How do i get my dog to eat dry food?

[Triggerman73]

Well, my dog has been eating the canned food for a while and it has made her pretty overweight. This normally wouldn't be a problem but the other day I found a lump which I suspect to be a lipoma. I know they aren't deadly and the animal doesn't feel pain from them but, I don't like the fact that it is under her leg and it may not enable her to walk as well as she could. So, i decided it would be in her best interest to put her on a diet to possibly slow the growth in case it is...plus she is a dachshund so she already has a delicate back and I can't imagine how badly it must hurt to carry all that weight around and jump up onto the couch.

My question is: How can I get my dog to eat the bagged dry food because she refuses to eat it. She normally only eats it when I put steak juice on it (I know that isn't very good for her either). But, since i don't eat steak every night (although I think it is the best food in the world), that is out of the question. I tried cutting up carrots and putting them in her dish but she searched through the dog food and ate all the carrots. So, is there anything that you guys have found that works?

 

[Mack&Cass]

You may have to pick up some dry food samples and find the one she likes. Most pet stores have samples, especially for the premium and holistic foods. She's just not used to the dry food, but she won't starve herself. You could try mixing a spoonful of fat free cottage cheese into the dry, the taste of the cheese gets into all the kibble.

 

[Triggerman73]

You may have to pick up some dry food samples and find the one she likes. Most pet stores have samples, especially for the premium and holistic foods. She's just not used to the dry food, but she won't starve herself. You could try mixing a spoonful of fat free cottage cheese into the dry, the taste of the cheese gets into all the kibble.

that wont harm her? ill have to try to reintroduce her to the food because she is now whining so ill try some methods and pick up some cottage cheese when im at the store next time

 

[El Viejo]

that wont harm her? ill have to try to reintroduce her to the food because she is now whining so ill try some methods and pick up some cottage cheese when im at the store next time

I don't think it'll harm her as much as being overweight. If it were me, I would gradually mix the dry with something she likes: steak juice one night, and cottage cheese the next. Each time you mix it you add a little less of whatever it is she likes best until she's eating only dry. As was mentioned, she isn't going to allow herself to starve to death.

 

[pharaoh2653]

just dont offer her anything but the dry food. shell eat it eventually

 

[LeilaNami]

just dont offer her anything but the dry food. shell eat it eventually

This is very true. Dogs are very food oriented and will not starve themselves unless very ill. Don't worry. She'll get hungry eventually. You can try supplementing the dry food with a handful of small chunks of low-sodium boiled chicken until she gets to eating it regularly. Do not pour steak juice or any other kind of meat juices on the dog food as this is pure fat and will be just as bad as feeding fatty canned foods. If you need to add flavor because the dog is very stubborn, you can either mix a spoonful or two (depending on the size of the dog) of dog gravy you buy in the pet store.

 

[Widowman10]

just dont offer her anything but the dry food. shell eat it eventually

yep, she'll eat it when she gets hungry and it's the only option. as mean as it might sound, it's true and works great!

 

[Triggerman73]

yep, she'll eat it when she gets hungry and it's the only option. as mean as it might sound, it's true and works great!

yea she didnt eat tonight other than the carrots so she will be pretty hungry...she is asleep right now but i always stay up so we all win sort of...

 

[Erwynn]

Adding cottage cheese like someone else said works wonders, just don't put too much, cause then she'll get some intestinal upset.

It's true though, dogs will eat eventually. She may not like the food, depending on what your trying to feed her, find something more palatable perhaps. Nothing that makes it own gravy though, that stuff has no nutritional value.

Some dogs can become very spoiled and picky when it comes to food, especially when they are overweight. Just find something and leave it there. How old is she? Does she have dental problems? Maybe it hurts her to eat it dry, try adding some water if that is the case to soften up the food a little.

 

[Pacmaster]

How can I get my dog to eat the bagged dry food

Feed it to her . . .

 

[Triggerman73]

Some dogs can become very spoiled and picky when it comes to food, especially when they are overweight.

Oh god, tell me about it haha.

How old is she?

She's middle-aged...6 or 7 in "human years".

Does she have dental problems?

Not that I know of...

Maybe it hurts her to eat it dry, try adding some water if that is the case to soften up the food a little.

Good ideas...i will have to try that right now. :worship:

 

[Mushroom Spore]

What brands are you feeding? To my knowledge canned food is not inherently more or less healthy/fattening than dry food, you just need to find a brand that's actually good for the dog and not full of junky "filler" like corn.

That and make the dog exercise more.

 

[Triggerman73]

What brands are you feeding? To my knowledge canned food is not inherently more or less healthy/fattening than dry food, you just need to find a brand that's actually good for the dog and not full of junky "filler" like corn.

That and make the dog exercise more.

The dry food is "Kibbles Select Complete"
and the canned food is "Mighty Dog"

TBH, sometimes she whines until I pick her up and take her to her food dish or take her to her water bowl so i doubt she will take exercise too well, but it is worth a shot.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

The dry food is "Kibbles Select Complete"
and the canned food is "Mighty Dog"

A few seconds on Google reveals that "Kibbles Select" is one of the worst dog foods on the market. I can't find anything about this "Mighty Dog" but you may want to do some research so you can give your dog something that's good for her. Don't buy something just because the packaging says it's good - packaging lies.

TBH, sometimes she whines until I pick her up and take her to her food dish or take her to her water bowl so i doubt she will take exercise too well, but it is worth a shot.

I hate to put it so harshly, but your dog is going to die if you keep this up. She needs to be put on a healthy diet and exercised properly whether she whines and "takes" to it or not.

Also did a vet diagnose this lump?

 

[Triggerman73]

Also did a vet diagnose this lump?

Not yet but today i found a second one and i am starting to worry. I have encouraged my parents to schedule an appointment but they won't so hopefully i can get one myself but I doubt it .

 

[cacoseraph]

if you had a kid and it wouldn't eat its vegetables would you be cool with that?

something of the same thing here



it always saddens me to hear ppl let a dog dictate the terms of their relationship. the masters should know more than the dogs (though sometimes i have cause to doubt that) and should enforce a good regimen of food and exercise on the dog. most dogs should be walked every day. they shouldn't be carrying a lot of extra weight. for something like a weiner dog 5 extra pounds would be the equivalent of me being something like 40-50 lbs over weight!

 

[Tarantulysis]

You try Bil-jac?

 

[Mina]

Try a better quality dry food. If she still won't eat it you can mix the dry and the canned, stir them together real well so she has to eat both, then slowly drop the amount of canned by about a spoonful a day.
The only other thing you can do it take her for more walks. Get her moving, play fetch or some other game she likes.

 

[elportoed]

Like most people said, if dry food the only thing that your dog has, he'll eat it after a day.

Speaking of dog exerciser, watch this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk

 

[LeilaNami]

There are many good foods on the market. Nature's Recipe is a good food and cheap for the quality. Heck it's better than Science Diet and Eukanuba and all the other foods and cheaper too. With Science Diet, Eukanuba, Bil-Jac, Iams, and Royal Canin you're just paying for the name and getting a mid-quality food. Blue Buffalo, Nature's Recipe, By Nature, and Nutro Ultra are some good ones that I find readily in my area. Blue Buffalo is always one of the top three foods on these comparison websites but it can get expensive which is why I suggest Nature's Recipe for you.

Right now you're feeding bottom of the barrel foods so I suggest switching and portioning the food correctly in order to drop that weight. It's especially hard on these long bodied dogs to be obese and you'll just end up with more expensive health problems later if not corrected.