Appetite concern - GSD - pics added!

[Cara]

Large breeds are typically growing until at least 18 months. I would not switch a five month old puppy to adult food, especially if he's not the best eater.

 

[gritsar]

Well, we'll be switching him this week, assuming the feed store has the food.
Vet says he's healthy. I'm just used to more passionate eaters I guess.

 

[ems_chick]

i've had 2 GSD and they have NEVER been able to put on weight! both have eaten pleanty, tons of exercise and always heathy, but never pack on the pounds. both were very picky eaters, needed company around to even touch their bowls... i wouldnt worry as long as he is heathy

 

[LyonFuzz]

How about making it a little more tempting by sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on it? I do that for my dober-girls for variety sometimes. I don't even have to wash the bowls afterwards

 

[Cara]

We use this product and none of our dogs can resist it, they go nuts for it. It does them a lot of good too:

http://www.nuprostore.com/nuprojointsup.htm

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
She makes this dog chicken gravy for his kibble that I would put on my biscuits!

As Cara pointed out, Nupro is a very good product, I have used it myself. However two of my dogs would dependably barf it, even when I used a tiny bit. I don't know if they were allergic or it just didn't agree with them or what. Those that could tolerate it did very very well on it, though.

 

[Smoky73]

My one dog never used to hardly eat her food till I switched to www.Flintriver.com now its like treat time all meals! Also takes a lot less food to get the same effect, no corn or anything in it.
Incidently she gets lamb and rice, and I have baby chicks in my laundry room and found out one night after she got out of the laundry room that she was eating the chicken feed that got sprayed onto the floor from the babies scratching. Did not think much of it, until 4am that morning when she had diahhrea all over the bedroom, living room and out the door! Needless to say, she has a sensitivity to corn.....

We keep her away from the laundry room now LOL.

 

[walkswithdog]

Quote:
It is VERY normal and common for a GSD to not be a chow hound. We've had many who weren't. I worked with many more, not my own who weren't.

Some are food hounds, most simply appreciate food, and the last group, eat because they kind of have to.

That said, most of my shepherds will look at a bad bag of food funny. They're quite sensitive to stale or gone over kibble, that a feed store, pet store, stored or transported improperly. But I only KNOW for sure if most of the other dogs (besides my picky ones) also look at the bag funny and hesitate to eat.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
It is VERY normal and common for a GSD to not be a chow hound. We've had many who weren't. I worked with many more, not my own who weren't.

Some are food hounds, most simply appreciate food, and the last group, eat because they kind of have to.

That said, most of my shepherds will look at a bad bag of food funny. They're quite sensitive to stale or gone over kibble, that a feed store, pet store, stored or transported improperly. But I only KNOW for sure if most of the other dogs (besides my picky ones) also look at the bag funny and hesitate to eat.

See, I guess that's what I'm finding out. He's a GSD and alot of them aren't so excited by food. Now if I filled his bowl with his homemade liver baits, maybe he'd gobble.
I took some pics yesterday so y'all could judge his leanness. I'll try to post them in a bit.
Thanks for all the feedback, y'all.

 

[gritsar]

I added pics for y'all to judge his leanness for yourselves. The last pic doesn't help judge that, but maybe it helps you judge how much help I get with the laundry around here.