# Dogs who self-regulate/Once a day feeding



## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

So Jack has continued on with his picky eating. 
I had his teeth checked, stool checked, physical exam and vet says he's just "holding out for the good stuff." 

I was feeding him ¼ cup dry + a spoonful of canned mixed in for months and he was doing great, twice a day meals. 

And then he stopped eating the kibble, licking the canned off the kibble pieces and dropping them back in his bowl, perfectly clean. 

So... after a couple weeks of this, I couldn't stand to see him not eat! I gave him all canned. That worked for a while, now he's taking his chunks of canned out of the bowl, holding them in his mouth, and dropping them on the floor, only to walk away. 

I emailed his breeder and asked if this is typical of her dogs (my other 3 poodles I"ve had in years past have been great eaters, never a problem). 

She said if he's at a nice, lean weight, don't worry about it, he'll continue to eat. Just offer his bowl of his usual meals, and pick it up and refrigerate till next time. She says her dogs stop eating as much when it's hot. 

So ok, I won't worry about it, but anyway, my question is do any of you feed just once a day? I was thinking of offering him a small amount at breakfast because that's when he's least interested in eating and then a larger portion at supper. I'm not sure he'll eat it all then but...  Do I keep refrigerating the leftovers or throw them away and try new?

I've had dogs for years and this one seems to be winding me all up in my emotions LOL. Food is love. He doesn't want my food, so no love? Thankfully my logical brain smacks the emotional brain upside the head and I know better, but still, it stings a little when he tucks his tail and walks away!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We free feed, but are lucky to be able to do so in that both dogs are non-gluttons. I like free feeding since I think their grazing is a good bloat risk reducing strategy.

More to your issue, my mom's mini is a picky eater. We generally has kibble freely available, but eats very little of it. He also is not a "morning dog" and has little interest in breakfast, but does generally eat a good dinner of canned food.

Also my dogs definitely eat less when it is hot!


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

It would be nice to be able to free feed but my other three would turn into toads lol. 

I guess I'll just keep offering food at mealtimes and leave it at that.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I completely understand your frustration! I have one just like that but he will eat very well if I feed raw or ziwipeak. So that's what I do. Because for my own mental sanity I need him to eat! Is there anything really high value like ziwipeak that your boy might eat more enthusiasically?


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

ziwi peak looks great but is out of my budget at the moment. I did raw for years and would prefer not to if I didn't absolutely have to. Which it appears I might! Stinker


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Shamrockmommy said:


> ziwi peak looks great but is out of my budget at the moment. I did raw for years and would prefer not to if I didn't absolutely have to. Which it appears I might! Stinker



Make sure that you consider the portion size when you consider Ziwi - the portion size is very small.
Or if you are going to go to once a day feedings (which some dogs do better on), you might consider using Ziwi as a treat to give him some extra nutrition (it has the consistency of a jerky treat and comes in flat, dime size pieces) - I use it for treats around here!


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

My first Spoo, Roxy, and Penny weren't/aren't picky eaters. Penny is a free feeder also so as long as she's getting her three cups a day at this point, no problem. Beau on the other hand was a picky eater. But I think I'm the one who made him picky. I thought I was being a super nice guy by adding in the juice from the steaks we made. Or adding some yummy yogurt or scrambled eggs or bacon or canned food to his kibble sometimes. Then when he didn't get the added yums he'd walk away. Then the usual yums weren't yummy enough so then the cycle began. Adding some new stuff worked for a short while then he'd get bored so I'd have to find something that peaked his interest and on and on it went. So Penny only gets kibble in her bowl. She does get lots of treats for come, sit, stay, touch, watch me and sometimes just for being her adorable self but not in her bowl. So far so good.

Rick


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

My 2 used to be extremely picky eaters. I'd mix kibble + canned dog food + pumpkin + yogurt and many times I'd have to smash cooked ground beef into the kibble and mix it in SO well that they couldn't pick the meat out and leave the kibble. I made sure the ground beef was tiny tiny but a lot of it. (Cooked Drained and partly rinsed - unseasoned)

But one day I was fed up about it! And I decided to go back to the basics! 

KIBBLE + nothing! 

And they started eating regularly ! ( I was like.... Uh??!!! How come?!!)
I can't explain why... But less is more sometimes, I guess. And if they decide to skip a meal occasionally, I just add the tiny smashed ground beef to the kibble alone. ( + a bit of the "rinsed juice" from the meat) And they won't refuse that 

I was getting soooooo frustrated at one point  Especially with Lou, she was very lean. Now both of them are a good weight! Thank goodness! 

Good luck dear! Keep us posted! 

Ps. If ground beef is too expensive for you. I know some places (butchers or " markets" ) sell really really cheap beef meat. And you can just ask them to ground it up 

Example:,gizzards or chicken hearts are really cheap! And I eat them no problem, but my point is there are beef "cuts" that most people don't like and they are cheaper. Like "beef cheek" --- I think that's what it's called 






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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I pay $120 for a large bag of Ziwi that lasts my standard poodle a month. Expensive, but I can imagine it would last a mini poodle exponentially longer!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Mine are fed a combination of raw and home cooked. Sophy used to like kibble for the first few days a bag was open, and then go off it the moment it got in the least bit stale. Now she gobbles most meals - although having Poppy hovering ready to finish anything she leaves certainly helps! There are still certain textures she dislikes (anything gluey or gloopy) and I have been known to scramble her an egg if she doesn't want what is on offer, but that is mainly because I have discovered that she really does know what suits her best - trying to over persuade her to consume stuff she doesn't like has led to severe stomach upsets before now!


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