Honest Opinions Please - YorkieTalk.com Forums

BellasGammaw · 06-01-2008, 07:11 PM

I have had Bella for 3 weeks now and I have had a very hard time getting her to eat. The breeder had her on Science Diet and after reading what a horrible food SD is I changed her food to Canidae. She would not eat. I then tried her on Innova. She still refused to eat. I tried mixing the SD with each of the foods but she would not eat it. She would smell the food and walk away.

She had her 2nd set of shots yesterday and I discussed all of this with my vet. He told me that if she was eating the SD to keep her on it. He said that is a well balanced puppy food and would not hurt her.

After I came home I put some wet and dry SD down for her and she gobbled it up. WHAT DO I DO? Does anyone on here feed their babies Science Diet?

Am I a horrible owner if I keep her on it?

spr377 · 06-01-2008, 07:14 PM

I have found if they don't want to eat, add a dab of chicken babyfood.......then they will get used to the new food and you can eventually stop doing the babyfood with it. Good luck!

seainthecity · 06-01-2008, 07:31 PM

I agree. I feed Chicken Soup and when I switched to it I mixed about a teaspoon of the canned food in and Guppy gobbled it down. I've heard lots of bad things about Science Diet and personally would find something else. Some of the more "upscale" stores have small, free, trial size bags of food that you might grab to try out. GL!

altigger74 · 06-01-2008, 07:50 PM

I have mine on SD natures best lamb and rice. It has no corn or wheat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellasGammaw

I have had Bella for 3 weeks now and I have had a very hard time getting her to eat. The breeder had her on Science Diet and after reading what a horrible food SD is I changed her food to Canidae. She would not eat. I then tried her on Innova. She still refused to eat. I tried mixing the SD with each of the foods but she would not eat it. She would smell the food and walk away.

She had her 2nd set of shots yesterday and I discussed all of this with my vet. He told me that if she was eating the SD to keep her on it. He said that is a well balanced puppy food and would not hurt her.

After I came home I put some wet and dry SD down for her and she gobbled it up. WHAT DO I DO? Does anyone on here feed their babies Science Diet?

Am I a horrible owner if I keep her on it?

Thorsmomma · 06-01-2008, 07:55 PM

Maybe you could try to switch it slowly...mix in a couple bits of the other kibble you want to switch to over a couple a weeks. Maybe then she won't notice. She won't drop dead if you feed her SD. If she isn't into switching, maybe you can try again in a few months when she's not a new puppy, and not at such a tender age. Good luck!

yellowmellie · 06-01-2008, 07:55 PM

I dont think your a horrible mom at all. Sometimes you can't feed them what you want to, end of story.

Kaba is the pickiest eater EVER! Plus I can't get all the fancy foods that everyone loves on here so much unless I order online and shipping would be ridiculous for me. I stopped caring so much about what exactly I am feeding her because it would be days without her eating when I would put down the "good" foods and I could tell her energy levels had dropped. I would say supplement with a multivitamin and maybe overtime do the switch. Start with a 90/10%mixture and SLOWLY switch..You can't always make them eat what you want them to eat.

CupofDog · 06-02-2008, 01:55 AM

You aren't a bad mom!!

Bear in mind, Science Diet has loads of chemical additives that add fake tasty components. Its like offering McDonalds or fresh veggies to a child. Which one is he going to pick??

You are going to have to train her to eat what you want. I worked with a holistic pet food company that sold all the premium brands and Candidae was not the most pallettable of the kibbles, anyway. Its pretty bland and bigger dogs seem to like it better then small breeds.

Solid Gold Wee Bits was usually enjoyed by my small breed clients, as is Timberwolf and Orijen. See if you can get some samples of other premium brands before resigning to feeding Science Diet. You might try mixing a few tsp of warm chicken broth into the kibble or using a grain free wet food mixed into your kibble.

Have you thought about trying raw?? Some very picky eaters got right into raw eating and it is so, so healthy. Its what I feed!!

Ellie May · 06-02-2008, 05:57 AM

Have you thought about homecooking or feeding canned food instead of kibble?

If I had to feed SD I would consider the Nature's Best but not the regular.
The Nature's Best doesn't really have chemicals in it and at this point I think that is what I'd look at because I don't think any kibble is really healthy.

chestermama · 06-02-2008, 03:13 PM

have you tried the wee bits from solid gold, it has bison in it, samll kibble as well

BellasGammaw · 06-02-2008, 03:21 PM

Thank you so much for all of the advice. I am not going to give up. I would like to get some information on feeding RAW. I really have no idea what it is all about.

CupofDog · 06-02-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellasGammaw

Thank you so much for all of the advice. I am not going to give up. I would like to get some information on feeding RAW. I really have no idea what it is all about.

The best way to start raw is with research. Do a search on Yorkie Talk for raw threads first to see how other small dog breeders feed raw.

Some good resources:
BARF Diet - Healthy & Natural Raw Food For Dogs & Cats, Pet Health Care Food & Nutrition Products Supply Online
Highest Quality Raw Pet Foods on this Planet
RawFed.com Home Page

Come to Yorkie Talk with questions, there are tons of knowledgeable raw feeders online!

aquinn · 06-02-2008, 06:09 PM

I have two suggestions:
1. try Royal Canin, I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't like it, and it's a fantastic food!
2. Whenever you give her something new make a huge deal out of it, like it's the yummiest reat ever, and then give her each piece as if it were a treat. This is how I got Tucker to LOVE his heartgard. Anyway, make her do whatever you do (like sit, lay down, etc) before giving it to her. if she doesn't know commands yet no worries, just make a big deal of it. I always say " wow, tucky, LOOK! aawwww, this is amazing, you want it??? You want it??? and he goes nuts! I've tried equally delicius things without all the fuss and they aren't good enough for him he thinks. Try it, it just might work for you

CupofDog · 06-02-2008, 06:34 PM

I don't want to say that Royal Canin is a bad food...but according to their website, the first three ingredients are Chicken meal, rice, brown rice - following that are many chemicals and other byproducts.

I prefer to feed a food where the first three ingredients AT LEAST are meat/ protein and not meat meal and empty carbs.

Dogs are carnivores and even if we feed kibble, there are many options that have higher protein/ whole food contents...ie Timberwolf, Orijen, etc.

The price points aren't too far apart either.

lexisnana · 06-02-2008, 06:36 PM

I feed SD Natures Best. Started them on it because it claims to be all natural. I saw a wonderful improvement in my terriers coat so went ahead and fed to lexi. I hadn't heard all the bad stuff about SD, though.

neceedee · 06-02-2008, 06:45 PM

I got Maggie some dry food called BLUE life protection formula, She is eating that better than all the other I've bought, Not saying a whole lot, but its getting better. Has anyone tried that?

06-01-2008, 07:11 PM	#1
BellasGammaw Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2008 Location: Belleview, FL Posts: 14	Honest Opinions Please I have had Bella for 3 weeks now and I have had a very hard time getting her to eat. The breeder had her on Science Diet and after reading what a horrible food SD is I changed her food to Canidae. She would not eat. I then tried her on Innova. She still refused to eat. I tried mixing the SD with each of the foods but she would not eat it. She would smell the food and walk away. She had her 2nd set of shots yesterday and I discussed all of this with my vet. He told me that if she was eating the SD to keep her on it. He said that is a well balanced puppy food and would not hurt her. After I came home I put some wet and dry SD down for her and she gobbled it up. WHAT DO I DO? Does anyone on here feed their babies Science Diet? Am I a horrible owner if I keep her on it?

06-01-2008, 07:55 PM	#5
Thorsmomma I Love Thor Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,177 Blog Entries: 1	Maybe you could try to switch it slowly...mix in a couple bits of the other kibble you want to switch to over a couple a weeks. Maybe then she won't notice. She won't drop dead if you feed her SD. If she isn't into switching, maybe you can try again in a few months when she's not a new puppy, and not at such a tender age. Good luck! __________________ Hannah & Thor & Harry The boys on DOGSTER

06-01-2008, 07:55 PM	#6
yellowmellie Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Okinawa, Japan Posts: 289	I dont think your a horrible mom at all. Sometimes you can't feed them what you want to, end of story. Kaba is the pickiest eater EVER! Plus I can't get all the fancy foods that everyone loves on here so much unless I order online and shipping would be ridiculous for me. I stopped caring so much about what exactly I am feeding her because it would be days without her eating when I would put down the "good" foods and I could tell her energy levels had dropped. I would say supplement with a multivitamin and maybe overtime do the switch. Start with a 90/10%mixture and SLOWLY switch..You can't always make them eat what you want them to eat. __________________ Mommy Melanie and Princess Kaba and Crazy Cleo

06-02-2008, 01:55 AM	#7
CupofDog YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Washington D.C. Posts: 707	You aren't a bad mom!! Bear in mind, Science Diet has loads of chemical additives that add fake tasty components. Its like offering McDonalds or fresh veggies to a child. Which one is he going to pick?? You are going to have to train her to eat what you want. I worked with a holistic pet food company that sold all the premium brands and Candidae was not the most pallettable of the kibbles, anyway. Its pretty bland and bigger dogs seem to like it better then small breeds. Solid Gold Wee Bits was usually enjoyed by my small breed clients, as is Timberwolf and Orijen. See if you can get some samples of other premium brands before resigning to feeding Science Diet. You might try mixing a few tsp of warm chicken broth into the kibble or using a grain free wet food mixed into your kibble. Have you thought about trying raw?? Some very picky eaters got right into raw eating and it is so, so healthy. Its what I feed!! __________________ Roving dogs do not indicate the civilization or compassion of the society; they betray on the contrary the ignorance and lethargy of its members. -Ghandi

06-02-2008, 05:57 AM	#8
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	Have you thought about homecooking or feeding canned food instead of kibble? If I had to feed SD I would consider the Nature's Best but not the regular. The Nature's Best doesn't really have chemicals in it and at this point I think that is what I'd look at because I don't think any kibble is really healthy. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

06-01-2008, 07:14 PM	#2
spr377 Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 2,015	I have found if they don't want to eat, add a dab of chicken babyfood.......then they will get used to the new food and you can eventually stop doing the babyfood with it. Good luck!

06-01-2008, 07:31 PM	#3
seainthecity Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2007 Location: Orlando Posts: 103	I agree. I feed Chicken Soup and when I switched to it I mixed about a teaspoon of the canned food in and Guppy gobbled it down. I've heard lots of bad things about Science Diet and personally would find something else. Some of the more "upscale" stores have small, free, trial size bags of food that you might grab to try out. GL!

06-02-2008, 03:13 PM	#9
chestermama YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: washington Posts: 3,383 Blog Entries: 1	have you tried the wee bits from solid gold, it has bison in it, samll kibble as well

06-02-2008, 03:21 PM	#10
BellasGammaw Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2008 Location: Belleview, FL Posts: 14	Thank you so much for all of the advice. I am not going to give up. I would like to get some information on feeding RAW. I really have no idea what it is all about.

06-02-2008, 06:09 PM	#12
aquinn Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 983	royal canin? I have two suggestions: 1. try Royal Canin, I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't like it, and it's a fantastic food! 2. Whenever you give her something new make a huge deal out of it, like it's the yummiest reat ever, and then give her each piece as if it were a treat. This is how I got Tucker to LOVE his heartgard. Anyway, make her do whatever you do (like sit, lay down, etc) before giving it to her. if she doesn't know commands yet no worries, just make a big deal of it. I always say " wow, tucky, LOOK! aawwww, this is amazing, you want it??? You want it??? and he goes nuts! I've tried equally delicius things without all the fuss and they aren't good enough for him he thinks. Try it, it just might work for you __________________ April & Tucker

06-02-2008, 06:34 PM	#13
CupofDog YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Washington D.C. Posts: 707	I don't want to say that Royal Canin is a bad food...but according to their website, the first three ingredients are Chicken meal, rice, brown rice - following that are many chemicals and other byproducts. I prefer to feed a food where the first three ingredients AT LEAST are meat/ protein and not meat meal and empty carbs. Dogs are carnivores and even if we feed kibble, there are many options that have higher protein/ whole food contents...ie Timberwolf, Orijen, etc. The price points aren't too far apart either. __________________ Roving dogs do not indicate the civilization or compassion of the society; they betray on the contrary the ignorance and lethargy of its members. -Ghandi

06-02-2008, 06:36 PM	#14
lexisnana Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2008 Location: La Grange,Tx Posts: 66	I feed SD Natures Best. Started them on it because it claims to be all natural. I saw a wonderful improvement in my terriers coat so went ahead and fed to lexi. I hadn't heard all the bad stuff about SD, though.

06-02-2008, 06:45 PM	#15
neceedee Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WV Posts: 131	I got Maggie some dry food called BLUE life protection formula, She is eating that better than all the other I've bought, Not saying a whole lot, but its getting better. Has anyone tried that? __________________ : RIP Maggie, I love You