Hi all, Darcey aged 10 weeks in on dry kibble, she gets it soaked with some warm water but it seems she is bored with it, when can i start adding things to the kibble? She had some peanut butter in her kong this morning and has not eaten her dinner so i presume she must be still full from the peanut butter, I think i added to much :-[ :-[ susannah & darcey
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Peanut butter is very calorific so you shouldn't give much at all. What are you thinking of adding to the kibble? Willow started having balls of raw minced beef before she was fully weaned, so you could try that. Also, some puppies are weaned onto full raw diets, so if you're wanting to go raw, you can start now - maybe a chicken wing for lunch once in a while? The problem, though, with adding anything is you don't want to turn her into a fussy eater that refuses her kibble in favour of something else. Some dogs are fed nothing but kibble their whole lives without getting bored. Maybe she's just getting too much? I've seen people suggest that you take it away if she leaves any. You could try that to see if it prompts her to finish her dinner, if you're sure she's not getting too much.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble I wouldn't go do the road of adding things to kibble, before long you might get a dog that will refuse it all together unless that special something (which could change every week) is added. If you are using a good quality kibble it has everything they need for optimum nutrition. Different things can be used as training treats, if you like, but whatever you give in training make sure to subtract from the day's food allowance or you will end up with a pudgy puppy, which might be cute when they re little but not good in the long run.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble We mix. Sometimes it's just the kibble, sometimes there's some wet food mixed in. If we add anything, the kibble is reduced accordingly. If she doesn't eat just the plain kibble, then tough cookie, no treats going in there to make her eat. Holly is very much a typical lab and doesn't turn her nose up at anything.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Thanks for reply's, I do think I gave her to much peanut butter :-[ :-[ wont do that again,
Re: Adding things to dry kibble We sometimes add things to Bob's kibble. If we've had a roast and there are a few scraps of meat leftover.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble I never add anything to kibble - he used to get sardine when he was a pup and started being fussy about kibble without. So that came to a swift end. Any "extras" like sardine or meat are now used in training, far too useful to waste putting them in a bowl.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Our breeder advised us to add things all the time - 'to get him used to a variety of tastes'. So since he came to us at ten weeks old, most of his meals (well, about 70% of the time) he has something added... we go for things like: - a little left-over gravy or stock - a raw egg - a few veggies (eg potato, greens) - oil from a tin of sardines - scraps of meat (raw or cooked) - a little banana - some yoghurt - etc etc His kibble is reduced a bit to compensate. He's a typical lab and wolfs anything down..... but I do think that he enjoys the variety (he always seems to be straining to see what is going in his bowl tonight...) Rosie
Re: Adding things to dry kibble My two boys always have a little something added to their kibble, about a tablespoon of tinned food or expensive boxed food or some dripping, they still eat all their kibble with gusto.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble [quote author=Rosie link=topic=8829.msg125284#msg125284 date=1416421372] Our breeder advised us to add things all the time - 'to get him used to a variety of tastes'. [/quote] Charlie says : bwahahaha! It's training, Mum! Get that fridge open - otherwise I might never get used to the taste of cheese! ;D ;D ;D
Re: Adding things to dry kibble [quote author=JulieT link=topic=8829.msg125308#msg125308 date=1416426022] [quote author=Rosie link=topic=8829.msg125284#msg125284 date=1416421372] Our breeder advised us to add things all the time - 'to get him used to a variety of tastes'. [/quote] Charlie says : bwahahaha! It's training, Mum! Get that fridge open - otherwise I might never get used to the taste of cheese! ;D ;D ;D [/quote] Good point. Maybe we ought to have checked the breeder for Lambie influence...
Re: Adding things to dry kibble [quote author=Rosie link=topic=8829.msg125327#msg125327 date=1416427527] Maybe we ought to have checked the breeder for Lambie influence... [/quote] I reckon! Pongo comes from a home full of masters in Labrador and Lambie ways... ;D ;D ;D
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Oh lord. Does anyone else have any 'Shadowsquad' dogs up their family trees? We are all dooooooomed.......
Re: Adding things to dry kibble What's a shadow squad dog? Chepi only gets a tablespoon of live yoghurt added to her dry food if she has had tummy troubled. However, to get her to eat her foul tasting antibiotic I started giving it to her in minced beef a couple of days ago (great!) but I won't continue with that as a regular part of her diet. She sometimes has a carrot.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Rather than adding stuff to the kibble why not go down the stuffed kong route? It is brilliant. http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=5200.0
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Be careful because caving in to a fussy eater can be a real slippery slope. What you really don't want is for the dog to learn that if they turn their nose up to their food bowl, they will get something different or better!
Re: Adding things to dry kibble [quote author=JohnG link=topic=8829.msg125596#msg125596 date=1416521956] Be careful because caving in to a fussy eater can be a real slippery slope. What you really don't want is for the dog to learn that if they turn their nose up to their food bowl, they will get something different or better! [/quote] I have the completely opposite problem. There is not anything Bouncer wont eat.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Is it fussy to not fancy the same brown food everyday ? I would say boredom would set in fairly fast for anyone. I add some canned wet food, chicken and rice and vegetables, tinned fish and cottage cheese, cheese and eggs and gravy. Not all at once although she would eat it LOL She does get a purely kibble meal each day but not every meal. I started before she got bored as I know I was getting bored serving it out so eating it must get boring to eat IMO.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble I think there's a big difference between offering a variety of food and kow-towing to a fussy eater. Giving a variety of flavours and textures can be mentally stimulating as well as physically satisfying, but if a dog of mine refused to eat kibble, I'd see that as a problem.
Re: Adding things to dry kibble Elsie is the first dog I have used kibble with, usually I home cook, when she is fully grown I will be doing that again, probably just me but it looks so boring ! I only decided to use it when she is growing to ensure she gets everything she needs but home cooking when she is fully grown will be better for her I think.
