labradoodle - fussy eater

[Kassee]

I have a lovely labradoodle who is 2 years old, and she is very fussy with her food. I have always had labradors before and they will eat just about anything. Anyway, I wondered if anyone had any advice for me. She prefers wet food, so I now buy tins of pedigree chum and mix it with Bakers complete, (which she wont eat on its own).

Sometimes she wont eat any of her food for a whole day, anything, alto she does like bits of ham and chicken if there is any going. I am feeding her twice a day too - which I'm not sure is too much. Thanks - any advice appreciated

[welshlibranr]

I think that twice a day is fine, but wouldn't give her titbits if she's not eating her meals, when she's hungry enough she will eat her food!...........

[DTCwordfan]

I have had them too, Rutland Manor ones, and they eat what they need....some peculiar tastes as well....the first one would go nuts for Kraft Macaroni cheese - and Watermelon!

We fed them on dry food....twice a day is find -and if you have no other animals, you could leave her food down.

They are so brilliant with kids......

[DTCwordfan]

fine not find

[ladybirder]

Kassee you say she doesn't like the Bakers on its own and only tolerates it when it's mixed with the wet food so I don't understand why you are still giving it to her. The first thing I would do is change the Bakers for a better quality food and something she likes. Awful to get given something you don't like day after day.

[woofgang]

Is she healthy and lively? Does she vomit r have the runs? Bakers complete isn't great quality food, it's kind of the Macdonalds of the dog world. James well beloved is better quality or you might look at raw if you are interested but it's more effort. So I suggest that if she is otherwise healthy, you decide how you are going to feed her, put some in a bowl, put it down and if she doesn't eat it, pick it up and offer it again a few hours later. No treats, no coaxes, no in betweens.

[welshlibranr]

I feed Callie on Purina Pro Plan, but I believe that Hill's dry foods are good too, they have a variety of flavours too, so you can give variety, I'm thinking of trying them, as Pro plan, good as it is, has only two varieties for puppies under 12 months, and not many for older dogs either.............

[RATTER15]

I agree with woofgang, a RAW diet is good and your dog will almost certainly take to it, or if you just want something that your dog will eat readily, feed whole chicken joints, bones and all, but this must be raw, chicken bones are fine as long as they are raw.
If you want to feed just raw meat etc you will need to do a bit of research first and it is more work. our dogs eat only raw food and thrive on it.

[seadogg]

John Burns dry kibble has gone down well with my Border Terriers. Not cheap but it has little filler and ash, unlike Bakers(about which no comment).
They now do a moist food. They will happily send free samples on request to their 0800 number.

[ladybirder]

Agree Burns is very good seadogg. Used to feed mine on it.

[Hopkirk]

Are you sure she's not a cat, with all that fussiness?

[lankeela]

I'd drop the bakers and give her an extruded (pellet) type complete with a little tinned meat smeared on it. Bakers is not a good quality food despite all their tv advertising, it contains cheap filling ingredients and the coloured bits are not vegetables! I have a fussy GSD and I give him raw chicken wings from Sainsbury's for breakfast, he eats them most days but not all! He then has Eukanuba adult with a little tinned meat in the evening, or sometimes raw tripe. After a few days eating something he will turn his nose up so I just take it away (or the little ones nick it!) and he usually eats up at his next meal.

[lankeela]

Welsh, I would not change from Purina to Hills, as it does not suit a lot of dogs. Check the ingredients before feeding it!

[Kassee]

thanks for all your help. I'm not used to fussy feeders - as my labs would eat anything I offered them. I will change the Bakers and try something else. She likes Bonio biscuits too. I dont fancy serving raw food = never heard of raw chicken being good for a dog.

[RATTER15]

Kassee, Any raw meat is good for dogs, ours get little else.

[ladybirder]

If Boxy's Rover was living off mice and such for the months he was lost and is now cured of his liver disease I wish I had fed my poor Maggie on raw food then perhaps she wouldn't be poorly with LD.