worried about my Springer Spaniel

Question
I have two questions.Firstly my Springer `Jay' is 6 months old and just lately, the last couple of week he doesn't seem interested in his food.  I feed him puppy complete but started putting gravy on in after being given this advise by a dog trainer but he's gone off that too really! I keep wasting the food by throwing it away but im sad for jay!  He probably eats just 1 meal - 1 mug full of food a day!  I do give him treats, prob about 5 a day!  He does drink a good amount of water!  

Secondly we have a big garden and spend lote of time in the day throwing balls etc  and we take him to the park for a big run every evening but after about 15 mins he is SO worn out he lay down...he does get up and go again but then lays down again and his breating and panting are so o fast, please tell me this is ok as ive never had a dog before and he is precious to me!

Thank you

Answer
Hi Carla,

Putting something on your dog's food to tempt him into eating is a very poor idea. You are teaching your dog to be finicky, and to "hold out" for something better. Your dog is going to learn very quickly that if he turns up his nose at the food you give him, something even better is going to show up really soon!
Increasing the amount of exercise your dog gets each day is a much better way of giving your dog an appetite a boost, and it helps to ensure your dog will eat what you give him.

You should read the feeding guidelines on the the dog food bag to see what's the recommended amount your dog should receive, and feed your dog that amount. If your dog does not look too skinny, then he is probably receiving the correct amount of food, even though he only wants to eat once a day. Don't feel as though you need to force your dog into eating! He'll get fat!

Another good way of ensuring that your dog eats his meals, is to cut down on the number of treats he gets. Maybe just give him a small treat AFTER he finishes a meal, as a reward... like dessert. No dinner, no dessert! Just like a naughty child.

Depending on your dog's activity level, he may not require more food than he's getting. You only need be concerned if your dog won't eat, and is acting lethargic. If that is the case he should be examined by your veterinarian.

After a good run, it's not unusual for a dog to pant and breathe heavily. Dog's don't sweat, and panting is how they cool themselves down. However, if you think your dog gets tired out much too quickly, and takes much too long to recover from a run, then you should listen to that little voice in your head that something doesn't seem right, and have your dog examined by your veterinarian.  

I hope I've been a help.

Patti