How can help a new dog?

Question

She is 4 years old and a medium sized poodle mix who I took in because he owners couldnt care for her anymore. The problem is that she is over weight and picky about what she eats and only eats people food. I have been doing the cold turkey method and am sticking to it. She gets fed 1-2 times a day and she doesn't eat much when she does eat she likes to walk away and come back to the bowl. She is over weight because her owners only gave her people food. She eats beneful for now do you think switching to a higher quality brand will help her transition to dog food and would the iams kibble sauce work (suppose to entice the pet to eat) if she leaves her food the cat eats it (not healthy)

luvrats · Answer

First of all, Beneful is terrible.  Find a 'human grade' food - meaning the quality is high enough that humans can eat it.  Not Iams, they are awful too.  Brands like Wellness, Inova, Canidae and others.  You can google 'human grade dog food' and get a lot of info.

Secondly, consult a vet about how much she should get.  Then feed her twice a day, every day, on a regular schedule.  Also, substitute one third of her food with canned green beans or carrots.  The weight will FALL off!  It was amazing how quickly my dog lost weight using this method, and he didn't even mind, he liked the veggies and he still felt full.  

Do you feed canned or dry food?  I usually fed dry with a small spoonful of canned mixed in with a little bit of warm water, just to help it taste better.  

Feed her TWICE a day, every day, so she won't get too hungry.  Also, she can have several SMALL treats per day.  Treats are really important to dogs, it helps them bond with you and makes them so happy.  Plus, you will need them if you want to train her.

Third, dog food isn't too bad for the cat, but the dog will get very hungry if the cat eats her food.  Now, cat food is VERY bad for dogs, so make sure she doesn't get into your cat's food.  (Cat food is far too rich for dogs because cats NEED more meat.)

And last - THANK YOU for taking in this dog that needs you.  I wish you both a very long, happy life together.

Dave The Rave · Answer

Beneful is terrible. Read this from a nutritionist - http://www.petfoodratings.org/dog-food-listings-reviews/#Beneful

Read that page and pick out a few foods that are right for you and your budget.

Otherwise stick with what you're doing and she will gradually adjust to a new diet. I adopted a cat last year under the same circumstances. For a while he refused to eat, but now has a regular healthy diet, has lost weight, and is far more active. Honestly, he was docile when we got him, and after a few months was bouncing around and climbing trees. It was great to see.

Anonymous · Answer

Get her vet checked as being over weight could be down to a medical problem as well as her being over fed with human food .
You also need to get vet advice regarding diet and also exercise ,
What you need to do is give 3 very small meals a day you need to put the food down for 15 mins then remove the food after 15 mins whether she has eaten it or not .
You need regular meal times and stick to that .
You could look at something like Taste of the wild or Blue buffalo but any change needs to be made very gradually .

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How can help a new dog?

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