# Not a great eater.... thoughts?



## FLH (Dec 30, 2019)

Hey friends! Quick question on food consumption. My 6 month old female V is about 37 lbs and we’re working with about 2.5-3 cups of food per day (sometimes more, sometimes less). Our issue: she’s not a great/reliable eater. We’re training with intensity and we’re trying to watch the calorie consumption of the treats. But, she’s not great about consistently finishing her food. We’re moving to 2 meals a day because she just turned 6 months, but really, I’m just looking for some thoughts and feedback on if we’re doing something wrong. She seems healthy and happy, good rib definition and not overweight. Are we worrying too much? Is 2.5 cups of food (consistently) good for our girl? Would love to hear some experiences and thoughts from our friends out there. Thanks all!


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## tegee26 (Apr 25, 2018)

Our 2-year male was a very finicky eater for the first 1+ years. As you mentioned, very proportional, but didn't like to eat on a regular schedule or regular recommended sized servings. We finally gave in and let him self relate his meals. We put it out, if left uneaten we simply left it out until he felt like eating it. Fast forward to today and he eats regular morning and evening meals. He still is not motivated to eat, but he does typically eat the 1-1/2 cups twice per day.

No our 11-month old female V eats like Lab. Very food motivated and eats as soon as you put the bowl down and eats it all. So basically don't over think it if your V looks proportional, etc.

On the same subject, at about a year of so in with our male V we contacted the breeder because we were getting a bit concerned about being on the small size for a male V. He's been breeding V's for over 25-years. He said not worry at about 18-24 months old they'll fill out nicely. He was spot on and gained another 7-lbs. He's still on the lower size for a male V at 55-lbs. but very proportional, healthy and a stud muffin.....lol. 

HTH


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

If she looks good, I wouldn't worry about it. Some dogs only eat if they are hungry, others eat anything we put in front of them.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Finn, my male, is about the same size and weight. He's eating 3-4 cups of food per day, spaced out over three meals.
he is eating Orijen large puppy food, with cooked chicken added in. Sometimes sneak some diced bacon, or the edge trimmings from a cooked steak in, to get his head in the bowl. 
Don't restrict the food, or feedings. Somedays they eat more than others.


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## freealfin (Jun 8, 2017)

FLH said:


> Hey friends! Quick question on food consumption. My 6 month old female V is about 37 lbs and we’re working with about 2.5-3 cups of food per day (sometimes more, sometimes less). Our issue: she’s not a great/reliable eater. We’re training with intensity and we’re trying to watch the calorie consumption of the treats. But, she’s not great about consistently finishing her food. We’re moving to 2 meals a day because she just turned 6 months, but really, I’m just looking for some thoughts and feedback on if we’re doing something wrong. She seems healthy and happy, good rib definition and not overweight. Are we worrying too much? Is 2.5 cups of food (consistently) good for our girl? Would love to hear some experiences and thoughts from our friends out there. Thanks all!


I have owned Vizslas for 54 years now and learned a few things. One....feed them once a day. This usually ends the finicky stuff. I know......you read all about not doing it but wolves heat once a week if they are lucky, so???? Two.....mix their dry food with what you eat...this adds variety. Three....there's price and then there's value in dry dog food. Purina stuff and the likes cost less per lb but cost more at the end. Example: My four year old male (66 lbs.) eats 2.2 cups of Dr. Tim's Glacier a day and about 5 to 10 % of what I eat. My Girl, 3.5 yo and 55 lbs, eats 1.8 cups of the same with the same percentage of my food. Dr. Tim's 40 lb. bag costs about $80 delivered or about $2.00 per lb. (you do the math.). By the way, my Vizslas run every day leash free for about 10 miles in the Summer (110 F avg.) and about 20 in the winter (70 avg.). And if you think I'm not loving enough think again....I rescued my male from Atalanta, GA and my Girl from San Antonio, TX....6000 miles of driving and 15 days on the road....


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## freealfin (Jun 8, 2017)

gunnr said:


> Finn, my male, is about the same size and weight. He's eating 3-4 cups of food per day, spaced out over three meals.
> he is eating Orijen large puppy food, with cooked chicken added in. Sometimes sneak some diced bacon, or the edge trimmings from a cooked steak in, to get his head in the bowl.
> Don't restrict the food, or feedings. Somedays they eat more than others.


Hey Gunnr.....we meet again...I hope you don't get too mad at me and agree to disagree.......see my post.....by the way ....I used to feed them Orijen till the law suit...changed to Dr. Tim's...as good without the controversial stuff and no recalls........


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

freealfin
No worries about me. 
Never be concerned about having a viewpoint different than mine. It's always healthy to have free discussion.Opposing points of view are critical to healthy discussion. What works for one person, may not work for another, but there is always another person that benefits from the discussion. Feel free to disagree at any time my friend.
I read about the issues with specific products within the Orijen line. They seemed to be applicable to some of their adult specific products, which did cause me a little concern as Finn is due to be transitioned off puppy food here soon. One of the product line formula's referred to, was one I was considering.
All of my V's, except one have been picky eaters, and sometimes I have to rotate through flavors to keep them eating. There have been times I've considered contracting out beef and chicken, and making my own dog food. ( With the price of dog food, I'm considering it again these days.)
I will look at Dr. Tim's. I confess I had never heard of it, but I always like to have "options". I can get it locally it appears, which is a big plus. Thank you for the information.


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## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

we have been on Orijen for years and my two love it, lick the bowl, and i can use their kibble even as a training treat. Full confession, mine are not finicky eaters at all, in fact if we go to someone`s house whose dog or cat left any food uneaten and they forgot to pick up their bowls, mine jump on it immediately if i am not careful. Nevertheless i have heard from other people too that their dogs were having stomach issues (runny stool) from Orijen, i am guessing there is no one size fits all. Never heard or seen any recall of that food though, when was that? Recently I started adding freeze dried food (i discovered Open farm on top of Orijen) and they love that too, i just cannot afford to switch them 100% to that, it is just immensely expensive as a stand alone food for such big eaters like mine. But i did hear from people with finicky eaters that freeze dried even as a topper helped.


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## freealfin (Jun 8, 2017)

gunnr said:


> freealfin
> No worries about me.
> Never be concerned about having a viewpoint different than mine. It's always healthy to have free discussion.Opposing points of view are critical to healthy discussion. What works for one person, may not work for another, but there is always another person that benefits from the discussion. Feel free to disagree at any time my friend.
> I read about the issues with specific products within the Orijen line. They seemed to be applicable to some of their adult specific products, which did cause me a little concern as Finn is due to be transitioned off puppy food here soon. One of the product line formula's referred to, was one I was considering.
> ...


Dr. Tim will ship it to you free if you use autoship and more that x$ and tax free....just like Chewy except they will charge you tax since they got purchased by PetSmart...


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## freealfin (Jun 8, 2017)

Gabica said:


> we have been on Orijen for years and my two love it, lick the bowl, and i can use their kibble even as a training treat. Full confession, mine are not finicky eaters at all, in fact if we go to someone`s house whose dog or cat left any food uneaten and they forgot to pick up their bowls, mine jump on it immediately if i am not careful. Nevertheless i have heard from other people too that their dogs were having stomach issues (runny stool) from Orijen, i am guessing there is no one size fits all. Never heard or seen any recall of that food though, when was that? Recently I started adding freeze dried food (i discovered Open farm on top of Orijen) and they love that too, i just cannot afford to switch them 100% to that, it is just immensely expensive as a stand alone food for such big eaters like mine. But i did hear from people with finicky eaters that freeze dried even as a topper helped.


It happened around early 2018 but later was thrown out for lack of evidence......but....where there is smoke is fire, right?...not anymore......we VAPS now......


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## freealfin (Jun 8, 2017)

FLH said:


> Hey friends! Quick question on food consumption. My 6 month old female V is about 37 lbs and we’re working with about 2.5-3 cups of food per day (sometimes more, sometimes less). Our issue: she’s not a great/reliable eater. We’re training with intensity and we’re trying to watch the calorie consumption of the treats. But, she’s not great about consistently finishing her food. We’re moving to 2 meals a day because she just turned 6 months, but really, I’m just looking for some thoughts and feedback on if we’re doing something wrong. She seems healthy and happy, good rib definition and not overweight. Are we worrying too much? Is 2.5 cups of food (consistently) good for our girl? Would love to hear some experiences and thoughts from our friends out there. Thanks all!


Just one comment about rib definition....I hope you don't mean that her ribs are always evident under any light conditions. Dogs and humans should always have some small amount of fat as reserve should they get sick. A good way to judge is to see the undulations of ribs only under limited and specific light conditions and under certain movements.


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## orangeversion (Jul 6, 2020)

FLH said:


> Hey friends! Quick question on food consumption. My 6 month old female V is about 37 lbs and we’re working with about 2.5-3 cups of food per day (sometimes more, sometimes less). Our issue: she’s not a great/reliable eater. We’re training with intensity and we’re trying to watch the calorie consumption of the treats. But, she’s not great about consistently finishing her food. We’re moving to 2 meals a day because she just turned 6 months, but really, I’m just looking for some thoughts and feedback on if we’re doing something wrong. She seems healthy and happy, good rib definition and not overweight. Are we worrying too much? Is 2.5 cups of food (consistently) good for our girl? Would love to hear some experiences and thoughts from our friends out there. Thanks all!


If your dog is healthy and happy, good rib definition, and not overweight, then you don't have to worry. Some dogs only eat foods based on how much they are hungry. Maybe your dog is also the same. Don't worry and keep feeding what your dog actually wants to eat.


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