Picky Eater

[Kristy Kat]

Hi, I have a 7 month old EM male pup. He was 100lbs last week. When I got him he was fed raw beef kidneys and raw beef. He was 8 weeks old when I got him. He seems to be a very picky eater. I introduced a grain free kibble to him when I brought him home. He eats it, but not very much of it. He eats at most maybe 3-4 cups at absolute most a day. I have been mixing in canned food, and treats etc to encourage him to eat. He will pick out the canned food and treats, and eat some kibble, but then leave the majority of it. I am also still trying to offer him food 3 times a day, with not much success. Is this normal for him to eat so little? My 20 month old presa happily finishes his food once he walks away. I'm also wondering if he is where he should be for weight. His sire is 250lbs, and his dam is 180. Thanks for any help.

 

[musicdeb]

How long have you had the pup? It is less than a month? If so, he's stressed about the new environmental change. Give him time.

What food are you feeding him? He's used to raw meat and going to kibble can take him a while to adjust. How long has he been on the kibble? Have you tried a different flavor of kibble but made by the same company to help with digestive upset?

As long as he is drinking, going to the bathroom, and playing, he will eat when he is hungry. Put the food down for 20 minutes. Pick it up and try again on the next meal.

 

[DennasMom]

I agree with Deb.
If he doesn't want to eat what you provide... then he doesn't get to eat. When he's hungry enough, he'll eat.
3-4 cups seems like plenty to me. I would look more at how he's growing and gaining weight. How's his body condition?
You want to be able to see some ribs, but not too many.
100lbs at 7 months sounds plenty big to me... but, again, body condition is more important than the number on the scale.

 

[Smart_Family]

I agree with Deb and Tina. 3-4 cups a day and 100lbs at 7 months sound fine to me. Pictures would be helpful though.

 

[Kristy Kat]

Hi, I have had him for the last 5 months. I gradually switched him over to kibble over the first month. Some days he eats as little as 2 cups a day. The vet staff say that he looks great in regards to his body condition. He is lean and gangly as he apparently should be. I just thought he needed more than that to keep up with his growth. I am feeding him nature's domain salmon and sweet potato. In the past I have purchased the turkey and sweet potato, but my dogs seem to prefer the salmon. Coffey is a people food hound, and will snatch the kids' food whenever they are not looking. I also wasn't sure if he is where he should be for growth, as I have read of many other mastiffs his age that are 20-30 lbs heavier. I don't want him to grow too quickly either, but I also don't want to do anything detrimental to his growth. I guess I'm just a worrier. He is my first EM. Thanks for all the help, it's much appreciated.

 

[musicdeb]

Mastiffs continue to grow until age 2-3 yrs. It is best to have them grow slowly.

Try adding some plain yogurt, olive oil or coconut oil to the kibble to entice him to eat. 2 cups a day is not really enough for him to eat. Like Smart said, 3-4 cups a day sound reasonable for the pup.

Can you post pics?

 

[boogie]

Its all about discipline! Same as eveyone saying here, if she doesnt eat what you gave her, then she'll get hungry. In time she'll love to eat it.

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 2

 

[cinnamon roll]

How big were the parents?

 

[Smokeycat]

My two dogs are at the opposite ends of the feeding spectrum. My EM gets 8c a day (over the recommended amount). He is inactive due to medical restrictions but I would judge his body condition to be very lean bordering on underweight. My Irish Setter x gets 2c a day (under the recommended amount). I call him my Energizer Bunny on speed but while lean he is closer to being too heavy than too light. I've come to realize that the amount a dog needs to eat isn't always directly related to size and activity level.

Chances are your guy doesn't need a lot of food. As long as he's a good body condition I wouldn't be concerned that he's not getting enough. To be honest, I would love for Kryten not to eat as much as he does, his food costs more than mine does!

 

[Kristy Kat]

Hi, his dam is 180lbs and his sire his 250. The breeder states that he keeps the male on the lean side in order to be able to breed with the females. Apparently the sire's full brother is 270lbs. So far today Coffey has eaten 2 1/2 - 3 cups. I have stopped adding goodies to try and get him to eat. He ate his 2 cups at breakfast fairly well, which was encouraging. I offered him about 2 cups this afternoon, and he ate at most a cup, and my presa finished the rest. I will try feeding him again right away and see what he does, but he's usually not a big eater in the evening, but hopefully.

 

[musicdeb]

Great shots! Love the 4th pic! That face! He looks great!

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

Chill out a bit would be my advise, he can pick up your stress and it might be adding to his picky eating habits. If you act like its ok he will be OK...not saying he will eat more but he might. If he is happy, healthy and growing with no health issues then don't worry. I know because I have been there. My TM is a bugger to get to eat at all some times and others she is a pig, I have learned to live with it, she is a freak dog end of story.

 

[cinnamon roll]

He is so handsome I want to smooch him.

 

[Kristy Kat]

Thanks, his face gets me every day. He's off and on still about being picky, but I'll just keep offering his food as is. Unfortunately tonight, he was a sneaky boy and managed to get his lamb and rice biscuits.

 

[cinnamon roll]

Welcome to the teenage years lol!!!! Can you say brats?

 

[Kristy Kat]

lol, he can be such a brat! His "big brother" my presa boy will be laying on the floor, and "little" brat Coffey will be on the couch gnawing away on his ear. He gets himself so tired out constantly getting Ben to play, that I've been told before his conformation classes and before shows that I should try and keep them apart so he's not so tired.

 

[cinnamon roll]

LMAO that is bad!!! My girl is 10 months and the equivalent of the energizer bunny.

 

[Kristy Kat]

lol. Coffey only seems to be energetic when it comes to getting his "brother" to play. When they are apart, he's fairly mellow. He's the little antagonizer though. If you tell them it's enough, Ben will stop, until Coffey sneak attacks him.