[Damian]

Hey everyone.......i was just curious......
I'm training my 4 and a 1/2 month old MinPinXMinDaschund mix and she doesnt like to just sit and eat her food also when i use her regular dog food as a treat...as in holding one piece of kibble saying sit and then giving it to he....she readily eats it. What im wondering is this bad, unusual, unhealthy, bad for training etc etc. So looking for some feedback.

 

[Curbside Prophet]

If your dog had to fend for herself, she'd have to put in some effort to survive. This is natural and good, so be impressed that your dog wants to work for her food.

It is often recommended to use a proton of your dog's daily ration of food for training, so this too would be preferred over a store bought treat. There's nothing unusual or unhealthy about this behavior.

 

[Damian]

Wow a insightful and useful post.......and from a moderator nonetheless. Thank you i appreciate that very much. Also what about the fact that she doesn't like to sit and eat and she also doesnt have much of an appetite unless she has gone a long time without eating?

 

[Curbside Prophet]

Well, my dog stands as she eats, but I don't think that was your question.

I think you mean to ask about your dog's appetite. Which raises a few question...is your dog fed on a schedule, or is she free fed? Is this a new occurrence or has your dog always been this way? How fit does she appear? About right? On the skinny side? Or festively plump? Unless your dog is on the skinny side, there's not much to be concerned about. If she eventually does eat, is alert, and acting normal, she's taking in the calories she needs.

You can create an appetite with exercise (if your dog is lacking exercise), and/or by adding novelty (bits of a healthy, interesting food) to your dog's meal.

BTW, don't let my title fool you. There are a number of individuals on this forum who are much more knowledgeable than I (but likely not Ron), who aren't moderators. My title just means I have to clean up spam, and do some weeding every now and then.

 

[Damian]

she is on a schedule, breakfast between 6:30 and 7:00(hard to get up in the morning sometimes lol) 11:30 lunch and 4:30 dinner(unfortunately im often a bit late with that one) I cant remember if she did it from the beginning but it has occurred for some time now. And as far as I know she appears to be about right in terms of fit. And regardless I appreciate the feedback. Also I read the forums more than I post and your posts are often quite intelligently written and informative so.

 

[iSaidNoSprinkles]

she is on a schedule, breakfast between 6:30 and 7:00(hard to get up in the morning sometimes lol) 11:30 lunch and 4:30 dinner(unfortunately im often a bit late with that one) I cant remember if she did it from the beginning but it has occurred for some time now. And as far as I know she appears to be about right in terms of fit. And regardless I appreciate the feedback. Also I read the forums more than I post and your posts are often quite intelligently written and informative so.

Hey Damian. (BTW, I know how you feel about mornings!) My vet has me feeding my pup twice a day. What I do is I put down his breakfast, give him about 20 minutes, then pick it up. I think he's starting to get the hint that if he doesn't finish it that it won't be there later. He's been eating more and more each morning and evening that way. I'm also thinking about feeding him after his morning and evening walk instead of before, and hopefully it'll make him eat all of it. Good luck. Let me know how it progresses.

 

[Damian]

Thanks for the advice Sprinkles. I sometimes leave her food too long expecting her to eat it. Not too long that it starts to become free-feeding mind you but anyways. Unfortunately im still in school and dont have the luxury(or the pleasure) of taking Lola for an early morning walk. Having to get ready for school is such a pain! I might try changing her dinner time to a bit later so that i can walk her right before her meal though.

 

[iSaidNoSprinkles]

Don't worry. She won't let herself go hungry.

I know what you mean. I'm still in school as well (about to graduate). Mornings are not my strong point (I am by definition a night owl, although Waldo been getting me up earlier and earlier each day), but I'm gonna try to start getting up a little earlier, even to give him a short 10 min walk around my complex after he "goes". Then a nice long walk in the afternoon. I'm hoping he'll be a chomping away after that.

 

[Damian]

It seems that we are very much alike Sprinkles, though i have a couple more years before graduation. If you dont mind my asking what breed and how old is Waldo. just curious for comparison.