Skinny but reluctant dog needs to put on weight!

My big crossbreed has always been slender, and as he has arthritis in his hips I have always preferred he stays that way. However at the vets last week I weighed him and he has dropped to 32.4kg, down from 33.5kg.

He isn't so much a fussy eater as a reluctant one! I have never had a dog who isn't food oriented before, honestly he doesn't even pester me when it is time for his meals! I swear he would go for days before asking to be fed!! I struggle to feed him the recommended amount for his size, he will eat as much as he wants and nothing will pursuede him to eat anymore even if his bowl is still half full!!

He will not eat dry food at all, so I can't even get him to eat mixer biscuits with his food!

Should I just try extra meals inbetween his food? Pasta, eggs, chicken that sort of thing?

Can anyone recommed anything that is likely to help him put weight on asap?

what are you feeding him on?

Depends on what your willing to feed.

Our fussy puppy refuses to eat canned food, dried food cooked mince anything other than raw mince and that was before we even let her taste it. She just always wanted the others. Of course thats just her.

She also goes mad for bones and chicken wings.

Tripe is good for putting weight on dogs i believe.

But im a raw feeder, depends what your willing to feed.

What does your dog like to eat??
Some things that I have found is good is pasta, mixed with moist and dry food.
For the fussiest of eaters, you could try making up chicken stock, and boiling the pasta in that, or a stock the dog likes. It is hard when they are not food orientated.
You could also increase feeding to an extra meal, but lowering the quantity a bit, so they don't get too full.
The weight should gradually get put on it is much better that way.

Has the vet done any examinations or tests to rule out health issues? This would be my priority, especially if he's on any medication for his arthritis.

My Rottie x Kiki struggles to put on weight on kibble despite a good appetite, but her weight has been a lot more stable on raw feeding, which could be something for you to consider if you're open to it.

He is on butchers canned meat, which isn't the best but it is the only thing he will at least try and eat!

I have tried all the dry food and that is all a complete no no. He has been on naturediet, burns and all the 'top' wet foods and again he turns his nose up! I tried the butchers as a last resort and was amazed when he ate it!!

Raw food, well he will eat bones but nothing else, at a dog show once he was offered a chicken wing and to everyones astonishment he refused it!! I wanted to go down the raw route but he just won't!!

The vet has done numerous tests and he is perfectly healthy!

He likes raw eggs but he only has one a week, is it safe to feed anymore than that?

He likes cereal, sometimes if the children have some breakfast left over (coco pops or weetabix) I give it to him.

I bought some marrowbone biscuits yesterday and he looked at me like I was trying to poison him when I gave him one!

I guess I am worried about giving him too much human food to get him to eat.

I should add that his poo is nice and firm and he has no problems with his tummy.

Max has been a reluctant eater since he was born! He has, on occasion, completely starved himself for 4 or 5 days... he often only eats 1/4 of his daily food, then eats loads of grass and vomits it up

I've put all sorts with his food over the years - I found that a little drizzle of olive oil over his kibble worked well.

Tuna, cooked rice, cooked pasta, weetabix with water etc have also helped.

However, 3 weeks ago I swapped the dogs onto Arden Grange Large Breed.

I am so gobsmacked by the change... he hasn't missed a meal in 3 weeks; has been waiting by his bowl for his food (rather than sloping off to the sofa); I've not had to add anything to his bowl since starting it. He has even been pestering me for his food - which hasn't happened EVER. To say I am happy would be an understatement...

WOW!! So is that dried food? He has never ever eaten dried food yet! Is there anything about it that makes it different from other kibble?

Yup, just dried kibble.... to me, although the pieces are larger, it smells the same etc.

Obviously, to Max, there is a difference to the other kibbles he's been on

It's more expensive, but I'm feeding less of it, and honestly, I'd pay whatever just to know he is eating his food everyday!

hi,

with raw I find that you have to gradually teach a dog how to eat it... when I first gave Tess a chicken wing she had no idea what to do with it.... when i held it for her she learnt to munch on it.... and now they're pure heaven Tonight I tried a new experiment: chicken livers.... I tried them raw.... totally not interested So I threw them in the frying pan for a few minutes (ok, no longer completely raw, but still raw inside).... and within the space of seconds she was sitting waiting to be fed.... next time I'll just fry them up for 1 minute.... after that try raw again.... it takes a little work to start with but IMO once they've had a taste.... they're through the barrier.... much easier then getting children to eat healthy food