Eating habit issues

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Hi all, please help - I am at my wit's end. I could really use some advice for behavioral issues regarding my dog's eating habits. I considered putting this discussion in the food group but feel it will get more notice here and its not really an issue with her food anyway. My problem is that Maddy is completely uninterested in eating and frequently skips meals causing her tummy upset. We are feeding her one of the best kibbles out there and are not looking to change because we are pleased with this food's quality. Home cooking is not an option. Let me plainly state, she is not sick. This is why I call this a behavioral problem. I have tried discussing this with our vet but feel that I know more about nutrition then they do it. (Sad, I know.) So I am at a loss for what to do...

I think Maddy would prefer to graze but this is not an option because we have a cat who's food is always left out and they cannot tell the difference in who's who's. Both the cat and dog get two meals daily at the same time. The dog refuses to touch her's most of the time, usually at breakfast. If Maddy starts skipping meals she tends to get an upset stomach and/or semi-runny stools. When she eats at several meals everything is fine.

Can anyone offer insight or suggestions for what I can try differently?

[F, Calla & Luca]

You could put Maddy's bowl in her crate with her. I do when I go out and the dogs have not eaten or are due for a meal. Luca will often wait til I'm home to eat most of the food, anyway. I add bits of my food or cheese to kibble sometimes, but not always, and if they are hungry they'll eat it either way but they certainly love the "additives". I don't add more than a few bits of meat or chicken so I don't worry about the exact number of calories. I don't have digestive issues from what I give them.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned prefers to eat once a day. He prefers to eat in the dark at night. Our two older dogs don't eat each others' food so we were able to accommodate his preferences. Now that we have our rescue, Clancy, we can't leave Ned's food out. So we put the food down while the three eat and then pick it up for the rest of the day. We put it down again when the others eat. Once in a while I will sit in the room and shut the other dogs out to see if Ned would like to eat and if I think he really needs to eat( for my convenience or schedule), I might put a tiny bit of peanut butter or yogurt in the kibble. Sometimes he eats once a day, sometimes he waits 2 days before eating. He eats way less than the bag suggests. He doesn't get sick when he doesn't eat. He is healthy and obviously eats enough. He has weighed the same amount since he was about 9 months old (he is now 26 months old). I care that his kibble is quality. I would like him to eagerly eat his food, but I refuse to worry about it overmuch. However, I have been the mom of picky eater human children and now see the 'error of my ways.'

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

Cooper behaves very much the same way, and since I feed him raw, I can't just leave his food out. I put it down for 20 mins and then if he doesn't eat I put it in the fridge and try again a little later - usually around lunch. When I am working from home all day, it's no big deal, BUT, when we need to leave to go somewhere, especially like hiking or something, he needs to eat before we leave. So, I add a small scoop of cottage cheese or yogurt or sometimes a few tiny chunks of cheese. He will eat it right up.
About the vomiting - I have the EXACT same problem. I have found that if he refuses to eat, sometimes it has been because it has been too long between meals, and his tummy is upset. I can see how he wouldn't want to eat with a burning tummy. I have had him not eat in the morning, throw up the yellow bile, and then be hungry and eat an hour later. So, I give him a couple of California Natural or Wellness snack bars before bed, this tends to help hold him over and then he will eat in the morning. Also, if he doesn't eat in the morning, I sometimes give him a snack bar and then he will eat his meal a while after that. I really believe that Cooper's upset tummy from not eating causes him to not eat - it's a vicious cycle. It took me a while to get the exact quantities and type of food right, but we are doing well now.
Oh, one other thing - I like the Wet Nose pumpkin cookies. I give him a few throughout the day or evening, and I believe the pumpkin helps with regulating the tummy! I am a believer of never letting his tummy get too empty. Kinda the opposite of one meal a day. Best of luck, these issues are frustrating!

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

I am glad my trial and error can perhaps help someone! The only other thing I would mention is that Cooper had Giardia when he was a baby, and he threw up and had very loose stools from that - and it wasn't all the time. It would come and go. He also would not eat very much at all during this time. You may want to just make sure that is not the case with Maddy???? It's a simple stool check.
I guess if you try the bars at night and still get throwup - my favorite at 3 am - then check for Giardia. If you still have problems and no Giardia, you might ask your vet about giving Pepcid. We had to do that for a bit with Cooper because his acid reflux was so bad as a baby. But it's not good to have them on it all the time because they end up with no acid in the tummy to digest stuff. But as a temporary measure, it worked very well for us.
Cooper will still throw up once in a while in the middle of the night or morning, but it is very seldom. Keep me posted on how poor Maddy is doing!!! And I know, I really wish Coop could tell me how he feels sometimes or listen to reason!!!!!

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

That's exactly my philosophy. If it's bad you may need the Pepcid to calm everything down and then just keep the tummy from getting empty after that. I always have a small baggy of low cal snacks in my purse, in the car, etc. If we are out later than planned, I give him a couple to hold him over. Experience has just taught me that's the best way to avoid problems! And there are plenty of grain free, low cal, good snacks out there!
I do find it funny that we both have mini/medium Australian doodles. I wonder if that is a common problem????

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The one thing I can tell you (and you know this from the Food Group) is that changing the food will only help for a week or two. A dog who doesn't eat because she's bored with her food will get bored with the next food, too, and the next, and the next...just ask Noah or Jackdoodle, lol!
Jack often leaves his breakfast in the bowl all day but I add a little fresh food to his dinner (not to make him eat, but because I believe it's good for him) and he almost always eats his entire dinner. I have also noticed that he prefers to eat when I'm nearby, usually eating a meal myself. I have never had a dog who will eat anything, even a treat, if he knows I am about to leave the house.
My cat's food bowl is also on a kitchen counter where Jack can't reach it. Jack's food is in a raised feeder that the cat can't reach, either, but she wouldn't eat dog food even if she could reach it.

[Dan, Judi, & Timbow]

The one exception to this is the fromm 4 star line. Timbow would not eat his previous foods, more than likely out of boredom. He now gobbles down his fromm every morning and night. We buy a different flavor every time and it's helped so much. :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, rotating flavors does help alleviate the boredom issue. But it still doesn't work for JD. :(

[Dan, Judi, & Timbow]

aww..poor Jackdoodle. He's such a sweet boy.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Our Fudge is a grazer which worked fine for us, until we got Vern. Vern will eat all of his food, all of Fudge's food, and your shoe if he could. Fudge also, like Karen's Jack, will not eat when she thinks we are leaving and likes to have us nearby eating a meal of our own. We had problems too with her throwing up when she had an empty stomach and half the time she wouldn't eat. Sometimes, I add a little chicken broth or yogurt to her food and she is much more interested. Plus, since I switched them both to Fromms and switch the formulas regularly, she has gotten so much better. If she sees me open a new bag, she eats like Vern (which is a lot). Also, Fudge usually does not eat a thing until later in the day. I think dogs, like people, just like a variety and each one is different in how they approach food. The Wet Nose pumpkin cookies sounds like a great idea! Good luck!

[Barbara Burrows]

Hi Nancy, Abby ate the same way as Maddy. Like you I worried about how little she ate and home cooking wasn't an option. Since last fall she started eating a little more and gained 2 pounds. In the last 2 months she has been eating all her food, about 1/2 cup morning and evening. I didn't make any changes in the food she eats, except her treats are now carrots, apple or banana. She hasn't had an upset stomach in the morning since last year. She is almost 2 1/2 years old now.

Maddy is one of the sweetest little doodles I have ever seen.

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Glad you looked up the Stella and Cheweys carnivore crunch. To the point that changing food only helps for a little while if they are bored. That can be true that is why we rotate the wet and carnivore crunch( we give him the beef or the duck) it really has helped his eating habits. I guess the way I think about it would i want to have the same food every day? Yes we spoil him but he gives us SO mich in return. I hope Maddies eating habits improve I know it can be SO frustrating!