Appetite concern - GSD - pics added!

[gritsar]

Every day I find something new to worry about. Ya gotta love me.

WITHOUT TURNING THIS INTO A DISCUSSION ON WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD DOG FOOD...(please)

It concerns me that Jax is not a passionate eater. He eats at each meal, but it's always like "okay, it's time for me to eat", not like "oh, boy! oh, boy! FOOD!".
His diet right now is 5 cups of dry Iams for large breed pups, 3/4 cup of chicken kibble gravy, 4 wheat germ cookies and however many small (bite-sized) liver rewards he earns. We divide that between three feedings; used to do two but found he did better with three.
He's 50 lbs. at 5 months. He looks lean, but not starving. Wormed, vaccinated, the works.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Where I am currently boarding my Alpacas (not for much longer, coming home 9/8!!!) Bell our female GP has been having a weight issue also. She is just right at 2 years old, and my friend who owns the farm has been giving her Purina Puppy Chow because it is higher in protein, a high quality food from the Vet, some other canned food (Mighty Dog) and then a can of Pedigree and she is still "lean." Our vet took blood, did other tests and everything is fine. Bell is one of her hardest working dogs on her 10 acres or so, and runs the fence day and night, plus we had tremendously hot days when her weight became an issue. She feels good, her ribs aren't anywhere hanging out and she is happy and has clear healthy eyes, no discharge . . .so maybe some Pyr's just don't get all that excited over food and take their guarding more seriously. The boys are all great dogs too, but they don't run like she does, so we think this is what the reasoning is for her weight being less than it normally would be. Hope you find out what it is!!!

 

[lorieMN]

as long as he is eating I wouldnt worry about it..maybe hes just not "greedy"..which isnt a bad thing either..if he was wolfing it down every meal then I would say he was starved and needed more..doesnt sound like anything I would get concerned over..

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
No, we've even tested him for food/resource guarding and he doesn't at all.
If one of the cats wants his food, he walks away. We have to stand and watch him eat so the cats don't steal it.
He's the same way about his toys and crate. If the cats want it, he lets them have it.

 

[Whispering Winds]

You just have a very laid back easy goin' old country boy!!!

 

[kassy68]

Quote:
Maybe try something like Natures Recipe Lamb and Rice or their Chicken base food if you can find it.. You may have a puppy that has a sensitive stomach to corn etc.. This is a middle of the line priced food.. also the large breed formulas are generally just more filler.. The chicken kibble gravy may also upset his tummy.. buy a couple cans of a good canned food.. Dick van pattens Duck and Potato food is a great dry food as well as it is made for dogs with Allergies.. and all mine love it. Corn used to give one of my standard poodles bad gas.. it took 2 yrs before I figured it out.. when I had an allergy dog I put them all on the duck and potato.. her gas was gone..
Is he itching? bloated? any other symtoms..
You may want to give him a good dose of Drontal Plus.. not cheap but an all in one wormer.. and follow up in 10 days with another dose of round worm wormer..

 

[gritsar]

We buy what's available around here. We found a feedstore about an hour away that sells the Chicken soup for the dog lover's soul food, but they were out when we checked on it. Gonna check again this week.
I started making the homemade gravy to get away from canned foods - the ones available here. He was this way before I switched from the canned anyhow.
No itching, no gas. He gets the hiccups alot, but he always has.
His coat is shiney, his eyes are bright. He's lean, but not thin. He's at that awkward teenage stage where he looks to be all leg, head and tail.
Maybe I'm just used to more passionate eaters. KiKi the siamese could teach Jax a few things about scarfing down food.
He's been wormed at the vet and his fecal float was negative last time.

 

[ChickBond 007]

There are some GSD's that have a stomach disorder where they have to eat with their front end elevated. It is a genetic disorder in the breed, I believe. I can't seem to remember the name.
I have a food-picky GSD. We are feeding Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog food, and he's doing well with that. I also make certain he has a fresh beef bone with marrow daily. The marrow is doing wonders for his coat, and the bone makes his teeth look shiny white and scary to people I don't like.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I've had LOTS of GSDs over the years. They are not greedy eaters, period. If you are used to dogs that inhale their food, I have NEVER had a GSD who would. My Dobies sometimes do, but more often than not my GSDs are picky eaters. I had one who was not poison-trained but would starve rather than eat from the bowl, floor, or anyplace EXCEPT my hand. Drove me bats! No one could feed her but me. I had a Dobie like that too, but he had been poison-proofed by his breeder (which was basically shocking him with a hidden wire in the food anytime he touched anything not in his bowl.) The guy did such a bang-up job of it that the Dobie would only eat from my hand. I used to sit on the floor and feed one with each hand.

I've had GSDs so bad about eating that they would only eat ONE piece at a time from their bowl. So if Jax is eating and not starving himself, I would not worry about it. If you fuss too much about it, I swear the dog picks up on it and gets even worse about eating, turning it into some kind of control issue. BTW I feed Purina One Lamb and Rice and have done so for many years with excellent results: gorgeous coats, beautiful teeth, and TONS of energy.

Rusty

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's Jax. Take a few bites, walk away for a few minutes. Take a few bites, go look at something else.
We leave the food down for maybe 15 - 20 minutes. Then it's taken up and he has to wait for his next meal.