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We recently got a male chihuahua who was a stray. We have placed ads, he has no microchip and no one has reported him missing at the shelter so it looks like he will be joining us. Since my other dog is raw fed, I am switching him to raw as well.
I don't know what he ate prior to being with us or what his eating schedule was. I do know that he should eat more frequently than my 43 lb dog.
Right now, I am feeding him 3% of his body weight (3 oz) per day, 1 oz 3x a day.
He will eat but he likes to take his time about it. He looks at it. He ignores it for 30 minutes and then mouths a bite, spits it out. Looks at it some more. Ignores it. He will eventually eat it all but it takes him about an hour before he decides he is going to really eat it. I am not sure if this is because raw is new to him or he is just a really slow, methodical eater.
Our other dog is crated when he eats or he is in a closed area and he does not resource guard.
Can I safely get him on a better schedule by leaving his food down for 30 minutes and then remove it until his next meal? I think he is a bit overweight but since he is long haired, it could just be he looks like he has more weight than he does. I can't feel his ribs easily.
I am also concerned about his overshot jaw. The little bitty bones I have given him so far have not been an issue but I wonder if he is able to eat okay if I don't cut his food into teeny bites. I don't mind giving him cut meat but I think he could benefit from tearing his own meat.
Any advice would be appreciated. I have never had such a teeny little guy before. My 43 lb dog is the smallest dog I have ever had prior to Spacely.
I don't know what he ate prior to being with us or what his eating schedule was. I do know that he should eat more frequently than my 43 lb dog.
Right now, I am feeding him 3% of his body weight (3 oz) per day, 1 oz 3x a day.
He will eat but he likes to take his time about it. He looks at it. He ignores it for 30 minutes and then mouths a bite, spits it out. Looks at it some more. Ignores it. He will eventually eat it all but it takes him about an hour before he decides he is going to really eat it. I am not sure if this is because raw is new to him or he is just a really slow, methodical eater.
Our other dog is crated when he eats or he is in a closed area and he does not resource guard.
Can I safely get him on a better schedule by leaving his food down for 30 minutes and then remove it until his next meal? I think he is a bit overweight but since he is long haired, it could just be he looks like he has more weight than he does. I can't feel his ribs easily.
I am also concerned about his overshot jaw. The little bitty bones I have given him so far have not been an issue but I wonder if he is able to eat okay if I don't cut his food into teeny bites. I don't mind giving him cut meat but I think he could benefit from tearing his own meat.
Any advice would be appreciated. I have never had such a teeny little guy before. My 43 lb dog is the smallest dog I have ever had prior to Spacely.