Puppy food. The transition after being sick...

[fromohiousa]

My 14 week old Shih-Poo was sick when we brought her home. She had diarhea and was treated with Albon. She was losing weight and was only two pounds to begin with. The vet suggested boiled chicken and rice and we obliged.

She ate the soft bland food ravenously. The instructions were to do this until she gets back to health. They said to slowly introduce her own food in with it.

Well a couple of days later it seems she would sooner starve herself than eat her own dry food. We've even added some water to soften it up and she won't give it the least amount of interest. We've included it in with the chicken and rice and she will carefully eat completely around her food.

Is it possible that she would starve herself if her dry food is her only option? Her dry food is Iams. Should I start shopping around for a soft food? Or is it time for tough love?

 

[Dekka]

I would turn my nose up if I was a dog at Iams Maybe your dog wants a better dog food.

If you search through some of the dog food threads here there are some great discussions. Iams, purina, eukanuba, pedigree, SD and their ilk are all over priced floor sweepings. You are paying for advertising not quality ingredients.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I think to a dog, chicken and rice would be much yummier than basically any kibble. No, dogs will not starve themselves. Just continue gradually adding more kibble and subtracting more chicken and rice, so that over about a week or two you will have completely switched from chicken to kibble, and she will figure out that this is all she will get.

I agree about Iams, you can read through the food forum to get some suggestions for better-quality kibble.

 

[antipunt1]

My puppy was also sick and we also were instructed the same as you, so I know what you mean about the food preference switch. Our puppy started whimpering at her kibble and smelling the aroma of my mom's cooking ever since to this day. It's sad!

but we all know that if 'puppy don't eat kibble puppy won't be healthy', or something like that. I agree with the gradual shift. For us personally, it was a rapid shift because we didn't believe our puppy would be silly enough to starve herself. Sure enough, over time, Wanta started eating kibble again. But that's what worked for us.