Need advise on feeding a picky husky

[odinonyx]

Hi all!

I know, I know, this must be a topic that has been overly discussed, huskies are picky. 

My question is, does your husky (if he/she was or still is picky) ever snap out of it? Like, does he suddenly not skip meals etc. My husky is 15mo, and he reached 44lbs maybe a couple month ago. However his weight now drops to a mere 37lbs last time I weighed him   He feels bony along the spine and hip. Ribs feel fine though. It's just that his tummy tucks in so much it worries me. I know huskies fill out when they're about 18-24 months – does your husky eat more when it happens? 

He was on Nutrisource for most of his puppyhood until he refused to eat it any longer. I switched him to Farmina Top Salmon which he loved until recently. I really don't want to keep buying new dog food. 

I take his bowl if he doesn't eat it in 15-20mins and he'll eat when he's really hungry but that's like every other day if I'm lucky. We go running, swimming, and long walks so I don't know why his appetite is that bad. He eats dinner but not breakfast, and sometimes he doesn't even finish that one meal.

Any advise?

 

[Jo]

Sorry I have no experience of this as Amy has been a good eater since we got her at 9 months, she has gained weight to a healthy 26kg esp after spaying
I would say, if you are concerned a trip to the vet may be an idea to get him checked out for any underlying issues
Hope you get this sorted


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[odinonyx]

8 minutes ago, Jo said:

Sorry I have no experience of this as Amy has been a good eater since we got her at 9 months, she has gained weight to a healthy 26kg esp after spaying
I would say, if you are concerned a trip to the vet may be an idea to get him checked out for any underlying issues
Hope you get this sorted


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aww lucky you!  I wonder if spaying helps a dog gain weight.

He's bright and active so I think it's just him being picky, but I'll ask my vet when we go for his yearly shot soon.

[Andy]

My boy Darwin is 10 years old.

He will only eat once per day

some days he wolfs it down

others he will pick at it for half an hour then leave the rest.

you can't force them to eat but they won't starve themselves.

[odinonyx]

29 minutes ago, Andy said:

My boy Darwin is 10 years old.

He will only eat once per day

some days he wolfs it down

others he will pick at it for half an hour then leave the rest.

you can't force them to eat but they won't starve themselves.

How is he doing though, is he on the skinny side or is he looking good?  

[wolfpup]

Marley will be 2 in October, he has always been a picky eater  -  most days he will eat breakfast  (around 5.30-6am)  but will often only pick at lunch  (12-1pm).   He won't eat the same meal twice in the same day.       Most mornings breakfast consists of  half a chicken carcase, lean  beef mince and either   sardines  or a raw egg.    I found early on that if I add sardines to his mince he will eat it 80% of the time  -  on those days when he hardly eats anything  if I add a tin of sardines (in spring water) mashed up into the meal he has previously refused I can get him to eat.

If I try giving him the same for lunch - he refuses it  - so I usually add bone broth in place of the sardines - heated slightly so it is liquid and pour over the mince  (he wont eat just meat unless it has a bone in it  -  he likes his food to crunch)

If all else fails and he refuses to eat anything at all - in the early evening I whip up a couple of raw eggs  -   he will always eat/drink raw eggs  -  as soon as he has had those I quit worrying.  At his last weigh in he weighed 22 kilos   -  his is on the slim side but I expect he will put on a few kilos in the next few months.   He is still intact as I think he is too young to have the 'chop' yet.

[Andy]

24 minutes ago, odinonyx said:

How is he doing though, is he on the skinny side or is he looking good?  

He's fine, currently looking a little skinny but he's just finishing blowing his coat so quite normal.

with a full coat he's a normal healthy looking Husky

 

[robke]

am so glad mine are not picky eaters...they are fed holistic protein pellets...but are also happy with cheaper food...more expensive foods...

[Jo]

Amys the same, she was on a cheaper food when we got her from kennels until I finally decided to feed her guru pellets ( after hours of research!!) but she'll eat anything, including stuff not meant for her like the chicken off my plate when I wasnt looking!!!! [emoji15]
Huskys are a slim breed its the greedy ones you have to watch for to much weight gain


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[chelseafan]

I changed to a raw diet as they were picky on kibble and always wanting to beg for our food. They eat raw lamb bones or meat bones in the morning, lamb bones will put abit of weight on so I've cut down, Cai is 35kg and Luka is just over 40kg. For evening meal I give them mince or chunks of beef with carrots and peas and they love chicken and salmon, I always put a dry mixer in aswell. I vary their diet as they can get bored and they love fruit and plain yoghurt.


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[Michelle Sopi]

I feed mine raw chicken wings, beef chunks and duck necks (natures menu) which I feed by hand and they stop coming over when they're full up :-)

[odinonyx]

21 hours ago, Andy said:

He's fine, currently looking a little skinny but he's just finishing blowing his coat so quite normal.

with a full coat he's a normal healthy looking Husky

 

 

21 hours ago, wolfpup said:

Marley will be 2 in October, he has always been a picky eater  -  most days he will eat breakfast  (around 5.30-6am)  but will often only pick at lunch  (12-1pm).   He won't eat the same meal twice in the same day.       Most mornings breakfast consists of  half a chicken carcase, lean  beef mince and either   sardines  or a raw egg.    I found early on that if I add sardines to his mince he will eat it 80% of the time  -  on those days when he hardly eats anything  if I add a tin of sardines (in spring water) mashed up into the meal he has previously refused I can get him to eat.

If I try giving him the same for lunch - he refuses it  - so I usually add bone broth in place of the sardines - heated slightly so it is liquid and pour over the mince  (he wont eat just meat unless it has a bone in it  -  he likes his food to crunch)

If all else fails and he refuses to eat anything at all - in the early evening I whip up a couple of raw eggs  -   he will always eat/drink raw eggs  -  as soon as he has had those I quit worrying.  At his last weigh in he weighed 22 kilos   -  his is on the slim side but I expect he will put on a few kilos in the next few months.   He is still intact as I think he is too young to have the 'chop' yet.

 

21 hours ago, robke said:

am so glad mine are not picky eaters...they are fed holistic protein pellets...but are also happy with cheaper food...more expensive foods...

 

21 hours ago, Jo said:

Amys the same, she was on a cheaper food when we got her from kennels until I finally decided to feed her guru pellets ( after hours of research!!) but she'll eat anything, including stuff not meant for her like the chicken off my plate when I wasnt looking!!!!
Huskys are a slim breed its the greedy ones you have to watch for to much weight gain


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18 hours ago, chelseafan said:

I changed to a raw diet as they were picky on kibble and always wanting to beg for our food. They eat raw lamb bones or meat bones in the morning, lamb bones will put abit of weight on so I've cut down, Cai is 35kg and Luka is just over 40kg. For evening meal I give them mince or chunks of beef with carrots and peas and they love chicken and salmon, I always put a dry mixer in aswell. I vary their diet as they can get bored and they love fruit and plain yoghurt.


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17 hours ago, Michelle Sopi said:

I feed mine raw chicken wings, beef chunks and duck necks (natures menu) which I feed by hand and they stop coming over when they're full up :-)

Thanks for all the replies!

It's so annoying that they can be picky even when fed real meat hahah. 

I guess pickyness isn't really something they'll snap out of then.

Any of you multiple husky owners? Do they eat better in the company of other dogs? Odin seems to be eating better when I left him in the boarding place lol.

[wolfpup]

I've only got two dogs  -  Lunar eats everything going  -  Marley will most often not start eating until Lunar has finished - or will wait until Lunar has finished  -  go over and check his bowl out (never anything left) and then just walk away from his own bowl.

[Emma]

When we had Brooke we left the food out as she was an only dog and would eat as she wanted to. Once we got the others that changed and she was only given meals at set times. She was a hit and miss eater but one thing that usually made her eat was the sight of Bear or Ice nearby. She'd take one look at them hovering and make sure she didn't leave any for them, a case of "I don't really want it but I'm going to make sure you don't get it either!" [emoji23]

 

 

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[chelseafan]

I have 2 and they eat in the same room but away from each other, we had a few issues when they were younger but none now as Luka stands up for himself now and he loves his food. Sometimes if Cai doesn't fancy it he'd rather eat it than let Luka have it!


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[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Mine only eat once a day unless they ask for food , which Skyla does more than blaze lol , sometimes they'll skip dinner or not eat it all , they're both happy healthy chunky dogs , skyla is nearly 8 and blaze is nearly 9

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