Feeding issues

[Goldenbrown1981]

Hey guys

I'm after a bit of advice for my Mam. She has a Miniature Poodle who is 17 months old. When she first got him he ate EVERYTHING, but as he got older he got fussy. He went off wet food first (which is what his breeder fed him) so she switched to dry (Bakers Puppy), then I read about Bakers not being very good so she switched him onto Royal canin Poodle food. He ate half a bag and then stopped eating it. She started giving him just chicken, I told her off as I didnt think this was healthy. She switched back to the poodle food and mixed in the chicken. These switches have been going on for ages as he keeps 'going off' stuff. For the last few months (unbeknown to me) he has been eating just cooked chicken and rawhide bones and treats. Yesterday we went for a walk and he could not poo, he was crying in pain. My mam was in a right state as he is her baby and she adores him.

We went straight to pets at home and bought some high quality dry food and some Applause (i think) wet food. He ate two mouthfulls then left it. I've suggested just giving him no alternative and he will eat it eventually but I'm worried I' giving the wrong advice. he is drinking fine and has done a poo now but she's terrified that he'll starve himself. Any advice?

[KatharineClifton]

I also wondered if a dog will starve itself in a bid to get the food it prefers. apparently not

[daisydotandgertie]

He's really unlikely to starve himself!

Is she leaving the food on the floor for him to pick at all day? Or giving him lots of treats - bits of her own food?

To get him eating normally - and don't forget he's tiny, so his appetite is likely to be tiny too - put down a little bit of food (and I'd offer less than's recommended in this case to start with) at breakfast time, give him 15 minutes to eat it and if he hasn't touched it take it away. And don't give him anything else until supper time. Do the same thing again. If he doesn't touch it after 15 minutes take it away.

Don't fuss, don't offer alternatives just offer a good quality dog food (you're right to avoid Bakers) and keep on going. Make sure there's clean, fresh water available at all times.

I wonder if your Mum might be offering treats on and off all day which will have completely taken away his appetite. It might be worth remembering how little food he will actually need to take the edge of his appetite - a corner of toast and a bit of biscuit and he'll not be properly hungry for the day.

Rawhide bones will be a mammoth meal for a miniature poodle - and there's not an ounce of goodness in them. They're really hard to digest too.

If she'd like to offer him treats (only once this food fussiness is sorted) bits of raw carrot go down a treat in this house.

[Goldenbrown1981]

Really? Carrots? I'll have to try that. Lilly used to LOVE pineapple but we have not given her it for ages.

I suspect the treats have been an issue, which I've also talked to her about. He gets a dentastick once a day and I think he got LOTS of smaller treats but she has said she is stopping that. I tried to compare it to her eating a mars bar just before tea and I think she got it.

She does leave the food down, so picking it up is certainly something else to try, I'll mention it tomorrow.

Since my dad has died he is her baby and she really thinks she's doing the right thing, but hopefully we'll get her sorted. problem is I'm no expert, i just know what the books and mags have told me so I was worried I was wrong, so thanks guys

[misdee]

if he will eat chicken, then she could try him on raw chicken wings, she will need to give some veggies as well to stop the consipation.

[daisydotandgertie]

Leaving food down is one of the biggest contributors to fussy dogs. That and treats (I knew there'd be lots of them!) are almost certainly the culprits.

Our girls get treats from their daily ration - and their daily carrot! And if they have something like a rawhide/dentastick or similar then they get their rations reduced.

I do honestly understand your Mum is doing what she's doing out of love - but she's not doing her dog any favours. I can think of a labrador I know who was taken away from it's owner who had been overfeeding out of love - the poor boy was almost three times the weight he should have been and could barely stand his own weight. It was a cruelty case.

Your Mum's poodle doesn't sound overweight - but his poor diet is making him ill and is causing him pain. She needs to listen to you. And she needs to do the best for her dog, treat him with a game or a walk instead of food maybe?

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

OP is your Mum my mum? Except my mums dog is a yorkie.
His food is left down for him, he gets treats, he gets little tit bits of stuff and he is a little thing, but I am sure my mum thinks he should eat the same as my GSD!

No matter what I say to Mum she always does her own thing - maybe generation thing?