[jccuasay]

hello guys! i was wondering what to mix with my dog food for him to eat a lot. i have tried different types of dog food to mix with his recent one and it seems that my dog is not eating that much still.. im now using optima hi-pro and i want him to gain weight,, how many meals should i gve him per day and cups? pls help thanks!

 

[lillyzmomma]

As I stated in your last post, for the most part it's not quantity, but quality.  If you are intent on switching feeds, you should do so gradually (most of us switch over a one month period or longer) to avoid stomach upset and diahrea.

A one month switch would look something like this:

Wk1: 1/4 new food to 3/4 old food
Wk2: 1/2 new food to 1/2 old food
Wk3: 3/4 new food to 1/4 old food
Wk4: primarily all new food with just a bit of the old sprinkled in

As for amount to feed, I would probably go with 3/4 cup per feeding twice a day with an afternoon and evening snack.  You can mix in a tsp of yogurt (plain, lowfat) or cottage cheese (lowfat) to help him gain weight.  Also, if you haven't already gotten him one, pick up a kong suitable for his size (don't use the kong treats, they are a pain in the butt to get out of a kong) and fill it with a mix of yogurt, fruit, and peanut butter.  You can freeze this mixture or not.  The kong will give him an alternate means to exert some energy and exercise his brain and get a healthy snack too.  You could also give a peanut butter sandwiche for a snack.  We have some great Boxer Belly recipes in the Boxer Belly section of the forum.

My Boxer eats Merrick brand dog food.  It's very high grade, natural, with no preservatives.  She has increased coat shine, has put on a bit of weight (healthy amount), and even has softer paw pads.

Please keep in mind that unless your vet tells you that your pup is underweight, you shouldn't really focus on "beefing" him up.  Boxer are naturally slim dogs.  They are genetically built that way.

Also, if a dog is stressed they will be less interested in food.  And if you switch feeds to often the dog can become finicky and picky.  So switching and then sticking, at least for a bit, is the best route to go.  He may also not be eating much because he just flat out doesn't like the feed you're giving him.  Sometimes finding the right feed is trial and error.

Best of luck and hope this helps...

 

[jccuasay]

thanks very much! coz what i did is switch right away to a new dog food that shouldn't be the case.. thanks for the reply

 

[Skyboxers]

I am not sure if i can help or not but haven likes canned food mixed in with her hard, I dont mix alot maybe a tablespoon but it helps.
Samantha and Haven

 

[Mom2BoNLaila]

Sometimes I mix a little canned food and some warm water for Bo if it is cold out.  It helps warm him up and he loves it.  Don't use to much canned though because it can cause loose stools.

 

[Joxer]

[quote="lillyzmomma\";p=\"39014":bx7z9aqd]As I stated in your last post, for the most part it's not quantity, but quality.

 

[15842]

Human peanut butter is fine.

 

[48Dodge]

Some things I do to mix it up.  All are done in moderation.

Leftover bacon grease (very little needed since the scent is pretty strong)
Corn oil (helps with coat, too), sometimes my greyhound wouldn't touch his food if I didn't sprinkle some corn oil on first.
A small can of Veg-All
Plain yogurt
Plain cottage cheese
Low sodium chicken broth
Canned dog food
Sardines (awful breath afterwards)
Salmon oil