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So, Quill has bad SA and I'm waiting for a response from our trainer, but in the meantime curious what you all think.
Quill's SA got worse and he no longer eats in the morning before I leave because he anticipates me leaving. The trainer said to enforce a time limit, though not really an issue because like I said -- no amount of time is enough for him to eat it, until I return at 5. Even then, he waits about an hour before showing any interest and then we are at dinner time.
This means he is now eating ~2.25 cups of kibbles a day, pretty much every day. He won't eat until dinner, then he'll eat his 2.25 cups from the morning, and when I give him dinner, he doesn't want it. I assume because he just ate 2.25 cups of food!
Quill is skinny. He lost some weight at the end of the summer, so we upped his food because he was borderline too-skinny. He was 64 lbs in July and at his most recent vet visit (October) he was 59 lbs. The vet attributed the weight loss to being unaltered and wasn't concerned, and I agree he looked healthier by that vet visit. I don't know what his weight was in August/early September, but I would guess he put on a few lbs before the October vet visit based on what he looked like.
And I DO know a healthy dog often is considered "too-skinny" in our world -- I am not using these terms incorrectly. Quill has always been a string bean, so I am familiar with his healthy-skinny and too-skinny looks, just to clarify. He's fuzzy so pics are hard to show his weight, but below in my sig is what I consider his healthy weight. You can easily feel ribs, see his waist, etc. He was far skinnier end of summer. This means I am fine with his weight now, as is the vet. BUT given his weight loss at the end of the summer, I'm a bit concerned he will lose quite a bit if he continues refusing to eat.
He was getting 5 cups, but we switched a different brand of kibble so now he is supposed to be getting 4 1/2 to equal calories. He didn't gobble down the old kibble anymore (Nature's Domain Salmon), and when I bought new kibble, I specifically picked one we used treats when I got a sampler because he liked it so much thinking it might encourage him to eat (TOTW Duck formula). No luck.
He will eat if I add in wet food or pumpkin, but not egg, and I imagine he would still lose interest in those like he did the egg (the egg encouraged him at first, now it still isn't enough). I assume the issue is him anticipating me leaving and being too anxious for the food to be tasty enough to override that, hence why he'll eat with something "extra" tasty added in or will take treats (though not right as I'm leaving or once I'm gone).
Basically, curious about thoughts and opinions on this. Should I add something it to encourage eating? Do I just continue to let him wait until he gets hungry enough, and should I withhold treats as well? He did eat some of his dinner this morning (didn't touch it last night), but I'm home and offered his breakfast again and he still hasn't touched that, so we'll see. I don't want to make him think he can hold out and get something "extra", but I also don't want him to lose weight again!
Also, I apologize if this is more suited to training...I figured being food related, maybe here would be best.
Quill's SA got worse and he no longer eats in the morning before I leave because he anticipates me leaving. The trainer said to enforce a time limit, though not really an issue because like I said -- no amount of time is enough for him to eat it, until I return at 5. Even then, he waits about an hour before showing any interest and then we are at dinner time.
This means he is now eating ~2.25 cups of kibbles a day, pretty much every day. He won't eat until dinner, then he'll eat his 2.25 cups from the morning, and when I give him dinner, he doesn't want it. I assume because he just ate 2.25 cups of food!
Quill is skinny. He lost some weight at the end of the summer, so we upped his food because he was borderline too-skinny. He was 64 lbs in July and at his most recent vet visit (October) he was 59 lbs. The vet attributed the weight loss to being unaltered and wasn't concerned, and I agree he looked healthier by that vet visit. I don't know what his weight was in August/early September, but I would guess he put on a few lbs before the October vet visit based on what he looked like.
And I DO know a healthy dog often is considered "too-skinny" in our world -- I am not using these terms incorrectly. Quill has always been a string bean, so I am familiar with his healthy-skinny and too-skinny looks, just to clarify. He's fuzzy so pics are hard to show his weight, but below in my sig is what I consider his healthy weight. You can easily feel ribs, see his waist, etc. He was far skinnier end of summer. This means I am fine with his weight now, as is the vet. BUT given his weight loss at the end of the summer, I'm a bit concerned he will lose quite a bit if he continues refusing to eat.
He was getting 5 cups, but we switched a different brand of kibble so now he is supposed to be getting 4 1/2 to equal calories. He didn't gobble down the old kibble anymore (Nature's Domain Salmon), and when I bought new kibble, I specifically picked one we used treats when I got a sampler because he liked it so much thinking it might encourage him to eat (TOTW Duck formula). No luck.
He will eat if I add in wet food or pumpkin, but not egg, and I imagine he would still lose interest in those like he did the egg (the egg encouraged him at first, now it still isn't enough). I assume the issue is him anticipating me leaving and being too anxious for the food to be tasty enough to override that, hence why he'll eat with something "extra" tasty added in or will take treats (though not right as I'm leaving or once I'm gone).
Basically, curious about thoughts and opinions on this. Should I add something it to encourage eating? Do I just continue to let him wait until he gets hungry enough, and should I withhold treats as well? He did eat some of his dinner this morning (didn't touch it last night), but I'm home and offered his breakfast again and he still hasn't touched that, so we'll see. I don't want to make him think he can hold out and get something "extra", but I also don't want him to lose weight again!
Also, I apologize if this is more suited to training...I figured being food related, maybe here would be best.
