Appetite concern - GSD - pics added!

[Cara]

One of my dogs was that way for two years. She didn't care about food, and I had to put every one of her toys away at dinner time. She's mostly Lab so you'd think she'd be greedy. Strangely enough she got an appetite when she was bitten by a rattlesnake, and although she's not a maniac about food, she is not nearly as picky. The one food she ever gets excited about (other than human food) is Royal Canin. It's horribly expensive these days though, at $59.99 a bag here!

At his age he probably is going to look lanky. They seem to grow up, then out, then up...

Some dogs are big eaters and some are not. All of the GSDs in our SAR group are play/prey driven. Their reward is their rope, ball or frisbee. Other breeds are more typically food motivated (Bloodhounds especially).

 

[mandelyn]

Shepherds can go either way, but it's totally typical for them to be picky or light eaters.

My 6 month old male, is "AAAHHHH!! FOOD!!!" and will eat everything I put in front of him.

My 3 year old female, will go on hunger strike for DAYS if she's not happy about the food (it has to have gravy, water, and meat... plain kibble? forget it!). She also won't eat without another dog present. So I was really happy when Logan the rescue came.

He's going to be lanky and skinny looking for awhile yet. Perhaps even until 2 years old. Depends on the bloodline and projected size.

My boy is going to be a monster, dad was a healthy 120 pounds, and Logan's at 60 right now. And skinny! All leg!

Just watch the poo, make sure it's atleast twice a day and "healthy" looking, keep him wormed regularly. The treat giving is prolly spoiling his dinner. But that's ok.

I will say though, that I've never had one crazy about Iams. Even Pedigree was consumed better when I was on a tight budget, and that has a lot of salt in it.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
He poos twice a day, always solid and healthy looking, LOL. The only food he's crazy about is his liver rewards. He did "speak" to the oven last night. I was baking fish and he thinks if he speaks like a good boy, he'll get whatever food is there.
We're going to try and get the other food this week and see if that helps.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:

"Spoke to the oven"!!! That is precious! He's such a smart boy!

I wouldn't worry about it. Both of our boys have been fairly thin when they were young. Our boy Bill is still a picky eater and I have to give him part Chicken Soup etc puppy kibble in his food to get him to eat enough calories to not look abused. I have changed kibble time after time to get him to eat and have even tried raw and he will be interested in it for a couple of weeks and then turn his nose up again. He is perfectly healthy. I wouldn't worry about it.

I know a lady with a white GSD that looked terribly thin until it was 3yrs and then it just filled out. She was fed an enormous amount of raw, too. Some dogs are just like that.

Jax uses up a lot of calories powering his enormous brain.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

"Spoke to the oven"!!! That is precious! He's such a smart boy!

I was thinking of you when he did it! Took him two days to learn to speak and now everything is...if I just speak, it's mine!!!!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I will offer this note of caution: If you find yourself changing feeds every few weeks trying to find one your dog likes, you are basically TEACHING him to be a picky eater. Find a good food and stick to it even when your dog "tires" of it. He will eventually come back around to eating it once he realizes you are not going to change it yet again.

I found a food that works for us and I have fed it for years, resisting all temptations to add little goodies to it. It does help when you are feeding more than one because they quickly learn that if they don't eat it, somebody else will sneak in and eat it for them. As a result we do not have food issues come mealtime. Some may be pickier than others, but everybody eats what is in their bowls.

It's very much like feeding a houseful of kids--they eat what is in front of them or go hungry. Food is too expensive and life too complicated to turn yourself into a dang restaurant where each person orders something different for every meal. Tough love (ie discipline) is just as good for dogs as it is for kids.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Bill gets 2/3 Taste of the Wild and 1/3 various pup kibble. I don't want to see my dog starve himself until he starts barfing bile because his stomach is upset and empty. That is just me and it works for us.

The girls will eat anything that doesn't run away first.

 

[texasgirl]

Quote:
Big DITTO to that!

All GSD pups look thin to me, that's just the way they are, sometimes until they are 2 years old. I wouldn't be worried.

 

[Just a Country Girl]

That's a lot of food. The average adult GS eats about 4 cups a day. If he's eating all your giving him he's doing reak good. At 5 months he's at the awkward lanky stage. He won't fill out till he's about 2 years of age. Some GS have trouble keeping weight on, especially in the heat. It's better to have a lean GS then a fat one

 

[hensonly]

Quote:
I have to ask - Why are you feeding so much?

I'm not criticizing, just asking...it seems like an astounding amount of food for a 50 pound dog, even a puppy. At 5 months, his growth is slowing down, and I just can't believe he needs that much, especially puppy chow. My 120 pound Newfs don't eat five cups of food a day - and they never get puppy chow, ever - it's not necessary, it just makes them grow faster, not better or anything.

My 50 lb Australian Shepherd gets two cups adult dog food a day, and he goes hiking, does obedience, herding, agility, and every day he gets a mile long walk off leash through the woods ... and the vet is ecstatic at the great shape he's in. In fact, my older, 65 lb Aussie also gets 2 cups a day, but he's lots less active so even though he's bigger, he doesn't burn it off like the younger one does.

That being said, I do realize every dog is different. Out of my five, my aussies will eat anything, any time, as much as possible. One Newf is always happy to eat. ONe Newf is like your dog, she can take it or leave it, and the third Newf is in the middle, she's always ready for her meals, but not so food oriented in between. I would think that food just isn't that important to your dog - and he gets so much of it that he's probably not all that hungry. I have a friend with a 55 lb pit bull who has dry food down all the time (which is not usually a good idea), because the only way she eats enough is to be able to nibble all the time. It's just her nature. If your dog is healthy, don't worry too much about his lack of enthusiasm for food. It is possible, as some one suggested, that he doesn't much care for his food. I'm sure you know that if you switch, you would put 1/4 of new food with 3/4 of the current kind, for a couple of days, then go to half and half, then to 3/4 new with 1/4 current, then all the way to the new.

I have used Purina One for years, as has a friend of mine who generally has 15 - 20 Newfs in her kennel, including older dogs, actively showing/working dogs, and puppies in all stages of growth. The dogs seem to do well on it. My dogs' herding instructor used Blue Seal veal and rice, and loves how her border collies are doing on that. Either which way, you could switch him to adult food any time now.

Good luck with your boy, and don't worry as long as he's healthy.