deleted

__________________

I used to have a GSD like that. I gave him a raw leg of lamb once and he just sniffed it and walked away. So I decided to bake it to only just cook the skin of the leg of lamb and he loved it! Partial baked leg of lamb became a fortnightly treat for him!

I don't chop the chicken pieces, well not for a dog of her age anyway. The smaller the pieces, the easier and more likely they will wolf it down and regurgitate fairly quickly. One solid large piece has more chance of forcing them to chew and allow the digestive juices to do their job.

I'm sorry Cleas, I don't feed vegetables as no matter how much research I have done I cannot find anything that proves 100% their dietary value to me. I will however use brocolli water over food sometimes. One of my sons is like Ruby with veges - sigh. Grrr.

Oh not necks with a 'wolfer'!!!

try chicken Maryland pieces instead.

Won't always work, and maybe not with Ruby the greedy guts () but worth trying Cleas.

Then while she is still developing let her eat the cheap crap and add the chopped or minced chicken.

We gave Gemma cheap crap and she grew past the standard, nothing wrong with her muscle. Also gave her Troy Nutripet gel to stimulate her appetite when she was very young.

I know you want to give the raw diet but have you given her a tablespoon of heated tinned Pal over her BARF diet?? I know it's a contradiction but since your speciality shows will be coming up (I imagine) then you will want her looking her best.

Next question of course, is she actually thin?? Is she still having her phantom? and if so when would she be ready to whelp is this was for real??

While she will let Sumo eat her food she may not be so keen on the newcomer doing it. I'd be interested to know if it makes a difference.

Well no, technically it is not 100% meat, as you have all the bone matter to consider too. Lol. But I do know what you mean.

Nearly every dog I've known will accept brocolli water readily, and that is one of the strongest forms of natural vitamin C of all the known vegetables.

It comes down to what supplements people think they should add and why. Look at foods, look at what each component contains, and find that balance that obviously works for your dog.

Re her muscle mass - is she getting some prepared offal or mutton each week? That can help to 'beef' up her muscles in a shorter period.

I agree with MAC, do whatever you feel you have to to get her to the condition you want. If she doesn't want vegies, so be it. Find an alternative that gives her what she needs.

Look...I just don't think she likes it to be honest.

I imagine you mean the vegies??

Then if so I'd cut them out of her diet and just give her the meat.

I'm finding Pro Plan Active good for keeping weight on. I know it's a biscuit and your not into that and Ruby may not like them either but if you get a chance to get a sample it would be worth a try.

I can now not give the Whippets a meal the morning of a show and have them looking just so. Whereas before if I missed the morning meal my boy looked too thin.

Mine's the opposite, if I don't feed the morning of the show he is too thin.

With the Pro-Plan Active I keep him slightly heavier throughout the week and with him missing one meal he comes back to "just right". He's at the ugly duckling stage, 16 months, not yet a man, but not a cute baby either.

We used the Active in the kennels where I worked particularly for dogs that stressed and weren't good eaters. It has a strong smell with warm water added. I imagine they are still using it because it really did help.

Not every dogs a labrador and will eat anything.

Mine eat anything but with the space we have here they run it off and I'm not one to lock them up to keep weight on.