Hi I have a 12 month old boxer that weights about 40 pounds the problem I have is that she doesn't eat all the time. One reason is there is no other dog here to challenge her to her food but is her weight ok ? I mean she not a huge boxer but she has gone days before without eating. I don't know I may be just over worried but rather be safe then sorry.
Perhaps if your dog has eaten the same flavor food for quite awhile it has gotten bored with it. If your dog doesn't have allergies, try switching flavors within the same brand perhaps. My dog won't eat her food dry, never has. I add some water to her food to make a "gravy " and she eats it that way. She does sometimes skip a meal too, usually her breakfast.
Boxers are a medium sized dog, their weight should be in proportion to their size. I think you would need to post some pictures, you shouldn't see her spine. There are some good pictures on this site that can give you an idea. My boxer now that he is about 10 months will sometimes skip eating his breakfast. But then usually eats a bit more at dinner. He does though eat . What are you feeding your dog? and how much? Do you feed 2x a day?
Honestly, I would NEVER recc putting gravy or other things in the food to get them to eat. That is how you create picky eaters which seems to be anyway.1. Boxers are lean dogs 2. Boxers don't live to eat like some other breeds 3. Boxers are the most stubborn breed of dog there is. I am not too concerned with her weight or how she looks in the picture, she just looks petite. You want to see an outline of a couple of ribs but you don't want them so thin their back bone, hip bones and all ribs protrude. My suggestion is to have get a good check up with the vet. Make sure there is no underlying reason she doesn't want to eat. Also- it's summer- and it's hot. Most animals don't eat much when it's hot. Also, do you have timed feedings or food out all the time? I would def do timed feedings & tough love. Put the food down for 10-15 mins, if she doesn't eat, pick it back up and try next feeding. NO table scraps or treats in between. A well dog will NOT starve themselves. It may take a couple days, but eventually she will eat & be on your sched. I would also look at how long you've had the bag open. Food should be used within 4-6 wks- the bag maybe rancid. How long has this skipping meals been happening?
I feed her royal canine boxer puppy.we were on blue wildness but she always had the runs. Also how do I add a pics I have on my phone? You can't see her spine though.
Royal Canin food is absolute garbage- full of fillers & grains. That may be why she isn't filling out or wanting to eat it. also, there are many boxers that don't do well with bb wilderness because of its high protein content. I would pick a food under 30% protein and around or under 15% fat. High quality grain free foods are BB freedom, Earthborn, Acana, Fromm, 4Health- cheaper- at tractor supply, Victor Select. I feed castor & Pollux ultramax grain free & poultry free- that's an option as well.
@mgbis, when I said to make a "gravy", it's not actually a real gravy, it's a small amount of water mixed in the kibble and it moistened the kibble and flavors the water...hence the word "gravy ". I know boxers have sensitive tummies, mine sure does. I used to put toppers, or a spoonful of canned food but cannot anymore .
My MIL started doing this for her little dogs and now they won't eat it unless it's watered down, which = picky eater and not chewing and crunching on hard pieces of food can contribute to faster tooth decay and tarter
There are many great foods out there. You want a grain free food. Doesn't necessarily have to be for puppy but an all life stages is good too. Also, it depends on what you consider a big bag. I pay 40 for a 12 lb bag of Amor's food. This lasts her about 3 weeks. She only eats 2 cups per day but she isn't a growing puppy.
To answer your question about her spoll the reason we leave blue buffalo is bec she ketp having runny Stoll's all the time. The only food we ever had her on that she hasn't had runny Stoll is iams puppy. So I don't know what to do.
Question- what is an stoll? Are you referring to stools? Have you had your vet do fecal checks? More than one of them? And specifically for coccidia or giardia? They are parasites that live in the soil or dirty water. All worms or parasites have a life cycle & these 2 parasites are particularly hard to catch & hard to get rid of. You can only see them when they shed the parasite which isn't all the time. I would def have her stools checked by your vet. Runny or mucousy stools along with poor appetite and or not gaining weight are classic symptoms. The parasite takes all the nutrients and makes them feel icky
I normally buy a 30 to 40 pound bag for 55-60. An that lasts five weeks almost we are trying to get her to eat three cups a day. But I'm lucky if I get two a day in her. But I mean she runs around a lot but also sleeps a lot so I don't know if she just not getting enough exercise or what.
I would still research better foods cause Iams, hills, Royal Canin are all garbage. Most boxers have a sensitive stomach and can't tolerate foods with high Amts of proteins or fats and definitely no grains. Ours is allergic to grains as well as chicken & lamb proteins. I would also read up on boxer health issues and highly recc obtaining pet insurance. We all have reasonable amts of budgets and limits on this forum, however boxers are extremely high maintenance in every way possible. Insurance is highly recc.
Check dog food advisor. It's a website that rates dog food based on the ingredients. You want one that is rated 4 or 5 on the list. I used Solid Gold for awhile, but the one I was using had grain. They were better grains but my dog I have discovered, is sensitive to grains. They have a new line of grain free but my dog is allergic to proteins with feathers. It's in your price range. There is also acana which is popular among boxer parents. Fromm and orijen ate good too. Perhaps your dog has a sensitivity to the protein in the food. Try something that has a novel protein such as bison/buffalo, rabbit, venison, kangaroo are some.
Question- what is an stoll? Are you referring to stools? Have you had your vet do fecal checks? More than one of them? And specifically for coccidia or giardia? They are parasites that live in the soil or dirty water. All worms or parasites have a life cycle & these 2 parasites are particularly hard to catch & hard to get rid of. You can only see them when they shed the parasite which isn't all the time. I would def have her stools checked by your vet. Runny or mucousy stools along with poor appetite and or not gaining weight are classic symptoms. The parasite takes all the nutrients and makes them feel icky
So im going to to take her to the vet tomo to get checked out. should i go back to blue buffalo wilderness like duck or bison so should i stay clear of blue?
I would stay clear of blue buffalo. It has now come out that they contain by products even though it states it doesn't. Although, each dog does well on different food. You just need to find the one that works for your dog and make sure when switching you do the 7 to 10 day transition to help with runny stools.
Merrick, earthborn holistics, fromm, acacna singles or regionals, orijen, castor & pollution are just a few of the popular and 4+ star rated foods. They are all not available in all areas but are probably available to order online.
Merrick, earthborn holistics, fromm, acacna singles or regionals, orijen, castor & pollution are just a few of the popular and 4+ star rated foods. They are all not available in all areas but are probably available to order online.
Merrick is one i can get at my local petco and it was first between them and blue and we went with blue and i never went back back i think im going to go with the buffalo flavor merrick after we take her to the vets tomo.
Another good one that petco carries is Solid Gold. My girl did so much better on it. I only switched because the bison flavor had two proteins and the vet wanted her on a single ptotein. After the switch to that particular one her coat got soo much softer and much less shedding. Their grain free chicken one is a 5 star food. Not trying to change your mind just giving you another option.
Thanks im going to have to deside bec i bough a bag of royal canine and i dont think i even want her to finish it. dependign on what the vet says
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