New Doodle not eating very much

[Lisa]

Our 10 week old goldendoodle hasn't been eating very much since coming home it just under a week. He will maybe eat a cup in an entire day. We had him to the vet today and he's just a tad under weight. Overall though she said he looked healthy and she would see us next weeks for shots. We have been allowing him unlimited access to it because he never finishes a meal. I've also tried canned food, scrambled egg, cottage cheese and he doesn't seem intrested. As with my human kids I'm having a worried Mom moment or thinking I'm doing something wrong. Any help would be very appriciated

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Lisa, we have a very large, very active group here called The Food Group, where we have hundreds of discussions about all aspects of feeding our dogs. "Picky" eaters and ways to get our pups to eat is probably the most common topic there.

It's a mistake to free feed, IMO. When the pup has set mealtimes and a limited amount of time to eat, they learn that food is not always available any time they feel like having a mouthful, and that they had better eat when they have the chance. Fixed mealtimes also make housebreaking easier, as it regulates their "output". At mealtimes, give him ten minutes to eat. Sit nearby, and keep all distractions to a minimum. Nobody coming in and out of the room, or calling out from another room, etc. After 10 minutes, put the food away and don;t offer food again until the next scheduled meal. 

It's also a mistake to add "toppers". The dog comes to expect them. 

The following discussion from The Food Group is one of my favorites on the topic of getting a dog to eat. Although it is about an adult dog and not a puppy, it's pretty entertaining and you might just have a lightbulb moment. :)
http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/an-ode-...

[Cathy and Daisy and Harper]

My girl has always been a pretty picky eater. I think we all think dogs will just gobble down their food but mine never does. I give her enough time to eat and then if she does not, I put it away. I have discovered when she is hungry she will finally eat it. My doodle is now a year and definitely on the lean side but healthy.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

My Fudge never ate that much as a puppy and still is not a big eater. She maintains a healthy weight, so I don't worry about it.  I do free feed and always have and have never had a problem with either dog. Fudge likes to eat when no one is around, especially Vern, so the free feeding works for us. I don't add any additives or extras to the food, but I use Fromm and do change up what I give them (as far as flavors) for variety. Neither of my dogs gobble their food up when I put it down. I have learned with Fudge that she will eat when hungry.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I didn’t realize that Fudge and Ned shared the ‘you may not watch me eat’ habit! 

You pup may also still be stressed and adjusting to his new home and life. One of our rescues, he was an adult but it’s still new, new, new, barely ate when we first got him. He was under a lot of stress. 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Good advice from all.  A healthy dog will eat what s/he needs.  Just keep in touch with vet.  I am not personally a fan of free feeding either.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

These are all great comments.  I especially agree with the comments about using special toppers to entice him to eat.  They are way smarter than we think, and it doesn't take them long to develop habits that are difficult to break.  He has a whole new world to explore, and right now food isn't top of his list.  Did the vet tell you how much he should be eating in a day?  If he's eating approximately that amount he shouldn't lose weight. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Annabelle is 3.5 years and she has always been a picky eater. I make sure she eats something before going to bed for the night, especially if she hasn't eaten much during the day, or she will puke the next morning...usually on my bed. 

[Lisa]

Thank you all first and for most. I so appreciate all the good tips and help. I was only leaving food available because it seemed like he wasn't eating and it made me feel like I was starving him if I took it away. His breeder suggested the toppers but I will definitely stop after reading this. He is super smart and I don't want to break a habit I created along with normal puppy training. I finally got him to eat full cup last night after everyone else went to bed. He kept wanting to walk away and do something else but when I would make noise with his food he refocused and ate. He also seems to want to take treats more the last 24 hours so I'll just keep a baggy of his dog food with me at all times and continue training him with that instead of the normal treats for now. I think it migh just be stress, our busy house and distractions. I freaked out when she said he was underweight but I think he'll do just fine. He's adorable, playful and most importantly acting more like this is home. 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Adding on to the “kibble as treats” idea - when we were concerned that Desi wasn’t eating enough as a tiny puppy, we bought several toys that could be loaded with kibble. As he played with the toy, a kibble or two would fall out of the toy. He found this way more interesting than standing at the food bowl. We took the kibble from his measured daily allotment so we didn’t exchange under eating for over eating. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Loved your photos of him. He is beautiful.