AboutLabman Expertise Housebreaking, chewing, feeding Most medical questions are best handled through a local vet.
I try to base my answers on carefully proven methods confirmed by my own experience. Much of what I know about dogs, I have learned raising a puppy every year since 1991 for a large dog guide school. I am familiar with several similar programs. Nobody is in a better position to know dogs, need ones with long, active life, and share what they know, than the service dog schools. In addition I have done extensive reading. My answers have much more to back them than the limited experience any one dog owner can have.
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Experience
Past/Present clients Been around the net a long time answering dog questions.
Expert: Labman Date: 7/8/2008 Subject: 7 month lab not eating
Question Hi Sameer,
I have a 7 month lab an living in delhi. I Bought him 2 months ago. For 2-3 days after he arrived he used to self feed. Now he dose not eat himself. We started feeding him with our hands but these days he is not liking any this thhat we give him. Hi daily diet typically these days is 3-4 rotis in morning with milk, a bowl of boiled dat, 1 potato and 3 pieces of boneless chicken for lunch, 3-4 rotis with boiled chicken or 100 gms of paneer for dinner. He hates all of them. As such Puklu (the pup) is active and playful but last 2-3 days due to the bad heet he is bit lathergic. I like to know what might be wrong with puklu, is the diet we give him is right (tried pedigree puppy large breed but puklu hates him)Can we put a littel salt and oild in his food. Please suggest some sample recepies. He is keeping me worried sick.
Answer I am not sure why some of Sameer's questions have been passed on to me.
Good thing you posted your question in English. The heat could be part of the problem. If you have no other way to cool him, wet him down. Most Labs are happy to have a chance to swim, although some take a while to want to.
I would go to an adult dog chow, Pedigree or another brand should be good. It is much more difficult to provide a dog the complete and balanced diet any other way. If the dog never did eat very well, and has seen the vet since the problem existed, you may be over feeding it. A vet check still won't hurt. Many dogs will gulp down more than is good for them and look for more. Others refuse to eat more than than they need. Evaluate the dog as illustrated in this link, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx You may want the vet to confirm your judgment. Adjust the dogs food and exercise as needed to reach its ideal body condition. Some German Shepherds and even Labs may refuse to eat enough to completely hid their ribs. As long as you are feeding a concentrated, meat based chow, the best thing is to accept it.
The worst thing you can do is to bribe a dog with rich foods into eating more than it needs. Instead, Put down the dish with what the dog should eat, and give it 15 minutes to eat. Then take it up. Do not give it anything to eat until its next scheduled meal. In a few days, it should be eating what it needs. Continue to check its ribs and adjust the food as needed. This is not easy. I had a Shepherd go 3 days on a few nibbles. I was a wreck, but she was fine. It is almost unknown for a healthy dog not to eat what it needs. Unfortunately, in too many cases, it is less than the package says, and less than the owner thinks the dog should have. Many dogs are quite good at holding out for tastier chow. Like kids, sometimes it calls for tough love.
