# My Golden Doesn't Care about Eating



## Pebbles (Dec 27, 2011)

I posted this in main forum...this is probably the appropriate place to post (sorry...I am new).

Good Morning Everyone. I have a 9 month old, healthy, 67lb Golden Retriever. She has been on a prescription diet since she was young due to a very sensitive stomach. Her stomach has become very stable and she no longer likes the rx diet anyway. I want her on a high end brand. I have tried several strains of Blue Buffalo (dry mixed with can, dry only, dry mixed with hot water). She is not excited about any of it. I should also so that she is never very excited about treats either. She would rather play and have fun than eat. 

I have two questions:
1. Has anyone experienced low appetite with their golden?
2. Does anyone have a brand they can recommend that tends to be more tasty? When she was young, she had a lot of soft stool with Wellness and Natural Balance. 

Thanks for any assistance!


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Try Bil Jac. That is the best quality food available that uses very palatable organ meat in high amounts. It is very digestible and has been around for a long time.


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## Luccagr (Feb 25, 2011)

My boy suddenly didn't want to eat about 2 months back. We were switching him to TOTW pacific stream from fromm salmon a la veg because I'm relocating out of US and can't get fromm. He showed no interest in TOTW pacific stream. Then the TOTW 'saga' started and I stopped feeding him TOTW. Switched him back to Fromm salmon a la veg and he ate but usually doesn't finish the whole bowl. I tried a different flavor (pork & applesauce) and he gobbled the food up. 

You could probably try Fromm. Lots of the people here feed that and I think it smells good. Try the 4* line and experiment with the different flavors. Sometimes dogs do have a change of appetite towards certain flavors. My boy doesn't really like fish stuff anymore. 

If you are a first time buyer of fromm, request for a $5 coupon from Fromm and use that to buy the 5 Ib bag for your dog to try and see if she likes it.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Luccagr said:


> You could probably try Fromm. Lots of the people here feed that and I think it smells good. Try the 4* line and experiment with the different flavors. Sometimes dogs do have a change of appetite towards certain flavors. My boy doesn't really like fish stuff anymore.


I agree with this! I feed Fromm and I was just remarking the other day about how good the Duck and Sweet Potato flavor smelled - much better than many other dog foods I've smelled. Although maybe what smells yucky to us smells great to them! They do sniff butts after all!


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Use a food with organ meat. Dr. Tim's would be at the top of that list because the the freeze dried chicken liver in it. PetFlow has a crazy deal on 44lb bags.

Bil-Jac, Tuffy's, Pro Plan and Eukanuba are others.

You can't go by what it smells like to you. Keep in mind the most palatable thing you can give any canine is green tripe and it stinks.

How a pet foods smells to a human is pure marketing. That is pure Fromm.


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## Goldenmomma (Oct 15, 2009)

I feel your frustration. Suzy and Scotty would eat anything in their bowl. Sully, the problem child, is not inspired to eat unless she wants to. I have bribed, begged, and even handfed so she would eat. She has gotten better now that I put green beans on top of her food (for the added fiber). She also loves canned pumpkin, but I don't add that much anymore. I know when I boil turkey and rice for tummy troubles she scarfs it up. I always keep a little in the freezer to heat up in case she doesn't feel like eating. That said, she now is picking apples off the small apple tree and eating green apples. She also has her own grape tomato plant. Goof! Good luck.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Remember that if your dog has a sensitive stomach, that cuts back on a lot of dog foods that you can feed that dog without causing issues to flare up. The last thing you want is your dog to develop a chronic condition.

Blue Buffalo is not what I would consider the best food to be feeding a dog with sensitive stomach issues. I would look for bland and easy to digest foods. 

Biljac is junk food. I would absolutely not feed a dog with a sensitive stomach anything like that! And something with "organ meat" might be too much as well. 

I would be looking at California Natural, Fromm, Canidae, Nutro Ultra, Earthborn, Merrick...

ETA - Have you ruled out any health issues? Kidneys and intestines check out fine?


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Megora said:


> Remember that if your dog has a sensitive stomach, that cuts back on a lot of dog foods that you can feed that dog without causing issues to flare up. The last thing you want is your dog to develop a chronic condition.
> 
> Blue Buffalo is not what I would consider the best food to be feeding a dog with sensitive stomach issues. I would look for bland and easy to digest foods.
> 
> ...


You don't have a clue what is a good food and what is a bad food. I just had a long discussion with a person that chairs the Health Committee for the national club for the most bloat prone breed (among other serious problems) of all and that is what she has fed for over 20 years. She is known for having some of the best dogs in country. She has never had one of her dogs bloat.

I can pretty much GTY you have no background in nutrition. If you knew how Bil Jac was made and bothered to learn you would change your mind.

The fact there is BHA in the food is not an issue. I can pretty much GTY that the crap that goes into "better" foods is far more dangerous. In fact BHA has been studied for its anti-cancer properties and is even used by people as a supplement. How many people really understand why ash is dangerous and how dangerous the herbs in Orijen are? Read about licorice root and see if you agree.

Bil Jac is by far the most easily digested food on the market because it is a pellet. Do you know what a pellet is and why it so easily digested? Why is it the most popular food by far by bloat prone breed owners? Your comment on organ meat is totally foolish as well.

You just read DogFoodAdvisor.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Holy cracker.  

Dear Was Champion Fan,

I do not know you. I don't even know if you have dogs. You have shared no pictures or details about any dogs in your life. As I said in another thread I am very puzzled by you because I'm not sure what your story is. The best I can assume is you used to be a fan of Champion brand kibble and have since changed your allegiances to Dr. Tim and that other food that you are constantly pushing. Or bil-jac, since this is a new one you are pushing. 

Flippantly speaking.  

Believe it or not, I do not obsess about what other people say. I go by what I know watching my own dogs (I have a dog who has chronic digestive problems that stemmed from the stress of being rehomed.... and actually know a thing or two about what you can or can't feed a dog who has those problems). 

If I were a sheep who follows what the latest Big Dog Food Blogger says we should or shouldn't feed our dogs, I would probably be feeding those uber high protein raw food coated organ meat only dog foods that people like the Dog Food Adviser squeal like fan girls about.  

I don't. Believe it or not, I actually give Bil-jac treats to my golden on occasion. Were I living-breathing-obsessing about what the great blog oracles are saying today, I wouldn't be doing that. 

Some of those foods I suggested are those that our collie has eaten without any issue, so I can somewhat guarantee that they are going to be fairly mild and easy on a dog's digestive system.  That is actual experience with dogs, not based on what somebody else has said. 

Our collie, btw, mainly eats a prescription kibble that would turn the Dog Food Adviser's world blue, because of the grain content and whatever else.


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## crazy daisy (Jul 3, 2011)

Pebbles said:


> I posted this in main forum...this is probably the appropriate place to post (sorry...I am new).
> 
> Good Morning Everyone. I have a 9 month old, healthy, 67lb Golden Retriever. She has been on a prescription diet since she was young due to a very sensitive stomach. Her stomach has become very stable and she no longer likes the rx diet anyway. I want her on a high end brand. I have tried several strains of Blue Buffalo (dry mixed with can, dry only, dry mixed with hot water). She is not excited about any of it. I should also so that she is never very excited about treats either. She would rather play and have fun than eat.
> 
> ...


my daisy had a lot of soft stool issues with Wellness also, and including not wanting to eat it (until I enticed her with some peanut butter)... since then changed to a different food, then a different food, to my current food.... I had to find what worked for her.

The other key part I noticed is that she wants to play instead of eating.... that imo, is what she's telling you. Before supper (or breakfast), take her out to play, take her out for a walk, etc... to make her hungry so that she would eat.

It takes patience to see what works. What worked for my Daisy may not work for someone else.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

A couple months back, we decided to change Max's food from Kirkland to something of a higher quality, possibly grain free. We went to a local pet store and the owner gave us six small sample bags, including Acana, Fromm and four others. We conducted a taste test by placing all six samples on plates on the kitchen floor.

We let Max into the room, and he very methodically checked/sniffed/sampled all six and very emphatically picked the Acana Wild Prairie. We had thought he would just eat them all. We were quite surprised by his selective attitude. 

He has been on the WP for about two months so far and is doing very well.


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

Pebbles said:


> She would rather play and have fun than eat.





Pebbles said:


> I have two questions:
> 1. Has anyone experienced low appetite with their golden?
> 2. Does anyone have a brand they can recommend that tends to be more tasty? When she was young, she had a lot of soft stool with Wellness and Natural Balance.




1. I have experienced low appetite with 4 out of the 6 Golden’s in my family. I know your frustration and I think there are many threads about this topic so you are not alone. I have great news though, mine always have outgrown it. Once in a while there are issues when it is hot or they all seem to stop eating when there are normal schedule interruptions. I have found they eat best when we sit at the table and eat. Also, an elevated bowl helped with our most picky one although I am not sure why.

2. I work for a company called Nutro as you may guess from my name. The have a line called MAX that was designed for taste. I feed Natural Choice LB Chicken and Rice most often and my dogs love it. I am just not sure for you it has to do with the flavor so much as just typical Golden stuff.

I read somewhere (sorry I can't remember where) that a dogs most desired meat in taste testing is chicken. Their favorite grain is oatmeal. (great for sensitive stomachs too) Their favorite veggie is green beans.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Feed what works best for you and your pet!

Mine eat FROMM Chicken a la Veg and love it. I also give Force by Honest Kitchen as a topper. 1/2 -1 tablespoon to each yorkie and 2-3 tablespoons for Buddy. Without the topper he does pick out his supplements and feeds them to the Yorkies.

I would never feed Nestle/Purina again myself. Their jerky treats killed my yorkie and they don't care. These treats continue to poison others. I will not support a company like this. It does not work for me so is does not work for my dog.

My Yorkies have done find on whatever they eat. 

Lucky could only eat Proplan- Tried others- All gave his tummy issues. He passed in 2010 and Zoey (RIP) became sick in Feb. of this year.

Buddy has sensitive belly too. Tried Wellness (not the Core type) he was okay with it but poop was softer than I like it. Blue Buffalo ran through him- Very soft.

Many of these high end dog foods IMO and experience are too rich for Goldens.

Feed what works best for you and your dog.


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## Me11yC (Apr 15, 2012)

we've been going through low appetite the last few weeks. maybe it has to do with the heat or not...

I noticed though if i soften his dry food with water or a little bit of chicken broth he eats it all right away....

i don't know but this works for us..... maybe you could try it...


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## siulongluiy (Apr 25, 2012)

Oatmeal was never a big food guy either. I had started with Blue Buffalo, then Royal Canin and now he's on Acana Pacific. He seems to be eating more willingly with this one. Don't know if this is the best food or anything, but it's working for my guy and you might want to try it!


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

I have similar issues. Cheyenne, who we lost in February and Jesse our 14 + year old golden would eat dirt off the floor. Both could finish their food in record time. Tayla, our 8 month old Golden, would rather play than eat. Many times I’ve had to sit down and hand feed her. She loves her food she just seems to have better things to do. It just amazes me. She and my remaining golden are on Acana fish and The Honest Kitchen Love (suitable for puppies). Our vet is traditional/TCM and Tayla is known as a fire dog (runs hot) and we have to stay away from chicken/turkey/lamb/venison so beef and fish are about our only choices.


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## Pebbles (Dec 27, 2011)

*Update on Blue Buffalo Grain Free Limited Ingredient*

Thank you all for your posts and recommendations. We switched back to Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient Turkey/Potato GRAIN FREE, which she wouldn't eat before. I think the Wilderness was too high in protein/fat, causing soft stools. Now she is eating normally. I don't know if it's growth spurts with plateaus...whatever it is she's eating 95-100 percent of her meals and seems more interested in snacks. Maybe it's the competition of our new addition, a one year old basset hound that loves to eat. 
I have to say that since Abbey changed from Hills ID Prescription diet to Blue Buffalo, her coat has become much shinier, her itchiness has decreased by at least 90 percent, and her clear eye goop/crusties have decreased by about 98 percent!

Only complaint with Blue Buffalo, I have requested their $5 coupon several times and have yet to receive it....hey, every bit helps when you have two fur-babies/money pits.


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## Pebbles (Dec 27, 2011)

Tayla's Mom said:


> Our vet is traditional/TCM and Tayla is known as a fire dog (runs hot) and we have to stay away from chicken/turkey/lamb/venison so beef and fish are about our only choices.


Wow, Tayla sounds like our Abbey was. What does traditional/TCM mean?

Thx


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## Amberbark (Oct 5, 2011)

*Have to Stand with Her!*

Amber is one year and 3 weeks. She is typically fed 2 cups twice a day with breakfast very early @ 4:30 a.m. We have to leave by 5:45 a.m. with an hour drive to work. She always cleaned up her food both meals, but over the last two weeks she is uninterested and will clean up maybe 1/2 of food. Whatever she doesn't eat gets picked up after 20 minutes and she will wait until dinnertime with a dog cookie in between. 

This weekend she started just staring at her dish and would rather come upstairs with us. If we stand there with her she will eat her food. I hate to start that bad habit. We are thinking that maybe it is getting too hot for her to be interested, although the basement where she is fed never gets over 68.8 degrees. 

Maybe your pup is too hot or is more interested in playing than eating, like Amber! :wavey:


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## Wagners Mom2 (Mar 20, 2012)

Pebbles said:


> Thank you all for your posts and recommendations. We switched back to Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient Turkey/Potato GRAIN FREE, which she wouldn't eat before. I think the Wilderness was too high in protein/fat, causing soft stools. Now she is eating normally. I don't know if it's growth spurts with plateaus...whatever it is she's eating 95-100 percent of her meals and seems more interested in snacks. Maybe it's the competition of our new addition, a one year old basset hound that loves to eat.
> I have to say that since Abbey changed from Hills ID Prescription diet to Blue Buffalo, her coat has become much shinier, her itchiness has decreased by at least 90 percent, and her clear eye goop/crusties have decreased by about 98 percent!
> 
> Only complaint with Blue Buffalo, I have requested their $5 coupon several times and have yet to receive it....hey, every bit helps when you have two fur-babies/money pits.


If you are comfortable pming me your address, I have a $5 Blue Buffalo coupon I'll send you. I don't use BB; got it several months ago, from a Rep in a store.


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## Goldenmomma (Oct 15, 2009)

Hi again. I know that you are getting a lot of info, but hope some helps. Don't think I listed the dog food I use, but we use Nutro Natural Choice for two of the three and Natural Balance Duck & Potato for the stomach sensitive not-enticed-by-food one. Our basset, 11 yr, has been on Nutro lamb & rice for years because vet said it would keep down allergies and it has worked. Tried grain-free and she started scratching. Male golden eats Nutro Sensitive Stomach because of ingredients not tummy trouble. Sometimes it just the additives that help entice them. It was really hard when we were in agility training because the trainers all wanted food enticements brought and it doesn't work with her. The only treats she really would work for were the blueberry Nutro treats. They didn't like the hard treats, but it worked. They wanted string cheese, but she has tummy troubles with cheese. Good luck and hope you find a solution.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

If my dogs get picky, they go hungry. Lincoln used to be picky with his food hes not anymore he will inhale anything you put in front of him. 

I feed Acana. I was feeding Lamb LID version of their food but at $68.99 I want to try something else so I am trying to Chicken/Burbank Potato formula so far so good. His gut is a little upset but im sure that will get better. 

Ruby is the picky one now. Since she is old im a bit more generous with her. I just put her on Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach (it was what was left of Lincolns bag). Once thats done in a month she will go back to Acana or Blue Buffalo


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## Pebbles (Dec 27, 2011)

Wagners Mom said:


> If you are comfortable pming me your address, I have a $5 Blue Buffalo coupon I'll send you. I don't use BB; got it several months ago, from a Rep in a store.


Thanks so much. Unfortunately, the site won't let me PM you since I haven't posted enough:yuck:. That's very generous of you. If you still have it, perhaps after I've posted some more, I will give it a go. 

Take Care


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