peas n carrots

[Moviedust]

Since receiving some advice about supplementing Cedar's kibble with veggies, I've incorporated peas and carrots to her meals about once a day. She had been getting carrots as snacks; she loves those. She likes to chew them mostly, I think, but she does clean up after herself by eating the little bits that are everywhere. I chop the carrots up when they go in her kibble. She will eat them, but she picks the peas out first. She's even taken to grabbing a mouthful of food, spitting it out on the floor, and then picking out the peas. It is safe to say she loves the peas. The problem seems to be that she stop eating the kibble! She will even leave a pile of rejected kibble on the floor!

She will eat the kibble later, especially if she doesnt get any more food til the kibble is gone. But it certainly has changed her eating habits!

Is this behavior normal for a dog whose diet has recently been supplemented?

[Jen]

You could try mashing the peas up, either with a fork or a food processor, then she would have to eat the kibble as well.

You may want to try canned pumpkin as well. Most seem to love it and it's very good for them. Plus, it's mashed, so it sticks to their kibble and they then have no choice but to eat it all.

[Moviedust]

Thanks for the tip, jen. I've heard you mention using pumpkin before. But you also said something about being certain to know which kind of canned pumpkin to get. I'm an idiot when it comes to food; what brand of pumpkin works the best?

[Jen]

Whatever brand is fine, but just be sure to buy the pure pumkin, not the kind used for pies. It will say which one it is on the label. The one used for pies has additives.

[Karlin]

I am guessing Jen means the plain pumpkin is fine (It is used for pies, but you have to add your own salt and spices etc -- I don;t think canned pumpkin is used for much of anything else than pies!) -- it is the pie mix type, that has added salt and spices that you don't want to use. So though they are both used for pies, one is plain pumpkin and one is the pumpkin pie mix pumpkin, that has other stuff in it. If I am making any sense at all.

[Moviedust]

Update on Cedar's diet:

We have discontinued the peas. She never full digested them and they caused the problems I mentioned earlier with pickiness.

I am using the pumpkin now. She doesnt seem to like it AS much as the peas, but she still digs in like a little piggy. It certainly has helped with firming up her stools. In fact, I think her stools had been too loose before and now she has issues with anal glands.

So, we are switching Cedar's food to Wellness (which is the only WDJ recommended kibble in our town!). Hopefully, she will adjust fine. We will take it slowly, and I'll let you know how it goes!

[Jen]

Good luck!

[MGMom]

Try a little cottage cheese sometime as a treat. Scarlett will dance for her cottage cheese! Also, it is good for their coats.

Yes, giving them too many treats does seem to spoil them--or at least Scarlett gets spoiled VERY FAST. I mix the kibble in with the cottage cheese so she can't cull out the kibble.

[Moviedust]

I must be hungry, because the mention of cottage cheese makes me drool! I hardly ever buy it for myself, but I do every now and then as a special treat. hehehe I dont know how cedar would get her share if I bought some. I'm such a food addict I'd gobble it up first!!

I give it a try, though, and see what she thinks of it. We picked up some Natures Variety Ultra dog biscuits when we went to the pet shop. She's only ever had carrots as treats, but the vet staff generally give her a little biscuit when we go in. They arent the highest quality stuff, and cedar eats them more for the attention than the treats. These, though, she absolutely loves! She's kinda pushy about them, too; she got quite upset when I told her it was all gone (i'd broken up the treat into little bits and fed them to her individually.).

[Cavalier Mom]

Morning Moviedust! I have been reading this latest stream on your diet problems and have a lot of good information! You asked a good question, thanks! I am having problems getting WDJ approved dog food for my dogs too. Our town is too small. I can get Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul and will be switching my guys in the next couple of weeks. If that doesn't settle with them, I will have to order something on the internet or drive to Kearney. I am also going to try the pumpkin to get Molly to eat. She came to us eating plain yogurt mixed in her kibble and got tired of that so I changed to Pro Plan canned puppy food. Just enough to moisten her food and she went bonkers over it! Now she is tired of that so I am looking for another tasty coating to encourage her to eat.