I've been meaning to post about this. It's been driving my gf nuts.
Mylo has developed this thing with his food, here's a typical scene:
Hey Mylo breakfast time boy! Bowl is on the floor, he isn't too interested but proceeds to sit. After I give him the command to go ahead and eat he then goes and gets a couple of pieces just to drop them outside of the bowl. This is an act. The following only works when my gf does it. She has discovered that when she gets closer to him, he then starts to eat. Sometimes she's just moving her leg On the bed and he continues eating. Is like he's waiting for something to happen around him to eat.

Okay that's the 1st new thing.
Here's the 2nd thing.

As some you may know, there's another dog in the house. His name is Prince, he's bigger (In size) than him and don't get along perfectly. But prince is mostly outside. Anyway, he obviously eats cheaper food provided (not provided by us). Mylo seems to be really interested in his food compared to his own..especially for breakfast. But Prince always eats outside. But there are times when there's a piece or two of his kibble in the house and Mylo eats the bit of course. Maybe that's why he's curious about that food cause it's different from his?

In conclusion, Mylo eventually eats. He doesn't act around in dinner, he eats normally with no "triggers". I don't know what to make about the getting close to him and he starts eating though that's a new development.
I would really like to see yalls opinion on this.

And Just to clarify, Prince isn't "our" dog. He's just happens to be there.

Dave - any chance you are feeding too much? Skipping breakfast is always the first thing Ami does when he's getting too much food. Dogs that are done with growing don't need as many calories as younger pups and making that transition from feeding a growing dog and an adult dog can be hard to find the balance.

As for the other dogs food? I notice that when Archer is here, Ami NEVER skips a meal...even if he isn't all that hungry. I suspect that's because Archer is the original garbage disposal and snarfs up every speck of food available. If Ami doesn't eat it pronto, its gone.

Ami also does the "sit next to me (or hand feed me) and I'll eat my dinner" Usually its on a day or two where we've been really busy or Ami has been outside by himself (his choice) for more than usual.

While I, in general, agree with Amy's comment one she missed is that that 'cheaper' food might have flavoring added that makes it more appealing to Mylo.

Sky and Avalanche are driving *me* nuts at the moment, they'll eat each others food - I presume because it's different - but aren't enthused about their own. Avalanche seldom eats 'breakfast' but I put it out for him for those rare days when he will eat which means I have to be aware of it when Sky goes out or she'll chow down on all his food (remember, I free feed him but not her)

Argh, aren't these pups a real mess - especially when it comes to playing with our heads?!?!?!?!

Hmm feeding too much? Haven't thought about that one.
He's been on TOTW for the past three months. He gets a half cup for breakfast and nearly a full 1 cup for lunch. And a little over a half cup for dinner. The thing about feeding him less is that he went down 5% (25%) in protein compared to what he was getting with Fromm (30%). He has been maintaining his weight very well through the summer. 40-44lbs. I'm worried that he will get too light if I feed him less.
Maybe he should just get a full cup at lunch time then nearly another full cup for dinner. It might just be trying to find a balance as you said. But the important thing is that Mylo isn't skipping meals and eventually eats.

Funny you mentioned Ami's hand feeding thing haha Mylo gets like that sometimes too.

aljones wrote:

While I, in general, agree with Amy's comment one she missed is that that 'cheaper' food might have flavoring added that makes it more appealing to Mylo.

Sky and Avalanche are driving *me* nuts at the moment, they'll eat each others food - I presume because it's different - but aren't enthused about their own.  Avalanche seldom eats 'breakfast' but I put it out for him for those rare days when he will eat which means I have to be aware of it when Sky goes out or she'll chow down on all his food (remember, I free feed him but not her)

Argh, aren't these pups a real mess - especially when it comes to playing with our heads?!?!?!?!

Prince eats Science Diet and it has a stronger smell, way more than TOTW. Again he's not our dog, they feed him that since that's what the vet said. My gf's mom has actually been contemplating about re-homing Prince.

I agree Al..playing with our heads. Its not bothering me as much as it is to my gf though lol

I think a thread could be started on weird things our huskies do regarding their food and pretty much everyone would probably have something to contribute, haha. When I had Anuschka, she always left exactly two kibbles in her bowl when she was finished...without fail, her entire life...why? I have no clue. Mishka likes to be hand fed, and Kohdi sounds a bit like Mylo in that either I, or Mishka, have to be in the room next to him for him to really chow down. Of course he will eventually eat if we are not there, but he seems more content if one or both of us are with him...Mishka knows this, when she is finished with her meal, she goes and lays next to Kohdi until he finishes eating, then she will get up and leave. I know, it's all weird, lol.

On the second part, I agree with Al. Less expensive brands often add odors/flavors to the food to make it more desirable to dogs. You gotta admit that often the stinkiest things make our dogs go crazy, haha, and the food manufacturers have figured that out. Last time my two were at the vet, there were treats in the waiting room and examining room, my two LOVED them so I asked what they were, they are Hills Prescription Diet for dental care...I bought a bag for them, oh my lord are they the stinkiest things, and these two have no issues wolfing them down, haha.

Dave - Ami is an oversized Siberian: 25.5-26" at the whithers and a good weight for him is somewhere around 70-73# He eats TOTW High Prairie (32% protein, 18% fat, if I remember correctly.) He gets 3/4 C in the morning, 3/4 C late afternoon/early evening and maybe 1/4 C at bedtime (midnight-3 AM...don't go there ) He almost always gets a raw beef bone during the day with at least a few bits of meat and sinew on it. As well as tidbits from hubby at dinner (half a cheese stick OR 2 ish tablespoons of mashed potato/rice/pasta, gets to lick out the broccoli/green bean/brussels sprouts pan depending on whats for dinner. Occasionally he'll get an egg at breakfast or if I'm cooking hamburger, ground pork, ground turkey or chicken, I'll give him maybe an ounce or so of raw meat.

Not to mention, I suspect he is eating critters when I am not looking (we used to have a ton of rabbits, woodchucks, voles, field mice and birds...not so much anymore) And, he scarfs down the raspberries before I get to them.

With this, he still has a tendancy to put on weight and I cut back on both his treats and kibble. Mylo is considerably smaller, if I remember correctly, no? Maybe that can give you a rough guideline.

Also - Al is correct. Cheap kibbles can contain meat "digest" which some have described as doggy crack. Ami usually won't even look at a milk bone when people offer but when the Fedex guy gave him biscuit, after I said he wouldn't eat it, he gobbled it down with alacrity. The Fedex guy then explained his vet told him to get the cheapest dog biscuits he could find, that they would have "digest" in them and dogs love them. Yup, yes they do!

Kenzi spits out her kibble too sometimes. My dad's hunting dog would do the same. It's like they taste test with the first bite then decide if they want to continue. As long as he cleans up the little bit when he's done with the rest of the bowl I wouldn't let it eat too much of my sanity. Kenzi is 50 pounds and gets 2 cups of TOTW a day.

Leo would just smell his food and walk away when he wasn't hungry. i had to adjust how much i was feeding him he eats about 1 2/3 cups of food with treats included. he eats about 1 1/2 cups split into 2 feeding. it was worrying at first thank goodness for this forum other wise i would have freaked out that something might be wrong hahaha.