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A sheltie who is not a good eater

Discussion in 'Sheltie Chat' started by roxyllsk, Jun 24, 2014.

  1. roxyllsk

    roxyllsk Forums Enthusiast

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    My puppy is 6 months old now and the past few weeks has gotten a little indifferent about eating her food. Same food that she has had since the beginning (Pro Plan, with a spoonful of Wellness Chicken and Sweet Potato canned). She has always been a neat eater - she doesn't gobble her food, but eats slowly, one nugget at a time. She ate until the bowl was empty even though it took her a bit.

    The past 2 weeks, she will eat half then wander away and doesn't seem super interested in finishing. She is acting completely normal, full of energy, playing nonstop, normal poop and everything. Her weight is good. She eagerly takes after-walk treats or training treats. She just isn't that interested in her regular food. Seems like she eats until she is not that hungry then stops.

    My older boy is a food hog. He is respectful of the puppy's space and will not push her off her food or even get close to her while she is eating. But I have to watch because if she walks away he will finish hers off.

    So it is not really practical for me to leave food for her free-choice - the older dog will finish it. As long as she is eating, I leave her alone. But if she walks away I try to get her to go back and finish. If she doesn't the bowl goes away. I have no problem with her eating as slowly as she likes. She just needs to eat and not pick at it and walk away.

    So does anyone have suggestions ? I don't want to start trying different foods as she was sensitive to the Wellness that I tried to switch her too when she was younger.

    I honestly do not think there is anything medically wrong with her at all. Maybe her appetite is slowing down because she is not growing as much ?

    I have never had a sheltie that isn't a food hog LOL !!
     
  2. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    How much are you feeding her? I'm not familiar with Purina products but I know you have to feed more with them. Around 6 months, most Sheltie puppies switch from puppy to adult food unless there's a reason to keep them on puppy food. Shelties tend to gain weight easily and growth does slow down around that age so they can pack on the pounds.

    It may be just that she's getting enough food and doesn't need as much as you're giving her.
     
  3. Emmasmom

    Emmasmom Forums Sage

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    As Ann said, she may be full. Are you including ALL her treats in her daily caloric count? If not, then you should. If she doesn't eat the full meal, take it away from her. They won't starve.
     
  4. Shelby's mom

    Shelby's mom Forums Enthusiast

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    Hollie was the same way. She was not very interested in food at all. She was our only dog so we did end up letting her free feed. But as she got older she did eat everything at once. For a dog that was not interested in food she sur was a bear when we had to put her on a diet and cut back her food:rolleyes2:

    Shelby on the other hand is the complete opposite. She is a food hound. She would set the entire bag if given the opportunity. But she is very polite about it.
     
  5. roxyllsk

    roxyllsk Forums Enthusiast

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    New Jersey
    My vet recommended I keep her on the puppy food until she is a year old.

    I do give occasional treats, but not many. Mostly the 5 calorie mini milkbones after a walk or those mini Pet Botanical treats for a training treat. Not much different than what she was getting a few months ago. My older dog tends to put weight on so I don't treat too much.

    My older dog (he's 3) was getting a full cup 2x a day of his dogfood at her age. His breeder was feeding Eukenuba so I kept him on that. Juliet the puppy is getting 3/4 of a cup 2x a day. She is bigger than he was at the same age (28 lbs at 6 1/2 months).

    She is very active, much more so than my older boy was. She never stops playing or doing something when she is awake. I actually take her to the hockey rink and throw tennis balls for 20 minutes every morning to burn off some of the energy. Plus plenty of leash walks during the day as I have no fenced yard. She is only crated overnight and when I'm not home - but I work from home so she's out most of the time, playing with my older boy.

    Yesterday I cut the food back and left it down for her until she walked away. She came back looking for it a few minutes later but it was gone. She actually finished the smaller portion this morning without walking away.

    I guess I am worried that since she is so very active, she may not be eating enough to keep her weight were it is now. I've never had a sheltie that wasn't a good eater !
     
  6. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    Layla the Princess of Absolutely Everything is the world's pickiest eater. She usually won't eat before 10:00 a.m. I mean, the diva usually isn't even up before 9:00. Sometimes I coax her ("Be Mommy's good eater :rolleyes2:"), if we have to go somewhere and I know she'll need the energy. But mostly, if she doesn't eat within a few minutes, we pick it up (or the other chow hounds will eat hers). When she's hungry and wants to be fed, she'll stand in front of one of us and lick her lips. It's a scream.

    No, your Sheltie puppy won't starve, I promise.
     
  7. Junebug

    Junebug Forums Regular

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    My sheltie Graeme was very careful in his eating, at least until the end of his life when he was on steroids. He would only eat so much, and never more than he wanted. He was always very slim, but healthy.

    I would try feeding her less on some days, and more on others, just to mix it up a bit.
     
  8. MissyGallant

    MissyGallant Forums Enthusiast

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    I don't want to change the subject, but YOU HAVE A SHELTIE THAT SLEEPS UNTIL 9!?!?!?!?!? Good grief, we are delighted if we can get ours to sleep past 6. I'm so very sleepy and jealous right now.
     
  9. Chris

    Chris Premium Member

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    No need to be jealous. We have three others, plus Huckleberry, who think we should live to feed them at dawn! :lol:
     
  10. Justicemom

    Justicemom Forums Celebrity

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    Celtic 14 weeks is the same way. He was not a good eater when he came home. I put the food in the kennel with him for 15 mins and if he didn't eat it I removed it until the next scheduled time. He now gets excited when I dish up the food and eats it all in about 5-10 mins. He still is underwhelmed about treats but he does seem to like them a bit. My advise offer her the food and take it away if she dies eat and don't worry. Ultimate rare is the dog that will starve themselves to death.(unlike a cat)

    In regards to the sleeping in. Celtic slept until 8:30 this morning and then started barking. I had gone to bed late and let him out late so I knew he didn't have to go out. I told him be quiet and ignored him. He stopped and I slept until 9 like I planned. I do not fed them when they demand food or for me to get up. So I have dogs that sleep until I sit up and are not in my face waiting to be fed or whatever. Frankly I am cranky in the morning and my adult dogs know wake me up and you will be put in your kennel. :smile2:
     

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