Brinkley has recently become a food hog!!

[Heather & Brinkley]

Brinkley is about 1 1/2 years old (he'll be 2 at the end of November.)  He's never been a huge eater.  He ate what he needed when he needed but he never scarfed his food down.  A lot of times he'd eat a little and then he'd leave some for later.  He's always been a runner so between his activity level, the amount of food he ate and his age he looked like a gangly teenager (a cute one, but gangly nonetheless.)

Well about two weeks ago I noticed he was eating all of his food in one sitting.  He still takes his time-- he doesn't scarf the food-- but he finished it.  A couple times he's even gone to his bowl, licked it and then pawed at the bowl and sat and stared at me.  When I filled the bowl, he ate all the food.  Just today, he ate this morning... then he ate around five... and then when I got home he pawed the bowl and ate another serving of food.  

He was always underweight a bit so this a good thing.  The last two check-up the vet said he was a bit underweight... not to a scary or worrisome level.  They said his activity level was just keeping trim... and that they suspected he'd hit a time when he wanted to eat more.  Well, that time has arrived.  He's starting to fill out.  I've noticed that he's getting bulky and he's now getting that deep barrel chest.  He's not getting fat at all.  He's still running and playing a lot!  And he's still all muscle-- just a bulkier guy then his previous build. 

I did have him checked for worms a week ago... just to make sure his new eating habits weren't being caused by a parasite.  He came out clean!

 

Wow, my boy can eat!!  Did this happen to any of you?  Is this normal or his he just a late bloomer.  He was the "runt" of the litter. 

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My Oliver (labradoodle) inhaled his food from the day I brought him home... he is 1 yr. old now and about 2-3 months ago he all of a sudden did not inhale his food and actually did not seem to be hungry.  I was alarmed at first because I had to physically hold him back when I fed my goldendoodle.  Oliver was a bit under weight and the vet said to feed him about 1/4 cup more than what I was feeding him.  He had all of his tests as well so I was not worried about anything.  I feed my doodles two times a day, once in the a.m. and once in the evening.  If Oliver or Sasha do not finish their food I do not freak out any more and know that they will finish by the end of the day.  I think they just go thru phases that they are not interested or not hungy.  Both doodles are at a healthy weight, get lots of exercise and love so I do not worry anymore.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Thanks!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Poor Brinkley probably is scarfing up his food cuz he's scared the neighbor's pets will eat it first!

[Heather & Brinkley]

Ha!  That could be it too... but Brinkey's kind of clueless!  Happy as a clam.  My husband and I were saying what a drastic difference between two housebold;  next door there are two dogs outside in the heat and getting out all the time while Brinkley comes home after a day at swim camp.  Brinkley has no idea how good he has it!

[Melody & Bruin]

My parent's dog could leave his food sit all day until a commercial came on TV with a dog in it, then he would run to his bowl and eat his food!  When he wouldn't eat all day, my folks would turn on Animal Plant, and poof....food gone!

[Dori & Rua]

Too funny.  Must be odd going from one extreme to the other!  Working on being a chick magnet, huh?