DakotasDad

We didn't switch from Orijen until this madness started. Once it started in the last 5 months we have tried several brands, as well as raw whcih she refused point blank. I guess my biggest concern even beyond not eating, is not growing. To me that's abnormal at this age. I've never ever known it. But then I'm not a vet. Part of me says just give up. The rest of the world clearly thinks not eating anymore is normal. Though if this was a child, I suspect they'd be hospitalised. The other part of me, the parental part says no, keep pushing until you figure this out. Maybe I need a new vet and some blood tests. Maybe that will be enough to resolve this one way or another

I forgot to mention she does have a lot of energy when she needs it. She can run for miles. She's also incredibly loving and happy. Just this issue of not wanting to eat and stopped growing.

If she didn't stop growing exactly when she stopped eating, I'd not be concerned. I don't expect a husky nor any other breed to stop growing at 7 months old. For me that's unheard of. We've tried the 10 minute rule but it didn't seem to help. I just kept picking up the same untouched bowl. We've tried different brands and even raw but nothing seems to encourage her to want to eat. Her coat was lovely but now it's much thinner, despite it now being winter in the UK. Her sister eats like a pig and has grown significantly between 7 and 12 months. I know litter mates don't grow at the same rate. But there seems to me to be a correlation with the eating issue. If she was eating normally and stopped growing and become thin, I guess I'd not be concerned with her eating. But as she eats next to nothing day in day out AND she's not growing. I guess I can't help but correlate the two.

I have an issue with my 12 month old husky, or at least I think I do. Dakota was always a fairly large husky growing up. She had a normal husky appetite in that it wasn't very big. Her and her sister who we kept in touch with both grew at a very similar rate, though dakota was always slightly larger. At 7 months old she come in to heat and lost her appetite completely. It hasn't returned. She eats barely 1/4 a cup of Orijen food each day. I've tired raw and she will eat even less. Since this started, her sister has gained 4kg and Dakota has remained the same weight despite getting a little taller. Though her sister is now a few inches taller and much much chunkier. My vet says she's just a typical husky. But I beleive he's sayig that just because huskies are notoriously small eaters. But I fear this is more than just a typical husky thing. She's a very happy and active puppy. But her lack of appetite and growth is concerning me greatly. Fwiw I suspect a deficiency. Perhaps zinc. But my vet wouldn't do any blood work due to her being healthy in his opinion. Thanks so much for your time. Paul.

Thanks a billion! And at a fraction of the price I paid for the 8m haha

I worry about our neighbours more than myself. We are actually thinking of moving to a more private house, as we don't want Dakota keeping everybody awake haha. She is so vocal it's baffling, the noises she makes when she's decided she's had enough of her crate are shocking. She squeals, howls, whines, low pitch, high pitch, and they are relentless haha. She's looking right at us while she's doing it too, so she knows EXACTLY what she's doing and why. She's literally trying every pitch possible until she finds one that annoys us enough to get up with her lol.

20 meters?! The biggest I could find was 8m (24ft). I believe that's also the biggest the Flexi go up to? If you have a link, that'd be great, the bigger the better really, I'd love for her to have some freedom.

Dakota has mastered going up the stairs and enjoys running up them, but I'm wondering if this is OK? will it harm her joints? She's 8 weeks old. She's not yet mastered going down and I figured I'd wait until she's a little bigger before I teach her how to go down. Should I carry her up the stairs or let her walk up on her own?

5:45?! Oh... My... God... I'd be dead within a week I'm certain haha

Does anybody know if a crate divider exists for the Ellie-Bo 36" crate? I cannot seem to find one on Amazon. I've found dividers but none that claim to fit this particular model. ATM Dakota sleeps in the whole cage and she's getting good at waking me up for bathroom vs doing it in her cage, but perhaps the divider will further discourage her?

Adventurous! Actually it sounds like a plan, at least with homemade treats we know exactly what's going in to them. I'm always very conscious of ingredients for Dakota, shame I'm not that way inclined for myself haha

Huskies miss out on so much already by not being able to be off leash, being confined to a lead, IMO, isn't even close to the pleasure or level of exercise dogs get when they've got freedom to run about. I don't see how Dakota is going to get anywhere near the exercise she needs, especially as our garden isn't particularly big. I guess these are challenges I need to figure out but I do feel she needs more exercise than simply walking every day. Her new Flexi, 8 meter leash arrived today and of course that will give her some freedom, but certainly not to run about and play with other dogs like every other dog on the beach will be doing. How do you guys get over this challenge? How do you ensure your husky pup is getting the exercise they need? Or do you truly feel a walk is all they need until they're a year old?

Amazing ideas. Thanks guys.

I envy you. I guess it's time to accept I need to adjust my own clock rather than Dakota adjust hers haha

Yeah, I can see that there could be issues if you're not paying close attention to pup. I also want to go roller blading with Dakota along the sea front. My aim was to start at 6 months and start slowly, taking it at her pace and always keeping by her side, not in front. Obviously if this could harm her development, I won't do it. I'd just like to understand why I guess. I'd have figured slowly getting them fit, would have been a great thing for their health.