Willy’s Food Problems

[Maddie]

Hi, I got an f1bb mini goldendoodle a month ago named Willy. He is currently 5.5 months old and 21.5 lbs.  We are first time dog owners and new to DK, so please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong about any info or if I put this question in the wrong place!

Willy was eating hills Science Diet at the breeders and based on our vets recommendations and our own research we decided we wanted to try to switch him to Orijen puppy. Willy went to the vet for the first time 3 days after we got him, on Tuesday, July 31. He got a fecal sample tested and it turns out that he has whip worms. He had no sign of stomach upset and still has not until this day. He was treated with panacur for 3 days after the test results came back, was treated again a week ago with 3 more day, and will be treated again in 3 months with another 3 days.

So, we waited two weeks after we got him, and then slowly started giving him Orijen. However, he started to try and pick the Orijen pieces out and then would leave the Hills Science Diet in his food bowl and refuse to eat it. I’m still a teen, so my parents make all the decisions, and they said they wanted him to finish the bag of Hills Science Diet and add “yummy stuff” (peanut butter, yogurt, pumpkin, etc) to his food to make him eat it. We went to the vet and explained the situation a week ago when we were picking up hos medicine. She said to just give all Orijen. So, that’s what we did.

His poop has been totally fine and he had been devouring his Orijen (1.25 cups a day as the vet recommended), but as the week when in his enthusiasm for Orijen quickly went down. Yesterday, he wouldn’t eat any Orijen. He wouldn’t eat a single piece of kibble, but he did have chews and treats Used as positive reinforcement. Today, he ate 1/8 cup of Orijen in the morning (as opposed to the 5/8 cup the vet recommended), and a good amount at night but I’m not exactly sure how much, but probably not more than 5/8 cup. Also, his poop has gotten a lot smaller and had decreased from 2-3 poops a day to just 1.

Im not sure what we should do next. My parents have told me to just leave the food out for him, but I’m  worries that it is not healthy for him to not eat for a day, or to only eat small amounts. We have not called the vet yet, but we might if he continues to refuse to eat his food or just eat very small amounts. What do you think? Is this normal for a puppy?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, it's normal for their appetites to decrease at this age. 
Adding all the "yummy" stuff to the food bowl in an attempt to get him to eat the Science Diet was a mistake. That's a good way to create a picky eater who won't settle for just kibble when he knows there are all kinds of extras that he could be getting if he just holds out long enough.

The decrease in poop is due to the decrease in food. Not much in = not much out. 

What kind of treats is he getting and how many is he getting each day?
Here's the way I would handle this:
At mealtime, give him his food and sit down right nearby to keep him company. Maybe have a snack or meal yourself. keep distractions to an absolute minimum- nobody coming in and out of the room, nobody calling out from other rooms, no major acgtivity going on nearby- nothing to distract him from eating. Encourage him to eat and keep directing his attention back to the food bowl. If you have to, hand feed him.  After 15 minutes, pick up whatever food is left and do not offer food again until the next scheduled mealtime. It may take a few days, but he should start to get the message. 
I would also try to limit how many treats he is getting, especially before meals. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, Willy may be close to his adult size if he is a small mini. If so, he doesn't need as many calories as he did when he was a younger puppy. 

[Lindsey Holt]

Karen is the food guru so she has sent you on the right track.

I just wanted to say that you are in the right place and the people here (particularly Karen) are very knowledgeable about all things doodle (really dog in general). 

[Maddie]

Thank you so much Lindsey! It is great to know I have such a welcoming community at DK!!

Thanks Karen, for your help. You are a lifesaver! A soon as I got your suggestions, I decided to start taking him outside, as my house is full of distraction and when he stops eating and comes over to people he would get tons of attention. After a few days, he was eating all of his food in under five minutes! We then started bringing him inside to eat in his exercise pen to eat, and he needs us to redirect his attention to the food a few times, but then finishes it. Now, we have him eating in his exercise pen in the morning and next to the table at dinner (no one is allowed to pay him any attention during this time). So far, this is working great! I personally think that he stopped eating because he knew that he could get a attention from us when he came over so he did that instead of eating his food.

Thank you all so much for your help!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am so glad it worked for you!