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I've had my Bailey about a month and half. She's about 13lbs (well she was at her vet visit a month ago), 6 months, and I'm not sure of what breed. People say some terrier mix but she was listed as a large breed mixed. I posted a pic in the pet gallery thread.
Anywhooo..I think she's bored and I'm not sure if she likes her food 100%. Currently she has:
- 2 kongs (small and large)
- 3 ropes (One I have put away)
- a nylabone (which she chews on for about 2 minutes and I put away when I'm gone)
- beef knee bones (which I only give her one at a time but once she gets to a certain point of them she's over it)
-an everlasting treat ball (I've bought replacements one, she mostly chewed through those. I put her kibble in it and she tosses it around for about 2 minutes and once again she's over it.)
I play tug with her using the ropes, sometimes I play "soccer" with her knee bones, fetch (we haven't mastered that yet), do some training, I roll and toss the everlasting treat around, I fill her kong but once it's empty she's over those too.
Her schedule is: up at 7am ish, out until about 8am, crated (with ropes and kibble filled kongs) until about noon, out from noon until 1pm, crated (again with ropes and kongs), out from 5 until she eventuall goes to sleep around 10pm.
I walk her in the morning, during lunch, and multiple times once I'm home for the day. I'm in Ohio and it's about 25 degrees today so staying outside for long isn't ideal.
I mentioned the food b/c she doesn't really eat out her bowl. I feed her Chicken Soup dog food. But she'll eat it out of the kongs or the treat ball or if i treat her with it. She gets 1/2c in the morning and 1/2c in the evening. She never finishes in the morning and might finish in the evening with me putting some in her kong.
Random note: She doesn't tear up the bedding in her crate when I'm gone.
Sounds like she ok. Why is it important to you she use a bowl? I know people that train with food & thats ALL the dogs get to eat. They are healthy weight & never go hungry. In their homes only bowl holds water.
Sounds like she ok. Why is it important to you she use a bowl? I know people that train with food & thats ALL the dogs get to eat. They are healthy weight & never go hungry. In their homes only bowl holds water.
Never thought of it that way. She used to eat out the bowl and still occasionally nibbles out of it when its down with food. So it's not important per se, its just what she normally used to do and now doesn't so I thought it was kinda odd.
Nope! Your doing it the closer to natural way LOL Besides I know very few dogs that eat from their bowls. Most take a mouth full of in a corner & eat! Even if you put their bowl in the same corner they still take it out of the bowl. Just dont forget to keep it full...so she will get enough food as she grows!
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,040,976 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katie1
Besides I know very few dogs that eat from their bowls.
Really? All the dogs that I know eat from their bowls. Sometimes Artie will take a few pieces of kibble into the living room, but that's only on rare occasions.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,040,976 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by NowYouCcakes
I've had my Bailey about a month and half. She's about 13lbs (well she was at her vet visit a month ago), 6 months, and I'm not sure of what breed. People say some terrier mix but she was listed as a large breed mixed. I posted a pic in the pet gallery thread.
Anywhooo..I think she's bored and I'm not sure if she likes her food 100%. Currently she has:
- 2 kongs (small and large)
- 3 ropes (One I have put away)
- a nylabone (which she chews on for about 2 minutes and I put away when I'm gone)
- beef knee bones (which I only give her one at a time but once she gets to a certain point of them she's over it)
-an everlasting treat ball (I've bought replacements one, she mostly chewed through those. I put her kibble in it and she tosses it around for about 2 minutes and once again she's over it.)
I play tug with her using the ropes, sometimes I play "soccer" with her knee bones, fetch (we haven't mastered that yet), do some training, I roll and toss the everlasting treat around, I fill her kong but once it's empty she's over those too.
Her schedule is: up at 7am ish, out until about 8am, crated (with ropes and kibble filled kongs) until about noon, out from noon until 1pm, crated (again with ropes and kongs), out from 5 until she eventuall goes to sleep around 10pm.
I walk her in the morning, during lunch, and multiple times once I'm home for the day. I'm in Ohio and it's about 25 degrees today so staying outside for long isn't ideal.
I mentioned the food b/c she doesn't really eat out her bowl. I feed her Chicken Soup dog food. But she'll eat it out of the kongs or the treat ball or if i treat her with it. She gets 1/2c in the morning and 1/2c in the evening. She never finishes in the morning and might finish in the evening with me putting some in her kong.
Random note: She doesn't tear up the bedding in her crate when I'm gone.
Any ideas?
Artie's quite a bit older than your pup -- he just turned 8 years old -- but, since he's been with me (4.5 years), he's always gotten bored with his toys after a few minutes. He'll bring me a ball, I'll throw it a dozen times (and he'll get it and bring it back to me), but then he's done (as am I).
He also gets bored with his food, but that's a whole finicky-eater story. As long as your girl is getting enough nutrients, that's good. Artie eats when he's hungry. Most dogs that I know eat whatever's in the bowl, no matter how much is there. Artie only eats until he's had enough, and I think that's great. As for his morning meal, he'll sometimes only get to it while I'm having my lunch, so that we can eat together. As long as your pup isn't avoiding her food completely, I wouldn't worry.
Artie's quite a bit older than your pup -- he just turned 8 years old -- but, since he's been with me (4.5 years), he's always gotten bored with his toys after a few minutes. He'll bring me a ball, I'll throw it a dozen times (and he'll get it and bring it back to me), but then he's done (as am I).
He also gets bored with his food, but that's a whole finicky-eater story. As long as your girl is getting enough nutrients, that's good. Artie eats when he's hungry. Most dogs that I know eat whatever's in the bowl, no matter how much is there. Artie only eats until he's had enough, and I think that's great. As for his morning meal, he'll sometimes only get to it while I'm having my lunch, so that we can eat together. As long as your pup isn't avoiding her food completely, I wouldn't worry.
she may not need a full cup of food a day, at 6 months her growth will be starting to slow (id say shell probably mature around 25-30lbs) so her food consumption needs will drop too, being that CS is a good food, she may simply not NEED a full cup (the numbers on the bag are just guidlines and usually based on the calorie needs of kenneld dogs (these dogs tend to need more food)...
i also agree with those who say not to worry about her not eating at her bowl lol.
Dozer is the only one of my 3 that will sit by the bowl to eat (and even then hes already starting to mimic the others lol)
ruby takes a mouthfull and eats it in her bed...
jasper takes a single peice at a time, throws it around the livingroom THEN eats it (t the point that ive had people tell me i starve him as hes very slimly built...i just tell them...nope, its just by the time hes finnished tossing it around for half an hour hes worked off twice what the foods worth LOL
ive also found this "grazing" behaviour to be veyr common in free fed dogs...its much more natural for dogs to eat whenever hungry rather than on a schedual...if your free feeding she knows the "food will be there when i need it i can just help myself"
i free feed and love it, as long as you dont have a piggy (doesnt sound like you do) its a much more natural way for dogs to eat.
if you think shes "bored" id do some more mental stimulation (training sessions) keep them short and fun, once youve got the basics mastered try some fun tricks, jumping through a hoop, dancing, "hide and seek" ect...
training provides plenty of mental stimulation and excersize so if you think shes bored that might be a good way to realy engage her brain.
might also be worth looking into doing agility or taking her to a doggy day care one day a week...
Thanks foxy. I have considered doing the doggy day care. It's $20 for the day. Not horribly priced. I don't free feed but I've left her food down, forgetting to pick it up, and she won't empty it. But between what she does it, treats I give her during training, and those kongs she's eating something.
If she doesn't eat a full cup, I probably shouldn't be "complaining". Less food to buy :-) Although I'd just spend it on something for her anyway lol.
I think i'll try a new puzzle toy and put the everlasting treat ball away for now.
If you want to get her eating on a schedule and quickly then take the food away after 15 minutes of it sitting there. We had a dog who was raised as a grazer and we did this as our other dog would eat her food--now she scarfs it down from her bowl just like the rest of them.
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