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ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Aaron

I do not know what kind of food to give my 13-week-old puppy. I tried Pedigree and Eukanuba. She sniffs it and then walks away. I have to coax every bite into her. I know that she is hungry because I gave her some egg and she devoured it. Please help me!

DISCUSSION:

You might try mixing into the Eukanuba a little chichen broth. What was the breeder feeding you little one before you brought it home? Trying that might also. Cherie
-Cherie Eno

I have an 11-week old Maltese that I have had for a few weeks now. The breeder that I got him from was feeding him Eukanuba, but after a few days, I had the same problem as you. He had to be hand-fed--every single bite! I am now feeding him Purina Puppy Chow and sometimes I mix the Puppy Chow with Eukanuba. He is eating a lot better now! You might try this.
-Paige

When I got Lucy, they told me to try mixing a teeny bit of catfood with the dry food for a few days and then just feed the dry. We ran into a problem later when I couldn't find the brand of dry food she was eating ANYWHERE. So it took several tries at various kinds. In the end, the only thing Luce will eat is Pedigree (little bites). Be careful when changing food to mix the new kind in with the old and gradually reduce the amount of old until the new is all that's left. This will avoid digestive problems.
-cathy brown

Harlee Dee & Travis would not touch Eukanuba, Iams,etc. The only food they would eat was Pedigree Puppy(cans).......go figure! Then I tried Purina Lamb & Rice and that's what they eat now. I tried giving them some of my meatloaf, but they ran for the hills....I wonder why!?(: It was all trial & error with my kidlets. Good luck!
-Karen Kalamaras

I had problems getting my dog to eat the foods found at petstores. My vet sells Flint River Ranch which is 100% natural and hypoallerginc. It is puppy and adult dog food, so you don't have to switch as they get older. Pixie Bella Loves It! Her stools are nice and firm. I feed her 1/2 cup daily--it is high fiber--so they don't have to eat as much. If interested call (909) 682-5048 Flint River Ranch, Riverside, CA or check with your vet. I also switched to Selective Care Dog Treats too. They are natural and Pixie loves them.
-Vicki

When I bought my puppy, the breeder said that she had been feeding her something called VP Complete (because it was cheaper, she says) I wanted to make her transition easier, so I was going to continue for the first week or two with that but I couldn't find it anywhere where I live. Has anyone heard of it? Anyway, I was going to start her on Science Diet (Hills), but, after purchasing this from my vet, I stopped by the pet store to pick up some "goodies" for my baby. There was a lady there who told me that all of these foods, including Science Diet, have animal parts in them including "chicken beaks, feet, and guts" (those were her words) She recommended something called Nutro, (Has anyone heard of THIS?!)which is supposed to be all natural. I've been trying this, but she isn't too fond of it, so I started mixing the Science Diet with it (THAT she likes). I was thinking of only giving her Science Diet. If anyone has a recommendation, I would appreciate the advise. Thank You.
-Cindy

In response to adult dog foods, I've been embroiled in a discussion group on this for a while. My maltese Louie never seemed to like his food and last year (then aged 2) I decided to dig in and research the foods and how to read the labels. Not an easy task. I'm committed to using a commercial dog food (Innova, Cornucopia, etc.) but I learned alot from a seminar on natural and homeopathic feeding. Learning how to read labels is quite a chore, but there are books out there that cover this. I feel comfortable feeding a food without byproducts. The first two ingredients on the label's list are most important in terms of a high quality protein. Make sure they haven't broken up a grain ingredient into parts so that it appears less important than it is. For example, corn and wheat are pretty cheap ingredients and could constitute most of the protein but split into two or three areas, it falls to 3rd, 6th, and 10th, let's say. Also avoid some preservatives (although my vet disagrees with this): ethoxyquin, and a few others. Look for natural or vitamin preservatives. Call the number on the label and ask a customer rep about the quality of protein and types of preservatives (but remember, they're very practiced in sounding good). Ask about what food products the company purchases and what qualifications they put on them for preservatives, etc. For example, if fish meal is listed, where does it come from (because imported fish meal is almost guaranteed to have ethoxyquin in it). There's lots more where this come. The point is, you have to feel comfortable. I recommend looking for some books to get more info. Pitcairn has one, Wendy Voldhard has another. Di
-Diane Kaylor

Aaron, my puppy is not much older than yours. First of all, Maltese our really smart and they figure out early how to manipulate their owners. My Noah had me putting gravy on his Eukanuba ,then meat, and finally he refused to eat unless I fed him from my hand bite by bite. My vet gave me good advice. Put down the dry food at regular intervals during the day. If after 15 minutes he does not eat, take it up. He said it would not hurt him to miss a meal. He also said not to make an issue of mealtime. The vet said that the puppy would eat when he was hungry. You know what? He was right. Noah eats every time, now and he is eating his food dry. You should feed your puppy whatever he was eating when you got him and make changes gradually to avoid stomach upset. My vet believes in the premium foods because he sees fewer problems. Good luck!
-April Blackmon

Our 10 month old refuses to eat anything but cooked chicken (No seasoning). Is this bad for him ?? I'm concerned !
-Emil