# Not interested in food



## Cooper724

I searched on the forum and found some topics on this but my vizslas problem didn't seem exactly the same. He is 10mo old and 44lbs. We feed him twice a day and adjust the amount to the recommendations on the bag. His first couple of months he was so excited about food (running, jumping around super excited when he would see us go scoop his food). We switched his food two times due to bad gas. So he has been on 3 different types since we got him. We noticed the uninterested feeling on the 3rd bag, so we switched back to the 2nd type which he used to scarf up. Still not interested. Most mornings won't even touch his food and goes to get back in bed with my wife after I let him out to potty in the morning. He will sort of graze in the morning and when we bring him to the bowl and point it out he doesn't really take either. I really didn't want to leave food out all day for him since he's still a puppy and I wanted to make sure he's getting what he needs. Also we are not able to be home with him every single morning so on the days when we can't I don't want him to be hungry. He's still very interested in treats. Still has energy as well. Any suggestions?


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## texasred

Some dogs start going more towards one meal a day around that age, or a smaller meal in the morning.
If his weight, and energy are good, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

One of mine would eat anytime there is food put down.
My other female only eats if she is hungry, and turns her nose up quite often unless its something off your plate.


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## lyra

Firstly, I would ignore feeding guidelines on the packet. They won't be specific to your breed let alone your own dog. They also don't take account of activity levels which can make a big difference to the amount of food a dog needs. You should judge the amount you give depending on how fat or skinny your dog is and adjust accordingly. You may just be overfeeding your dog. Weight is no guide as the overall size of dogs varies quite a lot. There are quite a lot of posts as to what a Viszla should look like - basically not bony but with an obvious waist. A lot of puppies seem to tend to the skinny side and only lose that lankiness when they become adults so don't fret too much. Quite frankly, most adult Vizslas I see are overweight to some degree.

Your puppy won't necessarily be hungry if he is not fed in the morning and by the sounds of things he isn't interested anyway. You don't say anything about your exercise routine. You shouldn't give Vizslas a big meal before exercising as it may increase the chances of bloat. Personally, our adult dogs get their main walk at lunchtime/early afternoon so don't get their main feed until 2pm at the earliest, sometimes as late as 4/5pm. They then get a smaller meal about 9pm. They used to get just one feed but one of them tends to suffer from bilious vomiting and increasing the frequency of meals helps reduce this.

Lots of people worry about their pups eating enough. I have never seen a post from someone who's dog has died of malnutrition because they refused their food . You have probably realised from posts here that Vizslas can be fussy eaters. You can try things like adding titbits to there food but once you start you are committed long term. You can also try different brands but the tendency tends to be they will love it for a period of time then the novelty wears off. Personally we feed ours Orijen dog food which is comparatively expensive but very high quality and since switching about 18 months ago has never been refused - your mileage may vary. Also, if you want them to eat their proper food, cut out the treats. Does a child eat its meal when full of Coke and crisps?! IMO, the only place for treats is as a specific reward for responding to a command or as a training aid and even then, keep them small. If a dog is snacking all day it isn't going to eat its proper meal.

Hope this helps or at least gives you 'food' for thought (sorry for the pun). If you are still worried, post some side on and overhead pics of your pup, preferably when they are standing still (good luck with that!) and you will get some feedback on your pup's current weight and if you should have any concerns.


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## Cooper724

Thank you for the response! I was going to start just giving him small portion in the morning and then his larger meal in the evening. We usually walk him in the evening or he goes for runs with me. Then we feed him always after the exercise. We are only using the treats for training purposes! I am posting some pictures below to show his stature.


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## mswhipple

Cooper is adorable... a very handsome boy!


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## lyra

Lovely boy. Certainly doesn't look underweight to me. He's getting what he needs so I wouldn't worry (but we all do!) 

You could also consider giving him his main feed after your evening walk as his appetite well may be better after exercise.


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## Bob Engelhardt

Cooper724 said:


> ... some pictures below to show his stature.


IMHO he is a touch OVERweight - I like to see just a bit of rib on a V. Especially on a pup.

Bob

BTW - my Charlie looks exactly like Cooper and I think that Charlie needs a bit of rib also.


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## Cooper724

Thank you all! We are certainly going to try each suggestion. I think a feeding at dinner after exercise looks like its going to be where we start!


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## gingerling

He looks fine.

There are 2 ways to determine proper weight: The first is to look for a bit of rib..or at the very least, if you run your hands down his sides, you should be able to easily feel them..not much fat that pads the sensation. 

And the other is to look down on him, his top profile should be similar to an hour glass, wider at the shoulders, narrower at the waist, wider again at the hip/back junction. When they're overweight, they lose that shape and begin to bulge at the waist, just like humans.

In a well exercised V, they will self regulate their food intake, so the amount (or frequency) isn't as important as the way they actually look. In his case, I;d say you've got it right. 

Also, its important to not feed at least an hour before exercise to avoid torsional bloat, which could kill him. Better to feed a bit after.


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