Dutch Shepherd Forum

While we are on the topic of food and bathing (Ozzy gets a bath whenever the "perfume du dog" gets a little too intense! range: )
... anyway, my question is about feeding. I actually have an issue with getting Ozzy to eat a meal straight through. He gets distracted and leaves his bowl and I have to walk him back, sometimes he will go right back to it and sometimes we have to wait 15 - 30 minutes. He is not underweight (60 Lbs) or malnurished so I don't think its a big health issue. Just curious if others have this problem and how you have dealt with it.

Maybe Ozzy is getting more food then he needs? Or getting attention for not eating? If he doesn't eat on his own within 10 - 15 min, I would take his dish away until next meal. Are you feeding 2 times a day?

I agree with Sue, take it away after 10 minutes or so and then he can wait until the next feeding. If he is not underweight then I wouldnt worry, but he may be lackadaisical about eating. If Ozzy is the only dog then there is no threat for him to eat it so no one else takes it.

I agree too! Pick it up and give him the leftovers at the next feeding. Don't play games or you'll end up with a problem eater. Maybe time to take one feeding off the schedule. If you only feed once a day, then don't offer the food back until the next day. I would pick it up the minute the dog walks away---no second chance.

If the dog is healthy, I too practice tough love. If you walk off, you're not hungry enough. Better luck next meal. (and that could be in 24 hours) I pick it up the moment they walk off. It might take some tries before the dog figures what's going wrong, but they have all learned.

Thanks everyone for the great advice, I will definitely give it a try. He gets a bowl of kibble in the morning and then a kibble/can mix in the evening. We'll try going to one meal a day and practicing tough love until he get's it!

on the subject of one or two meals. Being from the horse world and "grazers" I feed 3 times a day, they both gobble up the food and I dont have any issues. I just like spreading out their food. Sadie gets about 3lbs raw and Thalie 2lbs raw. I know they are dogs and wolves eat when they can. So does stuffing 3lbs at once into them is safe? you may laugh at me know for sounding silly.

If it work for you--great. I feed 2 meals here/thinking of going to 1 as the girls are a bit heavy right now. Maybe it's all the training treats. (Bianca doesn't earn hers, but heck she's old, and I don't care.)

Im just thinking for some days when they go to day care to feed them one bigger meal in the morning so they dont have to feed them.

Uh oh, I am starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong...I have always let Diesel eat at his leisure, not to say I fill his dish as soon as it empties but he eats as much as he needs and walks away. Halo eats 2 times per day because she will over-eat. Diesel has always maintained a healthy weight so I didn't mind letting him eat as he pleased. (He will not touch a single kiblle unless I am home) Halo is trained not to touch Diesels food.

Am I totally wrong to allow this?

Lots of people "free feed", but I prefer to offer it, take it back if it's not eaten/or they walk away. This prevents "fussy" eaters, and contributes to you being one of the driving forces in his life. After all, what's more basic than food?

I am with alspyce in this. It comes down to personal preference, but I personally see the advantage of coming to dinner when it is served.

Sorry, was busy so late answers

vneerland wrote: Wasverzachter. In the form of a 25x15cm piece of 'fabric' that is heavily scented, and that gets put in the dryer along with the clothes. I know you have them over there, but they are not popular?

ehm, I have never noticed them in the "Kaufland" (German "Wallmart") but will look for it next time... Overhere I think most people use the one you add in the washing machine, and that's it. There also still are plenty of people who do not own/use a dryer...just hang it in the sun, I prefer that way any day. LOVE that smell! Unless they just put "gier" (=cow-shit) on the fields...

vneerland wrote:And yes Marjolein, b4 you are tempted to say something ....we wash our dogs over here. If not a lot, we are pretty proud of the fact that we actually clean them more than once in their lives (after they rolled in dead fish or something)
Heheh. Sorry. Could not resist, but oodels of people over in Europe think a dog never ever needs a bath. And I usually beg to differ. *snif, snif*

eh-heh I have dirty dogs yes, according to your beliefs Never wash them. Seriously. If they rolled in something I tend to let them get a ball out of the lake 10 times rather than use soap. And honestly, my dogs don't smell at all. No really I think most people in Europe believe it is bad for the skin to wash them.
Ivil does get washed if she needs to, Dingo only when he has rolled in something REALLY disgusting... he does not like the wash...and I do not like fighting a wet pissed off pooch with that green shine in his eyes... I know, I'm a sissy

How often would you guys wash a dog? Once a month?


ow, and on the feeding, I have never had a dog that leaves his bowl yet, even guest dogs that came to stay and were "difficult eaters" according to their owners never left their bowl overhere, or at least no longer than 2 days Leave your food=food is gone

Lyric loves her baths so much that she jumps into the tub every time I forget to close the doors. I use this little scrubber and she just loves it! Tries to get the water as it comes from the bath hose too. She thinks the whole process is just the best.

Another thing to keep in mind about how many feedings/day...dogs that are fed twice are much less likely to bloat, especially if you feed kibble.

So, if your dog is getting a bit chunky...instead of going to one big feeding, go to two really small ones and remember to add in the training treats. Animals (including us, of course ) metabolize and utilize food better when it's spread out over the day.

There are so many reasons not to free feed. Here's a great one...you have to give your dog something from the vet...it's much easier to give in food, whatever it is...so, Bam, here's your food, Bam, supplement/whatever is gone and inside your dog .

I don't even free feed my cats...nature doesn't provide an endless buffet

Bathing? Never did, only my old pet dog when rolled in something digusting.. Thet can swim it of.

We have dryer sheets ( Mar, robijn heeft ze) but never got very pouplar here, just the wasverzachter in the dryer. I would prefer hanging in the sun, but 6/7 washes a week, so it just dont work here..so dryer it is!

I will bath the dogs once every several months or if they roll in something disgusting. Just last month Halo decided to stick her head under Diesel's leg while he was peeing and so she got a bath because her pretty white fur was yellow.
I will sometimes give them a wipe with a damp cloth just to get some of the dirt off them. I really don't like petting a dog and then your hand feels dirty.

I wonder if the people that don't bathe their dogs...do they (the dogs) go swimming?

Sugars Mom wrote:I wonder if the people that don't bathe their dogs...do they (the dogs) go swimming?

in ou case, they do

If we would live in New York city or Los Angeles. they probably would get a regular bath with shampoo and all to get the smog, air pollutions and toxins off their fur.

I really dont remember the last time I gave Thalie a bath, even with the rolling in the dirt and what ever else she rolls in during our rides, she dosnt smell, well, unless you stick your nose way in her coat. Although I may just be used to it.