Ridolfc
Expert Member
I have a boerboel puppy that will be 5 months old on 21 September. He use to love his food and he would finish every meal and lick his bowl clean. When the season changed and it started to get hotter he started to refuse meals. Also at this time alot of his baby teeh started falling out. The adult teaath are coming in really quickly and nothing else changed. He is on the same food and schedule. Could the hotter temperature affect his appetite? He is on a large breed puppy dry dog pellets.
I would offer breakfast and he might completely refuse the meal or take a few bites and just refuse the rest, I would offer lunch and he would often just completey refuse the meal. I have added some meal enhancers or gravies, sometimes add a little boiled chicken and rice and he will take a few bites and just leave the rest. At supper he cleans his bowl. He eats everything. I only offer treats when training but have reduced the treats I provide when training since his appetite for his food went down.
His energy levels have not changed and he plays like he always have. He is at a good weight of 33.6KG. I measured his conditioning on a chart that measures his body conditioning and he falls within the ideal body conditioning range. His ribs are palpable without excess fat covering it. His waist is behind his ribs when viewed from above. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side. His eyes are clear and his coat is shiny and very healthy.
He is a big healthy boy. My concern is with the meals he is skipping, could this affect his growth and health?
I have since been trying to feed him 2 meals a day. Taking the lunch portion and splitting it to the breakfast and supper meals. He still finishes his supper and on some days finishes his breakfast, but on some days he leaves some food at breakfast which I offer again at lunch. He sometimes eats the leftover breakfast at lunch but often just ignores it.
This changes his routine for mealtime a bit but since he is refusing his lunch most of this time. Is this change in schedule negative?
I would offer breakfast and he might completely refuse the meal or take a few bites and just refuse the rest, I would offer lunch and he would often just completey refuse the meal. I have added some meal enhancers or gravies, sometimes add a little boiled chicken and rice and he will take a few bites and just leave the rest. At supper he cleans his bowl. He eats everything. I only offer treats when training but have reduced the treats I provide when training since his appetite for his food went down.
His energy levels have not changed and he plays like he always have. He is at a good weight of 33.6KG. I measured his conditioning on a chart that measures his body conditioning and he falls within the ideal body conditioning range. His ribs are palpable without excess fat covering it. His waist is behind his ribs when viewed from above. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side. His eyes are clear and his coat is shiny and very healthy.
He is a big healthy boy. My concern is with the meals he is skipping, could this affect his growth and health?
I have since been trying to feed him 2 meals a day. Taking the lunch portion and splitting it to the breakfast and supper meals. He still finishes his supper and on some days finishes his breakfast, but on some days he leaves some food at breakfast which I offer again at lunch. He sometimes eats the leftover breakfast at lunch but often just ignores it.
This changes his routine for mealtime a bit but since he is refusing his lunch most of this time. Is this change in schedule negative?
Agree you are feeding him too much.
