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03-27-2007, 07:30 AM | #1 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NC
Posts: 107
| When to go to one meal a day Everyone here knows I and many others on this forum have little "brats," that go through stages of refusing anything and everything we give them. It's like a "fast" or something. Well Sparky has done this off and on since I got him in December. He is 19 weeks old, almost 5 months (the 12th of April). He weighed 7 lbs 10 ounces at the vet's last week, so he's not a "toy," by any means, and I realize he weighs more than AKC recognizes (so I'm told). But he's my lil bugger. He's not quite 10 inches tall at his shoulders. Now that you know his size, my question. When can I switch him to eating once a day? I keep Merrick's kibbles down all day, and twice a day he gets 1/4 cup of Merricks dry and I grate up a little bit of New Balance rolls on top of that. Plus I add a few pieces of chopped up chicken or beef, and maybe a grated baby carrot. I have to really baby him to get him to eat (hand feed him). I don't want to go through changing foods everytime he gets picky. Sometimes I'll give him a teaspoon of non-fat plain yogurt or a teaspoon of non-fat cottage cheese (usually between 11 - 2). He eats breakfast about 9 am and dinner about 5 - 6 pm. But he picks at his two meals, and doesn't really act interested. I even cut back on his quantity of breakfast, but still he never eats ALL of his food. (except yogurt, cottage cheese). He doesn't get alot of treats during the day, only a cheerio when he goes potty. I really need help as I am at my wits end. Also, I feed him seperate from my other dog (she's about 6-8 years old, coon hound and has eaten Purina Kibbles all her life), and he acts like he's starving if he can get to her bowl before I pick it up. He will gobble it. I got some samples several months ago and he gobbled Candidae. I started to change, but the tech at my vet's told me it wasn;t a good idea to change, it teaches them to be finicky.(She has several Yorkies)He gobbled Merrick's when I changed him over from Science Diet. Is this something I have to look forward to? HELLLLLPPPPPPP!@!@!!!!!!!@!!@@! |
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03-27-2007, 07:43 AM | #2 |
Owned by 3 furballs Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 6,581
| I'm not sure what to advice but 1 meal a day seems like not a good idea. I would either feed morning and night or free feed (but that is my personal preference). I don't have finicky eaters at my house so can't help there. Mine graze all day long and eat small yet frequent meals which is great to maintain stable glucose levels. I guess your best bet would be an all stages food like Canidae? I don't agree that switching food makes them finicky but that is just me. I prefer feeding an all stages food where both dogs eat from the same bowl whenever each pleases. I don't have hypoglycemia, finicky or weight issues. I guess you have to try different methods until you find what works for YOU. Good luck
__________________ Bobbi Yorkietalk http://www.dogster.com/dogs/395435 And now........little Aja too! http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23776545 |
03-27-2007, 08:00 AM | #3 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NC
Posts: 107
| I keep some Merrick puppy food down all the time. If he were to get hungry, wouldn't he go to that? That would keep his glucose level from dropping. Like this morning, he would not eat his breakfast meal I made for him. So I picked it up after about 15 minutes (he still had his bowl of kibbles on the floor). Then just a few minutes ago I gave him 1 tsp. yogurt, two green beans and a couple bites cut off of a Natural Balance roll. I worry he won't get enough nutrients, although he is very healthy looking. Does anyone feed their furbaby Natural Balance rolls and does it make their stools soft or loose since it's not a hard kibble? I have one each of the three rolls flavors and he likes all of them, but I would prefer he be on hard kibbles for the stool issue. He hasn't had loose stools so far, but I know if they eat canned foods, sometimes their stools are mushy. I like being able to pick it up when he potty's without it squishing in the paper. ANyone with ideas, hhhhheeeeellllppppp! |
03-27-2007, 08:07 AM | #4 | |
Owned by 3 furballs Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 6,581
| Quote:
Dogs are like us. Somedays they will be hungrier than others. I would definitely keep the dry kibble out at all times (But that is just me speaking). You could continue to feed the yogurt as a treat once a day and possibly the rolls in the evening. I feed mine yogurt or cottage cheese with a dose of supplement (ML). As a treat I feed Evanger's canned but a tiny bit. Their main staple of food is dry kibble (Canidae). Hope you are able to find a solution. Good luck
__________________ Bobbi Yorkietalk http://www.dogster.com/dogs/395435 And now........little Aja too! http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23776545 | |
03-27-2007, 08:14 AM | #5 |
No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 16,218
| What I would suggest is to divide up the amount of food you would give him in one sitting and feed your pup 2xdaily. I never understood how a dog could survive being feed only once a day. I would feed him 1/2 for breakfast and the other 1/2 in the evening for dinner. This way there is always something in his stomach. Let's not forget the treats as well. |
03-27-2007, 08:20 AM | #6 |
Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas
Posts: 21,173
| I've never, ever fed just once a day. I've always maintained a three small meals a day schedule with a night time snack. One thing that can happen to them is that they can get an upset tummy if their tummy is empty too long. Just a thought.
__________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel |
03-27-2007, 08:22 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Emma eats a little bit of natural balance rolls mixed in with a little canned Merrick food mixed in with a little bit of Merrick dry food. Her stools are not loose at all...She gets this twice a day and she gets a tsp of Stonyfield yogurt once a day and little snacks throughout the day like a little piece of green apple (peeled) or something like that. If she does get hungry though, which she usually doesn't, she'll snack on Miko's dry food which I leave out all day.
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
03-27-2007, 08:22 AM | #8 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NC
Posts: 107
| The Merrick's bag says to feed a total of 1/2 cups of dry food a day, so that's why I usually give him 1/4 cup in the am and another 1/4 cup in the pm. But he always has Merrick's dry in a bowl by his water dish, because I would like for him to eventually free feed. (That's the way Cindy, my coon hound was until Sparky came in. I had to pick her food up so he wouldn't eat it and he's on puppy food.) Could I switch him to Merricks all stages, or is it too soon? I'm just full of questions, sorry! But he rattles my brain! OH but suuuccchhhh love! I wouldn't trade him for a million bucks. |
03-27-2007, 08:22 AM | #9 | |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Soddy Daisy, TN
Posts: 733
| Quote:
Her morning ration (or breakfast) I give her cottage cheese or kibble or one center cut bacon (cooked) and 1/2 egg. These are the three things that she will consistently eat. If she does not eat it within a 20 minute period, I pick it up and she waits until dinner. I found the later I feed her (about 7 - 7:30) in the evening the better chance of her eating her entire meal and the less picky she is. Her evening meal consists of wet dog food. Either Merricks or Evangers.
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03-27-2007, 08:22 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| Oh, and I forgot to mention, I don't think one meal a day is enough...
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
03-27-2007, 08:25 AM | #11 | |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
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__________________ Miko 's his Mommy | |
03-27-2007, 08:29 AM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 1,279
| I feed Rocky once a day, only because I tried the 1/2 serving for breakfast and the rest for dinner and he would never eat his breakfast. Now he has 1/2 cup a food for dinner and he gets healthly treats in the morning which he will eat. Rocky is so not a morning dog, just like his mommy who is not a morning person. |
03-27-2007, 08:49 AM | #13 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NC
Posts: 107
| Rockster's Mom How old is Rocky? Sparky does not seem to be a morning person. He likes to lounge around after pottying, going back to bed til about 8 or 9 o'clock. Yorkieluv The Merricks food Sparky eats is called "Puppy Plate." I don't think it is all life stages. I know they have several different varieties, and maybe the others are, but this one is specifically for puppies. So feeding him "people food" in okay? I didn't think they could eat things like bacon, eggs, because they were bad for them. I occassionally mix Sparky's kibbles with chicken, or beef, and last night a mixed it with a little bit of grilled pork loin. I feed him green beans, raw baby carrots, raw broccoli, cucumbers, apples, celery, and that's the jest of what people food he's had. Which incidentially he loves people food. |
03-27-2007, 09:00 AM | #14 | |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 1,279
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03-27-2007, 09:15 AM | #15 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA
Posts: 7,178
| [QUOTE=debbiect;1028644]Rockster's Mom Yorkieluv The Merricks food Sparky eats is called "Puppy Plate." I don't think it is all life stages. I know they have several different varieties, and maybe the others are, but this one is specifically for puppies. QUOTE] Yes, it is Puppyplate is for all life stages...Here's a link to Merrick's website where it states this: http://www.merrickpetcare.com/about_us/faq.php#faq_164 If the link doesn't work go to www.merrickpetcare.com At the top right, it will say FAQ...Click on that and scroll down to the heading Canned Foods...Then look for the question where it asks about Puppyplate being okay for older dogs....Click on that and read the answer. It says: "Is it okay to feed Puppy Plate to an older dog? Yes, all Merrick food is developed for All Life Stages. Please review the feeding guidelines on the back of the can for each entree to learn what amount you should feed your dog." The name PuppyPlate can be misleading and make you think it's only for pups.
__________________ Miko 's his Mommy |
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