Puppy Food Advice please!

[MrsGrace]

Hey all...

Getting a puppy in June and of course I will be buying a small small bag of puppy food in the same genre the breeder uses.

But what would you recommend as the best diet for a puppy at 10 weeks?
What kind of dry/canned food do you use, would you use?

Is it safe to supplement with anything?
- Canned Pumpkin
- Nancy's Organic plain yogurt
- Little carrots & peas
- Sweet potato / yam

What do you recommend for treats/training tidbits?
- Cheerios
- Cooked Liver (tiny nibbles for training in a more distracting location)
- Home made treats? (I have a few recipes)

What amounts should I be giving every day? How often to feed and when? Elevated feeders eventually and what kind of bowls should I get? I like stainless as they are easy to throw in the dishwasher, but they can be knocked over pretty easily. And when I'm looking at elevated feeders, of course a puppy can't necessarily use them now, but what height is good for an adult corgi?

Any and all info would be most appreciated! Not just for me, but for all the new members with puppies as well.

This may end up being a "Sticky" eventually.

[LaRositaMonita]

Perhaps the breeders on here can chime in on what they feed. Nancy, our Ohio buddy, feeds Natural Balance, and until the recall today I had heard nothing but WONDERFUL things about it. Because you're able to feed less, it seems like it also winds up being a fairly cost-effective premium kibble, too.

I posted on GoCorgi (or maybe here?) about training treats, and the unanimous advice was Cheerios and/or Cheddar Goldfish because they are small, lo-cal, and cheap. I guess would worry a little about regular cheddar Goldfish being too salty...either way, I know I am picking up a BIG box of Cheerios at Costco this weekend!

I plan to get two regular old stainless steels bowls with rubber grips on the bottom. My brother, with the rambunctious little pug, says they're working great, and we fed our old lab, Mitzie, with a similar bowl (plastic, but it still had a rubber grip on the bottom).

My brother has this one from PetSmart, with paw prints and bones embossed on it - it's very cute. http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444178 0117&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025875&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1176852772432&itemNo=2&Ntt=petzazz&In=All&previousText=petzazz&N=2

[CorgiMum]

Those are the exact same bowls that I have been using for over 12 years. They last.:)

Manufactured treats, my first choice has always been part of their kibble ration for the day, after that, Charlee Bear treats from Petsmart. Cheese or liver, only 3 cals each.

[Cheetah]

I highly recommend Canidae, as that's what I feed both my dogs, although every dog will do different on different foods.

I supplement with many things, including spoonfuls of yogurt, cottage cheese, pumpkin, carrots, peas, green beans, raw ground beef, bison, or turkey, chicken necks, Raw Marrow Bones etc.

I wouldnt use liver as training treats as too much of it is bad, and it doesn't take a whole lot of it to make too much. I have use cheerios, and also, you can chop up turkey dogs into tiny pieces and burn them in the microwave (my dogs went NUTS over these, and if they're in TINY pieces, you don't have to worry about feeding too much). Also, when I burn mine, I shake them up in a bag of kibble so the whole baggy of kibble smells and tastes like it!

As for name brands, I use Zuke's minis, as they are training treat size. Also, Charlee Bear training treats and Newman's Own treats in the small size. >^^;<

[sutulu]

Heather:

I remember those days after I had made the commitment that I was going to take this time in my life to raise a puppy. I knew I wanted a Corgi, I had met several and was reading everything I could. But getting the puppy eluded me.

I had the fever. One day I was in Petco or Petsmart and I saw the most precious dishes. The were plastic w/ rubber on the bottom. They had Snoopy sliding downhill on his dog dish. I bought them even though Tucker was no where in sight.

I just remembered this after reading your post. The dishes don't hold much food/water so don't get used much anymore. But I treasure them.

(what a sap...)

I have crockwear dishes and some metal w/ rubber bottoms. Use both.

[sutulu]

Tucker's breeder fed Purina Puppy chow. Changed that right away! He started on Eagle Pack Small Breed Puppy.

Lulu's breeder fed Canidae so I switched Tucker to it. They stayed on canidae until I strated seeing that there was just a lot of poo. So back to Eagle Pack for both.

[LaRositaMonita]

Those are the exact same bowls that I have been using for over 12 years. They last.:)


What size did you buy? I'm assuming the 4-cup, since it's small, but not the smallest. Would I need an even small size for when the puppy is also smaller?

Susan... the wait until June is going to be agonizing. Lord knows what will happen when we actually start spending some of the money we've put away for this. It's even more exciting, though, because of all the other crazy dog people I have to share the wait with. It kind of feels like all 40 or so of us are getting a puppy :)

-Heather

[sutulu]

I really do sympathize with you. But it will happen and you'll never look back.

I'm sitting her on the sofa with Lulu on the arm behind me and Tucker lying over my feet.

I can't remember life without them.

[Dillydoodle]

I got Dillon as a puppy and started transitioning him to a different food immediately.. I switched him to Innova puppy dry food and mixed in from day one the organic low fat plain yogurt and a little canned lamb and rice ( he started with cannidae lamb and rice, and switched to wellness, and have since changed to blue buffalo lamb...and Evangers) The Innova was too rich for him, so i slowly switched him to wellness lamb and he was on that a long time before i finally switched him to a mix of three foods ( timberwolf ocean blue, Timberwolf wild and natural and prairie naturals raw instinct). As a puppy there is no reason you can't give pumpkin, yogurt, or the added pureed vegies you mentioned. I dont use chereos or goldfish, i know goldfish not only have salt but they have wheat and i try to stay away from all wheat, corn, soy and sugars... for training treats i have used small pieces of grilled lamb shoulder, liver i stayed away from for several reasons, it is not good in large quantities, it is a bit rich and can lead to a little stomach discomfort and the runs. I used buddy biscuits ( the small ones) and they have ones that are corn and wheat free. My favorite training treats for DIllon ( becuase he is so food motivated) was his dry food kibble... he would work for it...so i used those, but i mostly did that becuase a lot of treats gave him the runs, and his regular food didnt.

As for bowls, i used stainless steel bowl for water as the water weighs it down well and it stays clean, i use a ceramic crock after trying a stainless steel bowl with the black rubber bottom, Dillon refused to eat out of it, he was afraid of it... i know, i know, wierd dog, but the ceramic bowl works great for him- i never got a puppy size bowl and then an adult size , he has had the same bowl since he was a puppy... it is good an heavy so he cant tip it or push it all over the floor, and it can be washed in the dishwasher.

Emilie

[darci]

I have been very pleased with Eagle Pack holistic, Timberwolf, Canidae.

I have to say we have the smallest poops with Timberwolf, softest coats with Ep and too early to tell on candiae.

Chew treats, I use bully sticks. They Looooove them.

I use stainless steel bowls.

[disraeli ears]

I use metal bowls for food - plastic bowls with rubber bottoms for water. They each have a water bowl that sits in their kennels.

I can vouch for using Cheerios for training treats. One of our trainers would also use string cheese when she trained but I never tried that. I eat the string cheese myself. :)

[Merlincorgi]

I am feeding both of my boys Nature's Recipie right now and I am happy with how both of them look, and the consitancy of their stools. I have also fed "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul" and was happy with the results, but I didn't like supporting the only pet store in my area that carried it, because they also bred and sold "designer" and toy breeds for exorbant prices. For dog food I have a few basic rules. NO by-products or corn anywhere... the fewer ingredients that I can't read (preservatives, normally), the better. Normally once you find a food that fits those requirements you are looking at a decent food. I don't supplement with pumpkin or anything at this time... unless one of the dogs gets an icky tummy with loose stools, in which case I will give that pup a little bit of canned pumpkin, which normally helps out pretty quick. You'll find some pups have a tummy of steal (Checkers), and some react faster to table foods (Gator).

As you have seen *blush* they do get indiscriminate people food... in varying amounts. Normally I adjust their nighttime feeding to compensate for the level of "Justin" food they have gotten that day.

Don't hate me for this, but I tend to not use treats very often in training. I rely heavily on praise and lovins as a reward when they do good... this way they don't come to expect me to reach into my pocket everytime they "come" when called, etc.

As for dishes.... I prefer the ceramic. I love the look, the weight makes it harder for them to tip and/or pick up (and by "them" I really mean Justin.. especially the water dish which he thinks is his own personal swimming pool *sigh*). I used to just get plastic dished until I realized some dogs can actually react to the plastic bowls. That was a great excuse to upgrad to the ceramic for me. Just get a smaller bowl, they only eat a tiny bit per feeding (mine get about 1 cup per feeding at MOST... recently I cut them back to 3/4 cup because they were starting to show a bit more weight than I like), and getting a small bowl helps to not over-fill it accidentally.

[CorgiMum]

[QUOTE=Checkers&Gator;1216]
Don't hate me for this, but I tend to not use treats very often in training. I rely heavily on praise and lovins as a reward when they do good... this way they don't come to expect me to reach into my pocket everytime they "come" when called, etc. QUOTE]

I envy you, I wasn't smart enough to do that with any of mine. Next one though, for sure. Trouble is, when I plied one with treats, and then the other one over lapped, well, that's my excuse.;)

But you certainly have the best method.:)

[corgimom]

MrsGrace,

I posted some links to treats that I have used in the Diet and Nutrition section if you want to check them out.

I remember when I took Cody to puppy training, the lady recommended bringing small pieces of string cheese or even small pieces of chicken breast. I also give him the freeze dried lamb liver which I get from DrsFoster/Smith.

My vet advised me not to use the plastic bowls because he said they can harbor bacteria more than ceramic or stainless steal - My cat once broke out in feline acne and it was from eating out of a plastic bowl. I used the stainless steel bowls.

As for food, I think if you are going to switch from what the breeder is feeding him you are going go have lots of good quality ones to choose from.
I think if you choose a higher end quality food with no wheat, corn, digest, by-products, soy and other useless fillers, then you will be on the right path and some of the good names were mentioned on here. I recently switched Cody to Fromms - it is made in Wisconsin. I also give him organic yogurt and sometimes a few pieces of banana,apples and other fruits along with some veggies also.

And when I got him at 11 weeks old, he was eating about 1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cup of food a day split into three meals. Now he gets 1 cup a day with a bit of canned food also.

Hey, when did I become a teenager? at 100 posts?

[Merlincorgi]

Yep... 100 posts makes you a teenager, at least for now (we may up the numbers later). You're our first official teen Linda!

[glencorgi]

Going to combine answers to several posts into one:

1)Getting a puppy in June and of course I will be buying a small small bag of puppy food in the same genre the breeder uses.
But what would you recommend as the best diet for a puppy at 10 weeks?

Whatever your breeder is feeding and recommends.

2)What kind of dry/canned food do you use, would you use?

Again, go with breeder's recommendation. However, as one can tell by the responses given there are any number of excellent foods on the market. The one best food or way to feed is what works for you and your dog and that comes from a bit of trial and error based picking up tips from other owners.

3)Is it safe to supplement with anything?

Yes, Pet Tabs, Vitamin C

3a)- Canned Pumpkin

Pumpkin isn't exactly a supplement. Three uses for pumpkin - 1)IF stools are loose, the fiber helps firm them up. 2)IF dog is constipated, then the fiber helps get things moving. 3)For weight loss regimes. As the food amount is scaled back and dog is acting "starved", adding pumpkin is a good lo-cal, healthy filler as the fiber helps to fill them up. No reason I can think of to give it to a puppy as a part of a daily diet.

3b)- Nancy's Organic plain yogurt
Plain yogurt is great - just look for ones with active cultures. Cottage cheese, grated cheese - work as good extras as well. Yogurt is good during teething and for the lifetime of the dog for skin, coat, and digestive tract, also helps if there is a yeast infection.

These I would consider more for "treats"
3c)- Little carrots & peas

Fine - baby carrots make good treats at any age

3d)- Sweet potato / yam
Also good treats. There is a very popular dog treat called Sam's Yams which are dehydrated yams/sweet potatoes

4)What do you recommend for treats/training tidbits?
- Cheerios
- Cooked Liver (tiny nibbles for training in a more distracting location)
- Home made treats? (I have a few recipes)

All of the above depending upon situation. Also use Grizzly Bear Salmon Bits, Old Mother Hubbard's different varieties, Bil-Jac liver treats, roasted chicken, boiled chicken, microwaved "hot dogs" - as mentioned, Wellness different varieties, Charlee Bear treats, string cheese ....

5)What amounts should I be giving every day?

Depends on what you are doing. As a baby puppy amounts are not a real issue. As they get older and/or you get into training classes, then as Barbara suggested a part of the training treats can be an allotment of their regular meals.

6) How often to feed and when?

Take the breeder's suggestion and advice. At 10 weeks, three times a day, older puppies twice a day. Depending on lifestyle and schedules you can feed once a day with adults.

7) Elevated feeders eventually and what kind of bowls should I get? I like stainless as they are easy to throw in the dishwasher, but they can be knocked over pretty easily. And when I'm looking at elevated feeders, of course a puppy can't necessarily use them now, but what height is good for an adult corgi?

Elevated feeders - just a matter of personal preference unless there is a medical reason to feed elevated such as megaesophagus. I have one that I "inherited" that is 5 inches high - wouldn't go over that.

Bowls - stainless or crockery. Pint size will cover an adult corgi in about any amount. especially if one is feeding twice a day. Quart - I do use with my Cardigan boys but I feed once a day. Plastic, in addition to the "warnings" already posted, dogs can develop allergies to the plastic as well and end up with pigment discoloration.

Debbie

[corgimom]

Yep... 100 posts makes you a teenager, at least for now (we may up the numbers later). You're our first official teen Linda!


Oh Great, do I get to drive and stay out later:D

Sorry MrsGrace, back to puppy food advice

[taflar]

Getting a puppy in June and of course I will be buying a small small bag of puppy food in the same genre the breeder uses.

But what would you recommend as the best diet for a puppy at 10 weeks?
What kind of dry/canned food do you use, would you use?

I think you should go with your breeders recommendations.

Is it safe to supplement with anything?
- Canned Pumpkin
- Nancy's Organic plain yogurt
- Little carrots & peas
- Sweet potato / yam

Safe and necessary are two different things. The things you mention are safe but unnecessary. If you're feeding a good (preimum) food and that doesn't have to be a puppy formula, you don't need any supplements for your puppy, except maybe vitamin c while he's teething as could will help the ears to come up.

Of the things you mentioned I'd give only the yougrt. You shouldn't need any of the other things. Carrots would be good for treats.

What do you recommend for treats/training tidbits?
- Cheerios
- Cooked Liver (tiny nibbles for training in a more distracting location)
- Home made treats? (I have a few recipes)

Liver often gives a dog diarrhea, I don't recommend it for a puppy. Cheerios work well. I buy tiny bone shaped biscuits or the smaller treats at Petsmart/PetCo.

What amounts should I be giving every day? How often to feed and when?

Your breeder should direct you on these issues. She knows what works best for her puppies. And I know she's willing to give you advice. Email her and ask her for direction. She'll be glad to talk with you about this. :)

Elevated feeders eventually and what kind of bowls should I get?

No you don't need elevated feeders. I recommend stainless steel bowls as they last a long time and are easy to clean.

I like stainless as they are easy to throw in the dishwasher, but they can be knocked over pretty easily.

Nah, they don't get knocked over that often. I use the 1 qt. size for food and a larger one for water. You can get some that are less or non tippable. They have rubber around the edge. Even if the rubber comes off they work well.

And when I'm looking at elevated feeders, of course a puppy can't necessarily use them now, but what height is good for an adult corgi?

Corgis don't need elevated feeders. Great Danes and dogs like that yes, but not corgis.

Peggy

[MrsGrace]

I think you should go with your breeders recommendations.



Safe and necessary are two different things. The things you mention are safe but unnecessary. If you're feeding a good (preimum) food and that doesn't have to be a puppy formula, you don't need any supplements for your puppy, except maybe vitamin c while he's teething as could will help the ears to come up.

Of the things you mentioned I'd give only the yougrt. You shouldn't need any of the other things. Carrots would be good for treats.



Liver often gives a dog diarrhea, I don't recommend it for a puppy. Cheerios work well. I buy tiny bone shaped biscuits or the smaller treats at Petsmart/PetCo.



Your breeder should direct you on these issues. She knows what works best for her puppies. And I know she's willing to give you advice. Email her and ask her for direction. She'll be glad to talk with you about this. :)



No you don't need elevated feeders. I recommend stainless steel bowls as they last a long time and are easy to clean.



Nah, they don't get knocked over that often. I use the 1 qt. size for food and a larger one for water. You can get some that are less or non tippable. They have rubber around the edge. Even if the rubber comes off they work well.



Corgis don't need elevated feeders. Great Danes and dogs like that yes, but not corgis.

Peggy

Thanks Peggy!

I did speak with the breeder and she told me what she fed the puppies (brand etc) and I assumed we'll go over amounts and timing when I get there. *chuckle* Trying not to email her too much as I know the woman has her hands full at the moment!!

The elevated feeder thing is a leftover from my big dog days... we always used them so it's what I'm used to. I will probably just get some Qt sized stainless bowls and like you, something bigger for water. I have auto waterers for the cats and that seems to work well, so I might throw one up for the dog too. Of course, everything goes on a LARGE mat over the hardwood in the kitchen. I have found these mats at Petsmart with a raised lip to keep water and food spills in.

[LaRositaMonita]

T Of course, everything goes on a LARGE mat over the hardwood in the kitchen. I have found these mats at Petsmart with a raised lip to keep water and food spills in.

Oohh...mats! Ingenious idea.

[MrsGrace]

Oohh...mats! Ingenious idea.

*chuckle* Do you want my puppy list? It's extensive with main headings, sub-headings and listings by YOUR CHOICE of alphabetization OR my random chronological order of thoughts!

Call NOW and you will receive a free gift..... :p 2 over-weight fussy cats who hate any and all toys BUT fakey mice!

I have a mat under the cats food/water dishes and it's worked super well so far.

Someone mentioned that my pile o' puppy toys is big and how they thought they spoiled their puppies. :) And for me, that's not enough, it barely scratches the surface. One kong? Please! I want to have a freezer/fridge full as I like to mass produce them in the evenings when everyone is in bed and I can't sleep. Gives me something to futz/putter around with.

It's why I want to get a bread maker, so I can maybe put together some flour/bread combos in ziploc bags for ease of use when the family is up and we get busy/running. Make some homemade puppy treats etc.

I need to find that page of recipes to share with you gals! They worked great with Corona.

[taflar]

I did speak with the breeder and she told me what she fed the puppies (brand etc) and I assumed we'll go over amounts and timing when I get there. *chuckle* Trying not to email her too much as I know the woman has her hands full at the moment!!

She's going to shows in Idaho this weekend but I know when she gets back on Tues. she'll be more than happy to talk things over with you. Breeders would much rather talk with you than have you wondering about things.

She's easy going and very informative and easy to talk to. :)

The elevated feeder thing is a leftover from my big dog days... we always used them so it's what I'm used to..

I see. Well, just not necessary for corgis.

Peggy

[LaRositaMonita]

*chuckle* Do you want my puppy list? It's extensive with main headings, sub-headings and listings by YOUR CHOICE of alphabetization OR my random chronological order of thoughts!

Call NOW and you will receive a free gift..... :p 2 over-weight fussy cats who hate any and all toys BUT fakey mice!


Yours is probably longer, but we can compare! No subheadings, but mine is organized by price in an Excel Spreadsheet which delineates the total cost of supplies minus the vet, travel costs, and the puppy itself! There's even a line called "Total Cost of Stuff That Other People Might Buy Us," in case anyone wants to shower the puppy with toys and gifts and treats(this makes us falsely feel better about all of the puppy costs :) ).

[MrsGrace]

Yours is probably longer, but we can compare! No subheadings, but mine is organized by price in an Excel Spreadsheet which delineates the total cost of supplies minus the vet, travel costs, and the puppy itself! There's even a line called "Total Cost of Stuff That Other People Might Buy Us," in case anyone wants to shower the puppy with toys and gifts and treats(this makes us falsely feel better about all of the puppy costs :) ).

I can't look at my spending right now or it'll make my head spin!!!

[Dillydoodle]

I know what you guys are going through, before i got Dillon, i had about $300 of toys ( i had them hidden in closets and had been hoarding them for 3 months) i had dog crates, beds, had a pen in the back yard for pottying, i had shampoo, nail clippers, toothpaste, bowls, basically the only thing i didnt have was the food and the puppy... and my friends would come over and say ...oh you got the puppy? and i would hang my head and say, no,,, two more months ...sigh... LOL

[bunnybutts]

I like ceramic bowls too -they are nice and heavy but I just think they are pretty :p We use the stainless steel ones for travel because they stack so well for packing and dont need to worry about breaking them. Also keep a mat under the food & water bowl

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t47/TGal_photos/corgi%20girls/IMGP0468.jpg

[Dillydoodle]

awww T-Deb that is a great photo, i love their matt! very cute...Still can't believe how close they eat... Mine eat in the kitchen but are separated by about 5 feet or more.. Do they ever fight during meal times?
Emilie

[bunnybutts]

Em,

the Girls never fight over food. Usually when they finish eatting they switch out and lick each other's bowls in case one left a crumb. :p

When they have fights (which aren't very often anymore) it's more over "a look". I don't have a clue what "the look" means in corgi but I think it starts something like "your Mama ....." :eek:

[MrsGrace]

She's going to shows in Idaho this weekend but I know when she gets back on Tues. she'll be more than happy to talk things over with you. Breeders would much rather talk with you than have you wondering about things.

She's easy going and very informative and easy to talk to. :)

Peggy

She is Peggy, she is wonderful! Have spoken with her a few times and we seemed to really hit it off. We spoke in length about things. However, I'm not going to jaw her ear off at the moment, as I know I have many weeks left before we go to get the puppy, much less when we get there to get the puppy. Plenty of time to talk to her! But honestly, my post wasn't about efficiency in expediting information.

So I wanted to see what others thoughts were on what would be good for puppies. Going to be researching all manner of options as that's how I am. Research to death, lots of facts etc. That and get the ball rolling with this group of informative and wonderful people!

[Dillydoodle]

Dillon and Gus eat at the same time about 5 feet apart, always in the same places. When Dillon finishes first ( always) I pick up his bowl right away and then wait while Gus finishes, Dillon usually just leaves the kitchen as he knows his meal is over. There is no fighting but i also know that if Dillon tried to get Gus's food he could, Gus is NOT food aggressive, infact, if you put your hand next to his dish, he steps back and sits and if you put your hand in ,he walks off, he figures it isn't his food...I actually find it sad.
Emilie

[MrsGrace]

Dillon and Gus eat at the same time about 5 feet apart, always in the same places. When Dillon finishes first ( always) I pick up his bowl right away and then wait while Gus finishes, Dillon usually just leaves the kitchen as he knows his meal is over. There is no fighting but i also know that if Dillon tried to get Gus's food he could, Gus is NOT food aggressive, infact, if you put your hand next to his dish, he steps back and sits and if you put your hand in ,he walks off, he figures it isn't his food...I actually find it sad.
Emilie

Em,

Isn't it good that he's not food aggressive? Or is his indifference bad? Is it a bad experience he had as a puppy that makes him like that or its just how he is?

[taflar]

So I wanted to see what others thoughts were on what would be good for puppies. Going to be researching all manner of options as that's how I am. Research to death, lots of facts etc. That and get the ball rolling with this group of informative and wonderful people!

Ok, but don't go as far as getting overloaded. I've seen people do that too. So much information they can't decide to has the best advice. (IMO, the breeder holds the most weight there!) :)

Peggy

[taflar]

Isn't it good that he's not food aggressive? Or is his indifference bad? Is it a bad experience he had as a puppy that makes him like that or its just how he is?

IMO, that's good. A food aggressive dog is hard to live with. (Ask me I have one. Even at shows I have to watch her closely as she thinks other dogs might get "her" treats in my pocket.)

Peggy

[Dillydoodle]

NO no , it is a WONDERFUL trait to NOT be food aggressive.. the problem is how he came to be so docile about it... he lived with a bunch of other very food aggressive dogs, and umm saying this delicately, an owner who had so much on her plate she couldnt pay attention to who was eating what...and Gus got pushed out of his food bowl by the bigger and stronger dogs, so he ended up going from being a 32 lb muscular corgi to a 26 lb corgi and his pemphigus was blamed for this weight loss, i have had him two months - got him at about 27 lbs and he is 30 now... and he is still having flare ups and issues with the pemphigus and guess what, he is gaining weight... so i dont buy it... That is the only reason i find it so sad, that he was basically tortured by all the other dogs and THAT was the reason he will walk away from a dish if anyone comes over and tries to take it away, he may be hungry and want his food but doesnt want to get beat up for it.

Emilie

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

Oh Emilie that is so sad. :( He is so fortunate that he has you now and that will never happen again. Gus is a special dog who has found a special home. :D

[MrsGrace]

NO no , it is a WONDERFUL trait to NOT be food aggressive.. the problem is how he came to be so docile about it... he lived with a bunch of other very food aggressive dogs, and umm saying this delicately, an owner who had so much on her plate she couldnt pay attention to who was eating what...and Gus got pushed out of his food bowl by the bigger and stronger dogs, so he ended up going from being a 32 lb muscular corgi to a 26 lb corgi and his pemphigus was blamed for this weight loss, i have had him two months - got him at about 27 lbs and he is 30 now... and he is still having flare ups and issues with the pemphigus and guess what, he is gaining weight... so i dont buy it... That is the only reason i find it so sad, that he was basically tortured by all the other dogs and THAT was the reason he will walk away from a dish if anyone comes over and tries to take it away, he may be hungry and want his food but doesnt want to get beat up for it.

Emilie

Oh Em, I had no idea.... :( Poor Gus!! But he is a lucky boy to have you now and obviously is thriving under your care.

Again, I'm coming back in my next life as one of your dogs!! :D

[MrsGrace]

Ok, but don't go as far as getting overloaded. I've seen people do that too. So much information they can't decide to has the best advice. (IMO, the breeder holds the most weight there!) :)

Peggy

I will watch out for overload! :) Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice... this kind of thing is the fun stuff imho.

[Dillydoodle]

Mrs. Grace, you are like me in that respect, I LOVED shopping for all the toys, LOVED researching the best foods, treats, supplements, LOVED researching the best crates, the best crate pads, the best stain removers ( yeah- i really did ) researching best methods for housebreaking, training, etc - the the planning was so exciting...and you know, when i actually got the puppy, i was so ready for anything he could have thrown at me, i never had the trouble i was expecting from a small puppy...

thanks about Gus, he really is a blessing for me to have, i love him so deeply, he is my little shadow (definately a mama's boy) and is just so appreciative to get that personal one on one attention, twice daily leash walks( which he never got before), plenty of food, and no one picking on him... he has tons of toys and a corgi companion who is nice to him and likes him.. He stole my heart the minute we met him... a very sweet and gentle boy...

Emilie

[Fluffypants]

Who couldn't love that sweetie-pie? He's a great dog! :)