getting shih tzu to eat dog food

[AKelley]

Hi everyone...I am having trouble with my 2 yr old shih tzu, Amy. She is turning her nose up at her food which is Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice Puppy Dry. Puppy food because she is most likey pregnant. I recently started mixing a small amount of canned to her dry to encourage her, didn't help much. Any suggestions on things I might add to her food to make her want it?? Fruit? Veg? Cottage Cheese??

Thanks in advance

[SizzleDog]

I would try something a bit more appetizing - Innova is a very strong, rich food - it might entice her to eat. Cottage cheese can also be used but be careful - some dogs can't handle it, and get diarrhea.

You may also be interested to know that Nutro has a high level of copper in it. Shih Tzus aren't prone to Copper Toxicosis (in general), but I'm still very hesitant to recommend Nutro. IMO, there are better foods out there. Nutro has almost gone the way of Iams/Euk - it used to be food food, but then it got popular and the quality decreased dramatically.

BTW - is that your Shih Tzu in your avatar? If so... kudos to keeping your dog in coat!

[AKelley]

Hi SizzleDog....Thanks for the info! I had no idea. I have been patting myself on the back for giving what I though was a high quality food! Geez. Inova huh? I don't remember ever seeing that anywhere. Do the pet Superstores carry it? Is it something I would have to order online?

Yes, that's Amy you see. Thanks! Trust me, I have been tempted to cut their hair. I have 3 of them. Lots of work. They all have the long coats. I just can't bring myself to have them cut. My husband thinks I'm crazy, but they are just so pretty and I think when they are cut, it takes a lot from their appearance.

Took Amy to the vet. Perfect health it seems. He told me to go ahead and give her the straight canned food if she likes it better. I guess canned food is better than I originally believed. I hated giving it, even just as a mixer. He seems to think she is getting everything she needs and he also told me that her nutritional needs won't really change until AFTER whelping, while she is nursing. That suprised me. Oh well.
Ya live, Ya learn.

[SizzleDog]

No no no no no... don't cut the hair! I think it's great that you can keep THREE dogs in coat - the way I see it... that fantastic coat is a breed characteristic that should be taken care of and preserved - just like the rest of the dog.

And no, the pet Superstores don't carry Innova (which is made by Natura Foods). If you want a good quality food that is available at PetSmart, check out BLUE. At Petco, you can find Sensible Choice and Natural Balance - both of which I like better than BLUE, but check out whichever is more convenient.

[TDG]

blue buffalo is a high quality food that i'd recommend over many mainstream brands like sensible choice, natural choice etc.

if you have to shop at a petco, i'd say natural balance and royal canin natural blend are the best things you can find there.

if you are interested in reading about the pet food industry, labeling laws and other things, check out [url=http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/]the dog food project[/url].

[midori115]

Just my own experience.....

I tried Oscar on the Blue Buffalo food, and he had very loose stools the entire time..... My best guess is that it's cold pressed, and his poor little tummy just couldn't adjust. Although I know other folks who have had no such issue and love the food.

Oscar eats Wellness now, and we've had very good results.

[TDG]

midori115, correct! not every dog will react the same to every brand of food. that is why it's so ridiculous that the pet food industry wants to make people believe that whatever is in that bag is suitable for any dog out there. which is NOT true. there are so many factors that need to be considered, from caloric density (some dogs can't handle very "rich" foods and some need insane amounts of the poorer quality food to even maintain weight) to food sensitivities and allergies (beef, chicken, lamb, wheat, corn, yeast are not tolerated by all dogs either) and even to nutrient imbalances (like copper storage disease).

i have had great results with innova for example, which is my all time favorite brand, made by a company i trust 100% - but not all dogs do well on it. so everyone needs to find a food that works out for their dog. :)

as for the cold formed bits in blue buffalo - that's only the vitamin and supplement components, the kibble itself is heat processed like most others.

and scotty_lvr, you are absolutely right too! as far as i know, most nutrition-related courses are even elective, so the students don't even have to take them.

vets who have done their own research on nutrition are rare and i'd say as valuable as gold. most of them are holistic practitioners as well and will educate people on home prepared diets.