[rypke1]

I am at a loss as to what to do. I have purchased Orijen, Wellness, Blue Buffalo Life Essentials, Natural Balance, Innova (before the recalls thank goodness), EVO (also before recalls) Merrick, Solid Gold and our dogs don’t like any of them. My husband brought home Purina Healthy Morsels and they tore into the bag and ate like they were starved! What??? I’ve had to add meat to the good foods to even get them to touch it and yet they love the taste of this cheap food that is bad for them. Anyone have a logical explanation for this? I certainly don’t want them eating this cheap food that has all the bad ingredients in it. Have any of you found a 4 star food that your picky dogs eat well? I’m absolutely stumped as to what to do. Thank you for any suggestions. rypke1
P.S. The Purina dog food my husband brought home that night was NOT for our dogs. Our neighbor had ask him to pick it up for them and our dogs tore open the bag and got into it. It was not our intention to let them eat this.

[mydogisme]

Hay, I’m up most nights, just about all night reading this sight since my baby girl Dixie died May 8th. Nothing is the same any more. I miss her so much. Dixie would do exactly like your dog. I would spend 60.00 on wellness or natural balance and if we went to visit my son who feeds his dogs the kibb…bits…she would try to steal their food and then slide by me thinking I didn’t see her eating that stuff, just like a kid in the cookie jar!!! Sometime I would add boneless boiled organic chicken and carrot sticks or a sweet potato, but they will eat. They wont go hungry. Just like kids. My daughter when she was 6 yrs.’ old(now 34) only wanted oatmeal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I took her to the Dr. He said don’t worry, she’ll eat, just offer her the different foods and she’ll come around. Well she did and Dixie did too when to my surprise. She would get up at night and I would find her eating her cereal in her bowl, dry food. Yes, she definitely was a girl eating cereal at night!!!

[theBCnut]

Dogs eat that stuff because it is full of MSG and other “flavor enhancers” that are equally bad. Try lightly boiling some chicken livers and throw them in the blender with enough water to make a gravy. Or get a few cans of Tripett to add a little to their food. It won’t take long before you won’t need the extras any more if you don’t want to use them, but adding fresh moisture rich foods to your dogs kibble is actually good for them.

[rypke1]

Thank you Pattyvaughn & mydogisme, I do add meat and chicken livers and also beef liver but have to only add a little due to it causing diarrhea. This is the only way I can get them to eat the *good* food. I appreciate your input and advice. 🙂 I didn’t realize they add MSG to animal foods. Gosh I wish they would outlaw that stuff. I’m allergic to it, gives me horrid headaches, nasty stuff!

[theBCnut]

It is also additive.

[rypke1]

Yes, I know it’s addictive. I also know it’s very bad for us and our animals. Then again so are many other things that seem to be allowed. I suppose it’s population control, eh? Sad isn’t it?

[theBCnut]

I found myself wanting Raman noodles the other day. I haven’t eaten any of them in over a year, but as soon as I realized what it was I was craving, I found myself repeating “I’m craving excitatory neurotoxins, I’m craving excitatory neurotoxins, I’m craving excitatory neurotoxins…” Sheesh!!

[InkedMarie]

I’m one of those owners who believes in tough love: pick a food, leave it down for 15-20 min. Pick up what he doesn’t eat; he gets nothing til his next meal.

[mydogisme]

Hay All, Yes that stuff in food and in cat and dog food makes me gag. I have fibromyalgia and a very long list of food allergies, but my dr said its really not a allergy as much as intolerance. So I go around drinking a lot of distilled water. Dixie was so funny if she wanted a drink of water, if I didn’t bring her bottled water with me we had to stop and get some. My fault, I wanted her to have the best, I thought, then she would sniff the regular water and refuse to drink it. Between her and I we were going through 3-4 cases of deerpark water every month. Even with a filter on my refrigerator water she said, “mom are you trying to poison me “? Ha-ha miss my baby. I would try the tough love as well like Marie said and add a little regular food and slowly back down away from using it. It may just take time. I still have to go return all the canned Natural Balance I have and send back a case of the diabetic food I bought her.

[Cyndi]

LOL!! @ Patty!! I thought I was the only one who craved Ramen Noodles! LOL!!

[mydogisme]

She is there finally with all of her other doggie friends. Look at my baby girl! She went by other names as well like Mommy’s Honey Bunny, Funny Face, Miss Feeties, Miss Picky Pouch. I cry still every day for her and sometimes I can almost still feel her on my bed as I have her coats and sweaters and dresses and her purple puppy, hound doggy with me as well as her very first baby bear she was given on the way home from the shelter. When I layed her to rest, she has her own small Bible with a letter I wrote to her. She has her angle bunny that says the lords prayer, and big bag of Natural Balance Cookies, to share with and her squeaky balls, and most of her play animals like the squirrels, chip monks, raccoons, and her long loofa pink doggy. She wore her black sparkly dress with pink velvet trim and pink bow’s. She is laying on 1 of the 2 feather and down pillows that she would lay on when she first got in bed at night, then she would allow me to take the other pillow to use. She has her pink baby blanket so she can share keeping other fur babies warm. She was only a little terrier, born and not knowing who was going to love her and look after her. She was my little terrier and I love her dearly.

[pugmomsandy]

rypke1,

You might try gizzards and heart instead of liver for the diarrhea. They are considered muscle meat.

Patty, mydogisme,

I must admit, there’s Ramen noodles in my pantry! Haven’t had one in a couple months! But now that ya’ll got me thinking about it…

[theBCnut]

I went and got an orange and a piece of cheese and was able to resist for another day, well so far it’s been a week actually.

[laney.delaney]

Raw food might be much more “real” tasting and satisfying to them, plus, nothing’s better! I don’t blame them being picky about dry food, even the best ingredients turned into a kibble can’t be nearly as awesome as a hunk of meat.

[Melissaandcrew]

Chicken ramon noodles.
.yum….

[Leigh L]

Whole Foods carries ramen that doesnt have MSG.

[Cindy M]

I used to breed Pomeranians and I fed Iams or Eukanuba. We did not have a dog for probably 20 years. Maggie showed up at work and we’ve had her three months now. Mini Dachshund mix. I sent my son in PetSmart for dry dog food with one of those names. He came out with Iams Proactive Health Toy and Small Breed. I had to throw it at her feet a piece at a time. After a week or so, she started eating a normal amount out of her dog bowl. The vet said she was 6-8 months. I had guessed 9. So, I switched her to Iams Proactive Health Puppy. I did research a little research on here and tried a 5 star dog food Merrick’s Puppy food Lil’ Plates. She would not eat a bite unless I put human food on top! I have since discovered the Iams is four star. We went back to that and I gave my grand dog the Merrick’s. I did not realize there are three versions of Iams Puppy food and accidentally bought the Smart Puppy Toy and Small Breeds. Again, it was a struggle to get her to eat. Once that bag ran out, I bought the regular kibble and she’s back to normal. They also have a large breed version. I don’t think she likes change. How could it taste different?

[Author]

Posts