Havanese Forum banner

Need help with dog food suggestions...

35K views 75 replies 31 participants last post by  1stladysoul 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

Zeplin was brought home to us at 12 weeks old eating Puppy Chow from his foster mom. We kept him on that for about amonth until he became accustomed to his home, and new family. We gradually switched over to Solid Gold- Wee bit. He has been on that for the last 3-4 months. However- we have noticed that he will not eat his food this week. He is active and feisty- so I do not think he is sick. He will eat here and there- but we have been throwing out the food- which we used to never have to do. He would devour it in a matter of minutes- even seconds.

We do give him the occasional treat or bisquit and he loves peanut butter in his kong as a treat as well. His poop has not changed much.

Any thoughts?

We were going to try a new food to see if it was that he was bored with it, but dh bought another Wee Bit bag- so we tried it- justto make sure it was not stale. Still not eating. So now I would like suggestions on what you fee your pup. He is 8 months old. I looked for Evo at my pet stores and could not find it- so any other advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Jennifer
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I feed Blue Buffalo. It is corn gluten free as well as grain free. My guys do really well on it and I don't have a single picky eater anymore. My older girl used to go 24-36 hours without eating and now she waits for her dinner!! We feed the white fish and sweet potato.
 
#4 ·
My guys get Natural Balance
Just a thought but if you change because "you think he is bored" he will always be a picky eater. If you really think that is the best for him put the food down for an amount of time and pick it up. No treats. Then at the next meal do the same. He will eat......
Think about it in terms of kids--they would love to eat their favorite food all the time but....
I hope it doesn't sound to mean but you are the boss.
 
#5 ·
I agree with mintchip...my guys were on Nutro until Pirelli's seizures started b/c of the gluten so we switched to a gluten free food and that was the problem. But she never got treats and would still go 24-36 hours without eating. But sometimes you have to let them know they do NOT have a choice!!
 
#6 ·
You should rotate your dogs food regardless every couple of months. It's actually recommended that you find 3 different brands of good kibble and rotate through them every 3 or 4 bags. Keeping your dog on one kibble for it's entire life can cause a whole different set of problems.
 
#7 ·
Have you tried adding tripe to his food? Most finicky dogs love this stuff! (That way you could get him to finish of the Wee Bit)
http://www.petco.com/product/15035/Solid-Gold-Green-Cow-Green-Beef-Tripe.aspx

It also has good benefits:
http://www.thedogbowl.com/PPF/category_ID/0_84/dogbowl.asp

I noticed that my dogs gobble away more when I add a new ingredient or flavor rather. So I stocked up on canned food in several different flavors & rotate 2 cans until they are gone.

I have 2 picky eaters, to ensure that they CANNOT they cannot pick and choose what they like - I pulverize the kibble with the chopper attachment on my hand blender. This works ideally if you add it with canned food or an liquid supplement -- you could even add water. I started doing it for my 2 Havs that aren't picky eaters because when I started supplementing them with Salmon Oil it seemed more of it to end up in their beard! Ahh, what a great lingering fishy smell!

Might also try using one of Honest Kitchen's all life stages dehydrated formulas as a topper 1 TBS or substituting half his food with it:
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/index.shtml

* Love this stuff! Yes, there is a bit of sticker shock when you look at the cost up front. I incorporate into my adult dogs more as a food topper/gravy something to spice up their food. (Actually cheaper than buying IAMS dog gravies in the long run - not too mention healthier). They love it! A little goes a long way. I only add a Tablespoon to the adults dogs daily meal. They suggest rehydrating with 1 cup with 1 to 1.5 cups of water. To increase our dogs water intake I use 2 cups of water to 1 cups food. Makes it last even longer! It lasts us 10 days and thats feeding 4 dogs. So, imagine how much further it'll last if you only have one or two small dogs ;) We have yet to make a dent in the 10lb bag! Also, you might want to make a small batch as unused portion should be used within 48 hours. Or, freeze the other portion..*

I like Wellness Super5Mix Just for Puppy - all of our puppies love this stuff!
 
#8 ·
I feed my guys fresh green tripe twice a week. Although it stinks to high heaven (it sort of smells like blue cheese but worse), they LUUUUVVVVVVE IT.

You can also find tripe in cans from Lamb. Hmm poor Mary now we know where her lambs went...
 
#9 ·
I'm really torn on dog food. Remember when Kibbles and Bits was the latest rage years ago and dogs lived to be almost 20? My mom's dogs ate from the table and had Kibbles and Bits or Gaines Burgers in their bowl. Twenty some years ago I got a pom and she ate what I ate and had whatever was handy in her bowl. All of those dogs were healthy till old age and lived long lives.
Now I pay a fortune for dog food and wonder if it's really any better than how we used to do it. If I change foods after feeding just one, the dogs can get upset stomachs. Back when, the dogs always had different things (even onion soup) and were used to a constant diet change and foods didn't bother them.
 
#10 ·
Honestly, it bothers me when people use the "remember when dogs were on Alpo/Kibbles n Bits/whatever" as if because the dogs you had were healthy back then means that those foods must work just as well. I'm 100% positive that a lot of dogs died back then and did NOT live to a ripe old age. Just because the dogs you had did, doesn't mean that any dog will. My great-grandfather smoked every day of his life and drank as well and lived to 92. Does that mean that I should take up smoking and drinking habitually because obviously this means I will live to 92? No, it means that he was, luckily, a person whose body could handle those things better than others, just as there are stories about very "healthy" people all around us. Every friend of mine has stories like this... a grandfather, a parent, an uncle or whoever, who ate fatty foods every day and smoked or whatever and lived for a long time. That does NOT mean you will or that it's a healthy lifestyle. So yeah, lots of dogs can live really well off of old Alpo or whatever, but lots of dogs won't. And, honestly, I wouldn't want to risk finding this out by having my dog die earlier or get really sick off of something I fed him.

Just my 2 cents.
 
#12 ·
. So yeah, lots of dogs can live really well off of old Alpo or whatever, but lots of dogs won't. And, honestly, I wouldn't want to risk finding this out by having my dog die earlier or get really sick off of something I fed him.

Just my 2 cents.
I'm not advocating the cheap stuff and you'll see in my post that I pay a fortune for dog food. I'm just wondering if we've changed a dog's system by upping the foods.
A dog that can change foods daily vs a dog that if you change it's food quickly it gets a bad tummy really makes me wonder what we've done.
 
#11 ·
Hi Jennifer,
You don't say how often and how much you are feeding him. It could be he no longer needs the same amount as you have been giving him. I keep mine on the same kibble, but I add different things at times. For example, add a 1/2 teaspoon of plain yogurt or cottage cheese. I will keep the broth from meat I have fixed for the family (as long as there are no onions or other items that dogs should not have) and use that to pour 1 teaspoon over their kibble. If he is doing well on the kibble you are feeding I wouldn't change, but instead add a little variety. I know I don't like to eat the same meat everyday. <grin>
 
#19 ·
Is this the Halo you are talking about. http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=801&cat=all

It only gets a 2 star rating oddly enough so it can't be that good.

The issue isn't letting them eat what they would eat in the wild, but rather giving them what nutrients they require for which their bodies are designed to eat. A dog may be far removed from a wolf in the wild but as far as I can tell, dogs haven't changed their digestive sytems. They still have a short digestive tract which is far more acidic than say a humans. Their bodies were designed this way for a reason. Even far removed from a wolf, a dog still cannot digest grains properly.

Obviously better nutrition and ingredients affects the overall health of a dog or any animal for that matter just as much as eating everyday at MacDonalds would affect your health. The problem is a dog can't really tell you verbally. If you eat fast food every day and are someone who is naturally slim, you may not "look" in bad shape. But maybe you don't feel 100%, maybe you won't notice the difference really until you change your diet and eat a very healthy diet. Maybe now you'll be able to run up those stairs without feeling winded. Maybe you'll have more energy overall.

Has dog food gotten better&#8230;yes and no. Some if not most is crap and is made by companies who just want to turn a quick easy profit. Then there are some who actually make a good healthy product. You do get what you pay for. I feed raw. I do pay more. Dogs don't necessarily live longer or healthier lives now. It's more likely that when we were feeding them table scraps they were healthier. I recall reading something that indicated that the health of dogs these days is very much impacted from the feeding of the crap kibble that was fed when it was first introduced to essentially now. There definitely has been a movement into providing a much better diet lately. Medicine has gotten better that's for sure. You can feed a dog the healthiest food but without any exercise though, it will do little good.

A dog will thrive on a good diet, exercise and mental stimulation. I have no science to prove it but I firmly believe it.
 
#21 ·
#20 ·
Nicely written Daniel. I agree with all that you said, except that the good processed foods made today are helping our animals to live longer. However, as you stated, it needs to be the "whole package", good food, exercise and metal stimulation.

Thankfully there are folks in this world that can communicate better then I can through the written word to explain something! <grin>
 
#26 ·
wow...the conversation that has occured since I have not been able to get on. Everyone gave me some good points to take into consideration. I am still a Blue fan, I can read every ingredient on the bag and my dog are doing well on it!! I do feed Honest Kitchen in the morning. I make the food put them in ice cube trays and freeze them. The girls all get one in the morning and the boys get two. They love it, it was just way to much to feed for their entire diet. ( I do have 2 that weigh 60+ pounds)
 
#27 ·
This is a timely thread as I am in the market for a new dog food that Giotto will actually eat on a consistent basis. The only kibble he has ever devoured is Bil-Jac. This is the food the breeder had him on. I weaned him off of it and onto Merrick because Bil-Jac is full of by products and after checking dogfoodanalysis and it rating a one I thought I could do better for Giotto. However, though he did eat the Merrick (if I doctored it up with meat or canned food), he never loved it and to this day he will turn up his nose at it until he's starving and gives in and eats it. I don't mind adding bits of meat to his kibble but when that isn't even enticing him then it becomes a stress to me that he isn't eating. I seriously thought of going back to Bil-Jac because he will eat that but I don't like its nutritional content. I have tried Nature's Balance and he wouldn't eat it. I also tried Artemis and he didn't like that either. The pet store gave me samples of Instict and Timberwolf and he wouldn't eat either of them. He ate around them or spit them out. I am about at the end of my rope and ready to toss all the kibble and just feed him table scraps, but I am willing to give kibble another try.

Feeding a dog should not be this much of a challenge. I have cut out treats and just put down his food and gave him the choice of eating it or not eating it. He has gone full days without eating before finally giving in. I guess I'd just like to find a food that I can put down and he eats within a half hour. I don't want the struggle anymore.
 
#28 ·
Have you tried Evo red meat? Unfortunately junk always seems to taste better than healthy food. I think you are entering into a battle of the wills. Try putting out small samples of each in small plates and leave them out. Eventually he will gravitate to the one he likes most. Then just buy that one. When you keep switching foods, it makes for a picky eater as he will always wonder if something better is around the corner.
 
#31 ·
I haven't tried Evo but it gets a six star rating and the reviews I read have been good. That may be my next try. I have about five different kinds of kibble I think tonight I will just put all of them in different bowls and let him pick his dinner. I do think the switching just encourages his pickiness, as does adding bits of chicken or meat to his kibble. That alone has gotten him to the point of not eating kibble without something extra added to it.

I just wish that Bil-Jac was better nutritionally because he does love that and will eat it by itself. If only I could find a healthier kibble he'd eat with as much gusto.
 
#30 ·
I was feeding Pixie a mixture of Life's Abundance and Wellness super 5 puppy. I was checking out the dog food analysis again and noticed Wilderness got a 6star rating. I know they started selling Blue Buffalo at Petsmart so I picked up a bag. I add a little in with her other kibble mix and she LOVES it. I was reading their website and it is a very meaty food, closest (as far as kibble) to an all meat diet. Luckily she's really not picky and she really favors meat to veggies and/or fruit. Unfortunately, I don't have the constitution to get her started on the barf diet, and I think she'd be one of the dogs who'd just love it. She seems to have an iron stomach (but woofs down food vs. chewing).
My hats off to Daniel and you guys who to go all of that effort. I'm sure your doggies are sooo happy.
 
#32 ·
On the subject of food, I was researching the different ingredients that are in dog food about 2 years ago. At that time quite a few people fed their havs an egg yolk a day. I don't know if people are still doing that or not, but one of the things I found was that the yucca ingredient they put in kibble LOWERS cholesterol when some were trying to INCREASE it.
I'm not going to go into whether I think the study is accurate or flawed, that's not my point here. But for those who do feed egg, it's something to think about.
 
#33 ·
I bought Innova EVO chicken flavor today and tried it on Giotto. He didn't devour it, but he ate it. He left a little bit and I left the plate there and he went back an hour later and finished it. If this continues we may have our new food and one hopefully that he will eat without it being doctored up or having to coax him.

Another thing I wonder is whether I should continue to offer him food in the morning and at night or to just leave it out all day. I am finding in the last month or so that Giotto is not very interested in eating in the morning. I always offer it and most often he doesn't eat it or if I leave it he'll come back mid-afternoon and eat a few bites. At night he always eats. He may not finish, but he eats. Is this normal? I assumed he should eat twice a day but maybe he only needs to eat once a day. And should I leave the food out? If that gets him to eat I am willing to do that, but I don't want it to turn him into a grazer who eats all day long.
 
#35 ·
I bought Innova EVO chicken flavor today and tried it on Giotto. He didn't devour it, but he ate it. He left a little bit and I left the plate there and he went back an hour later and finished it. If this continues we may have our new food and one hopefully that he will eat without it being doctored up or having to coax him.

Another thing I wonder is whether I should continue to offer him food in the morning and at night or to just leave it out all day. I am finding in the last month or so that Giotto is not very interested in eating in the morning. I always offer it and most often he doesn't eat it or if I leave it he'll come back mid-afternoon and eat a few bites. At night he always eats. He may not finish, but he eats. Is this normal? I assumed he should eat twice a day but maybe he only needs to eat once a day. And should I leave the food out? If that gets him to eat I am willing to do that, but I don't want it to turn him into a grazer who eats all day long.
I've been wondering the same thing. Cuba is 7 months and eating Evo chicken. He was taking his sweet old time eating in the AM. Unfortunately, since I have to go to work, this doesn't work out so well. I started sending him to daycare with "Lunch" because I was worried about him. Recently, I started to add a bit of yogurt and he gobbled it down. Today when he got back from daycare (I did not pack a lunch with him since he ate most of his breakfast), he also gobbled it down undoctored. Now I am wondering if he needs less (I feed him about 2/3 cup daily) or I should feed him one daily.

Hope
 
#34 ·
Okay guys- thanks for all of your responses and insight.

I did go to the store after I looked on the food link you all provided. I wrote a few foods down that i would be willing to buy. I ended up with Blue Buffalo Puppy kibble- chicken flavor and well- he hates it!

I mixed it with his old kibble for the first few days. He ate out his old kibble- the Wee Bit from Solid Gold that he had originally stopped eating. This morning I left just the Blue Buffalo and he ate nothing. I got home from work and fed him the Solid Gold- and he wolfed it down. So I am thinking- he was really just being picky and hoping for some peanut butter or treats.

BTW- how often can I give Zeplin his kong with some peanut butter or a bit of cream cheese?

And how often do you give treats?

What treats do you give? ( I know I ma opening up a whole can of worms now!)

What chewies do you give your pups? Zeplin is only 8 onths- so I was not sure if I could give him raw hide bones and such. I have gottne different advice- so I just held back.

OKay- thanks in advance for all your help again! :)
 
#41 ·
Okay guys- thanks for all of your responses and insight.

I did go to the store after I looked on the food link you all provided. I wrote a few foods down that i would be willing to buy. I ended up with Blue Buffalo Puppy kibble- chicken flavor and well- he hates it!

I mixed it with his old kibble for the first few days. He ate out his old kibble- the Wee Bit from Solid Gold that he had originally stopped eating. This morning I left just the Blue Buffalo and he ate nothing. I got home from work and fed him the Solid Gold- and he wolfed it down. So I am thinking- he was really just being picky and hoping for some peanut butter or treats.

BTW- how often can I give Zeplin his kong with some peanut butter or a bit of cream cheese?

And how often do you give treats?

What treats do you give? ( I know I ma opening up a whole can of worms now!)

What chewies do you give your pups? Zeplin is only 8 onths- so I was not sure if I could give him raw hide bones and such. I have gottne different advice- so I just held back.

OKay- thanks in advance for all your help again! :)
Keep in mind that peanut butter is pretty fattening. I know someone who fed a kong with peanut butter everyday. It didn't take long for his terrier to gain quite a bit of weight. You would be better off doing it maybe once a week as a special treat. Then find some type of treats to maybe put into the Kong. I have a tricky treat ball for my two guys. Every morning I break up 2 treats into it and let them work to get it out. I make some treats small so they pop out easy and some larger that will be hard to pop out. They don't get more than 3 or 4 small treats a day. Keep in mind I have 2 who are very active.

For chewies you might want to try the Merrick Flossies. They are expensive but good. For a pup, they should last long. For my guys I cut one in half and give them half each twice a week, then one day a week they will get a full one. I bought a box of 50 for $200.

When buying treats try to look for natural ones, no grain, etc. Evo treats are good, Wellness has some too. Right now I have some peanut butter treats that are Organic. My guys love them.
 
#42 ·
Jennifer,
Believe it or not I never really do the whole puppy food thing. Once the pup is about 12 weeks adult food it is for my guys. That might come for the big dog owner in me but it has never been a problem. I feed the white fish and sweet potatoe Blue Buffalo. Sorry I might should have mentioned that earlier, I tried the puppy food when my baby was little that was a not go as well. I guess they just don't like the puppy food. Switched to adult food and we have not looked back!!
 
#44 ·
We recently switched Ashi (Havanese) and Winston (english bulldog) to Orijen 6Fish. They both love it. Great stools. I do believe I read somewhere that Havanese will go to their food bowl, eat a few bites, run around, and then to back and eat a few more bites and do this for quite a while.
 
#45 ·
Ahh not my guys. They will eat up their food, then quickly run to the other's bowl to see if there's anything left. They are quite the little piggies. I've never ever seen them even remotely full or satiated.
 
#47 ·
My 7 month old Havanese gets Innova Puppy and a little bit of Evo red meat. I mix in one NV chicken/Turkey Medallion, a Nuvet Vitamin, probiotic and fish oil with dinner. I read on the analysis website that the Evo is not recommended for puppies because of its' high protein content. So, I just mix in a little.


~Michelle
 
#48 ·
I would like to give my dog a 5 or 6 star food but do not know where to buy them. I checked petsmart. I don't remember seeing it in Petco. I can get a 4 star there. perhaps that is good enough. Right now I am feeding Royal Canin Puppy. Any suggestions?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top