i just adopted a 1yr old siberian husky who doesnt like to eat!

Question
She is a very friendly, sweet dog; but she is way to skinny. I adopted her from an older lady who couldn't take care of her anymore. She said it has been hard for her to find foods that she likes. I have all of her papers and medical history. Her last vet visit was last month. They say she is healthy but underweight. I've tried so many types of foods, hard and soft, she doesn't want them. She does like boiled chicken, but I know she can't live off of that. If I mix it with regular food she won't touch it. I don't know what else to do?

Answer
Sibes can be rather picky eaters, and they also have great metabolisms meaning they can live on less food than you think.  If the dog is underweight, you will want to increase her food intake of course, but that can also be done with increasing the caloric value of the foods.

First, find a high quality kibble.  Something with meat as the main ingredients and stay away from ones that list grains as the main - they are just empty fillers that add little to no value to the food.  You should find a kibble that has around 30% in protein and 20% fat.  The more the better, and it might be advisable to use a puppy food.  (Both my 7 year adult Sibes are still on puppy food!)  Now, once you've found it, don't switch it.  That's the kibble, and that's what she gets.

Next, supplement with high protein and high fat foods.  Boiled chicken works, but so will ground beef, steak, chicken, fish, turkey, etc.  I would try to add a tablespoon or two of meat to every meal.  Try different things to see what she likes.  Raw, lightly cooked, fully cooked, etc.  (Raw food is ok in most cases, just make sure it is from a trusted butcher and given relatively freshly.  Canines have much shorter and more efficient digestion systems than humans, and bacteria that causes illness in humans often passes right through a canine's system.)

Finally, try to find things that she does like that can integrate with the kibble.  Two things I've tried before that have worked well is low sodium chicken (or beef) broth and shredded or grated cheeses.  Spread it over the kibble, and the dog eats both.  You'll have to play with what works for your dog, but keep trying (And try some things away from the kibble first to see if she likes it, than slowly add kibble to it.)

Don't be too concerned if the dog goes a few days eating lightly, while you want to put on weight, it may take some time.  Just keep experimenting with supplements, but keep the kibble the same.  Don't feel bad if she just eats some meat one day . . . eventually her appetite will kick in.

If she continues to lose weight, the other option you may want to consider is a Bones and Raw food diet.  I'm not an expert in it, but some dogs thrive on it and there are a lot of resources on the web for it.  Just look it up and you should be able to find some things.  Also, keep in mind that it sometimes referred to by its acronym (Bones And Raw Food = BARF).  Most serious people stay away from that term, but it is around.  :)