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?

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

How old is Maddy? Snicks went through this at about 8 mths old ( he will be a year in June) the vet suggested I make his food more interesting and tasty so we started mixing in some wet food with the kibble. We also sprinkle on top this stuff called carnivore crunch which is freeze dried raw meat that you buy in a package.

He still was not eating as much as he had been but it helped.

About a month ago he started eating really good again like he had when we first
got him. So I don't know if it was just a development phase thing? But you may want to try and make dins a bit more interesting.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Stella & Chewy's is a safe company, you're okay with any of their products.

[BetteB]

Agnes occasionally skips meals, as well. I've found that adding a few little extras can help. Sometimes I'll put a small dab of yogurt on top, other times I'll add a little cheese. I switch up the "toppings" and try to keep them as healthy as possible. Just by having something that's a little different, Agnes is more interested in her food. I don't do it all the time, but I've found that it helps prevent the skipping of meals.

When I talked to the vet, he wasn't concerned b/c he said Agnes is a good weight. He simply said, "Some dogs live to eat. Agnes eats to live."

Another thing that worked -- when we took care of another dog, Agnes and the other dog ate at the same time. Just by having a little bit of extra encouragement (and possible competition), Agnes became a faster eater. .... So maybe it's time for another doodle? :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Your vet is right. I sort of have one of each.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca grazes and it woks well. He often eats about half of his approximately 1& 1/2 to 1& 3/4 bowls of food in the middle of the night. He usually won't eat unless I'm home. Sometimes he misses most of a meal but he makes up for it and his weight is good. Maybe you could find a place where Maddy could eat at night but where the cat doesn't have access.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

How about just boiling some boneless chicken, adding some frozen or canned veggies to the kibble. That is the home cooking I do. To that I add some craisins, pumpkin, brown rice, yogurt or whatever else I have.

I also keep the broth and give them a bowl diluted instead of water. This way I know that on hot days and the winter days when they are not active they are drinking.

[Annie Norton (Missy May)]

My Missy was not eating either. Her breeder supplied me with a bag of the food she had been eating. However, she would not eat it for me. I bought several other types of dry food but she was not interested even when I doctored it with cheese,
chicken broth, cooked chicken,etc.,
A friend told me to try Spot Stew and"VOILA" she has been chowing it down. After having Labradors who would eat everything and anything it was very disturbing because I really thought she was sick.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We feed the cats UP. Up has changed a few times throughout the years but it usually means one corner of my counter :) Yep. The counter. Oh, okay, yuck, This counter is an isolated one in case you are grossed out yet. I have one cat who grazes and one who eats 2 meals a day. Cats never bother the dog food, but of course, the dogs would eat the cat food. ( if Spud gets a hold of cat food--he is SICK --another good reason to hide the cat food )

I have one dog who eats every two or three days and one who grazes--continually. My two sons also have always had different eating habits. My husband likes 2 large meals a day and I prefer 5 small meals. I'm a grazer. It works best to keep my glucose stable. I really don't think I could possibly be happy or feel healthy eating meals.

IMO, if your dog is a grazer and feels better doing so you may want to make arrangements in your home to accommodate the cats and dogs eating habits.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I like the UP idea!

[Missi]

I agree! Both of my cats are grazers, and my doodles eat two meals a day. The cat food now lives on top of the dryer, with something in front of it so my ninja dog doesn't get it anyway. The doods would eat cat food all day if I let them.

Lizzie also used to be a very picky eater, and always skipping meals. And then I got Marley, who eats like it is his last meal, EVERY time. Since they get fed at the same time, Lizzie now eats as quickly as Marley does. She has not skipped a meal since we brought Marley home and is always hungry since they play constantly. So I second the second-doodle recommendation!

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

I don't understand why this is a "behavioral" issue - a least not from the dog's point of view. I also don't understand how not eating can give her an upset stomach or diahrea? Are you sure she isn't eating something other than kibble that's causing those issues? Grass? Bugs? Dirt?

If you make feeding time into a stressful situation, your dog may sense that and back off. She will eat when she's really hungry, and perhaps you are overfeeding her or expecting her to eat too quickly. You could add something to the kibble to make it taste better, as is suggested by others. My dogs get bored eating the same old food every day and will hunt for their own food if I just give them boring kibble all the time. Variety keeps them interested. I mix in tunafish, broth, cooked chicken liver and sometimes canned dog food in addition to what other people have mentioned. I also give them plenty of time to eat and don't bug them if they go back and forth, or skip a meal. Unless your dogs is underweight or sick, she's most likely getting enough to eat.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Back in the day ( before you were born ) most parents except mine used to MAKE their children eat. Eat everything given to them and everything on the plate. My mother, who was before her time, felt if you didn't like something, or you weren't eating there was a good reason. She felt that if a child did not eat it was probably because it was not good for that particular child. Also, she would say, " The body usually knows what it is doing. If it doesn't taste good~ don't eat it"

Another example~ when my son was two we were warned about the Popsicle age. Yep, for a solid year, Ian ate nothing but Popsicles. The reason: One thought was that two year olds were thought to have low iron levels and the body asks for cold and ice. Whatever the reason he would not eat...... he thrived and was fine. He will be 21 next week. He is six-foot tall and 185 lbs. A year of Popsicles did not hurt him. :)

Relax.