Picky eater!

[Buddys Pal]

@bumzhabum:

Are basenjis usually picky eaters? My basenji, Ninja, refuses to eat. He starts off on a food fine for a few weeks then stops wanting to eat it. I'm not sure if he gets bored easily or what. I've tried adding cooked eggs, cheese, meat, doggy gravy, yogurt, etc but he just eats around his food. I've tried Eukanuba, Blue, and W/D Prescription Diet for his diabetes. Yes, he has Diabetes at 1 yr old and that makes this situation even more tricky. He needs to eat regularly in order for me to inject him with his insulin or else he will go hyperglycemic. And, if he doesn't eat/I don't give him insulin, he can't control his urine and he has a lot of accidents.

Any advice? Has anyone found a food that their basenji loves?? Please help! I have already consulted my vet and we are out of ideas.

Hi bumzhabum(cute),
It is not so much as what food basenji's eat, but an individual preference. above and beyond what you have done, and the advice not to cater to him is good, and not leave it down for him all day, but if you find a food he likes for his diabetic condition, protein is number one to keep the blood sugar even. So, I have Three suggestions: 1) home made chicken soup-no salt, no veggies but the carcass in the crockpot. cook it down so you can take the cooked bones out (of course) and you'll have the marrow and all good vitamins/minerals in there. Blenderize it and then put it in individual containers and use as a sparse gravy. Cheaper then canned food. make sure it is not too watery or too thick. My kids always loved it (then I went to raw feeding…..mainly because of urinary problem with the old guy) 2) there is a dried liver 'treat' that comes in a tub at a PetFoodStore and if you were to crush a few up on the food.....Maybe? I know no dog that does NOT like this stuff!!!! Keep us informed on your progress. 3) If nothing else, make him work for the food. Like a 'wait' command until he looks at you then give him permission to eat. A game puzzle for him to use his nose, meal time training where you and he work on obedience commands….but the reward would have to be that he is hungry and does in fact like the kibble in the first place.....

[SacGirlInSearchOfBasenji]

@Buddys:

Hi SacGirl….has yours every had any form of diarrhea?

Thanks Buddys Pal for the info…I will keep that in mind as I progress with Gizmo's diet. We haven't had any diarrhea, and I hope to get him back on solely kibble soon. I like the idea of switching to a purely raw diet, for the breeder also has her dogs on a raw diet. I am getting a second basenji pup soon, and I hope with the increased activity of playing with another dog, he will eat the kibble better. I eat a plant strong diet and I juice a lot, and I cook separate food for my husband…which means I spend an incredible amount of time preparing food. Not sure I could commit to going solely raw food yet. Maybe when I retire, I can put my fur babies on a raw diet. Or, each month I just spend the same amount of money on the frozen raw dog food as I do for the human

[tanza]

Really?… I don't think that Terri does raw.... for the most part? and Kibble is fine but learn to mix with wet canned or with veggies... I do steamed veggies (root veggies) and yam/sweet potatoes... not difficult to do... just use grain free kibble... I use a number of different ones so that I never have a problem changing from one to another.

[Buddys Pal]

@SacGirlInSearchOfBasenji:

Thanks Buddys Pal for the info?I will keep that in mind as I progress with Gizmo's diet. We haven't had any diarrhea, and I hope to get him back on solely kibble soon. I like the idea of switching to a purely raw diet, for the breeder also has her dogs on a raw diet. I am getting a second basenji pup soon, and I hope with the increased activity of playing with another dog, he will eat the kibble better. I eat a plant strong diet and I juice a lot, and I cook separate food for my husband…which means I spend an incredible amount of time preparing food. Not sure I could commit to going solely raw food yet. Maybe when I retire, I can put my fur babies on a raw diet. Or, each month I just spend the same amount of money on the frozen raw dog food as I do for the human

Yes, I can see you are in the kitchen A LOT!!!! It does take some time to get the meals prepared in raw because of the daily rations for body weight, and nutritional combination you have to consider, - your time is important esp if you work and manage the home with dogs and a husband!!!!
I am almost jealous, a Basenji puppy, they are too cute (they should have a litter of Basenji's on Animal Planet's Too Cute-that would be a big AWW!factor!) Send pics when you get your pup!)

[nomrbddgs]

My Johnny was a very, VERY picky eater, he would go without eating for a day or two and then just pick at the food. I always use a high end food as a base and add canned food and enough water to make a gravy and coat everything up. His girl Lizzie is getting to be just as picky as he is. She will only eat about 1/3 cup at each feeding (2 x per day), but she does eat it and doesn't seem to be too thin.

[Buddys Pal]

I hate to bring this up, but forums are a means to help others and alert to knowledge or a viewpoint that may not have occurred to the writer….but please look up your food to ensure it was not on a recall. Many dogs that seem picky may smell something we don't know about in the food and only 'pick' at it because they are really hungry and have no choice. Here is a link to check out the your foods:http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/Pet-Food-Recalls-2013_Liquorman.asp

[tanza]

Agree, Buddy's Pal… but be sure that the information you are accessing is current and not months if not years old

[eeeefarm]

IMO, it is always a red flag if the dog goes off his food or gets sick when you have just opened a new bag. I would immediately stop using that food until I could assess whether the dog had an unrelated problem or whether the problem was the food.

[DebraDownSouth]

@tanza:

If a dog is otherwise health, they will eat when hungry…

Yeah Pat, I said the same things nearly my entire life. I quoted the "picky dogs are made not born" with all the info on finding a healthy diet and let them go without. Til I had sayblee who truly didn't care about eating and got to the point of being nearly skeletal. We ran every test on earth. I ended up force feeding her 2x a day for months– fortunately if I put it in her mouth and held it shut, she would swallow-- then was told to give cyproheptadine a try. It was a miracle. After dealing with her issues for almost 4 yrs, and her getting so thin her hipbones and back stood out (and like the OP, I tried every additive, raw, homemade lean meats.. nope, she ate enough not to DIE.

With a health issue, you might ask your vet about cyproheptadine. It is an antihistamine they found increases appetite in most mammals (including humans). It absolutely made my life and her's better.

[CrazySenji]

I used Cypoheptadine on my cat when she was ill and it worked very well! I was -this- close to trying it on Elliot because he was doing the "eat enough to survive and nothing more" thing. The vet cleared him of any health issue and insisted it was behavioral. I tried every high quality dry, canned, commercial raw and homemade raw I could find. He'd like it for a day or two and then nothing. I ended up hand feeding him for months and crying myself to sleep. I contacted his breeder and was told pretty much what everyone is saying here.. food down for 15 min and take it away and he will learn to eat. Dry for breakfast and raw for dinner. Being me and a worry wart I didn't fully listen and still hand fed him for awhile longer.

THEN MOMMY HAD ENOUGH! lol I took a month and a half (nearly 2 months) off from shows and trained him to eat right. He went a day and a half with no food and then magically he ate his dinner! Kept skipping breakfast so I moved the time so it was more "brunch" and BAM. He eats! He is my second basenji to not like to eat too early in the morning. My cats and golden retriever eat when ever I give it.. but no one ever said basenjis were easy! Elliot now eats Fromm dry for breakfast and Primal Raw for dinner. Sometimes he skips brunch but I don't freak out anymore and simply adjust the amount he gets for dinner. I am very happy to report that his weight has improved and my stress level has gone way down :).

My Cody would go off his food when the bag was nearly empty and went right back on when I got him a new bag. Later in life he liked a little warm water mixed in but he never skipped a meal up until the day he died.

[QuizBasenji]

@CrazySenji:

My Cody would go off his food when the bag was nearly empty and went right back on when I got him a new bag.

Butu does that too! I wondered if it had started to go off, so I've bought a nice airtight container (but is it Basenji-proof?) in case the resealable doesn't work…I still (anthropomorphic or not...) think he gets bored....

[CrazySenji]

I have one for Elliot and my cats. Works great and no more battling with those horrible zippers they put on bags.

[Tp3]

Basenjis can be picky about a lot of things food is not one if them. Sometimes I wish it was… Funny thing I never thought I'd say that about my B
1st 2 weeks he didn't eat. Long story, but now he eats everything, yep potato chips too.