Food

Question
Hello. I have an almost 3 year old female Siberian Husky who is a very picky eater, and really doesn't eat a whole lot. I know Sibe's are known for being skinny, but you could feel her spin and ribcage really well and she just didn't look good. So, I switched her food. She was eating Purina Dog Chow. Now I feed her Taste of the Wild (about 1 1/2 cups), with some Solid Gold canned food (1/4 of the can), and (I forget the name of it, but it's this rolled up food that looks kinda like summer sausage. I get it at Petsmart) and I cut a little bit of that into chunks and put it on top, just to get her eating. She ate that pretty well for a while, and has started to get to a healthy weight.

My question is, what are some other foods that are good for her that I can rotate through so she's not always eating the same thing and to keep up her appetite. Because now she will only nibble at her food and tries to eat the Purina that the other dogs eat, even though she never ate it before (go figure). If I start rotating her food, how often should I rotate it? Like, feed her this for so long, then switch? Is it okay to rotate food? I'm not sure, I've read conflicting arguments on the web.

Thank you for any advice you can give me.

Answer
The general problem with rotating food is causing gastro-intestinal distress which usually manifests itself in runny and/or loose stools.  However, if your dog doesn't suffer from that (and indeed, it's more common in puppies and older dogs), then switching foods around isn't that big of a deal.  In fact, mixing in new stuff slowly with old stuff is generally a good way to switch, and will keep your dog eating because they are trying to pick out the new food.

As for what's good for your dog, keep an eye on labels and see what you can find.  Sibes do best on high protein and high fat diets.  I usually recommend finding foods that are at least 30% protein and 20% fat - more if you can find it.  So, look around your pet store and see what you can find and what your dog likes - that's the best thing.  As far as non-dog foods to add, you can try ground beef, low sodium chicken broth, and you can check out some web sites on raw feeding for dogs for some great additions.  I don't personally advocate raw feeding, but I do check out some sites for some good suggestions of supplements to add to my dog's diets.  They love the treats and it keeps them eating.

As for how often to switch, I would say when your dog stops eating, start adding small bits of something new until the new stuff takes over.  Stick with that, and then change it up again if she stops eating again.  However, be aware that Sibes have efficient metabolisms, and don't be concerned if she skips a day or two.  As long as she is drinking water, two days without food is of little concern.  Much past that, and you want to make sure she is eating again.