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Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:08:22 PM

LilMichele

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For various reasons, my son 'inherited' (was given) his Grandmother's dog for Christmas. I'm not exactly a pet person. I had kids, I'm sort of over taking care of other thing's waste products now that I've trained the kids to take care of their own, know what I mean? The boy loves this dog, the dog loves him...but...

The freaking dog will only eat rather expensive food. So I've heard that if I put down the food I'd like him to eat, which is a fairly healthy dry dog food - but not moosh from a can that the pooch would prefer - the dog will eventually succumb to hunger and instinct and eat this food. Is this true? Because it's been about 36 hours and this healthy four pound poodle/bischon mix (he looks like a cotton ball on steroids) is starting to eyeball my cat (don't ask how I ended up with a cat, at least it poops in a box that's fairly easy to clean). The cat outweighs him by about 3 pounds and has claws, so I think the cat will be fine when I go to work tomorrow. Any ideas how to train the diva-doggy to eat like a dog?

For the record the dog is loved very much by my boys, I don't scowl at it or treat it like it's not welcome in the house. He's actually kinda cute and I'm sure will grow on me like the cat I didn't want grew on me in about three days. If he doesn't starve to death. Help.....

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:13:04 PM

NuevaVida

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Keep in mind the dog suddenly has a new home and is surrounded by new people, who are now giving it food to eat that he doesn't like or recognize. I'd hold off on changing the food right now. At least the familiarity of food he knows will help alleviate all the other stress and fear he's dealing with.

Also, canned food (depending on the brand/quality) is better for the dog than dry. A combo of both is ideal. When you do decide to switch foods, do it gradually, and place the bowls next to each other. Right now the poor guy is starving (36 hours? Really?) and probably doesn't understand that the new food is actually food.

I'd recommend letting him feel welcome and loved in his new home, before changing something as drastic as food.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:14:01 PM

kiwisub12

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When he gets hungry enough, he'll eat.

My dad bought home a siamese kitten who refused to eat dry cat food. After about 4 days, the cat started to eat. Hunger is a great motivator.

and congratulations on the new addition to your house!

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:15:23 PM

JstAnotherSub

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Any change to a dogs diet has to be done gradually. If not, it will really upset their tummy, which will be bad for you because you will get to clean up the mess.

Try to keep the poor dog on food he likes until he adjusts to his new home. He is stressed enough now I would imagine.

And congrats on your new furbaby!

< Message edited by JstAnotherSub -- 12/27/2010 4:16:42 PM >

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:20:52 PM

stef

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quote:

ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub

Any change to a dogs diet has to be done gradually. If not, it will really upset their tummy, which will be bad for you because you will get to clean up the mess.

Yeah, it's a rather abrupt change to their digestive process. Slowly introduce dry food in with the wet and over a few weeks add more dry and less wet until you're only giving him dry food.

~stef

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:21:17 PM

Termyn8or

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Kid's dog ? Kid's food. You can try the starvation method of behavior modification, but if the little _______ won't eat the cheap stuff if nothing else throw a couple more chores on the kid(s). Either that or they can go out and shovel snow, mow grass or whatever to pay for the expensive food. That'll learnum, and I mean that in a good way.

Personally I think it's wrong to give pets to anyone who specifically didn't ask. Surprise you have a puppy ! Umm, sorry I was going to Europe for six months. Now I can't go, hey ! How about you take care of it for me. "For how long ?". FOREVER !. You should've been asked before such a gift was ever considered. I consider it an imposition really.

T

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:24:39 PM

LilMichele

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FR -

Luckily it's not a new home for him. I've been living with my mother for two years, as has the dog, and she is moving out. Yes if he was just brand new in the home I would not change his food! I agree! He hasn't even missed my Mom, in the last two years he has become my son's dog. Now it's up to us to care for him though, where before we just had to pet him and my Mother did the feeding and walking, etc. I didn't interact much with the dog.

Also, it's the same dry food he was eating I'm just not adding half a can of human chicken noodle soup to it as my mother did, or half a can of ultra pricey canned dog food. I won't eat canned chicken noodle soup for all the chemicals and garbage in it, why on earth would I feed it to any living thing. Hm...maybe if I just add a little of my chicken broth to it. I balk at the price of canned dog foods, maybe I'm just being cheap.

He has had several cookies, the dog biscuits not human cookies, and he has been drinking water. I'm not really trying to starve the little guy, just break him of his chicken noodle soup/rich doggie canned food habit.

LOL - furbaby I like that

As far as the imposition...I'm a sucker. Someone I knew of was going to throw a kitten into the woods because they just didn't feel like caring for "it" anymore, now we have Chloe the Ninja Kiteh (no shadows go unchallanged, no dustballs allowed to roam free, ninja kiteh is on the prowl). My mom has reached a point in her life that she cannot care for the dog, I let him stay and my kid thinks I'm the best mom ever. I cringe to think what will happen if the neighbor's hamster has babies.

< Message edited by LilMichele -- 12/27/2010 4:38:25 PM >

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:26:10 PM

SylvereApLeanan

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You can try adding a little warm water to the dry food to make a sort of gravy. If the dog is used to canned food, he may prefer the moistened dry food. My dog grew up eating dry but when he got past puppy food, he made it very clear he didn't like dry food. We started wetting his food just a bit and now he eats it fine.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 4:55:00 PM

tjeannette

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The best bet for changing food is to do it gradually, like a couple of people have said. The "wait it out" method is a bad idea in general, but very VERY bad for a small breed dog. Little dogs are prone to hypoglycemia and can pass out like diabetics if they don't eat often enough. 36 hours is long enough to be bad. I get the switching foods due to price (I've recently been switching my 2 to a higher food due to my new job) but maybe you could try a cheaper, wet dog food? Like, the same brand but wet? That would make the transition much easier, I'm sure. I've had a number of critters foisted on me, lol. At least you know this one, right?

tj

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 5:10:18 PM

DesFIP

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He's used to a mix of canned and dry. Just slowly lessen the amount of the wet food. And probably he would be happy with a little chicken broth softening it.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 5:24:51 PM

LilMichele

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Chicken broth didn't work. Apparently the lack of MSG and processed noodles bothered him. He looked up at me with the "Nice try lady, where's the good stuff?" look on his face. I give in, I'm headed tot he store for some canned goo of the dog food variety. I'll try the wean him off method.

I thank you all for your input!!

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 5:34:56 PM

Hillwilliam

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Dogs are soooooooooooooo much better than cats.

Just sayin.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 6:12:47 PM

TheHeretic

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In the situation you describe, a slower transition is going to be the better way to go. Let him adjust to you and your home.

I agree that such a gift, without being discussed with the adult of the home, is WAY out of line.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 6:30:27 PM

Hillwilliam

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

In the situation you describe, a slower transition is going to be the better way to go. Let him adjust to you and your home.

I agree that such a gift, without being discussed with the adult of the home, is WAY out of line.

In fairness, if the alternative is taking it to a shelter and probable euthanasia, it isn't.

I have 2 dogs both rescues

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Post #: 14

RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 6:35:31 PM

LilMichele

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Yeah I couldn't see him dropped off at the pound or put down, not after the way my kid bonded with him and that it wasn't the little guys' fault.

I dunno, cats are kind of low maintenance, and does a four pound ball of fluff really get any "dog" cred? He's smaller than my cat!!

*forgot to add*
Fed him some Alpo mixed with the dry, about 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup, so half and half since that's what he's used to. He ate about 1/4 of what was in the bowl, belched and went to lie down. I think his tummy shrunk, now I really feel bad for him! Then he sat at my feet and snoozed.

< Message edited by LilMichele -- 12/27/2010 6:37:32 PM >

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 7:27:05 PM

NuevaVida

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LilMichele

I dunno, cats are kind of low maintenance,...

LOL you haven't met my cat.

Glad things are working out, sort of. LOL. He'll grow on ya.

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 7:52:26 PM

Termyn8or

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"if the alternative is taking it to a shelter and probable euthanasia, it isn't. "

I have no interest in arguing this point, but I will state that I disagree. Maybe I'm just a nasty no good prick. Oh well.

T

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Post #: 17

RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 8:34:20 PM

Zevar

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What a precious story about a little mutt. It reminded me of a pet of mine that was similarly finicky. I struggled with various combinations of pets foods. One day it was Eureka, problem solved! A combination of persistence, care, tenacity and of course compassion and the little critter was all settled in, fat, happy and feisty. Delightful little critters, pet are. Good luck with your new little inherited critter, that hopefully will become a wonderful addition to your family for years to come.

Take care!

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/27/2010 8:47:24 PM

AlwaysLisa

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Hi,

I can relate.   We inherited my mothers 2lb Chihuaha mix that was used to eating fresh cooked chicken breast, ONLY.   I have 75 lb dogs that eat what is put in their dish...if it's not eaten in 5 min, they don't eat again until the next day. AND it's not cooked chicken breast.

What I did, was find the best smelling canned food I could, (she actually liked the Beneful stews)..then I started mixing in dry pellets. Just a couple a day, until the ratio was dry food 95 percent, canned food and water the remaining 5.   We had two or three days of her not eating, at all.   She didn't die, :)

Now, we put the dishes down, the food is inhaled and we pick up the first dish as the last one licks the bowl.

Also, competition works. I don't have picky eaters here, but on occassion one has flown in for breeding and didn't like the fare offered. When she saw how quickly the others ate, she learned to eat hers at the same pace if she wanted to keep it.

A dog can go for a few days without eating, water is more critical. Don't worry, your dog won't starve itself, only fashion models try that :) Good luck!

Lisa

< Message edited by AlwaysLisa -- 12/27/2010 8:48:17 PM >

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RE: Inherited a mutt... - 12/28/2010 12:22:00 PM

DamnPickyDomme

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you must do the transition slowly or risk the possibility of a dog with the shits. makes the prospect of changing the dog's diet right away less attractive. i'd also like to warn you that small dogs have a tendency to have blood sugar problems, they have higher metabolisms and do need to eat fairly often. i have four of the little buggers, having just received the newest addition last night. teddy is a 2 pound long hair chihuahua. feeding the canned variety may give the dog the taste he loves, but dry is healthier for the teeth. i'm feeding teddy a combination of dry and canned, the dry is offered all day as a free-feed type of system, the canned food is offered at bedtime so he'll fall asleep with a full tummy. he's been raised on this particular food so i'm planning on switching my other dogs over to it as it's got a very god list of ingredients and no corn. it's called "chicken soup for the pet lover's soul" brand pet food, they offer both dog and cat products and the first grain product is seventh on the list of ingredients. i'm going to see if i can find it out here at our local feed shop, if not i'll be ordering it.

edited to add: dogs can be litter box trained as well. you need a larger box and many dogs prefer shredded paper to litter but it can be done. do a search on potty training your dog and best of luck!

< Message edited by DamnPickyDomme -- 12/28/2010 12:25:35 PM >

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