Ana's flock Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 My Weimaraner puppy is now 3 months old but although she's growing at a rate of knots in height, she's very skinny - I don't mean thin as they should be for her breed, one can count the ribs on her without any difficulty... She doesn't seem too fussed about food. She's been regularly wormed, jabs done, etc... She's bouncy and full of the joys of spring, just sooooo painfully thin! She's eating Nature Diet for puppies and some organic dry food, but will only take a handful at the time and then she wants to play or goes to sleep. She doesn't look like a member of our family, as everyone here (rats, hens, cats and humans specially) are a bit on the 'portly/curvy' side... Any ideas of how can I entice her to eat a little more, or what to feed her to fill her up a bit? Thank you to you all dog experts out there. Ana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I'm afraid I don't have any experience of dogs that don't enjoy their food - I have a Labrador. I am presuming that the food you are feeding is a dry food. Do you soak it to make it smell more tasty? Dry food for a fussy dog can be very boring. Personally, I prefer to feed raw meat- chicken, minced lamb, fish and raw eggs (shell included) - mixed with organic kibble (Burns) and raw vegetables. Puppies might need slightly more protein than a 4 year old but apart from that the diet is similar. However, I do know that HPRs (hunt, point and retrieve) breeds can be fussy about their food and the more you pander to their requirements they more they refuse to eat what you put in front of them! Weimaraners are a naturally slim breed and as long as she is active and has a healthy coat I wouldn't worry too much. Puppies can go through a 'leggy' look which doesn't mean to say they are mal-nourished. Eventually they catch up with themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 She won't put weight on by eating ND. I would feed her a premium quality dry diet, like Royal Canin baby dog or junior, high in protein & has all the nutrients needed for a youngster. Junior is probably what she should have, however if she's very slim, baby dog will put weight on her quicker, yet still give her what she needs for correct growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 We switched over to Burns as Bracken was getting fussy and leaving meals. 1 year later there is vast improvement.....no waste, she gobbles it all up and her coat/skin is in superb condition. A real transformation. I believe they do a puppy range, maybe try a sample pack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenJo Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Grace is on ND now, but as a pup she was on a mix of home made food (turkey / mince + veg +cottage cheese + eggs) and a quality dry mix. She wasnt at all fussed about food until she had her first season and then she turned into a food-monster! She was a bit skinny but still healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Our greyhound wouldn't eat anything other than cooked offal when we got her. (Ick) We tried wet food and loads of different dry foods but she wouldn't eat anything (she was painfully thin) When we went to my brothers house she ate some of their Labrador's food (Hills), and happily ate it for years after that. She'll eat anything now! and has learnt not to leave her food lying around (since having a labrador puppy in the house!) Hope you manage to interest Sandy in food a bit more soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Our CKC went through a stage of not being fussed about his dried food until I started to add a little hot water to it which makes a gravy which smells more than the dry food does. Now he wolfs whatever we put in front of him ( and we dont have to put hot water on it anymore) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thank you! She's on Burns at the moment and I'm mixing it with her wet food... I'll try mashing the whole lot with warm water and see if that entices her. She's very keen on cat food, pizza and bacon... all stuff she shouldn't eat, just like my boys if I'd have allowed it when they were younger... still pizza crazy but at last I managed to wean them off MacDonalds - all I had to do was to tell them what they put in the burgers I might try the same technique with Sandy! Seriously now: thanks all of you for the excellent advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
