Need advice on feeding two dogs

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frosso
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Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by frosso » Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:37 am

I have a 9 mo old Llewellin Setter and I just picked up a 6 year old chocolate lab rescue. I've been feeding the lab Blue Buffalo weight control because she came to me needing to drop a few pounds. The Llew just got back from a month of training and I've been feeding her a mix of Pro Plan puppy and Innova puppy (just using up the last of the Pro Plan). I've never had two dogs at one time and they are both nibblers. My problem is they don't want to eat their respective food, they are always trying to eat the other dogs food. If I put one outside while I feed the other then the one I'm trying to feed isn't interested in eating. It's comical. Any tricks of the trade or suggestions on how to get nibblers to not eat the other dogs food?
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Cajun Casey
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by Cajun Casey » Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:16 am

Give them fifteen minutes and take up the food. You might have to feed twice a day, which is fine. You might also consider adding a bit of yogurt or fat free chicken broth to entice them to clean up their meal.
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frontline
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by frontline » Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:44 am

frosso wrote:I have a 9 mo old Llewellin Setter and I just picked up a 6 year old chocolate lab rescue. I've been feeding the lab Blue Buffalo weight control because she came to me needing to drop a few pounds. The Llew just got back from a month of training and I've been feeding her a mix of Pro Plan puppy and Innova puppy (just using up the last of the Pro Plan). I've never had two dogs at one time and they are both nibblers. My problem is they don't want to eat their respective food, they are always trying to eat the other dogs food. If I put one outside while I feed the other then the one I'm trying to feed isn't interested in eating. It's comical. Any tricks of the trade or suggestions on how to get nibblers to not eat the other dogs food?
Feed them both the same food and reduce the amount you would normally give the lab (there's no need for a weight control food). I agree that you should give them a specified amount of time to eat and take up the food. With two dogs they should stop nibbling after a while.

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by jlp8cornell » Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:30 am

I agree. Pick one food (adult formulation) and feed it to both of them. At one point I had my 2 on different foods and they always wanted each others. Good luck.

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by dakotashooter2 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:03 am

Reverse phsycology. Give them the others food in their bowl then let them switch if they want..........................LOL

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by birddogger » Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:08 pm

Did you ever notice that the food at a friends house tastes better than yours? :lol: Dogs never cease to be comical and entertaining.

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by SubMariner » Thu Jun 07, 2012 2:58 pm

frontline wrote:
frosso wrote:I have a 9 mo old Llewellin Setter and I just picked up a 6 year old chocolate lab rescue. I've been feeding the lab Blue Buffalo weight control because she came to me needing to drop a few pounds. The Llew just got back from a month of training and I've been feeding her a mix of Pro Plan puppy and Innova puppy (just using up the last of the Pro Plan). I've never had two dogs at one time and they are both nibblers. My problem is they don't want to eat their respective food, they are always trying to eat the other dogs food. If I put one outside while I feed the other then the one I'm trying to feed isn't interested in eating. It's comical. Any tricks of the trade or suggestions on how to get nibblers to not eat the other dogs food?
Feed them both the same food and reduce the amount you would normally give the lab (there's no need for a weight control food). I agree that you should give them a specified amount of time to eat and take up the food. With two dogs they should stop nibbling after a while.
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frosso
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by frosso » Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:09 pm

dakotashooter2 wrote:Reverse phsycology. Give them the others food in their bowl then let them switch if they want..........................LOL
Now that's funny. I'm working towards taking them to the same food. I'm NOT EVEN going to ask which food because I've already read the contentious food discussions. :wink:

Thanks for the great advice! I'm going to start taking their food up after 15-30 min.
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by Sharon » Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:50 pm

birddogger wrote:Did you ever notice that the food at a friends house tastes better than yours? :lol: Dogs never cease to be comical and entertaining.

Charlie
They sure are. I've trained my 3 to lie down and wait while the cat has a little milk in the bowl. Even if I leave the room they follow the plan. That cat teases them. She'll pretend she's leaving the bowl , which means "every dog for himself", but then she'll turn quickly back and everyone has to lie down again. priceless. :lol:
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by frosso » Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:11 am

Sharon wrote:
birddogger wrote:Did you ever notice that the food at a friends house tastes better than yours? :lol: Dogs never cease to be comical and entertaining.

Charlie
They sure are. I've trained my 3 to lie down and wait while the cat has a little milk in the bowl. Even if I leave the room they follow the plan. That cat teases them. She'll pretend she's leaving the bowl , which means "every dog for himself", but then she'll turn quickly back and everyone has to lie down again. priceless. :lol:
I've never had two dogs at one time before and I don't think I will ever go back to one dog. It's better than TV. They are hilarious.
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by rinker » Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:34 am

Why wouldn't you just seperate them at feeding time?

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frosso
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by frosso » Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:40 pm

rinker wrote:Why wouldn't you just seperate them at feeding time?
I do but they are nibblers. I'm going to use the "put the food down and take it up after 15 min" technique and feed them seprately to see how that goes.
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My dog's not spoiled ... I'm just well trained

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by Angus » Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:06 pm

There is some very good advice given in this thread.

I've never had less than 2 or more dogs. They've all eaten the same feed, we just vary the amounts fed. Twice a day, time limit on feeding. Dogs always eat close to each other while we monitor. They all eat their amount because there are other dogs to snatch it if they don't want it. Bowls are owned by each dog and a couple growls happen. No food is stolen unless a dog is not feeling well and leaves their food.

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by birddogger » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:14 pm

Sharon wrote:
birddogger wrote:Did you ever notice that the food at a friends house tastes better than yours? :lol: Dogs never cease to be comical and entertaining.

Charlie
They sure are. I've trained my 3 to lie down and wait while the cat has a little milk in the bowl. Even if I leave the room they follow the plan. That cat teases them. She'll pretend she's leaving the bowl , which means "every dog for himself", but then she'll turn quickly back and everyone has to lie down again. priceless. :lol:
Yes it is!! :lol:

Charlie
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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by bonasa » Sat Jun 09, 2012 5:04 pm

birddogger wrote:Did you ever notice that the food at a friends house tastes better than yours?

Charlie
Actually I was a bit of a momma's boy and I never ate much at my friends house.

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Re: Need advice on feeding two dogs

Post by JIM K » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:52 pm

jlp8cornell wrote:I agree. Pick one food (adult formulation) and feed it to both of them. At one point I had my 2 on different foods and they always wanted each others. Good luck.

you are right and make your life easy.
i fed CANIDAE ALS to all my dogs when i had 4 .i have puppy at 8 weeks and he is on CANIDAE ALS.

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