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So... I have a 3 yr old Min-Pin (5lbs) and a 1 yr old Yorkie (6.5lbs) who are both fussy eaters or they just dont like the food I give them. They used to be on royal canin, but wouldn't eat it, so now i switched them to Innova small breed, and they are becoming increasingly fussy with this as well. They will eat any kind of cheap treats/bones and love the Occasional Alpo or kibbles n bits when they visit the in laws. I just want the best food for them. Cost is not a factor given their size. Any suggestions??
Also being that the Min Pin is so small for her breed are there any special considerations concerning nutrition?
If the MP is small, active and otherwise healthy - but not skinny - I wouldnt worry about it, it's prob. her genes, some are big boned and some are small boned.
Re the food - Royal Canin is good and so is Innova - I know many say put the bowls down for 10 min and if they dont eat, pick it up - while I wouldnt coddle them, maybe would put a small spoonful of cottage cheese, scrambled egg or cut-up chicken or even low-sodium chicken broth and nuke it for a few seconds - the scent may get them going (eating). On the other hand, maybe you're expecting them to eat too much - they are very small - maybe would feed them 2 or 3x a day and see how that goes. Another thought, maybe adding a little water to the kibble would help soften it. Am assuming there's no tooth problems, given their young ages but I prob. wouldnt worry about it as long as they're eating something during the course of the day.
I have a tiny maltipoo and he doesn't eat a lot at any one time but I do feed him twice a day. I usually put some wet food in the kibble. As long as they are eating 'something' I wouldn't worry. If they are just refusing to eat then just pick it up and try again later. If you are giving them treats you need to stop if they aren't eating their food.
If you haven't had your Yorkie's teeth checked you might want to be sure he doesn't still have his baby teeth and adult teeth. It is pretty common in small dogs, their baby teeth don't fall out. My yorkie and my 1 yo maltipoo both had to have their baby teeth pulled.
Mealtime should be yummy and fun. We give our little dog canned Nat. Balance and it is always a hit. We sometimes add fresh lamb. We give her healthful treats also. Food should make them happy, so maybe you can find a new food.
If your MinPin is a purebred, then the average height is between 10" and 12" at the shoulder and it should weigh closer to 8-10 lbs.
MinPins should appear slim but not skinny. If your MinPin is looking skinny then try some Satin Balls. Here is the recipe...Holistic Dog - Satinballs Satin Balls
If your MinPin is a purebred, then the average height is between 10" and 12" at the shoulder and it should weigh closer to 8-10 lbs.
MinPins should appear slim but not skinny. If your MinPin is looking skinny then try some Satin Balls. Here is the recipe...Holistic Dog - Satinballs Satin Balls
Yep.. Satin Balls work especially at 500 cal a piece.
My yorkie is an extremely picky eater and I used a lot of the things suggested by Honeycrisp. Other folks have also tried sprinkling parmesean cheese. Lucy loves her dry food mixed with cooked carrots. Don't ask me why.
I think some little dogs are just picky eaters. Plus, Lucy has liver issues and those dogs are usually picky.
Col W. Deering my min pin is a pure bred and is 5 lbs, probably just the runt of the litter or a result of selective breeding, but thank you for the informative comment.
Thank you everyone for your advice, i guess i'll just start mixing some good quality canned food with their dry as i have done a few times, i just didnt want to make a habbit for the next 15 or so years. My mother got in the habbit of cooking chopped meat to mix with her mastiffs dry food, and now he will refuse food for days if there is no meat. I always thought that dry food is best for their dental health in the long run?
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