hi everyone just need some help with my dogs please ?

Question

hi i have 2 dogs a staffordshire bull terrier and an english bull terrier and they have never eaten that well i think this is because when i have something to eat i feed them things off my plate out of my hand and now ive stopped doing this will they start to put weight on ? because they are a little bit skinny ? i feed them on pedigree pouches and a good high quality complete dry food ive also tryed mixing tripe with this but they only pick at it and do not eat it ? is this because i feed them off my plate ? like i said i have stopped it now any tips of putting weight on my dogs would be greatly apreciated thanks

Answer 1

feed them chocolate and beer that should do the job...

also dont give them yours that would be stupid, would take way to long to get pissed.......

just let them sit back and watch tv or play xbox 360 all day....

perfect....

Answer 2

A good rule of thumb is to eat yourself then feed your dogs. Ban them from the kitchen while you're eating. Feed them twice a day. If they turn their nose up at it pick it up and don't offer them any food until their next feeding time. Don't try to encourage them or make a big deal over it. Leave it there for 5 minutes then pick it up. They will eventually eat. They're not going to starve. I feel some table scraps are OK, but not from the table. I keep a bowl in the refrigerator and put my scraps in it throughout the day. I then mix a little bit in w/ the dogs food at feeding time. I don't suggest self feeding a finicky dog(leaving food down all the time). They will only pick and not eat the proper amount. If they know that the food wont be available for hours they will eat and therefore you control the portion & can keep them in perfect body condition.

Answer 3

Its best to give them two meals a day, and not huge portions as that can put them off! (Its called 'overfacing'.) Most dogs go mad for tripe so I'm a bit surprised to hear your two can take it or leave it! Its very good for putting weight on fussy dogs. Another good one is canned sardines, drain off the oil and give them half a can each.
It may be that becuase you have a relaxed attitude towards food, they don't need to compete. So they never got into the habit of bolting their food or arguing over it. Thats not a bad thing!
Its true that they may prefer to share yours, but pet food is highly flavoured compared to a lot of human food, and they'll get used to it. They may be feeling a bit put out because their pack leader doesn't share the food off his plate any more!
I wouldn't worry about them being a bit skinny either. Its actually better for them than being fat. You can check their condition yourself, when you stroke their backs you shouldn't be able to feel their spines too clearly, and their hip bones should have a pad of muscle. Plus when you look at their ribs, its fine if the ones in the middle show, its the ones at the back that are best covered.
If you're unsure about their condition the nurse at the vets (or the vet) will be able to give you an opinion.
I wouldn't worry too much, they'll get used to this and I doubt if they're too thin.

Answer 4

Hi you could try mixing a light bisto mix into the dry dog food ,but not on a daily basis as that could make the dogs toilet runny,but my grandfather bred english bull terrier when i was young an did this 2 days a week to make the dry food a bit more tasty for them,if the dogs are young it will take time for them to put weight on,but yes try putting them into a room away from you for eating then you can eat at the same time and keep meal times at a set time also.hope this helps

Answer 5

I have a staff, and he doesnt always his dinner everyday but he will always go for the left overs .... My mom has a english and he has always been a terrible eater fussy as anything and he is a bit on the skinny side but he will eat his dog food if you feed it him by hand, i think it is just the type of personaltity your dogs have, you have spoilt them with the taste of your food and now they dont want to eat there own food. But if you want to give them a bit of bulk i recomend trail and error you will find something that they both like and uit could be the cheapest thing on the market but they would like it, sometimes if my dog isnt eating i will give him some dog mince and rice or some chicken and rice, i dont know of any dog that can resist that!!!!

Good luck x

Answer 6

Try BilJac dog food. It is just much more nutritious for your dog. It is only available at PetSmart or Petsmart.com, but it is well worth the hassle. It is the same food that the "Ididerod Huskies" eat and the best show dogs eat it too. One example of how it is better is that regular dog food when it gets in water (were talking dry food here) it floats and gets mushy... BilJac dog food immediately sinks and breaks into tiny pieces. Just imagine the water as your dog's stomach. You can imagine that it is much easier to digest, and that your dog will get much more of the nutrients from that food.

If that food isn't an option for you I suggest making sure that you feed your dogs on a specific diet for a few weeks to a month just to be sure you can monitor their intake. Feed them at the same time each day a mesaured ammount and keep track of what they eat and don't eat. (you can search for ammounts that a dog should be eating by their age/weight breed ect. on several pet websites including purina.com and petsmart.com)

Answer 7

They will eat their food when they get hungry enough. You could try mixing a boiled egg or some tuna in with their dried food and then over a few weeks slowly reduce the amount that you add. Also do you add some water to their dried food, this will give it a bit of a gravy and will be tastier for them. The longer you soak it the thicker it will be. Also, for a truly good quality food which is totally natural try visiting the Burns Pet Nutrition website.

Answer 8

Try Beta for working dogs which has a high calorie count. Take the bowl away after they have had a chance to eat and don't give them anything until the next day. They will soon catch on that they have no choice. It seems harsh but it's the only way to get over this issue. Good luck and be firm.

Answer 9

You could try mixing youghurt to the dry buiscuits and see if this will encourage them to eat it, to battle the weight issue buy chicken necks or mince and boil up some rice mix together and they have a meal fit for a king they will not pass it up.

If they are only eating the food off of your plate then yes this could be the reason they are not putting on weight depending on how often and the quantity of food you give them.

we have the opposite problem our staffy is overweight because we feed her human food but alot of human food, she has 3 meals a day wich we have cut her back heaps due to the weight issue!


hope this helps

Staffy Lover!



Quick!!!!

Answer 10

Start with a good veterinary examination to make sure that they're both in good health and then put them on a premium, human grade food that will build their immune system and increase muscle and improve their physical condition. Food off of your plate (most of it anyway) isn't going to do that and most certainly Pedigree isn't a good food at all. You should research what goes into that food...you wouldn't blame your dogs for not being interested in it. You might want to give Innova, EVO, Canidae, Solid Gold or one of those a try with your dogs. Change them over slowly to avoid any intestinal upset. Good luck!!

Answer 11

They should get used to eating dog food again - i definatly wouldn't advise giving them your food - my boyfriends friend had a bull terrier and he always lets him eat of his plate - now if your eating he will have what he wants off your plate or off teh side when yor preparing a meal - if you tell him off or go to move it quickly before he gets it he went for you!

We put gravey on our dogs meals for a treat occasionally they love it!