Just starting a new thread per Connie's request on Louie's food consumption and treats progress.

Meals recap/summary: Louie's a 4 year old (~40lb) malnourished rescue dog from Puerto Rico who has an incredibly low food drive. First month ate ~8oz a day (feeding kibbles + broth 3 times a day). Then we started mixing in oily tuna and consumption went to ~14-16 oz for 2 days before 2 day bout with diarrhea. Cut the tuna (only kibble + broth) and he's now eating a consistent 10.5 oz a day (last 3 days). Mixed in a teaspoon of sardines (in water, not oil) in this morning's meal and he ate an impressive 7.5 oz. Will be closely monitoring amount eaten/poop consistency.


Treats recap: Not interested in the paw's gourmet treats thus far. What's worked on a limited level (gets bored/not clamming for it after a while/not high value enough to distract while outside): american cheese, ground beef (cooked/raw), grilled chicken, grilled chicken liver, grilled hot dogs. Stuff on the list to buy/try: stinky cheese, bacon, homemade tuna baked treats, homemade chicken cooked in gravy treats, buttered popcorn, canned green beans. Goal is to try to find something that he goes CRAZY for, much like how some of you have described your dogs with the above forementioned treats.

Some dogs just don't have a ton of food drive.
Mine doesn't. Food works as a reward for her, but *not* as a motivator, and those two things are distinctly different.

The only food my dog goes "crazy" for, is shrimp.

I'd shy away from the popcorn, for the same reason I wouldn't feed kibble filled with corn.

I'm curious, and perhaps I missed it on another thread, *which* kibble you are feeding, when you are feeding vs when you are training, and whether you've tried using something other than food to motivate the dog.

Simon, a bit off topic, but could you convert your kibble weight into dry measure? Or are you saying 8 oz is your dry measure? (8 oz is equal to 1/2 cup of kibble?)

7.5 oz in one sitting?

If so that is great, hopefully it will keep improving.

You may not see him go crazy in the same way that a dog who has been socialized from birth, and feels totally safe. My goal would be focused attention on the treat and never refusing it unless it a total state of fear.

 Quote: lynne barrows

Simon, a bit off topic, but could you convert your kibble weight into dry measure? Or are you saying 8 oz is your dry measure? (8 oz is equal to 1/2 cup of kibble?)

He must mean weight, I think, because 7.5 is an odd measuring-cup amount. "he ate an impressive 7.5 oz."

Brand and dry measure will probably tell us most.

 Quote: Simon Tai

..... Then we started mixing in oily tuna and consumption went to ~14-16 oz for 2 days before 2 day bout with diarrhea. Cut the tuna (only kibble + broth) and he's now eating a consistent 10.5 oz a day (last 3 days). Mixed in a teaspoon of sardines (in water, not oil) in this morning's meal and he ate an impressive 7.5 oz.

Man. He's a seafood dog. That's not every dog, believe me.

Well, of course, he's from an island .....

 Quote: Simon Tai

Treats recap: Not interested in the paw's gourmet treats thus far. What's worked on a limited level (gets bored/not clamming for it after a while/not high value enough to distract while outside): american cheese, ground beef (cooked/raw), grilled chicken, grilled chicken liver, grilled hot dogs. Stuff on the list to buy/try: stinky cheese, bacon, homemade tuna baked treats, homemade chicken cooked in gravy treats, buttered popcorn, canned green beans. Goal is to try to find something that he goes CRAZY for, much like how some of you have described your dogs with the above forementioned treats.

I'm thinking something with stinky fish in it. Too bad pieces of water-packed sardines are so unfortunate as a pocket-treat.

Those tuna treats could be made with sardines I bet!

 Quote: Lynne Barrows

Simon, a bit off topic, but could you convert your kibble weight into dry measure? Or are you saying 8 oz is your dry measure? (8 oz is equal to 1/2 cup of kibble?)

All weight is from the scale. (bowl on scale... zeroed... then kibble/broth/etc poured in and measurements taken)

So do you think that's about 1 cup a day of kibble? Which kibble are you feeding again?

 Quote: aaron myracle

Some dogs just don't have a ton of food drive.
Mine doesn't. Food works as a reward for her, but *not* as a motivator, and those two things are distinctly different.

The only food my dog goes "crazy" for, is shrimp.

I'd shy away from the popcorn, for the same reason I wouldn't feed kibble filled with corn.

I'm curious, and perhaps I missed it on another thread, *which* kibble you are feeding, when you are feeding vs when you are training, and whether you've tried using something other than food to motivate the dog.

We're feeding him Nature's Variety Instinct Grain Free Chicken Meal Formula at approx 8am, 6pm, and 11pm daily. Now that I know he's a "seafood" dog, maybe I'll try the Salmon Meal Formula next time.

And honestly since we haven't been training much at all since he's not motivated by the treats that we currently have. He's not interested in toys or balls either. My wife and I would toss the ball around to each other and make it seem exciting, but he still wasn't interested. The most he would do is sniff it for a second and then move on.

His greatest motivator seems to be his crate. He goes CRAZY for his crate... and by CRAZY I mean he loves to be in it. :P If we're training (or trying to engage him in anything) I have to close the crate door or else he'll just go back in. And even when it's closed, we will see him to go the door and wait/wonder and try it again.