Loss of Appetite

[Tamahomi]

Good day Chow lovers. I have my 1 year and 1 month old male chow. But he seems having problem with his appetite. Ive been feeding him table food (with rice o course for his digestion) but he doesn't eat the whole thing. Ive been serving him like 1 cup every meal, 2 times a day (one in the morning and the other one in the evening). He is supposed to get 4 cups of food every, if I am not mistaken, or I am just exaggerated. Anyhow, he is still not eating that much as what he should eat. I'm trying to bring him back to the kibbles, Acana in particular, but of course it's not that easy to change his feeding program as he's not really used to eating dried food. I'd love to see him eating, more so, empty his bowl of food, which is why i give him liverolin (5 ml 2x a day) for him to gain more appetite as prescribed by his vet. But c'mon, ive been giving him his vitamins (liverolin) for like 3 months but just the same he's not that eager to eat. Sometimes I'm thinking of force feeding, but i haven't tried it yet.

i really don't know what to do. I can actually feel his rib bones showing that he's not getting the right nutrition that he needs. I am about to give up on him. Can someone help me on this. Thank you very much guys.

[Victory]

First it is very rare for a chow to eat four cups of food a day. 2.5 to 3 is about normal for them, no matter their size, my biggest boy who weighed 72lbs only ate 3 cups per day maybe a bit more in the winter when it was -20 degrees farhenhiet out. Some of the really big boys 80+lbs might eat 4cups of food per day, but their size is at the extreme end of the standard for chows these days.

Second, you are supposed to be able to feel his ribs, if you can't he's too fat. On a dog with a healthy weight you should be able to feel the ribs and the spine, (not see them, just feel) without pushing hard.

Is that a picture of your boy in the posting? He looks younger than 13 months in the picture, but whatever age he is he looks to have a perfect weight. I can see some muscle definition in his shoulders, back legs, a nice tucked up tummy and his coat is shiny. These all show a healthy chow.

what is his current height at the shoulder and his current weight, if you can tell us these things we'll be able to help you better. Also Chows are picky eaters, they also almost never gorge like other dog breeds, it's normal for them to leave a bit of food in their dishes, like they want to come back and snack on their own later. If you are feeding him table food, (not a good idea) and rice, then reduce the amount to what he will eat, so it doesn't go rancid which is bad. If feeding kibble give him about 2 cups at the main meal and then another cup in the morning. I do that now and my two are at good weights, my boy is a bit skinny, but he's always been that way.

[Sarahloo]

as he's not really used to eating dried food

Sounds like a hunger strike to get his old food back. Yes, Chows do that. I agree, it's scary as hell!

I am about to give up on him.

Now that is just crazy talk!

Have you tried feeding him canned food? Lamb and rice wet food is how I ended my Looster's hunger strike. We've never had problems again after he hunger striked himself from dry food to wet food. I totally lost that battle, but oh well!

Has the vet carefully examined him for possible health issues? There are quite a few illnesses that take a dog's appetite away.

I agree with victory, he looks fine on his photo, but he should not be losing weight. If he is, you will have to stay on this, and NOT give up!

Edited to add yet more stuff:

Dog teenagers tend to look a little thin and lanky and weird. Just like human teenagers. But they are going to fill out soon enough.

And one other thing, never believe what it says on the box, can: your dog doesn't have to eat as much as they advise you to feed him. Subtract one third of the recommended amount and you are closer to what your dog should realistically be eating!

[Tamahomi]

Thank you very much Victory and Sarahloo. Now I am quite relaxed and at ease. I also measured him out just now and he weighs 38 lbs and stand 17.5 inches. Is he underweight?

Yes, the pic on the posting is my Tam-Tam.

What I do now is little by little introduce him and get him familiarized with the taste of kibble (3/4 of his usual food and 1/4 of the wet Acana). He ate it actually cuz he likes mushed chicken liver and rice. I am also thinking of the climate because if it's hot he doesn't eat a lot. So i put a little ice into his bowl of water. This is a tropical country, where we experience hot weather the entire year. So extra care is needed for a heat sensitive dog like chow chow. ( I don't know if i'm doing the right thing)

And yeah, i won't give up on Tam-Tam, i now plan of getting a female chow chow.

[Michael's Maggie May]

First of all you should be giving him a well balanced DOG diet, he should still be on a good puppy food or a well banced young adult diet. On Dec 1st you are ready to give up on him, on Dec 2 you are thinking of getting a second one? Someone needs a serious talk with you.AND I'M BEING POLITE.

[Auddymay]

I've got a small female who maintains at 33-35 pounds. She is slim, but not horribly skinny. Chart wise, she is a small female, but healthy. The same is true for your male. Do not get another one yet. Be fair to the one you have and give him your attention. You look young in the photo. If you do not have your own home and been established at least 2 years, you are courting disaster to even think of another Chow. I do not recognize the brands you named, probably because you are not in the USA. Try giving your boy a handful of dry kibble by hand (a few kibbles at a time) by having him do things for you like sit or stay. You might be surprised that he likes the attention and accepts the kibble this way.

[Tamahomi]

First of all you should be giving him a well balanced DOG diet, he should still be on a good puppy food or a well banced young adult diet. On Dec 1st you are ready to give up on him, on Dec 2 you are thinking of getting a second one? Someone needs a serious talk with you.AND I'M BEING POLITE.

I am a first time Chow owner though. Even before i posted here i was always thinking of getting a female chow. I want my Tam to his own family. you know what I mean. But as I have said, he's so PICKY that sometimes it makes me think to give him up, but I love my buddy a lot. Thanks for being straight forward

[Rory's Dad]

Glad you appreciated the straight-forward advice of the other posters. Because here it is...You cant figure out if your current chow is eating enough, and you feed him table food with a supplement of rice? You are considering force feeding? Good luck with that by the way. And you aren't sure how to check you Chow for correct body weight with a standard rib check?

Based on all of that, you are ready to give him up? Does that sound like someone committed to his pet? And to consider getting a second? Have you ever even seen 2 chows interact with each other? Is your male fixed? Talking about a "Tam family", so i would guess not. Tam looks healthy based on your pic, but since you dont know it, how could you tend to a litter of pups? Aside from the obvious need for genetic testing and other quality assurances necessary for Chow breeding, how is it that you are going to ensure healthy pups? If they survived, i see a bunch of rescue pups in someone's future.

Concentrate on Tam. Visit a local breeder or reputable supply store and learn about your dog. Don't even consider adding more dogs to your home until you have learned well beyond the basics. Learn about basic nutrional needs and training. Understand Chow psychology and their specific needs.

[Victory]

he is at a good weight for his height. My own current boy is only 20 inchs and weighs just about 40lbs, he is a little thin, he always has been, but still a healthy weight. he is one of the thinner built chows. Like I said, he eats between 2.5 and 3 cups of food per day. I would highly advise you to move your Tam onto a good dog food, kibble and wet food and then onto more of the kibble with just a little wet food. The thing is that wet food goes bad in heat and humidity quickly and if you don't give him fresh wet food he could get sick. a good high quality kibble is much better for him.

Also don't put ice in his water, it can cause a condition called bloat which if not treated within 30 minutes with emergency surgery will kill him. Fresh water from the tap, replenished through out the day is the best. In the summer, I simply refill their water dish 3-4 or more times per day.

I hope you aren't thinking of breeding Tam at this age, he's too young. he should be a minimum of 18 months before he is bred and then only after some very specific health tests, hips, elbows, eyes, thyroid, heart should be tested first, also the same tests should have been done on his parents.

breeding chows is a very risky business, the females often have a difficult time giving birth. I've owned chows for years and years. I think I know a bit about them, and still if I had a breeding female, I'd be on the phone to my vet constantly, I'd be so scared. I really admire people on this list who have been through it and had healthy litters, (Sirol and a few others) they have my utmost admiration.

If you really want to get into breeding, then I suggest you hang around dog shows, breeders and learn all you can, maybe be there for a few whelpings, before you think about doing it on your own.

[Tamahomi]

I really appreciate those advises, now I realized it isn't easy to take care of a chow when I still lack of knowledge about the breed.

I think I just need to dedicate my time foo my Buddy Tam alone. By the way, he bit my brother just recent, good thing he got vaccines already and still i rushed my brother to the hospital for some vaccines against rabies. Chow chows are really...... unpredictable. But i love the way he obeys me. He truly is my best buddy ever.

[Tamahomi]

AGAIN, thank you all for those wonderful ideas. I don't need to panic for, physically, my Buddy looks healthy. I really hope so he's healthy inside and out.

Thank you again. Till next.

[Fozzbear]

I really think that you need to learn more about Chows, so that you can look after the one you have properly. Glad that you have given up on the idea of a second.
There is lots of information here about correct feeding and also training etc, so that you dont get problems with biting and aggression. Read all you can and good luck.

[Tamahomi]

I really think that you need to learn more about Chows, so that you can look after the one you have properly. Glad that you have given up on the idea of a second.
There is lots of information here about correct feeding and also training etc, so that you dont get problems with biting and aggression. Read all you can and good luck.

Thanks a lot Fozzbear . Chow is still the best breed of dog you could ever have. I will take your advice and will look through all the pages i need to learn more about the breed.

Thank God for you guys have been of big help. My Tam Tam says thank you as well. (only if he could speak)

[Rory's Dad]

Good for you to be listening. My apologies if my post was harsh, but i will stand by it and think it necessary.

Please, focus on Tam and forget (for now) of a 2nd pup or breeding.

I know Tam cant literally speak, but do listen to him. He will have different barks to clue you in on his situation. For example, he will have a guard dog bark/growl when he is in protective mode. He will have a whiny, high pitched bark when he is outside and sees a creature he is unsure of. He will chuff/purr when he is happy or trying to tell you something a bit personal. Not to sound all 'dog whisperer', but your Chow will definitely communicate with you. Sure, they aren't words, but really he can talk to a degree. Learn to understand it a bit if you can.

[Tamahomi]

This is really the best Rory's Dad. Before, everytime he barks, i just didnt care. He often barks furiously when we're outside the home for he sees some stray dogs especially when he gets to see cats. He really hates cats. I don't know why.

Now i will try to listen to his bark, i just love it when i hear him barking at the other dogs. He seems so aggressive.

You don't need to be sorry. I don't take each and every opinion you post here against you guys, in fact, I'd love it when you guys are being so honest and frank for I know i will learn a lot from it.

Long live Chows!