French Mastiff

[thelongshoot]

Hello. Im hoping someone has some advice here. I have a 13 month old DDB. He was born here in Thailand but mum and dad come from England - a very good line.

He is 50 kilos but for his age, he should be more like 60. He just wont eat anything and has been this way for 2 months now. I have tried everything - top end kibble (Holistic), kibble mixed with chicken, mixed with chicken and rice. He wont even eat a can of pedigree chum which is not the best dog food around, but to a dog one of the tastiest.

I tried all the tricks such as leaving the bowl on the floor for 20 minutes and taking it away for a whole day if he dosent touch it but the little sod beats me at my own game and i went three days almost before i had to give in and gave him sausages from the 7/11 - one of the few things he will chomp down but even then, he gets bored after just 2 or 3. Remember, this is a giant dog we are talking about here....

Now, if i am lucky he will have the occasional sausage. Thats it. Its realy starting to worry me.

I took him to the vet and the best answer they could give me was "maybe he is hot". He has a specialy adapted kennel with a run (enough room for 10 paces end to end), complete with two fans running constantly so i doubt its a heat thing and i also let him into the house for at least half of the day to soak up some air con (evenings in the kennel)

He gets plenty of walks, so its not an energy thing.

What am i doing wrong?

Please help if you have advice!

Best

TLS

[Nienke]

How was his appetite before he 'stopped' eating?

Does he really eat almost nothing? Are you sure he can't get anywhere else some food?

What happened approximately 2 months ago that him made stop eating?

Is he loosing weight (fast)? I assume that when he hardly hasn't eaten for the last two months he should be skin-and-bones by now?

Is it possible that he learned to manipulate your attention by not eating? (I've known a few of those, the smart bastardo's )

Has the vet done blood tests, palpated the dog, and maybe done X-rays of stomach etc?

What is is overall behavior? Happy energetic, playful? Or lethargic, quickly tired, etc?

Have you tried giving raw food to him?

When were his last vaccines? I've know a few pups (although younger than your dog) that stopped eating after the second or third jab. Skin-and-bones they were.

[meatboy]

have a look at the posts on having your dog neutered,how long have y had him,do whats been posted get a full blood test done,is there any bitches near y,the heat could be a big problem but as y are doing all y can it is worrying,there is some good info in this forum,good luck and keep us posted.where are y?

[tebee]

I have an English Mastiff who is almost 80 kg and I find he eats very little in hot weather - and that is only summer in France rather than the temperatures here.

Used to feed him chicken and rice, but had to give up work due to ill health some years ago and now he lives on dried food. I would say he only eats about 0.5 kg per day in summer as opposed to 1.5 kg in winter. He does drink a lot of water though. Yours is still growing though and will need a bit more I would have thought.

Have thought about bringing him to Thailand as the wife would like to have him and it would save me paying pet-sitter fees when I'm here, but he's 8 years old now and I think to old for such a traumatic change - not to mention the cost of flying 80 kgs of dog.

Tom

[necronx99]

Big breeds do not grow to their full potential in the tropics.

[koot]

Hello.

Just a question.

I hope you don't mind i place it in this topic?

I,m living in pattaya and looking already lontime for a french mastiff . (Bordeaux dog)

Where did you buy your dog, if may ask?

i contact a breeder from the isaan, she sold al pups already.

Sombody know french mastiff breeds in thailand?

Greets koot.