Suggestions for dry food additions

[kayharley]

Need some ideas for "spicing up" their dry food...something that would work for all 3 of them. I've spoiled them by adding canned to the dry. They now would rather starve then eat kibble without something tasty in it.

I have to use a low fat type for Madison because of her tendency to pancreatits. Then there's Elliott who's still a puppy so I find myself using 2 different kinds and it gets rather confusing and it seems none of them like what I've been using (Wellness, Innova and even the Canidae)

Has anyone ever used cottage cheese in their Cairns food? Or can you suggest something else?

Thanks

[Cairns2]

I use cottage cheese for Eric because he is finicky. He loves it! I use the low fat and just a couple spoonfuls. He has IBD so I have to watch the fat content in his food. But when all else fails with him, I drizzle a little gravy from a can of cat food and he will devour his food!

For Emma I add a tablespoon or two of veggies. This has helped her eat slower. The veggies fill her up without adding calories. I use peas, carrots, green beans or swiss chard. She has a great appetite.

I know there are products on the market now like Vita-Gravy and others.

I have not tried them but I wonder if they might stimulate the appetite with a bowl of dry food.

[Anna_525]

Alfie likes boiled chicken the best added to Solid Gold kibble. He doesn't like the dry kibble alone, too, unless he is starving. I also noticed that after I give him a couple of munchies (the thin sticks made of rawhide), he would sometimes eat the dry food only, as if the munchies were his appetizers.

I used to give him Eukanuba and he seemed to eat it alone more often than the Solid Gold, but I wanted to switch him to a better quality brand. I'm having second thoughts about keeping him on Solid Gold because of his lack of interest. Our local store does not carry Canidae, I may choose between Wellness or Nutro.

[Eliz222]

My two eat dry Canidae and they both would eat it without adding anything...but....Scout needs to eat canned pumpkin (not the pie mix) so I put a big spoonful in each of their dog bowls. I also add fresh veggies, when they are available. We just finished our lettuce and they love having a handful thrown in their bowls...and we just finished our broccoli and they love that too!

Right now we are waiting for the tomatoes to ripen. Finch and Scout LOVE tomatoes...so much so that this year we had to enclose them in wire fencing because Finch will run over and grab tomatoes and unripe tomatoes can be toxic.

I do add some cottage cheese...if we don't have any veggies...but only a small, small spoonful...and they love it!

[Milopup]

I have been having the same finickiness with Bosco. He used to eat the dried Canidae (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup twice a day) alone, but now likes mix-ins. His favorite is some soupy rice with sweet potatoes, but that is a treat since it can cause his teeth to be sticky. Something else I have tried, and he loves, is mixing a bit of water and warmed-up frozen veggies with his Canidae. Put the mixed veggies (the green beans, carrots and peas kind) in the microwave for a couple of minutes and then mix in with the water and Canidae.

[Marmielin]

I have always been careful not to give my dogs table food because I thought it was unhealthy. From all of your posts, it seems my poor pup is really missing out! Also, I have been feeding Eukanuba thinking it was healthy. Now I'm really confused. My breeder fed Eukanuba, so I haven't changed Tink since we got her last October. She eats it fine, but doesn't gobble it down. She is a grazing eater. I feed morning and night, but do not pick up what she doesn't eat. The vet didn't seem to have a problem with the Eukanuba, although he sells Science Diet. Does Pet Smart sell Wellness, Canidae and the other brands you all are speaking about. I'm feeling guilty! My previous Cairn lived to be 17, so I guess he did pretty well on Science Diet!

Lindab

[theresa]

We feed Buffalo Blue however our vet suggested mixing in puree'd veggies from time to time. She said to puree them b/c a dog's digestive system doesn' t breakdown the cell walls of the veggies too well, so puree-ing helps that.

Sherman's only treat so far has been doggie ice cream from the local ice cream shop . . . he downs that quickly!

~ t

[Anna_525]

Lindab, I was fine with Eukanuba until the pet store clerk gave me a sales talk on the other brands! Of course, I'm always the vulnerable one who will give in. After I try the others, I will gladly go back to Eukanuba if Alfie gives everything else a thumbsdown (or a paw down). I always buy the smallest package. I may be confusing Alfie, too

[kayharley]

I have to buy the Canidae/Wellness & other human grade foods at feed stores because Petco doesn't carry it. You can get it online but I think it might be cheaper to look around for local Agways or upscale pet supply shops.

Thanks for all the suggestions. My crew also thanks you.

[Greg]

We feed our 2 Canidae and add some chicken broth on occasion. Belle will eat anything in a matter of seconds.....Petey is more finicky and takes his time.

[CathyAnn]

I fed my older Cairn, now 13, Iams til we got Piper and she has an excellent health history. We then tried Wellness and neither really cared for it.

I am now feeding Canidae mixed with Iams as they both prefer the Iams. I figure if I can get a little Canidae in them.....

We seldom feed table food. Once in a very great while they might get a scrap of whatever we are eating. No veggies, no meat, nothing.

They are now both grazers.....which is fine. I feel they will eat when they are hungry .

Cathy

[Guest Darcy's Mom]

Lindab,

I have used Science Diet with Darcy since she was a pup. She's now almost 2. I buy the adult - small bites. She seems o.k. with it. Also, I do mix in a tiny bit of canned Pedigree (ground chicken). I have never used any of the others mentioned so I don't know about them but I am hesitant to change in mid-stream.

[MikeC]

I keep a couple of jars of Heinz beef and or chicken gravy on hand. A tablespoon or so in their food and they gobble it up. Plus it is fat free and I can safely show them that I would eat some of it. If they see me try it before it goes in their food, that is sort of like the blessing that it will be great for them to eat also. I have also at times run carrots through my juicer and have put the carrot juice on the dry food. They really like that also and it is healthy for them.

Mike

[Brody'sMom]

We feed dry Chicken Soup for the Dogs Soul (or something like that) with Merrick canned mixed in. The Merrick canned food (and the dry as well) is really great. Mia is not picky and eats anything, Brody is pickier and we find he prefers this combo. The Merrick food comes in a lot of different varieties and we like Wing-a-ling and Grammie's Chicken Pot Pie. As for other dry we've tried California Natural (what our breeder feeds, the pieces are on the bigger side), Solid Gold Little Bits (also a big hit), Paul Newman (highly recommended by our trainer - good food plus he gives a portion of proceeds to a dog charity) and Merrick dry. All except the Paul Newman are available at Petsmart.

[Cairnmania]

Buy some baby food (anything that does not contain onions) and mix a tablespoon in with the dry food. It's inexpensive, especially if you buy jars of it when it's on sale.

Stacey

[Anna_525]

I bought cottage cheese yesterday -- thanks to this forum topic -- and Alfie gobbled up his food and wanted even more!

We have such a wonderful forum!!!!

[GottaLoveMyDodge]

We give Daisie a small spoonful of cottage cheese or mix a couple to 3 slices of regular cheese with her food. When we first brought her home we put a little bit of water in her food to soften it up so it was easier for her to eat.

I really like adding the cottage cheese in it though. She doesn't stop eating until it's gone. During deer season we mix her food with a small handful of deer meat as well.

GLMD

[kayharley]

I tried the cottage cheese yesterday and all three of mine devoured their breakfasts. Dinnertime was the same. They watched me take a spoonful of it before I added it to their kibble. (I love the Friendship Whipped Cottage Cheese, 1%)...guess they think they're getting my food.

Come to think of it, it IS my food. I'll have to stock up on it and label the containers...THEIRS/MINE.

[Brody'sMom]

Brody also likes cottage cheese mixed in with his food. Just so you don't think I don't worry about what Mia eats, she eats anything, anytime, prepared in any fashion. I like that in a dog!

[wheezie23]

Dinnertime at my house is quite the ordeal, or so my husband says. Rocky, our Rottie mix is on a reduced calorie food, and has to take his thyroid pill with each meal. I started mixing a spoonful of canned Nutro in with his food so that he will eat the pill. Since he was getting less food, I also started adding canned green beans to it and he loves it! Gobbles it right up! Well, don't you know that Tucker and Scruffy cried foul when they didn't get the good smelling stuff in their food! So now I have to give them each a spoonful of canned and a couple of green beans mixed in with their kibble. They all gobble it right up.

thela

[magadog]

Some swear by adding a little bit of plain canned pumpkin. It fills them up but not out, and most seem to like it.

Another thing you can try is to let them know that you are as stubborn as they are. Put down the food without the garnishes. If they refuse it, pick up the food. They will not die.

I feed my dogs a raw, natural diet, but when I fed kibble, I gave them Wysong. That stuff smelled more than palatable. It smelled like good Italian cooking intermingling with the air. . .

So it could be the food. But it could be the dogs manipulating you and upping the ante.

Good luck,

Jill

[Brodie's buddy]

yes, I do th ebaby food too, also a little low or non-fat plain yogurt. My 2 love it.

[Gracie's Mom]

I thought I'd try the baby food idea and it was a hit! I put a teaspoon of beef and carrots in their dry food and they ate like they hadn't eaten in days! Little stinkers, who knew? I think I'll try the cottage cheese idea too. Thanks for the great ideas, everyone!

[hallswel]

I used cottage cheese on Rebel's food before we started him on the foundation food. He likes his food and it actually smells good.

[Anna_525]

Jill, I feel my dog is upping the ante...he's now tired of the cottage cheese...but I definitely put the bowl away and throw the food if he doesn't touch it...BUT my maternal instincts get the best of me and I do throw in pieces of American cheese with the kibble + cottage cheese just so he won't starve....then he'll get tired of that for sure...

Anna