Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Dry dog food leaves them half starved all the time. When you see those labels that say the dog food has every nutritional need...forget it. It used to be a family joke that dry dog food is just old ground up newspapers from China with a cup of fat tossed in. My dogs depending on the season will dig up the grass and have a couple of mouth fulls of dirt...I thought they might naturally be digging for grubs or something....From a lay perspective I would assume they are eating what they need.
I bought one of those big bags of dog food...I put some down for the two dogs and they just look at me wondering where the gravy is...If I am cooking a stew or there are some beef or pork roast drippings...I take a moderate amount and mix it in- THEN they will eat...dogs like flavor...also they need animal fat...Animal fat is expensive and most dry food has almost none in it- Dry food is good for bulk...but I swear that mutts are always hungry and never satisfied with the stuff...You are not spoiling your dog if you give it what you eat.
In the old days our dogs were fed on human left overs...and some canned food once in a while...Never took them to a vet - and they all lived past 18...dogs need real food.
My peek-a-poo lived to be 22 years old. She wouldn't touch dog food. Cheerios were her main diet, along with a litte of whatever I was eating, vegies, peanut butter sandwich, etc. I swear the Cheerios are what kept her healthy and alive for so long because they're fortified.
My dogs eat dirt seasonally. I wondered what might be up so I have been researching it. The article on dirt eating at theModernBark.blogspot.com suggests that it is a way to detoxify their systems. Mine don't eat dirt in the winter, when lawns are not getting sprayed, but start back up in the spring and summer when the landscape people start back up. May be something to it...
This is a good thread, because we're having dirt-eating issues with our 10-mnonth old puppy. She also eats mulch, pine cones and an occasional piece of critter poop. She goes crazy when I try to take things from her mouth, but she's getting now so that she will spit it out before coming in the house.
We're feeding her a good food (Blue Buffalo) with a little added bulk (pumpkin, sweet potato or rice), but I think I'll increase her portions and add green beans. I homecooked for our other dogs, so this commercial dog food thing is new to me. We struggled with their weight, so I guess I've been too cautious about Karma's weight. She's still growing, too, and she gets a lot of exercise, so adding a snack in the middle of the day won't hurt. Thanks, everyone!
Both of our healthy labs started eating dirt this morning. They both went out back and started digging/pawing and eating the moist dirt, I mean really chowing down on the dirt! They have never done this before and the fact that they both did it in different areas of our yard makes it seem really strange. Their paws, mouths and noses were covered with dirt and I stood there and watched them eat the dirt. Usually when I say "leave it" they stop or drop immediately but this morning they both ignored me which it really out of character for both of them. Each time they went out today they did it again. I haven't changed their food or treats, nothing else has changed that I am aware of. Any ideas out there?
Maybe there was a dead animal on that spot or a flavorful urine from a wild animal?
Maybe there was a dead animal on that spot or a flavorful urine from a wild animal?
Thta's what I wonder. The few times my dogs have rooted in the dirt, they were extremely interested in one spot --- even though all the surrounding soil was exactly the same. I think they smell something tasty --- maybe even dead insects.
Put some fiber in the dogs food, like green beans as the fiber will make the dog feel full on less food. It is a great trick for getting weight off a dog without it feeling deprived.
Give them raw carrots. I give my dog raw carrot, the big chunky ones and the crunch and the length of time to eat it makes it a favorite treat. I also give snow peas out of my garden (in season) She just loves them. And, ice cubes, no calories lots of crunch.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Dirt Detoxifies
