Swithing Foods

**KatTess** · 08-04-2008, 02:24 PM

I've started switching Tali from Chicken Soup for the Lg Breed Puppy to Innova puppy, and I know I need to switch her over slowly. The problem I'm having is that she picks out the new food and leaves the old. Is my only option to coat it all with something so she can't tell the difference? And if so what? I have been adding pumpkin to her food at least once a day, but she can still tell the new from the old with that. I've also tried an egg, same thing. And Tali's breeder said not to feed yogurt on a regular basis because it would add too much calcium to her diet (at least unless she was having tummy upsets). So any other suggestions for getting her to eat both foods? She also just doesn't eat very much at all. If I can get her to eat 2 full cups a day I'm doing good. I do feed her 3 times each day, but she eats so little at a time that I don't pick it up after 20 minutes as is frequently suggested, so she nibbles on and off all day. Any ideas would be much appreciated! I worry cause she is growing and needs more food than she is eating, I'd think. She does seem healthy otherwise, just very slim.

Andrea

Amanda · 08-04-2008, 02:26 PM

Maybe she's ready to eat only twice a day... morning and night.

Perhaps she'll eat more that way.

**KatTess** · 08-04-2008, 02:34 PM

Maybe that is it Amanda, I probably should at least try picking up the food after 20 min. to make it a more valuable commodity. Thanks for the thought!

DobeGirl07 · 08-04-2008, 02:35 PM

If i were you, I would coat it with maybe some plain yogurt and you can always add a little water. You could also add some cottage chesse. I ALWAYS add water with kibble to help aid digestion. Good luck!

**dobermansrule** · 08-04-2008, 04:07 PM

I have to chuckle - I hear you ! It is amazing how precisely they can sniff out a kibble and pick it so precisely with their teeth.

I don't recommend 'baiting' the kibble. Been there. Living with a picky eater, it will only make them pickier.

If the poops are ok on teh current kibble mix, go ahead and make it heavier on the Innova puppy and phase out the old stuff faster.

some foods are preserved or coated with citric acid and a Purdue study cites wetting foods that have a citric acid component could be a risk factor for bloat.

**KatTess** · 08-05-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobermansrule

I have to chuckle - I hear you ! It is amazing how precisely they can sniff out a kibble and pick it so precisely with their teeth.

I don't recommend 'baiting' the kibble. Been there. Living with a picky eater, it will only make them pickier.

If the poops are ok on the current kibble mix, go ahead and make it heavier on the Innova puppy and phase out the old stuff faster.

some foods are preserved or coated with citric acid and a Purdue study cites wetting foods that have a citric acid component could be a risk factor for bloat.

Unfortunately her stool is very soft to even softer. I'm really hesitant to increase the amounts of the Innova. But I hear what your saying about making her an even pickier eater. She so doesn't eat enough as it is. We have a vet appt. Thursday for booster shots so I'll see what the vet says about her weight and the amount I can get her to eat.

I will definitely check for the citric acid component too. Thanks for your thoughts on this!

Andrea

Linda H · 08-05-2008, 04:02 PM

Lots of good info here, it is the Purdue study Epidemiology
I couldn't find it but I thought I had read about the citric acid there too. If the food contains citric acid and you add water that is supposed to be a contributing factor in bloat. Innova doesn't have citric acid but Solid Gold does. Also chicken fat being the fourth ingredient or less is a risk factor. If there is chicken fat there, I like to see it far down the list, makes me feel better.

PAULA · 08-05-2008, 04:36 PM

Okay, I've had a picky eater that had many allergies and stomach problems. In the beginning, I left the food for 30 minutes and took it away finished or not. Then, I realized that poor Dakota had many, many allergies to grasses,etc. (only food allergy was soy.)Florida is not the place to live with grass allergies! Anyway, I finally realized that he was not eating because his stomach was upset. I found this out by leaving the food down all evening. Dakota ate his dinner at 11:30 PM instead of 4:40 PM! So I started leaving the food out all day. When Dakota felt good he ate, when he didn't feel good he left it. He would go sometimes three or four meals. I always feed him twice a day even as an adult.

If Tali's stool is soft, it may be because the new food is too rich for her! If she is not eating the mix of old and new forcing her is not the answer in my opinion.