Picky eater HELP!

[kittygirl]

This is more of a feeding question than a dog food question but I am hoping someone may have experience with what I am dealing with.

Our Otis is a serious picky eater. Pickiest of all species I have ever witnessed, even my little sister. Since we adopted him in May last year it has been my mission to find him a diet that he enjoys eating and will actually eat.

After getting him over his initial troubles, diarrhea and low weight, we started on the pursuit of finding him a better food than what he was on, which was the brand the rescue used and that he was not too keen on. We have tried every brand of dog food I can find in the high to mid range category - wet and dry, in some cases mixed together. I introduced them all slowly and integrated them into his routine, which at some times was non-existant.
At one point I had 10 different brands of dog food which I ended up donating to the shelter because he would not have any of it.

Some time around thanksgiving, Otis went for 4 days barely eating. In desperation I made him a plate of leftovers which was mixed veg, squash, potatoes, and some turkey breast. For the first time ever he gobbled it up and actually licked his chops!!

I began investigating home cooked diets and came across a vet approved collection of recipes used in conjunction with an affordable supplement and got my apron on. We tried batches of transitional recipes and he settled on his only favorite which consisted of ground beef, potatoes, tomato sauce, fish oil and the supplement. He ate this everyday from october to about Christmas time...if it was room temperature ..and the light was just right..
(I'm kidding but it wasn't far off)

We are back to square one again and I am at a loss of what to give him. Is it too much to ask that he like his food??

Here are some examples of what we go through feeding him:

4 times out of 10, Otis's reaction to his food:
I ask him to sit, he waits for release, he smells and walks away.

Otis's reaction to his food if the cats are around:
"The cats are too close, I can't eat my food."

Otis's reaction if we put him in the bathroom away from the cats:
'I'm all by myself and everyone is out there. I can't eat my food."

My big bad plan of tricking Otis to eat using my garbage disposal cat:
I am hand feeding them both dog food - Cat gets most of it.

Otis's reaction if we are visiting another dogs house and it is dinner time:
mmm! Dog food is so good! I love dog food! My mom should give me some of this.. nom..nom..nom...

Do I have a dog food issue, a health issue or a behavior one?

[hazelrunpack]

How is Otis's weight? Is he maintaining a healthy weight? Is he in good health otherwise? Stools okay? Coat looks good?

[kittygirl]

Yes, it took me until August but we got the 2 lbs he needed on him and it has stayed. Through all of this we do manage to maintain his weight and his coat is shiny and soft. He looks optimum, maybe even a little fuller than optimum.

Treats and training treats are the same. He just doesn't care for them. His obedience instructor couldn't believe he was not treat responsive. He would spit them out or wouldn't take them at all. I thought I had found a good treat for him to have at home until I discovered them stockpiled under his pillow not eaten. So now we just gather them up put them back in the jar and give them to him again.

It doesn't seem to matter what I try, he will take it or leave it. I know and have been told that a dog won't starve itself if there is food available and when he is hungry he eats whatever there is available.

I just wish he actually looked forward to meal time and enjoyed his food. You know, tail wagging, maybe a bit of drool...

[kittygirl]

Oh right - stools, forgot to mention those...

When he is on a regular diet - the same thing everyday, his stools are perfect - firm and consistant. He is sensitive to change though, and when his diet is not consistant, ie: trying new things or different things often, he will get a 'soft serve' consistancy or sometimes a gluppy mucous.
With the homemade diet there are things he does not tolerate. I monitor his reaction to different ingredients and record the results in my book so I know when we tried a recipe last and what the result was.

[Loki Love]

My Loki was a horribly fussy eater. Your description of your puppers fits Loki exactly. Treats are still hit and miss for him - so we bought a food dehydrator and use beef and pork. He doesn't turn his nose up at those.

We also went through lots of brands of food - they would be fine for a while, and then he'd turn his nose up it. We made the mistake of catering to his fussiness - my picky dog became a fussy monster!

We switched to raw in December, and it's been the best decision we could have ever made. I'm not sure if that's an option for you - but it certainly solved our problem.

[kittygirl]

Raw huh? I am a little leary but not opposed - I've come this far right?

My vet does not at all support a raw diet. I had to go through hoops to get the recipe book and supplement I needed from them which can only be purchased through a vet and he has to go for weigh ins monthly.

Like a homemade diet, I like the fact that I know what he is getting and where it came from. If he liked it and ate it its worth it. If he liked anything and ate it consistantly I would be on board.

Does Loki still refuse to eat the raw sometimes? Is Loki skittish at all?

[Loki Love]

Originally Posted by kittygirl

Does Loki still refuse to eat the raw sometimes? Is Loki skittish at all?

Loki has turned his nose up once or twice at a meal - but it was during the really bad cold spell here in Montreal (my silly boy eats outside, and our attempts in trying to convince him to eat inside or in his crate has failed!). He has never skipped two meals in a row though - and actually, since we've switched to feeding him once a day, things are going even more smoothly

Loki isn't skittish, but he used to get distracted quite easily with kibble eating. A loud noise would get his interest and he'd never return to eating, etc. We've never had that issue with raw.

From what I've read, and this is only my opinion of course - I think raw is actually easier than going homemade. When you cook food, it loses important nutrients, etc. With raw - it's just all there. It's overwhelming in the beginning, but if you are patient and stick to it, I think it's absolutely the best thing you can actually do for your dog I'm also completely biased

[pattymac]

Have you tried him on tripe? You can get it in cans, it smells pretty disgusting and you know most dogs love smelly things. You can also quite often get it raw, then it doesn't smell quite as nasty.

[kittygirl]

Yes I did try tripe - he has had it a few times in different forms and he does like it for sure. I thought I was on to something but we had 'colorful' results - from both ends, so I don't think he tolerates it very well and I have stayed clear.

It sounds like I have some reading up to do on a raw diet. I'm not sure yet it is a solution. One concern I have is that my vet does not support feeding raw. Has anybody else experienced this?