I was part of the problem. I think she quickly learned that if she didn't eat I would add something to it to make it more enticing.

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by kreuer

Right now Lexi is few ounces under 5 pounds and she turns 1 at the end of this month. She is much better at eating now, still super skinny. I ended up getting a Shih Tzu a couple months ago and he is the complete opposite of Lexi. He wants to eat all the time. I had to start schedule feeding which I was worried about since Lexi was used to free feeding. Sometimes she still does not eat breakfast, but she will eat at lunch time and dinner. If she eats breakfast, she will not eat at lunch time, but will at dinner. I remember the first month I had her I was so worried about her not eating enough I tried everything! I know I was part of the problem. I think she quickly learned that if she didn't eat I would add something to it to make it more enticing.

Aw she's still just a baby. Yes, they seem to get us wrapped around their paw quickly~~ It can be stressful when they don't eat, especially the smaller ones. With Peanut I had to do something, it was getting pretty bad. Now the little brat gets wet food mixed in with his dry!! It doesn't matter to me as long as he eats- I'm happy!!

[helen mentz]

Thanks you to the people who replied to me. My little girl is 4 months old and weighs 2.1 kgs (4lbs 6 ozs) I have tried her with Canine pellets, Pedigree pellets, uekaniba pellets, all of which are good quality and it makes no difference, she does not like them. I cannot leave her food lying around to free eat as I have three other dogs who would just wolf it down. I have to virtually hand feed her. I have tried feeding her at the same time as the other dogs and it makes no difference. It is a struggle, but she is healthy, friendly, confident and energetic but does shake a bit from time to time. Last night I gave her gammon with just a few pellets disguised in it, beans and a bit of gravy and she ate it. This morning she just ate plain gammon, but come the next meal she will not look at the same thing. She seems to like just meat and her bedtime biscuit. Thanks for your help.