Puppy food change?

Question

Hi,
I got a yellow lab puppy a few weeks ago. He was 8 weeks old and when he came home, i bought him puppy chow and maximum nutrition. He refused to eat these. I tried giving them as is, with water, with milk, with gruber's baby food (this worked really well for a day but then he just started licking the babyfood off and leaving his puppy chow).
So concerned that he wasnt eating, i read that it is always good to just feed them boiled chicken and boiled rice. i tried this and it worked like a charm. he usually eats less rice, but he loves his chicken.
Anyway, now hes getting big and eating a lot of chicken and it is unfortunately putting a whole in my pocket, plus ill be busy very soon and would not have time in the afternoon to cook for him.
I would like to get him into some sort of processed food. Ive read people suggest mixing a new food with his current food. But I think its not going o work as he leaves his rice sometimes as it. Suggestions?
Also, what food do you suggest? thx

Answer 1

I suggest Canidae. Chicken and Rice...
http://www.canidae.com
Go with the All Life Stages and you will not have to worry about when to switch him off puppy food.
You could try mixing some kibble with the rice you are currently feeding but if it were my dog I think I'd just do it cold turkey. Currently he has you trained.
Pour 1/3 his daily amount into the bowl in the morning. Put it down. If he doesn't eat it in 15 minutes, pick it up and put it away out of reach. NO CAVING NOW!!
Offer again at noon - same story, pick it up if he hasn't eaten it within 15 minutes.
NO TREATS. NO CHICKEN AND RICE. NO HUMAN FOOD. Just plenty of water.
Again at dinnertime.This may take a day or two but no healthy dog will willingly starve itself when quality food is in front of it.

Answer 2

The chicken and rice can be fed to dogs for a FEW DAYS if they have intestinal upset, as it is very digestible. It is, however, NOT a balanced diet by any means. Your puppy is going to get quite sick and have bone growth problems from the lack of calcium in this diet if you don't do something about it right now. A healthy young dog will eat when it is hungry. Stop worrying and feeding it all kinds of stuff. Put a good quality dog food down for 15 minutes, 3 times a day. If he doesn't eat it, too bad. He gets nothing else till the next feeding. He will eat when he is hungry. No dog will starve himself to death.

Answer 3

You can try Purina Pro Plan for puppies... ie chicken & rice or Lamb & rice. Puppy chow is sweet tasting to a dog, he / she may have grown away from that sweet taste. May I suggest you buy small bags at first. I have 3 dogs right now & have gone through the food mill already. I hope this helps & don't forget that labs are a high energy dog so lots of outside exercise is in order, beside that will make 'em hungry in itself.

G/L

Answer 4

Your best bet is to slowly integrate the new food into the diet. example - start the first week by mixing about 20% adult food with 80% puppy chow. Once it's system seems to be handling it (i.e. stool is back to normal), then change the ratio 40% to 60%. Continue this process week after week until you have changed to 100% adult food. Another suggestion is to try to find brands where the ingredients are not to far off - if you switch from a wet puppy chow to a dry adult food, your dog may respond worse than if you had gone from dry to dry or wet to wet.

Answer 5

Puppies should be fed small amounts a few times a day.
If you mix in some puppy wet food with some of his chicken and give him a little bit in the morning ans some at nighttime - some at lunchday if your schedule allows- then he should start to eat it.

Answer 6

try feeding him dry dog food with a bit of canned dog food. if he doesnt eat take the food away, and try again later/next day (however often you feed him). eventually he will get the picture that, that is his food and will begin to eat and like it. your dog may seem reluctant at first but will warm up to the idea of dog food. (not to mention its cheaper for you)