Hi guys! I am feeding my 6 month old husky puppy blue wilderness food, and he doesn't really like it. It seems like he prefers the Red Meat flavor, but even then, he doesnt really eat it unless I mix it with yogurt and peanut butter or scrambled eggs. He eats even less of the Chicken & Bison flavors. This food has really done good for his growth, but I am tired of having to baby him for each meal when he doesn't enjoy his food. He goes crazy over a friend's dog's Beneful food, but I dont want him to eat that especially since their dog is underweight. Do yall have any suggestions of another high protein food that I can buy at Petsmart? Preferably one that has various flavors in the puppy& adult formulas? THANKS!

My two (well, mine and my "grandpuppy") really like the Taste of the WIld. Don't know if you can get it at Petsmart but Tractor Supply carries it. The High Prairie is, if I remember correctly 32% protein.

How much are you feeding - son and DIL were saying that Archer no longer liked his food and we were talking about swapping bags. Then it turns out, since Josh has been back and doing the feeding, he was feeding him TWICE what he should have been. Cut back on the food to normal rations...loves his food, now. again.

Based on the feeding chart, I can feed him 2.5- 3.5 cups daily but he doesnt eat that much. It's a struggle, but i get him to eat 2.5 cups daily. 1.25 for brunch& dinner.
Do you have any other recommendations, other than TOTW? It costs over $75 in my area:( . I would like to keep that option for later, if no other food works out. Right now I'm paying $60 for Blue Buffalo, and we go through a 22lb bag every 3-4 weeks

Generally huskies require less food than the feeding charts provided by the food company.

My pups only eat about 2-3 cups per day. When Kesler was younger, he was getting about the same, and I used his *ahem* pooping frequency to gauge how much to feed him. With growing puppies, you can change the amounts a bit, as they go through growth spurts just like humans.

I agree with the above. Depending on what his weight actually is, being 6 months old may look like he is extremely underweight. I know Gabby looked really scrawny at that age. She grew a lot in height and length around that time. Her body just needed time to fill out and grow with the rest of her.

That's a lot for TOTW - you are in Louisville, KY? Tractor Supply has 30# TOTW for 47.99. And every few months it goes on sale.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/SearchDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&categoryId=524&pageView=image&beginIndex=0&pageSize=&searchTerm=&filterTerm=&manufacturer=&minPrice=&maxPrice=&searchTermScope=&searchType=1000&sType=SimpleSearch&metaData=&facet=ads_f4_ntk_cs%253ATaste%2Bof%2Bthe%2BWild%2526trade%253B%3CFCT%40SP%3E&hasSelectedBrandFacet=1&resultCatEntryType=&showResultsPage=true&bCrumbCatIds=%2C524&Taste+of+the+Wild%26trade%3B+%2823%29=Taste+of+the+Wild%E2%84%A2%5E23%5Eads_f4_ntk_cs%253ATaste%2Bof%2Bthe%2BWild%2526trade%253B&brandFacet=Taste+of+the+Wild%E2%84%A2

lepp1892 wrote:

I agree with the above. Depending on what his weight actually is, being 6 months old may look like he is extremely underweight. I know Gabby looked really scrawny at that age. She grew a lot in height and length around that time. Her body just needed time to fill out and grow with the rest of her.

Kodi isn't underweight. At 5 months, he weighed 41.5 lbs. I don't remember what he weighed at his 6 month appointment, but he is looking really good. The vet is always complimenting how he gains so much each time he gets weighed. The problem we're having is that I have to force him to eat each meal.

amymeme wrote:

That's a lot for TOTW - you are in Louisville, KY?  Tractor Supply has 30# TOTW for 47.99.  And every few months it goes on sale.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/SearchDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&categoryId=524&pageView=image&beginIndex=0&pageSize=&searchTerm=&filterTerm=&manufacturer=&minPrice=&maxPrice=&searchTermScope=&searchType=1000&sType=SimpleSearch&metaData=&facet=ads_f4_ntk_cs%253ATaste%2Bof%2Bthe%2BWild%2526trade%253B%3CFCT%40SP%3E&hasSelectedBrandFacet=1&resultCatEntryType=&showResultsPage=true&bCrumbCatIds=%2C524&Taste+of+the+Wild%26trade%3B+%2823%29=Taste+of+the+Wild%E2%84%A2%5E23%5Eads_f4_ntk_cs%253ATaste%2Bof%2Bthe%2BWild%2526trade%253B&brandFacet=Taste+of+the+Wild%E2%84%A2

Wow that is a big price difference!! Maybe Feeder Supply upped the prices, I will have to verify with them, if not I will drive the extra 15 minutes for Tractor Supply! Thanks for the price check!!!

If you're satisfied with his weight, I would not try to force him to eat. Offer him the food, leave it for a bit, if he doesn't eat it, remove it. It's a rare dog that will starve itself over time if food is available. Since Ami has been sleeping inside at night and not playing with Archer so much, he is not too interested in his morning meal. Since he's healthy, full of energy and eats like a trooper later in the day, I let it go...though I can get worked up about it if I try

I've read that he wouldn't starve himself, but he is weird... Several times I have tried taking up the food after a few minutes, and try again at the next meal. When I did that, he only ate 1/2 cup of food the whole day. I feel so guilty when he eats so little. He will eat if I mix boiled chicken, yogurt, or scrambled eggs. Sometimes he gets tired of that too!
How many days would you say is enough, when he only eats 1/2 cup of food if I leave it up to him...? So far I have only done it one day at a time, because I feel like I'm being mean..

Btw, I recently got this last bag of their last flavor (bison), and will be changing brands in maybe 3 weeks. No more Blue Wilderness for my picky eater.

How much does he weigh? You may be just feeding too much. Try going to 3/4 to 1 cup twice a day for a few days and see how the appetite goes. No snacks, no treats in the food.

You also don't want to coddle him too much by adding all that extra stuff....he may be testing you by holding out for the good stuff!!

Just to give an idea, a 15 pound bag of TOTW will go me 5-6 weeks. There are some online sites that do offer frequent buyers offers like buy 9 bags get the 10th free. Also huskies are good at regulating themselves, so some days they may not want to eat as much, I based my feeding on how active my girl is, so I give 1-2 cups kibble daily(one cup on a low active day and 2 cups high active day). Most huskies, including mine who is way above standard in weight will typically require 25% less food then what the bag recommends. Being your dog is under a year, you can certainly feed more than what I feed, but not much more, they just don't eat a lot of food, you will know if you are over feeding by leftovers, and pudding poo......

Thanks you guys for the information!

Blue Wilderness made Finley sick so we changed to Biljack dog food. It was ok. What Finley and Chloe really love is the Kirkland Lamb Adult Dog Food from Costco. I have researched it and it has been rated above average from the two articles I read. I do not measure my dog food. I fill up the two bowls in the morning and they eat when they want. When Finley was a pup I had to hand feed him or fill up his Kong but now he does it fine on his own. Somedays he will eat 3 times a day and sometimes 2 and now and then only once a day. He is a funny eater and drinker and he does both of them laying down on his stomach. It's quite a picture.

... or you can come over here and get TOTW 30# bags for US$42.99 from TSC but it probably wouldn't be worth the trip unless you bought a lot (I'm over in Texas, BTW) ... just a thought, if you buy it on-line from *my* TSC what price would you be charged?

A comment that has been made and you sorta echoed ... "No healthy dog is going to starve themselves setting beside a bowl of good quality dog food."  My personal take on this resembles that remark ... if your dog is vet certified as being in good health (and it sounds like he is) and you're trying for a good quality food (and it sounds like you are) then to me it becomes a matter of "you either eat it now or go hungry".  Some of these dogs, once you start treating them with food, won't eat unless it's all decked out for them ... in my mind "uh, too bad, you're gonna learn!"

Now, with that said, some dogs just eat what they want, when they want.  I free feed my Alaskan because he nibbles his way though his three - four cups in three to four days ... yes, he looks underweight - more like a greyhound than a Husky - but he likes to run and play, is in good health - he just doesn't eat much.

Final note, all these dogs are different - some will eat anything and everything they can (my Sasha) and even on a diet they'll put on weight.  As long as he's in good health, I'd be less concerned how much he eats and how often - you may be training him to overeat as he gets older and his metabolism stabilizes - I'd be more concerned that he's eating enough to put on weight gradually as he grows.