Was just wanting to run this by you all, as I truly respect your opinions.

A few months ago (thanks to your help ) we switched our 1 1/2 yr old GSD from kibble + THK over to chicken backs + THK. At first, she was suspicious of the backs but over the course of a few weeks she came to "accept" them. This past week, she has become less than enthusiastic when meal time arrives. She gives me that "ah jeez....do I gotta?" look. I have to prompt her to eat the backs, but once she gets started, she eats them fine.

I feel the diet change has been beneficial to her overall health, and improved her chronic soft stool issues. However, I don't want to "prompt" her to eat food she doesn't love to gobble up. Yesterday we ran out of backs, so I substituted chicken thighs just for one day until the backs come in. She wouldn't even touch them, not even a lick. She also refuses to eat ground turkey. Could it be she just isn't a raw poultry fan?

At the moment we are feeding "Zeal" but alternate between "Force" and "Embark" she loves the THK and always eats it first. Then she licks the THK off of the backs, then she reluctantly eats the backs-but she will eat them all.

Just wondered what I should do...if anything.

She otherwise seems to be a healthy, happy, ebullient, eager girl. I haven't noticed any environmental/emotional changes that would prompt this, but maybe I'm missing something. She seems to have strong food drive/appetite when it comes to training with food (Zukes).

This afternoon, I am due to pick up 18 pounds of backs for the next 2 weeks. Would hate to waste them if this continues. Is there a non-poultry nutritional equivalent to chicken backs?

Thanks to you all!

PS-We don't feed THK as a stand alone due to the cost-we feed half THK, half backs (combined) four small meals a day.

What is her weight like? Is she trim? Any chance she is starting to need less food than when she was still growing?

If she is in good health and her poops are good, this sounds a little like "pick and choose because there's plenty there for me to eat only what I love most."

(Although with my dogs, they'd pick the backs if they had an abundance to choose from. lol)

Deleted....dup post

Is it possible that you are over feeding her? You say 4 meals a day...that's sounds like a lot of food for a 1 1/2 yr old dog. How much are you feeding at each meal?

If you want to stick with poultry...You can use chicken necks, & turkey necks. Or other parts of either poultry. I also feed duck necks(a bit more expensive),occasionally small amounts of pork necks (they tend to be constipating if you feed a lot of them).

You can also use all kinds of meats besides poultry: Pork, beef, lamb, goat, buffalo, rabbit etc etc. I use all of these.

My dogs enjoy the variety of food. I do use chicken backs, chicken & turkey necks & duck necks as my base RMB that allows me the use of lots of meats to add to it.

I use THK kinda like Connie does...mostly as a sauce over their food & sometimes a bit more if I forgot to take out enough food from the freezer. I don't usually feed it as a meal as my male tends to get a bit loose on it.

Maybe she needs smaller less frequent meals (she just may not be hungry enough for all that food)& more variety. Or she may just not care for raw. I suppose that is possible too.

Just some thoughts.

EDITED to add....Connie & I were posting at the same time with the same thoughts. LOL Like Minds.

Deleted...dup post...my computer has run amuck!

Thanks for the input!

Anne, she gets 2 "dry measured" cups of THK plus one pound of backs daily, divided by four of course. Her bedtime meal is smaller. We decided to do four meals due to her chronic soft stools. The smaller bedtime snack due to occasional morning bile vomiting.

Connie, her weight seems optimal. I posted pictures on the previous thread "THK + raw = possible?" But you raise a great point, maybe she requires less food now that she is almost finished growing. However, her weight has seemed to remain perfect. (minus some kibble budge)

So, do you think I should just stick it out, or switch things around? Wish she could talk!

Thanks

I'd see what happens with reduced food, probably sticking with the number of meals since she is so diarrhea-prone, and watching her weight and body condition.


A healthy dog won't starve herself.



(PS, this doesn't really belong in "non dog chat". )

ooppps...don't know how I got into non-dog chat, sorry!


Will try what you suggest. Thanks

I believe that bacteria on todays factory chicken can lead to food
refusals.

Be sure to rinse raw poultry well, pat it off, don't feed it if it smells.

Dogs can be weird.

If she likes enough different stuff to maintain good variety, I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't like getting hung up on a dog's hang ups unless absolutely necessary.

I bet the portion suggestions are the answer here.