I want to bulk up my 1.5yo male neutered alaskan malamute. He’s a picky eater, usually only eats once a day (tho I offer him food in the AM, he never eats till the PM offering)… we dont free feed.
Any supplements or foods I can feed him to help him gain some weight, his ideal weight is aroune 65-70 and he’s 49-50lbs right now.
(Came from a shelter,. where they fed him, but didnt watch to see if he actually ate it)
Vet said he isnt worried about the weight loss yet.. but try to feed him more and get him some meat on his bones.
He eats wet/dry wellness mix…. also I have given him burger and white rice and also some pegidree dry (came from the shelter eating this….)
SO, he eats the wellness wetfood, but only 1 can… a dog is size should be eating 2 or 3 cans per day… same with the kibble, he eat’s about 3 cups per day max, should be eating 4-5cups per day.
How do I get his appetite up or what can I add to his food to make it more appealing?
(Part of me thinks he’s still anxious about being re-homed… but it was over 2 weeks ago and he seems settled in in most other facets, just not with the eating.)
Should we resort to human food/raw diet? I dont really want to get into that, as it is SO time consuming and very expensive to raw feed a malamute…. but will if necessary.
Any ideas? thanks dog section.
interesting hardcore- I Run him, I ride my mountain bike as he runs (about 10-15mph ) but we do take the same trail everyday. I will definitely take him to other streets/trails to exercise now, didnt even realize that. Thanks.
FYI (He drinks alot of water especially on days when its hot) and he moves bowels regularly.
Try feeding him puppy food, it has a lot more nutrients to help puppies grow, that might bulk him up a bit. (We have a 5 y.o cat who eats our 5 m.o. kitten’s food, she put loads of weight on in a couple of weeks.)
maybe you could start smoking weed around him more often to promote his appetite….. or saw palmetto tablets crushed up in his food will promote appetite
References :
Try feeding him puppy food, it has a lot more nutrients to help puppies grow, that might bulk him up a bit. (We have a 5 y.o cat who eats our 5 m.o. kitten’s food, she put loads of weight on in a couple of weeks.)
References :
umm i have a dopermin a pit and a routweiler (i dont know how to spell that good) but my suggestions are that you run around the block with your dog and go to a training course make it jump over stuff just do that type of stuff
References :
It may just be a matter of age.
My dogs (various breeds/shelter dogs) usually started filling out at about two and half years old. Your dog is still young – particularly larger breeds take longer to mature.
If he’s otherwise healthy, I would just keep feeding him a good quality food and don’t worry about his weight.
Also, if it’s only been two weeks he’s still adjusting to his new diet and his new home.
References :
The first answer – do NOT give your dog saw palmetto. It is toxic for dogs. Your dog should fill out after around age 2.
References :
When you feed him his dry food mix it with canned dog food. My dogs used to be under weight and this helped.
References :
i think you need to patient with this one. It sounds like the dog is traumatised and is simply going to take time to adapt to its new surroundings. By giving the dog plenty of exercise, affection and attention you should start to see its apetite increase. By creating a secure and comfortable home with a routine for walking, eating, when you will be there, when it might be alone etc, your dog will soon relax and look for its meals at the regular time. They need a routine! My dogs are fed at 7pm every night and they are like clock work in terms of when they are hungry and go looking for food (about 6:55pm!). Do not start feeding him on human food, because he will find it difficult to adjust to a dog food-only diet. Plus dog food contains all the nutrients he will need and our food is difficult for them to digest and will ultimately not do him any good. I would perhaps only feed him once a day, in the evening. You could try him on a different type of dog food, e.g. Iams, as perhaps he does not like this brand. Also try only putting the food down in the evening after he has been for a walk, as then he will be hungry and will eat it all, rather than grazing through the day. It may be that he is used to eating less so it will take time for his stomach to adapt and need more food. I’m sure over the next 6 weeks you will see his appetite increase. If he continues to lose weight then I would take him to the vets again as there may be something else going on. Does he drink much water? Are his movements regular? These are things you need to keep an eye on to make sure that he is healthy. But for now, i would focus on creating a happy home for this dog. Remember it’s all new to him so it will take him time to learn that the food is for him and that he is now a permanent part of your family. When we saved a dog recently, it didn’t want to go for a walk. But with a bit of persistence, after a couple of weeks this was her favourite thing in the world to do. The same thing happened with throwing a ball – initially she didn’t know how to fetch. But now she is rarely seen without her ball and loves it when we throw it for her. So give your dog time to adjust and i’m sure his eating habits will pick up. Good luck!
References :
How long do you walk him for? Do you walk him in the same immediate area everyday? If his walks are shorter then 30 minutes and are at the same area everyday, he isn’t being stimulated enough. try walking him for at least 30 minutes with a doggy back pack on with 5-10 lbs in it (water bottles are good so you can stop and give him a little on his walk), and alternate where you walk him.
A dog who is not mentally and/or physically stimulated sometimes have tendencies not to eat. Working him out will help develop an appetite.
References :
Be patient, he will not become his ideal weight over night. Give him dog food that is high in nutrients and also once or twice a day give him human food that is high in carbs, such as noodles and breads.
References :