darren m Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 right - this is my first ES spaniel , after having 2 greedy labs previously . shes a good dog so far , 10 months old springer bitch , smallish type came from a working / trialing dam. Anyways i,m struggling to get her to eat enough , god knows how shes survived this long. so far in the 6 months i,ve had her , shes been on:- eukanuba pup , eukanuba cocker , skinners pup , skinners hypo-al duck , chudleys pup , juniour , chudleys classic, gilpa , cheapo working dog etc . plus i,ve mixed it with gravy , mince , tuna , sardines , ox heart etc . shes takes to them for a week , just when i think i,ve cracked it she then refusers them and i have to go and get something different . i,ve had dogs since i was 14 , thats over 30 years ago , so i should know it all , but this little bitch is really bugging me .i,m worried she wont get the full nutrtion she needs to develope properly etc . i,ve never come across such a fussy dog , what the hell am i doing wrong any adivce on this welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallarben Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 try tripe mate should be able to get it from pet supplies mix with biscuits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantidgwell Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 sounds the same as my dog she eats well for a week or so then she just goes of it and wont touch it , i even tried the routine of "she will eat it if shes hungary" but she just didnt ! after two days i gave in and got her somthing else ! think some dogs just get bored of the same food , i wouldnt want to eat the same food every day . so i just have a cycle now on 4 different foods and just rotate it over the month and dont have a problem no more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshruger Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 When I first had Iolo he would eat anything and as soon as you put it in front of him! Now he is becoming fussy, even tried the same "he'll eat it when he's hungry" that didn't work! I am now trying a few different one's he eat James Wellbeloved £40+ a bag!! so I have now bought some different varieties of this, also pedigree which at the moment he eats’. He did eat Dr. Johns Gold for a while especially if I wet it up with hot water, but that has stopped!! Good luck mate I'm in the same boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Get another dog! he'll eat then... and quickly too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted September 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 i feed her along side my other dog , makes no difference today i went out and bought some free flow tripe , when she smelt it she was very interested , i put it in bowl along with a large handful of skinners , she hate the tripe but left the dried B) *** one thing i have noticed today is her teats are leaking a little bit of milk , shes only 10.5 months old and finnished her 1st season about a month and half ago could this have any bearing on her appetite . thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantidgwell Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 i feed her along side my other dog , makes no difference today i went out and bought some free flow tripe , when she smelt it she was very interested , i put it in bowl along with a large handful of skinners , she hate the tripe but left the dried B) *** one thing i have noticed today is her teats are leaking a little bit of milk , shes only 10.5 months old and finnished her 1st season about a month and half ago could this have any bearing on her appetite . thanks fantom pregnancy perhaps . my dog as also had a few of these took her to the vets and got some liquid medicine but at £28 for 4 days worth it aint up to much , she does this at least 3 times a year now so i just leave her to it now , last usually 5-7 days then it stops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Is she producing stools Ok constipation might put her off feeding in which case cod liver oil in her feed will help as will feeding after exercise the vigourous movement helps move the waste along. Even adding veggies into the feed is worth a try most carnivores will eat the stomach and contents of its large prey (not to mention a certain ESS that ate a whole pheasant leaving just one tail feather) FWIW I've tried various feeds over the decades and my lads get Dr John's silver with a tripe chub split between the three of them and an occasional treat of a big can on top of the biscuit adding water to the Dr J is a good idea as noted before but leave some crunchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racingfrank7 Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 I have a border terrier and im in a same boat, he used to love his food now its a challenge to get him to eat i to have had dogs for many years (20 years plus) and not had this B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 A dog will not starve itself to death because it doesnt fancy a certain "type" of food.If the dog is not ill and wont eat what you give it,then just make sure it has water and sooner or later it will eat what you give it.By all means mix a few bits of meat in now and again,but a dog that wont eat suggests to me there is an injury or ailment with the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper3 Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Darren..i don't know if it just my little working cocker pup ...but he just loves his diet :( we feed him and our old springer the same.... Harringtons complete and we also give them raw meat..we buy the packs of rabbit, turkey, chicken, lamb, and fish...they go mental over the fish..... all the meat is bought from pets at home.... really impressed at the results of this diet... my old boy had cancer but is now in remission..... the medication did that But !!!!the new diet has really picked up on his coat and his condition... the puppy is growing well and has a superb shine on his coat... one thing i did notice was the size of thier stool...it has got smaller...i asked the Vet why? the answer was they were taking more goodness out of the food and the waste was smaller .... thier words not mine... good luck with what ever you pick and hope your little one picks up john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 (edited) Hi Darren I too have a fussy Spaniel and use the same as Jasper. We use Harringtons (Bought from Asda/Tesco) and Natures Choice meat pouches (From pets at home). My working cocker has just the Harringtons in the morning (Wetted the night before) and then Harringtons and a couple of scoops of meat in the evening. She hoovers it up in no time! Good Luck! Cheers Hayden Edited September 2, 2009 by Hayden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 i had the same problem. he's a year old now. went though a few foods before something clicked. it was the dog being fussy, i was warned about it but didn't listen. it was a week or so between differant foods because it was that amount of time for the pup to notice. i tried to add the new food slow and i tried a straight swap but it didn't work. i the end i did remember what i was told and the dog went 5 days before he started to eat again. someone has said it, a dog doesn't know how to starve it's self so it will eat. we have stuck with skinners, even though he doesn't eat much he still eats it. he is on 1/2 the amount it says on the packet but he is in good shape and very active. we did suffer with skin scurvy, dry skin, so we now add 1/2 a tin of sardines in oil to his kibbles every day, cost a 12p a day more but everyone comments on how healthy he looks and he has no dry patches. if he has been very active then we will give him a top up feed of duck'n'rice, skinners, a few hours after he has settled down. we still get the odd couple of days a month where he only eats a tiny amount but its normally if he has eaten fox shate or like and given himself bads guts. stick with a food and you'll come right, thats what i was told. kind regards Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 I would say that there is an underlying health issue here. Get the dog to a vet and have it checked. I have had Springers in my family for 4 generations and lack of appetite of any sort of food is very unusual. Is she drinking excessively ? when did you last worm her ? Any lumps of tenderness in the lower abdomen ? As she swallowed something she shouldnt ? The vet may well reccommend a recuperation diet, bite the bullet and use it and then get the dog on a consistant diat and stick to it no chiopping and changing and no titbits.! I would reccommend James Welbeloved, but get the dog checked out first. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 jasper - for the last few days i,ve given her the tripe mince from the pet shop mixing it with skinners , shes actually eating it ok though on and off at least its something . this morning i gave it her and she refused it point blank , so i take her for a walk , run about etc , comes home and she eats the lot but all the time i have to coax her along saying good girl etc Mike -- i ,m keeping an eye on it ,she eats a bit and shes producing stools ok and when shes out shes lively as ever ( even though shes not attentive as usual :blink: ie a g*t ) , its around the home shes become more sulky and skulky and sleeping a bit more than usual. the other thing i mentioned in a different post was that she seems to be having a phantom ie producing milk from her back 5 or 6 teats , and yet she had her 1st season about 2 months ago , if that does,nt stop i,m going to take her in to se the vet. i was wondering if this might be the cause of her being off the food ie . like a morning sickness and a bit of behaviour change. one more thing did enter my mind -- i,m feeding her 2 meals a day as she is only 10.5 months old , shes lively and slim type and small-ish build , her mum was also very small but is a great dog all round ( squareclose slipper ) could i be trying to feeding her too much for her size , the weights on these feed packs say a lot more than shes having any thoughts thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadSpringer Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Just a thought, are you using metal bowls on a concrete floor? If so she may not like the sound they make if they move, try placing them on a mat or feed her on the grass. You could place the bowl on a stand or a bracket in the kennel. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadSpringer Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 but all the time i have to coax her along saying good girl etc Do you always stand and watch her eat? She may feel unsure if she is allowed to take the food if you are close to it. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted September 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Just a thought, are you using metal bowls on a concrete floor? If so she may not like the sound they make if they move, try placing them on a mat or feed her on the grass. You could place the bowl on a stand or a bracket in the kennel. Cheers hello mate -- thinking about it she does,nt like the metal bowl sound on the concrete floor , i,ve seen her back away from the bowl a few times when its rattling or moving around when shes eating , worth a try mate , nice one , will get that changed re- watching her eat ,that crossed my mind so i tried leaving her , but did,nt work she sometimes just lays down at the side of the bowl , then ( sometimes ) if i go outside and pick up the bowl and coax her , she'll eat a bit . maybe i,ve trained her to be an akward g*t thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teal27 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Mines been exactly the same and the one she will eat most of is the bakers, its not the best and it does allow your dog to put abit more weight on but you can portion it, plus with the summer some dogs tend to go off their food with the weather. You should be careful letting your dog eat straight after excercise or a walk as it can cause the stomach to twist and can be fatal!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyb Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 I had the same problem with my springer and i two kept changing the food as he would eat it for a wile then stop, after speaking to a keeper i know he said i was the problem as i was making the dog fussy so he told me to put the food down in his kennel leave it for 15-20mins if the dog hadnt eaten it take it out. The dog soon realised i wasnt going to keep changing his food and after a few days decided he better eat what he was given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 update - still the same , maybe shes just not hungry how much food does a 10/11 month old springer bitch normly eat the amounts of the sides of feed packs just workout way too much. when should i put her on just 1 meal a day . after excercise she will eat ok-ish , especially the free flow tripe , but would still like her to eat some complete dried along side it suppose somethings better than nothing at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCE Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 I've found that the amount that it says on the bags is way OOT. When I did feed my dogs on dry food I always fed the minimum quantities & often less. If will eat tripe why not try raw feeding? I've been doing this since March & both of my Labs love it. This site is a good read http://www.krisannriorawfeeding.com/index.htm I buy some frozen stuff from here http://www.daf-petfood.co.uk I get lamb breasts foc from a local butcher, I give them most of the rabbit I shoot & chuck in some pulped veg / fruit now & again. For a treat they get to share a tin of pilchards, tomatoes & baked beans, the love it. The whole raw feed job isn't as messy as it sounds & you soon get the hang of how much to feed them. They're supposed to have 2 - 3% of their body weight a day & I started off weighing stuff but I started guessing it after a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 PERCE - i was very interested in the barf , but on looking at it looks like there is a lot more too it and getting the right balance could be a bit hit and miss in relation to the frozen mince , how much do you give your dogs per feed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBLATCH Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 try giving her some puffed jerky ( dried compressed meat) she may eat little but it will fill her as it swells slightly with moisture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racingfrank7 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Mine stoped eating properly (check earlier post in recipe section "rabbit yes again") and it has taken 2 and a half months to get back to normal, from re search on net (many hours) Theres a nasty bug dogs can get from drinking water from puddles / streams and not a lot wll get rid of it, ranging from your normal worming tablets, anti-inflamitries to anti-biotics, mine has had the lot along with blood tests. Then it has been his body that has had to do it along with lots of pro-biotic yougurt. So what im trying to say in short is you know your own dog and will know if its been fussy or not, if its really not wanting to eat along with loud tummy noises it could be the same as mine and with dogs been dogs and warmer weather there's a good chance. I know of 2other dogs that has been the same as mine, hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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