# I know Golden doodles often have issues but



## Getting ready (May 4, 2019)

(though the ones in my neighborhood tend to be sweet dogs). I have to say though, this picky poodle eating is not my favorite thing. Here is Noodle refusing to eat the kibble he shook out of the snuffle mat. This is the very same kibble he gobbled up two days ago when my sister in law's dog was visiting. I told him I'm trading him in for a goldendoodle but he doesn't seem very worried.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Ha! This is a very cute, very poodley photo 

I've not figured out yet if Peggy is picky or just really good at self-regulating. 

Like me, she can be convinced to eat anything, at any time, if it tastes good enough. But otherwise she seems like she's just good at saying "no, thanks!" when she's not particularly hungry.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

OMG tell me about it. Annie's free fed (I measure out daily rations, adding a bit at a time as the bowl is empty, that she seldom bothered to finish). After a scare with her weight, I finally gave up and now give her a bit of kefir on about 1/3 of her daily kibble, and she gobbles it up.

I threaten that I'm going to trade her in for a lab, and she is also strangely unconcerned.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

It is very likely his age. How old is he again? Misha's a chowhound and even he went through an extremely picky stage for a couple months. He is better now, though I've mainly switched to afternoon and evening meals for him as he's weird in the morning. Usually even when he was being picky, he was willing to eat if things were slightly new and interesting. Like if he didn't want to eat chunks of pork, he would happily eat it if it was ground pork because that was different. A lot of dogs go through this stage. In my head, I've made sense of it as a stage where growth slows, and their appetite changes as a result of this because they're no longer desperate for calories to convert to growth. Sometimes you just need to skip a few meals. But really, how can you blame them? How would you feel eating the same meal every day? I see nothing wrong with changing it up. Add some chicken broth, kefir, or something else tasty. Rotate brands if you feed kibble. Make mealtimes fun again. But don't put too much effort into persuading them to eat the food in front of them if they don't want to. I think that leads to attention seeking self starvation.

Anyway, a lot of retrievers are that way because they have a mutation in their POMC gene that makes them feel perpetually hungry. And that makes me sad. ?


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

My breeder gave me great advice, which was to make mealtimes something to look forward to with some toppings. It doesn’t have to be fancy - a dab of cottage cheese, a few small pieces of chicken, a bit of egg, some broth to soften. Hasn’t made Buck fussy, just content.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Beckie never finishes anything. I always make sure she likes her kibble but then after that I stick to it. She will nibble here and there. She eats when she’s hungry.

Poodles often aren’t voracious eaters, but humans make dogs picky. Think about breeders who have 8, 10 or 15 dogs... they just feed them and the dogs eat. No one ever dies of starvation ! Only in very exceptional cases will a special diet be required.

I’ve had dogs for 40 years+ and I’ve never had a single one not eat. Keep in mind a dog can easily go 48 without eating. Food for thought.


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## Zesti_V (Aug 7, 2019)

I know, right? I've never had a pet not eat before, and I didn't even realize that would be a thing for dogs.


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## Getting ready (May 4, 2019)

, a lot of retrievers are that way because they have a mutation in their POMC gene that makes them feel perpetually hungry. And that makes me sad. ?
[/QUOTE]


Yeah that is very sad. I don't want him to be hungry all the time. But training would be easier if he were food motivated. He's sweet though so I guess we will keep him.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Getting ready said:


> He's sweet though so I guess we will keep him.


We’re you thinking of rehoming him because he is picky ?


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## Getting ready (May 4, 2019)

Oh no. I was totally joking. I’m so sorry!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

That made me lol


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Tell me about it...

Ain't nobody as fussy as Mr. Picky. I've been dealing with it forever.

A little tip though... Scent is the key... not so much Taste.

Best of luck.


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