How to get my doberman to gain some weight

Arelyg

Novitiate
My doberman hasn't been eating his food lately. He will only eat once a day even when I service him a full plate. I was thinking of giving him can gravy food so it could be more appetizing for him but couldn't decide on the best can food for him. Or is there any good supplements for dogs out there? ... Any suggestions?
 
How old is he, how much does he weigh, what food are you feeding him? If you have some pictures so we could see if he looks underweight, that would help. Any health issues that you know of?

My Dobe is notorious for skipping meals; almost like she's self regulating (unusual for Dobes but it does happen). Frustrating but not dangerous.
 
I also have a doberman who does not eat all the time. He is all around healthy and a healthy weight sometimes he just does not want to eat. My vet said this is totally normal. For the past two weeks he will not eat in the AM but eats in the PM. As long as he is eating something you are probably ok. The only addition we put in their food is boiled chicken. We boil it each week and put it in the food processor to grind it up. They both get a 1/2 cup of chicken with their hard food. Maybe try that.
 
I also have a doberman who does not eat all the time. He is all around healthy and a healthy weight sometimes he just does not want to eat. My vet said this is totally normal. For the past two weeks he will not eat in the AM but eats in the PM. As long as he is eating something you are probably ok. The only addition we put in their food is boiled chicken. We boil it each week and put it in the food processor to grind it up. They both get a 1/2 cup of chicken with their hard food. Maybe try that.
We have a picky eater too! As long as weight is good no real worries. No mention of weight or age from Arelyg..if she has real concern about health issues then I would say visit a vet. Photos would help us but the vet has to be your best source for weight management. ;)
 
As shown in the picture my doberman threw the food in his bowl to the floor, I tried feeding him with my hand but he ate very little and didn't want anymore.
So it is okay to give my dog boiled chicken? What else can I give him?

Thanks for all the responses
 
As shown in the picture my doberman threw the food in his bowl to the floor, I tried feeding him with my hand but he ate very little and didn't want anymore.
So it is okay to give my dog boiled chicken? What else can I give him?

Thanks for all the responses
I'm no expert, but if he were mine I'd be heading to the vet about now. Could it be an issue with teeth? A sore mouth? And is he still happy and playing or is he fussing and miserable?
 
This is typical male Doberman behavior, especially for intact males. Take him to the vet to make sure he doesn’t have any health reasons that may be causing his lack of appetite. If not, then adding stuff to his food to make him eat is not going to help. In fact, coddling him will make it worse. My advice is to put his food down, give him 15 mn to eat, if he doesn’t eat or plays with his food then pick it up. Feed him again in PM. He will
Not only learn to eat when he’s hungry, but he will learn that he can’t dictate when he can and cannot eat.
 
I have to say my two will never let me forget their meal time. They are voracious eaters but they also get a great deal of physical and mental exercise daily so the appetite is there.
I would get him to the vet for a check up, especially if this has just started recently.
 
I have to say my two will never let me forget their meal time. They are voracious eaters but they also get a great deal of physical and mental exercise daily so the appetite is there.
Lucky! Lol. Archer and the girls have zero issues hoovering down their food. Belmont is iffy. He eats when he wants to. Got worse when he hit maturity. Only stinks when he goes off his food right before a show....which is when of course he decides to stop eating. Silly boy. Mine even get tons of exercise and we OB train nightly as we are coming up on a trial, so the activity is there. He’s just always been blah about food. Pretty common in intact males, but still frustrating at times. If my others refuse food they are seriously ill. Lol.
 
As shown in the picture my doberman threw the food in his bowl to the floor, I tried feeding him with my hand but he ate very little and didn't want anymore.


I wouldn't worry about it. He'll eat when he's hungry. A healthy dog won't starve themselves. As suggested above, I would feed him and if he doesn't eat within 15 minutes or so, take the food away till next feeding time.
With my 2 I find Rumor will always eat. She'll even help Drake out if he doesn't want to. Drake on the other hand is also iffy. Even exercise can be a problem especially if we are doing something he really likes. He's got no time for food if there are things to do.

@Arelyg your boy is not starving, he looks to be at a good weight. I wouldn't worry or try force feeding. Just teach when it's mealtime by pulling food. He'll get it. ;)
 
I've dealt with some of this in the past.

My current boy is such a chow hound though that he almost always scarfs. Now, his Interceptor heartworm tablet, I have to break in half and put deep into the mouth.

Question: Is your boy allowed in your house? I wonder if maybe he wants inside to be with you and he is not interested in food by comparison.
 
I'll be super honest, I sat there and would try to stand over Nero to eat. He didn't get over 69lbs until after he was neutered. I found him exactly how @Archer has found Belmont to be. Worried me to death forever.
Since he was neutered at 18 months, he has only been off his food once. Gulps it down so fast that now we stand over him telling him to slow down vs eat.

Coddling never worked either, trust me. I tried changing flavors, adding toppers, including canned food and even shredding cheese. It would work once or twice and back to meh... Just follow her advice. Put the food down and pick it back up. If he doesn't eat, he doesn't and hopefully he's hungry next meal. Make sure you have a high calorie food so that when he does eat, he's getting the calories he needs. (JMO.)
 
Dobes can really be fussy about their food huh, but then Kaiser the gourmand has appetite for it all despite being intact at 2. The only human food coming into this house that he has rejected is pomegranate.
 
Yes, Oji at 4 years old and intact happens to be voracious. Just loves food. It's just inborn in this particular specimen. He is perennially in fighting weight and has only recently begun to (maybe) not look semi-malnourished.

Some of this has to do with a male Doberman being a slow-maturing dog. I've heard it said that male Euros are especially slow maturing.

This is "my" breed and I still cannot find one I find better suited to me; but the fact I have to wait approximately 1/2 his lifetime for him to reach maturity is a major downside.
 
As shown in the picture my doberman threw the food in his bowl to the floor, I tried feeding him with my hand but he ate very little and didn't want anymore.
So it is okay to give my dog boiled chicken? What else can I give him?

Thanks for all the responses
What is his age? because mine didn't touch the food while he was 4.5 to 5.5 months old. I checked his mouth he was having shaky teeth. After those got exfoliated he started gulping.
 
Yes, Oji at 4 years old and intact happens to be voracious. Just loves food. It's just inborn in this particular specimen. He is perennially in fighting weight and has only recently begun to (maybe) not look semi-malnourished.

Some of this has to do with a male Doberman being a slow-maturing dog. I've heard it said that male Euros are especially slow maturing.

This is "my" breed and I still cannot find one I find better suited to me; but the fact I have to wait approximately 1/2 his lifetime for him to reach maturity is a major downside.
Every line matures differently. Even every dog in that line matures differently. You actually want your males to mature more slowly. Mature too fast or too early and they get too course (rough looking) and can end up having issues health or structure wise when they are older. I prefer a slower maturer with a dog. Bitches should always mature faster, but you want them to mature slowly too. Always better to have one that cooks longer :)

I do feel your pain. Belmont is very slow to mature compared to his brother. He will probably be at his prime at 3-4 and he just turned 2. He still looks adolescent in the show ring compared to the other Specials.
 
I'll be super honest, I sat there and would try to stand over Nero to eat. He didn't get over 69lbs until after he was neutered. I found him exactly how @Archer has found Belmont to be. Worried me to death forever.
Since he was neutered at 18 months, he has only been off his food once. Gulps it down so fast that now we stand over him telling him to slow down vs eat.

Coddling never worked either, trust me. I tried changing flavors, adding toppers, including canned food and even shredding cheese. It would work once or twice and back to meh... Just follow her advice. Put the food down and pick it back up. If he doesn't eat, he doesn't and hopefully he's hungry next meal. Make sure you have a high calorie food so that when he does eat, he's getting the calories he needs. (JMO.)
This is one of the only things that works for me :) Bells was a great eater as a youngster. Hit maturity and blah. Also he stops ating if one of my girls is in season. Part of the “fun” of having intact dogs of opposite sex. Lol. Really the only time I fret is if we have a show coming up. I work so hard keeping him in show condition I HAVE to make sure he eats. Otherwise if we aren’t showing he eats when he eats.

It is super hard to see them not eat though. @Arelyg I feel your pain. If he goes without eating for sometime (5-7 days) and has a clean Vet check, you may try switching foods or even the variety within the food you feed. I had a friend whose dog stopped eating and after almost a week of not eating even with the 15 mn rule, she just changed from the chicken to the beef variety in her food and her dog ate again. Also expect diarrhea if you switch foods or add a higher calorie food. Slow switches are always best. Keep us posted and here to help of needed.
 
Dobes can really be fussy about their food huh, but then Kaiser the gourmand has appetite for it all despite being intact at 2. The only human food coming into this house that he has rejected is pomegranate.
I don’t blame him!! Lol. You are lucky with Kaiser. Wish Belmont was like that, but he doesn’t want to be “helpful” lol
 

Back
Top