# What do you do when you pup does not finish the entire bowl of food?



## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

This might seem like an odd question, but my pup does not always finish the entire bowl of food. Thing is, she goes back and forth from her food bowl and takes water breaks and drinks. When she goes back into the food bowl her lips and whiskers are wet and dampens the food. Is it ok to save it for her next feeding or, will the wetness some what degrade the content of the food? I don't want her to get sick from feeding mishandled food.


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## rodrigo (Jun 28, 2011)

give her the food first....when shes done....the serve her her water right before u empty out the food bowl

would seem easy fix....she ll learn to eat when the food is served or wait til the next one


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I always leave the soggy kibbles the rest of the night and then toss them when I fill the next one. But that's just me. I don't think anything would be wrong with re-serving them though. Unless you see mold or something its cool.


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## HeavyJeep (May 7, 2011)

hey you got it good.. most wont stop til its gone, or lightning eat it.. yours is just taking her time, which is healthier anyway.. and soggy food is cool.. thats what I tell people to do to wean their pups on kibble.. add water and let it sit... it would take awhile (more than a whole day) for the water to react and start to degrade the food or cause growth..
Youre good man


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## Drei Raeuber (Feb 11, 2012)

strongmasseters said:


> This might seem like an odd question, but my pup does not always finish the entire bowl of food. Thing is, she goes back and forth from her food bowl and takes water breaks and drinks. When she goes back into the food bowl her lips and whiskers are wet and dampens the food. Is it ok to save it for her next feeding or, will the wetness some what degrade the content of the food? I don't want her to get sick from feeding mishandled food.


If she doesn't completely eat the food. Just take it away once she's done.

Stick to a schedule and never leave the food out for too long and always feed the exact same amount. Use a measuring cup if you have to.

Reduce the portions to what she'll actually eat or a little less than that and feed her two or three times a day instead. If you want to incorporate some yummy stuff (mine like apple, cucumber, chicken whatever your dog likes) you can do that but do not leave the food out with an already picky eater.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

I have a few who dont finish meals regularly. I just remove the bowl and they get it at the next meal. We dont soak kibble or anything so it can be reused next meal. { I dont leave food out as one of my dogs is highly food aggessive , so would cause issues leaving food out}.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

rodrigo said:


> give her the food first....when shes done....the serve her her water right before u empty out the food bowl
> 
> would seem easy fix....she ll learn to eat when the food is served or wait til the next one


Ok I tried this last night and her throat got dry, lol, and she lost her appetite by the time I filled her water bowl :/



ames said:


> I always leave the soggy kibbles the rest of the night and then toss them when I fill the next one. But that's just me. I don't think anything would be wrong with re-serving them though. Unless you see mold or something its cool.


Does making them soggy with water increase appetite? I am trying to get her to eat the amount she should (like she has before). Her appetite is up and down, and for her weight and age she should be eating 2 cup servings. Its on and off though with her appetite. I am taking her to the vet to get her her first set of shots (irresponsible breeder was stupid and didn't do them like they should have at 6 weeks)



HeavyJeep said:


> hey you got it good.. most wont stop til its gone, or lightning eat it.. yours is just taking her time, which is healthier anyway.. and soggy food is cool.. thats what I tell people to do to wean their pups on kibble.. add water and let it sit... it would take awhile (more than a whole day) for the water to react and start to degrade the food or cause growth..
> Youre good man


Thanks! She has eaten food crazy fast before! Her paws/bone structure and loose skin lead me to believe shes gonna be big.



Drei Raeuber said:


> If she doesn't completely eat the food. Just take it away once she's done.
> 
> Stick to a schedule and never leave the food out for too long and always feed the exact same amount. Use a measuring cup if you have to.
> 
> Reduce the portions to what she'll actually eat or a little less than that and feed her two or three times a day instead. If you want to incorporate some yummy stuff (mine like apple, cucumber, chicken whatever your dog likes) you can do that but do not leave the food out with an already picky eater.


Definitely. I feed her at 12 hour intervals.

This is her schedule and I am VERY adamant to following.

-Wake up 6 am immediately out to pee (reward with treat)
-Feed immediately after morning business
-6 pm feeding (4 hour before bed time).
-Remove water bowl at 8 pm (2 hour before bedtime)

Right now I am reading up on crate training and trying to implement the method.



angelbaby said:


> I have a few who dont finish meals regularly. I just remove the bowl and they get it at the next meal. We dont soak kibble or anything so it can be reused next meal. { I dont leave food out as one of my dogs is highly food aggessive , so would cause issues leaving food out}.


Thank you!


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## Drei Raeuber (Feb 11, 2012)

> Right now I am reading up on crate training and trying to implement the method.


Instead of crate training, use crate games. Instead of feeding her, you can use the food to play crate games with her or simply re-place it with high value. I love the Natural Balance Sausage Rolls. They have a strong smell and come in different flavors. Use little portions and do it several times a day, if you have the time for it. That way she gets her food, and you don't overfeed.

Grate Games are an absolutely amazing tool and not only teaches the dog motivation and love for the crate but impulse control and it will help you with so many things later down the road with obedience and other things.

Instead of the sit, personally, I'd use the down, especially when you take your dog with you and he travels in a crate.






I swear on those games. One of my bitches was 15 months old when I got her. Completely green, the epiphany of high drive and Landshark and crate games gave her self-control, impulse control, patience and focus. To top it all off, she learned to love her crate. 

That's definitely one way to crate train your dog. 
Plus, the dogs learns to make a choice for himself, since you don't say anything at all during that training and only reward him in a positive way, you shape the dog and make the dog decide for himself that the crate is a wonderful place to be. Even better, the dog learns to stay until you release the dog in a completely motivational manner. No compulsion, or anything else is used.

Those games have their origin in Agility and they are used by Schutzhund, SAR, Agility and Obedience people and they really work, since they truly have an influence on many different training aspects.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

Drei Raeuber said:


> Instead of crate training, use crate games. Instead of feeding her, you can use the food to play crate games with her or simply re-place it with high value. I love the Natural Balance Sausage Rolls. They have a strong smell and come in different flavors. Use little portions and do it several times a day, if you have the time for it. That way she gets her food, and you don't overfeed.
> 
> Grate Games are an absolutely amazing tool and not only teaches the dog motivation and love for the crate but impulse control and it will help you with so many things later down the road with obedience and other things.
> 
> ...


Sorry I don't mean to sound ignorant, but what is the difference between crate games and crate training? I am a total noob when it comes to crate/potty training. Crate training is when you put your dog in the cage, making sure you don't attend to him/her when they cry. And taking them out at intervals so they can pee/you can reward them for peeing. And crate games is games you can play with your dog to enjoy the crate more? Do they get potty trained as well as crate trained?


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## Drei Raeuber (Feb 11, 2012)

strongmasseters said:


> Sorry I don't mean to sound ignorant, but what is the difference between crate games and crate training? I am a total noob when it comes to crate/potty training. Crate training is when you put your dog in the cage, making sure you don't attend to him/her when they cry. And taking them out at intervals so they can pee/you can reward them for peeing. And crate games is games you can play with your dog to enjoy the crate more? Do they get potty trained as well as crate trained?


Crate Games is a form of Crate Training. 
Crate Training teaches a dog to rest and sleep in a crate. But what happens as soon as you open the door? The dogs bolt out. When you have a dog in the car, what happens when you open the car door? The dog bolts out the door. What happen when you open the front door? Most dogs bolt out. 
When you have a ball in your hand and your dog is extremely driven and you take the ball off that table, some dogs jump for the ball an get your hand in the process. My dog would steal an apple right out of my hand.

Now what does that have to do with Crate Games?

With Crate Games you make the dog decide for himself, he doesn't just rest in the crate, he learns to love the crate and to decide for himself that it's better and more beneficial to stay in the crate until YOU release the dog. And all that has a huge impact in anything you do. 
Through these games she learned to sit and wait rather than acting on her impulses. It's all about controlling their impulses and you don't need the yank and crank method for it and the best thing is, THEY THINK it's in their best interest and decide for themselves.

The dog learns to listen and focus on what you do, they get motivated and have fun being in the crate and work with you. Especially a puppy that age is perfect to start out with those games.

Nala did not know what the down is, nor did I teach her the stay command. Through the crate games, once she learned the down, she stayed down automatically just because she learned to wait for my release through the games.

Many people teach the down first and then the stay command and it takes ages to build up a stay under distractions. Etc etc etc.

With the crate games, you can do all that from the very beginning.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

Drei Raeuber said:


> Crate Games is a form of Crate Training.
> Crate Training teaches a dog to rest and sleep in a crate. But what happens as soon as you open the door? The dogs bolt out. When you have a dog in the car, what happens when you open the car door? The dog bolts out the door. What happen when you open the front door? Most dogs bolt out.
> When you have a ball in your hand and your dog is extremely driven and you take the ball off that table, some dogs jump for the ball an get your hand in the process. My dog would steal an apple right out of my hand.
> 
> ...


Thank you VERY much! Ok then crate games it is. This might be totally irrelevant, but when trying to potty train...when they get used to lovin the crate they don't crap where they sleep...so by crate training its beneficial in the way they try to hold their pee/poop in then capitalize on praising them when outside to pee/poop (since they'll be loaded).


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## Drei Raeuber (Feb 11, 2012)

strongmasseters said:


> Thank you VERY much! Ok then crate games it is. This might be totally irrelevant, but when trying to potty train...when they get used to lovin the crate they don't crap where they sleep...so by crate training its beneficial in the way they try to hold their pee/poop in then capitalize on praising them when outside to pee/poop (since they'll be loaded).


No worries, they won't poop into the crate. 

There is a lot of material on crate games on youtube.


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## Kingsgurl (Dec 16, 2011)

> Does making them soggy with water increase appetite? I am trying to get her to eat the amount she should (like she has before). Her appetite is up and down, and for her weight and age she should be eating 2 cup servings.


 She's 11 weeks? 2 cups of food is a lot per serving.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

Kingsgurl said:


> She's 11 weeks? 2 cups of food is a lot per serving.


Really? Its starting to really worry me now I am have to cut up treates and mix them so she at least eats half the bowl. This is the guide I am following:

Large Breed Lamb and Rice Puppy Food - Diamond Pet Foods

Pitbulls are large breeds right? I got this food recommended to me by someone in this forum. Also her energy expenditure is not high, and not by choice. I am waiting for the weekend to give her her first set of shots since the stupid breeder didn't give the first set at 6 weeks. I am worried if I take her for a walk she will catch something from another dog.

So could it be the combination of: location change, new dog food (they were feeding her benefull...gross), and lack of walks?

Her head has gotten bigger but it does look like she has leaned up a bit.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

No they are not large breeds. Id just stick with normal puppy food and we usually did 1 cup per feeding 3x a day for those under 4 months then 2x a day after that. What they dont eat pick up and remove after meal time. Here its about 15-20 min for eating then dishes get picked up. They will eat when hungry. Also watering it down is only needed if there teeth arent fully in usually by 8 weeks they should be able to eat kibble unsoaked 10 weeks max.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

as long as she is healthy you should be good, but agree with Angel, this is not a large breed. That is more for dogs who will end up being over 125lbs+ typically. Also, the bags will tell you to use more food because then you need to buy more food faster. 

Find out what works for your pup, if she is eating less adjust, if she is eating more, adjust, basically until she is older and you can gauge her weight easier and she isn't getting growth spurts and what not. My boy is 3, neutered, and gets 3/4 cup of kibbles 2 times a day. When he was a puppy he ate 1 1/2 cups 3 times a day.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

angelbaby said:


> No they are not large breeds. Id just stick with normal puppy food and we usually did 1 cup per feeding 3x a day for those under 4 months then 2x a day after that. What they dont eat pick up and remove after meal time. Here its about 15-20 min for eating then dishes get picked up. They will eat when hungry. Also watering it down is only needed if there teeth arent fully in usually by 8 weeks they should be able to eat kibble unsoaked 10 weeks max.


THANK YOU SO MUCH. I was sooooo worried about her. Like I was in class and couldn't even concentrate about what the teacher was saying because all I could think about was my pup not getting bigger.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

if your ever worried about weight post pics we can say if she is too thin. I wouldnt compare a puppy to any other though they are each different. You will notice her appetite increase like mentioned above if they hit a growth spurt and then it may die of and seem like she is hardly eating its normal. As long as she is drinking, active , alert, stools are normal and isnt losing weight its most likely ok.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

ames said:


> as long as she is healthy you should be good, but agree with Angel, this is not a large breed. That is more for dogs who will end up being over 125lbs+ typically. Also, the bags will tell you to use more food because then you need to buy more food faster.
> 
> Find out what works for your pup, if she is eating less adjust, if she is eating more, adjust, basically until she is older and you can gauge her weight easier and she isn't getting growth spurts and what not. My boy is 3, neutered, and gets 3/4 cup of kibbles 2 times a day. When he was a puppy he ate 1 1/2 cups 3 times a day.


Thank you! What did you feed him as a pup? I heard they will eat more if you get them something like beneful/kibbles.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

benful is garbage. Eating moer isnt always best I find a higher quality kibble they will eat less as they dont need as much to get the nutrients they need and in turn feel fuller on a smaller amount. I hear alot of people talking about going through 3-4 bags of cheap food a month and then switch to a better kibble and notice they only use 1.5-2 bags a month. I would stick to a good quality , things like acana, orijen, BB wilderness, TOTW , Kirkland if your on a budget { costco brand}.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

angelbaby said:


> benful is garbage. Eating moer isnt always best I find a higher quality kibble they will eat less as they dont need as much to get the nutrients they need and in turn feel fuller on a smaller amount. I hear alot of people talking about going through 3-4 bags of cheap food a month and then switch to a better kibble and notice they only use 1.5-2 bags a month. I would stick to a good quality , things like acana, orijen, BB wilderness, TOTW , Kirkland if your on a budget { costco brand}.


Yea that's why I figured her pup ate more than mine. I am gonna stick with Diamond Naturals, but I might try TOTW somewhere down the line. I don't want to keep switching her food just yet...I'm afraid she will get stomach pains and diarrhea.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

Ya I havent used diamonds but have heard some say good things about it. If its working for your dog no reason to switch.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

strongmasseters said:


> Thank you! What did you feed him as a pup? I heard they will eat more if you get them something like beneful/kibbles.


Ugh I had to try so so many things, lol. he had a bad belly for so long, seriously off and on for 2 years. I would use the pet rating website every time I realized the latest kind was not working and usually tried not to get a food under the 4 star rating. Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble He never really cared or had accidents when he had a bad belly, I just felt so bad for him. Finally after the long haul he has seasonal allergies in the spring and summer so he needs Benedryl and he can't have grains. He is on Blue Buffalo Wilderness, which is grain free. I also add a tablespoon of pumpkin puree, about a tablespoon of fish oil and some Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother). He only gets the fish oil once a day though.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

ames said:


> Ugh I had to try so so many things, lol. he had a bad belly for so long, seriously off and on for 2 years. I would use the pet rating website every time I realized the latest kind was not working and usually tried not to get a food under the 4 star rating. Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble He never really cared or had accidents when he had a bad belly, I just felt so bad for him. Finally after the long haul he has seasonal allergies in the spring and summer so he needs Benedryl and he can't have grains. He is on Blue Buffalo Wilderness, which is grain free. I also add a tablespoon of pumpkin puree, about a tablespoon of fish oil and some Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother). He only gets the fish oil once a day though.


Ok this might sound kinda funny...but by having a bad belly for the food...did he have lots of gas? Lol. This food that I am feeding my pup makes her stink the whole room up, its bad. Like we will be laying down playing and all of a sudden she will look at me, then vuuuuuuuurrmt. Maybe she might not like the 'rice' in it since I am sure dogs don't need that.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

strongmasseters said:


> Ok this might sound kinda funny...but by having a bad belly for the food...did he have lots of gas? Lol. This food that I am feeding my pup makes her stink the whole room up, its bad. Like we will be laying down playing and all of a sudden she will look at me, then vuuuuuuuurrmt. Maybe she might not like the 'rice' in it since I am sure dogs don't need that.


OMG YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS I would run away sometimes it was HORRIBLE. lol now he squeaks and it doesn't stink at all! Which is awesome, but stinks (no pun intended) for me cause I can't blame him for it anymore lol.

In regards to rice, I feel terrible, my boy would get a bad belly, I would put him on hamburg or chicken and rice to help him get better, it would help but not 100%. THEN when I went grain free I realized I was giving him rice to make his belly better that did not do well with grains. and felt super dumb, lol. Also, when he works a lot and we do a lot of exercise I supplement his food with green beans. Gives him more to fill his belly and help burn but not additional weight. But I am watching his weight, not trying for him to gain so it depends on what you are looking for.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

ames said:


> OMG YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS I would run away sometimes it was HORRIBLE. lol now he squeaks and it doesn't stink at all! Which is awesome, but stinks (no pun intended) for me cause I can't blame him for it anymore lol.
> 
> In regards to rice, I feel terrible, my boy would get a bad belly, I would put him on hamburg or chicken and rice to help him get better, it would help but not 100%. THEN when I went grain free I realized I was giving him rice to make his belly better that did not do well with grains. and felt super dumb, lol. Also, when he works a lot and we do a lot of exercise I supplement his food with green beans. Gives him more to fill his belly and help burn but not additional weight. But I am watching his weight, not trying for him to gain so it depends on what you are looking for.


Well since shes only 10-11 weeks, I am definitely just trying to make sure she is fully nourished to not short change her genetic potential. I LOVE big (apbt standard of big not great dane big lol) dogs. I can't wait till shes older so I can spoon her LOL!

But Taste of the Wild doesn't have grains in it I believe, so I am definitely going to look into getting that for her next.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

strongmasseters said:


> Well since shes only 10-11 weeks, I am definitely just trying to make sure she is fully nourished to not short change her genetic potential. I LOVE big (apbt standard of big not great dane big lol) dogs. I can't wait till shes older so I can spoon her LOL!
> 
> But Taste of the Wild doesn't have grains in it I believe, so I am definitely going to look into getting that for her next.


haha nice! Totally understand. Genetics play a role too on actual size, not all the time though. Just like most dogs you can double their weight at 4 months to see how much they might weigh as an adult. (not all the time but usually works this way) Sometimes brands make 2 kinds, one with grain and a similar named one without grains if you are thinking of trying that route with TOTW, lol I don;t remember if that one had 2 like BB does.


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## Drei Raeuber (Feb 11, 2012)

I'm feeding diamond and mix it up with TOTW. 

I switch between the different diamond brands. That being said. My dogs are 81pounds, 72 pounds and 61 pounds. All three of them get two to three cups a day. In comparison that is less what your puppy gets. 

Go away from the large breed food. You don't necessarily have to feed puppy food but large breed is a bit too much. I know TOTW is like 40 dollars for a 30/40 pound bag but it'll last quite a while. Feed one cup (if even one cup) in the morning and another cup in the evening. 

Or go and use the Maintenance Diamond instead. 

If you know where to get Kefir, get some Kefir and add a little to the food, it's very good for digestion and the dogs love it.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

Drei Raeuber said:


> I'm feeding diamond and mix it up with TOTW.
> 
> I switch between the different diamond brands. That being said. My dogs are 81pounds, 72 pounds and 61 pounds. All three of them get two to three cups a day. In comparison that is less what your puppy gets.
> 
> ...


Well I see what I was doing wrong. I now feed her in her 'den' aka kennel and leave her in there for 20 minutes. Shes eating it all up now. Also, it is puppy food for larger breeds, not large breed adult dog food. She loves it now.


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## strongmasseters (Feb 9, 2012)

ames said:


> haha nice! Totally understand. Genetics play a role too on actual size, not all the time though. Just like most dogs you can double their weight at 4 months to see how much they might weigh as an adult. (not all the time but usually works this way) Sometimes brands make 2 kinds, one with grain and a similar named one without grains if you are thinking of trying that route with TOTW, lol I don;t remember if that one had 2 like BB does.


Also I love your pups head. I am a huge fan of the broad skull and muscular chest, and the tapers to the back look. I will never get bored of the pitbulls aesthetics.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

strongmasseters said:


> Also I love your pups head. I am a huge fan of the broad skull and muscular chest, and the tapers to the back look. I will never get bored of the pitbulls aesthetics.


thank you very much. I could not agree more, love seeing the pictures of all the pups, so fun to see each one's personalty and character come though


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