Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Blossom

My tiny Maltese puppy refuses to eat the food I prepare for her...canned Hills Science Diet canine growth, thinned with warm water and mashed with a fork. Instead, he will go to the adult dog's food dish and wrestle with a chunk of kibble almost too big to fit in his mouth. Is this healthy enough? Any suggestions for getting him to eat something more appropriate? He does seem to get this into him, even with only a few baby teeth. Thanks!

DISCUSSION:

I would feed the dry food. Its better for his teeth. Those little teeth are sharp. Get the small kibbles. Thats good he likes the dry food. Try to stay away from the soft.
-Barbara

It's interesting that your Maltese did the same as mine. She ate hard puppy food that was soaked in water for about a week. Then she started eating our other two animals' hard food, all three get lamb and rice, as if to say, I don't want mushy food anymore! I still have a problem with her eating the adult lamb and rice, but it's just because she does everything our adult dog does, and she wants to eat his food, too. She is very active, healthy, and doesn't vomit except every once in a very long while, so I just leave well enough alone. But I have tried everything to keep her from eating his food! Good luck!
-Pamela

I have pretty much given up on serving mashed puppy food. It seems obvious that I am outwitted by a one pound ball of white fluff, determined to eat hard kibble! Now my question is this: is it better for the pup to have access to adult food, or for the fat Yorkie to be snacking on the puppy formula? He had to have prednisone for a skin affliction last year, doubled his weight in two weeks, and hasn't been able to lose it, even with "lite" food and lots of exercise. We call him our "porky Yorkie", and I don't want an obese Maltese too. Both dogs are grazers, they eat only a few bites at a time. Any advice? Thanks, Blossom
-Blossom

Well, Blossom, I can only tell you my experience, and that is I've given up on trying to keep each of them away from the food. I'm not sure how big your other dog is, but if you could keep your little one's food where only she could get to it, a small doggie door perhaps, that would be the best. I had to put my cat's food up, as I know it is not good for my little pup, but haven't been able to keep her from our larger dog's food. Both of mine are nibblers, too. I'm still not sure who is eating the puppy food I put down, I have never seen our larger dog over there. One good solution is to only put a small amount of food out for her at a time, since she is small, she doesn't need a lot out at one time. That would keep your larger one from getting too much. Good luck!
-Pamela