# Elroy's not eating normal today (8/9/21)



## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Elroy is acting 100% normal in his temperament, but today he is not eating right. I usually feed him water soaked kibble 3x/day at 8:30am, 2:30pm, and 8:30pm. I guess it started yesterday. I'm not sure if it corresponds precisely, but it sure is close to aligning with me opening a new bag of kibble (sealed w/best before date of Nov 2022). Yesterdays lunch and evening meals he turned down the wet kibble and ate it dry. Full servings each time, no issues. This morning he refused the wet kibble again, but this time he also refused it dry. Around 1:00pm, he ate about 3/4 serving of his dry kibble. Good, right? Well, we had training class at 2:15, and right as we got there (2:55) he threw up what seemed like his entire meal. It looked regurgitated, rather than vomit. I cleaned it up and we went to class. He was perfectly fine in class, acted 100% normal. Ate plenty of treats in class. We got home at 3pm, so it's mealtime again, but he didn't/wouldn't eat anything. I left the dry food out for free feeding, but he didn't touch it. Tried the wet kibble again, not interested. 8:30pm I gave him wet kibble, and dry kibble, but he didn't eat any. I then gave him a pouch of Purina 'Moist and Meaty' (it's adult dog food, but I use these as treats) , and he ate about 2/3 of it (about 300 kcals) and then wouldn't eat any more. He's drinking plenty of water. He is still acting normal now other than the not eating concern.
I think I'll go to the store and buy another small bag of kibble to try it, maybe my 'new' bag is spoiled. If that's the case, I think he'd eat it from another new bag.
Not sure when I need to get concerned and call my vet. Could he have just decided he doesn't want this kibble any more and he's trying to train me to give him something else? I don't want to fall into a trap by feeding him yummy human food.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

It could very likely be that bag of food. But there are approximately a _gazillion_ reasons for tummy upset in puppies. It’s so hard to ever know with 100% certainty. 

When was Elroy’s last checkup? He’s such an enthusiastic eater, he’s definitely telling you something’s up. You could call your vet and ask them what to watch out for, that would necessitate a visit. Ours is generous with that sort of guidance.

Generally speaking, as long as my dog is peeing, pooing, taking treats, and drinking normally, and showing no signs of dehydration, a single vomit wouldn’t have me too concerned. I’d probably be doing what you’re doing and getting a new bag of food to try for tomorrow’s breakfast. And I’d be sleeping lightly tonight, listening for signs of restlessness, which can signify gastro distress.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Try to get a different lot number when you buy the replacement bag, on the chance it might be an entire bad batch. You might also want to pick up a different brand.

I still remember the melamine contamination recalls in 2007. My greedy cat ate the food, unenthusiastically, and subsequently died of kidney failure. My pickier cats went on a hunger strike and survived.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

I never trust food that any dog I've had rejects. This includes a bag of burgers while on a road trips years ago (we only at the fries when the dog refused the hamburger!). And various bags and cans of dog food over the years. And more recently, I bought (it was delivered) a cooked rotisserie chicken that my poodles turned down, although think it's because the store had cooked it to death and it was dry as a bone. 

OTOH, dogs are like people and can get tired of eating the same thing day after day. Having two different types of kibble, and adding yummy toppings each morning, makes for a happier dog.

If Elroy is still turning up his nose tomorrow evening, something about that lot may be off. Otherwise skipping a day or eating light for a couple days is okay, he might simply have picked up a mild stomach bug that will go away on it's own.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Vita said:


> And various bags and cans of dog food over the years. And more recently, I bought (it was delivered) a cooked rotisserie chicken that my poodles turned down, although think it's because the store had cooked it to death and it was dry as a bone.


A slight tangent here. Back when Boston Chicken was still in business we got a take out order. For some reason my husband decided to get meatloaf from a place that specialized in chicken dinners. Our athletic cat with the adventurous palate jumped up on the counter to examine the meatloaf container. Sniff...Sniff Sniff...Hissssss. This is the first and last time I have ever seen a cat hiss at a food container.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Hope you both have a restful night and that things resolve tomorrow. 🤞


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

Phoebe had an icky stomach last month. She threw up a couple times and ate less than normal but was 100% herself otherwise. She’s not voracious like Elroy though. Through it all, she had completely normal poops, on her normal schedule, so I wasn’t that concerned. I do give a bit of canned pumpkin and plain yogurt with smaller meals when my dogs have a stomach issue. It seems to help settle things out. Since it is a new bag, I would probably get a different bag tomorrow, different lot number like cowpony said. Does it smell off at all? I’ve opened what should have been fresh cat food before and could tell right away it had gone rancid even though it was well within the use by date.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Well we both had a good, normal, nights sleep. He's behaving normal this morning too. Right now he's quite involved in trying to figure out what make a beetle tick. The beetle is NOT happy!
He pee'd and pooped. Poop looks normal, and firm. I collected it for the vet, just in case it's his last poop since he's not eating. I offered dry kibble, one sniff and nope. Wet kibble, same. Moist & meaty (this can't have gone bad too, so a meaningful data point, I think), nope. String cheese, yes, but not very enthusiastic. Hot dog bits, yes, not very enthusiastic. Canned tuna, enthusiastically yes. I poured a little tuna juice over his wet kibble and he sniffed for a while, but he decided against it. I'll call my vet once they're open.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Years ago we had a definite bad bag of food. It was in the years that Lily and Peeves (pre Javelin) free fed. Since the bowl always had food in it it took a day or so before we really figured out that they hadn't touched it. When I opened a new bag they ate like gluttons.

i hope you figure this all out for the good ASAP.


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## The Popster (Feb 23, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Well we both had a good, normal, nights sleep. He's behaving normal this morning too. Right now he's quite involved in trying to figure out what make a beetle tick. The beetle is NOT happy!
> He pee'd and pooped. Poop looks normal, and firm. I collected it for the vet, just in case it's his last poop since he's not eating. I offered dry kibble, one sniff and nope. Wet kibble, same. Moist & meaty (this can't have gone bad too, so a meaningful data point, I think), nope. String cheese, yes, but not very enthusiastic. Hot dog bits, yes, not very enthusiastic. Canned tuna, enthusiastically yes. I poured a little tuna juice over his wet kibble and he sniffed for a while, but he decided against it. I'll call my vet once they're open.


Sounds similar to our experience with the Popster.
She did pick up a tummy bug ( pretty sure drinking like horse from a muddy puddle down the park - about 3 .5 months old ), had to take her to the vet.
Anti Biotics, and after a couple of days sorted.
However, looking back it was around that time she became the 'fussy' eater.
Happens now often as not, things she relishes one day, refuses the next.
Perhaps Elroy has got a bug of some sort, so vet good idea. But then if his poo's are healthy .....?
They do have to have a couple of tummy bugs anyway, helps build their immunity - resiliance.
The kibble thing is interesting for us, as Poppy came to us from the breeder on kibble.
But she just got real bored of it I think - another element to consider?
Though she will still eat it from time to time, as if she says had enough of 'wet'.

Anyway wishing Elroy all the best!!!


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## Piper Bear (Apr 12, 2021)

Is it really hot where you are? Maybe the heat is affecting his appetite? Best wishes to Elroy. Hope everything gets back to normal soon.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Piper Bear said:


> Is it really hot where you are? Maybe the heat is affecting his appetite? Best wishes to Elroy. Hope everything gets back to normal soon.


Actually it's quite comfortable, 75 and overcast the last couple of days.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Vet said the fact that he's eating something (treats and tuna) is a good sign. She says it's perfectly normal for dogs to skip a day once in a while if they're a little off. As long as he's behaving normal (and so far he is), just offer the kibble at his meal times and see if he eats. If he doesn't eat his kibble by tomorrow afternoon, I should call again.


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

Unseasoned chicken or unseasoned chicken and rice will be easier on his digestion than tuna, though I do understand the desire to just get something in them!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Vet said the fact that he's eating something (treats and tuna) is a good sign. *She says it's perfectly normal for dogs to skip a day once in a while if they're a little off.* As long as he's behaving normal (and so far he is), just offer the kibble at his meal times and see if he eats. If he doesn't eat his kibble by tomorrow afternoon, I should call again.


Well that is the other thing to note. Lily has been known to skip meals off and on throughout her life. I think she is very particular about her caloric intake vs. activities. I notice she tends to skip a meal if she's had a long run of sleeping on the sofa. For nearly 11 or so years she has weighed 37 pounds +/- a half a pound. Now if I could just figure out how to put her metabolism and will power in a bottle....

Be careful starting tomorrow. We are due for a hot streak up here in the Northeast.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Starla said:


> Unseasoned chicken or unseasoned chicken and rice will be easier on his digestion than tuna, though I do understand the desire to just get something in them!


Yes. The vet said the same thing. Is long grain brown rice OK? I don't eat white rice, so I'll have to get some if it's supposed to be white (I understand white for easy digestion, but I don't think Elroy has a digestion issue). Do they usually like rice by itself, or only when mixed with chicken? He didn't eat the brown rice I offered him (I don't have any chicken yet).
I'm going to just relax for now and see if we can have a normal day. Time for a walk.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Elroy is acting 100% normal in his temperament, but today he is not eating right. I usually feed him water soaked kibble 3x/day at 8:30am, 2:30pm, and 8:30pm. I guess it started yesterday. I'm not sure if it corresponds precisely, but it sure is close to aligning with me opening a new bag of kibble (sealed w/best before date of Nov 2022). Yesterdays lunch and evening meals he turned down the wet kibble and ate it dry. Full servings each time, no issues. This morning he refused the wet kibble again, but this time he also refused it dry. Around 1:00pm, he ate about 3/4 serving of his dry kibble. Good, right? Well, we had training class at 2:15, and right as we got there (2:55) he threw up what seemed like his entire meal. It looked regurgitated, rather than vomit. I cleaned it up and we went to class. He was perfectly fine in class, acted 100% normal. Ate plenty of treats in class. We got home at 3pm, so it's mealtime again, but he didn't/wouldn't eat anything. I left the dry food out for free feeding, but he didn't touch it. Tried the wet kibble again, not interested. 8:30pm I gave him wet kibble, and dry kibble, but he didn't eat any. I then gave him a pouch of Purina 'Moist and Meaty' (it's adult dog food, but I use these as treats) , and he ate about 2/3 of it (about 300 kcals) and then wouldn't eat any more. He's drinking plenty of water. He is still acting normal now other than the not eating concern.
> I think I'll go to the store and buy another small bag of kibble to try it, maybe my 'new' bag is spoiled. If that's the case, I think he'd eat it from another new bag.
> Not sure when I need to get concerned and call my vet. Could he have just decided he doesn't want this kibble any more and he's trying to train me to give him something else? I don't want to fall into a trap by feeding him yummy human food.


While it could be the bag of food it could also be teething. My guy would go off food for a day up to 2 days. I take it away each time and offer it at the next feeding schedule, same if he doesn't. Too be on the safe side take the bag back to store, most will exchange it for another lot or give refund, even when it has been opened. Renn still at 3 years old will go off his food here and there. He has learned that sometimes I will add a topper to it, in order to get him to eat on schedule. The past two day he has been picky and skipped a meal 2 days in a row. I honestly don't worry about it anymore since it seems to occur every now and then. But he isn't vomiting either. Be sure that Elroy hasn't eaten something he shouldn't. When Renn was young he loved to eat socks, fortunately he always throws them up a few days later. We are much more vigilant with socks now.


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

Our vet says oatmeal, potato, or rice - white preferably, but brown is okay. I like to poach the meat in water in the microwave, then cook the rice/oatmeal in the meat water. Then mix. Annie will eat potato on its own, but is not interested in plain rice or oatmeal even when well. For meats, boiled ground beef (skim off the fat), turkey, chicken, or scrambled eggs are what I feed. I used to keep a really simple low fat turkey and rice based canned food in the cupboard for emergencies but haven't seen it for a long time.

Watch to make sure he is still drinking - if his gums feel tacky he is getting dehydrated. 

Like others here, Annie skipping a few meals as a puppy wasn't unusual. Frustrating, worrying, but not unusual. I worry more for a normally voracious eater. 

Hope Elroy feels better soon and it's just a puppy stomach flu.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

I'm so glad your vet was able to help you over the phone. Mia also skips meals occasionally, and has done since she was a puppy. If her tummy is truly upset (diarrhea, vomit), I boil a pound of ground beef with 1/3-1/2 cup rice (whatever I have on hand) until the meat and rice are cooked. Cool before serving. Hardly gourmet but neither is she.

Tom, another thing Elroy may experience is "growing pains." He'll play vigorously, then suddenly come up lame, holding up a paw. Sometimes it takes as little as a few seconds before he's back to romping, sometimes it may take a day or two of active rest (no vigorous play, but leashed walks and other games are ok).


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

I never have white rice either, I’ve given plain toast with chicken or just chicken. When Phoebe was sick, she just had plain chicken with a tiny bit of yogurt and pumpkin, very small meals.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Peggy has had many short periods of little to no eating, many of which aligned with hormonal fluctuations. I wonder if young males experience anything similar? How old’s Elroy now? Adolescence can bring a lot of changes.

Hoping this is just a blip and he’s back to loving food again in no time.


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## PowersPup (Aug 28, 2020)

94Magna_Tom said:


> I don't eat white rice, so I'll have to get some if it's supposed to be white (I understand white for easy digestion, but I don't think Elroy has a digestion issue). Do they usually like rice by itself, or only when mixed with chicken? He didn't eat the brown rice I offered him (I don't have any chicken yet).


You need to order some asian food, which usually comes with white rice, and just save the rice to feed to Elroy. I also don't eat white rice (or other processed grains), so the only rice Topper ever gets comes with take-out. The last time he had an upset tummy I used boiled ground turkey mixed with white rice and a blend of applesauce and pumpkin that we keep on hand for just such purposes (it comes in single-serving cups). After eating that for two days, our new food arrived and Topper has been eating it enthusiastically. We rotate proteins every week or so, to keep him from getting too bored with the food.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

My way of cooking porridge for the dogs is to put a pound of lean ground meat and 1/4 to 1/3 cup rice in a pot. I then add enough water to cover the dry ingredients plus another inch. I don't get too caught up in the proportions, as the food is supposed to be runny. I simmer it all, stirring occasionally, until the rice is soft and mushy.


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## ShamrockPoodle (Jan 22, 2017)

Hoping Elroy gets back on track soon!


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

I tried a couple of things today. 1. I bought another (small) bag of the same kibble (Purina Pro Plan Puppy, Chicken & Rice) to rule out if my kibble was rancid. He refused the new kibble the same way. Different lot#'s. I'm ruling out bad kibble. 2. I bought another type of kibble, although still chicken. He didn't eat this either, although later this evening, he did eat a small amount of it. 3. I bought canned Purina Pro Plan Puppy, Chicken & Rice. I gave him 1/4 can and he ate it. I then gave another 1/4 with about 20% (25g) of his kibble meal mixed in with it. He ate it. I then gave another 1/4 can with about 30% (35g) of his kibble mixed in. He ate a little of it, then said that's enough. I put that out again this evening, and he ate it.
So my conclusion is that he's just being picky and is bored with his kibble. The canned food is way more expensive than kibble, so I hope this doesn't last too long. I guess I'd be more willing to wait until he gets hungry enough to eat his kibble now that I know he's just being picky. I don't want him to succeed at training me.
What would you do? Sticking to canned would cost like $8-11 a day (3-4 cans/day). Kibble is around $1.40/day. I love Elroy, but I hope he'll eat kibble again!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Tom, with my puppy Theo we’re going through a bumpy period where he would eat a lot, then very little for a day or two. As part of the rollercoaster he would then go back to his normal amount followed by eating very little and then a few days of eating a lot. My guess is that it is related to growth spurts and he’s adjusting to his caloric needs. Throughout this period his activity level and behavior was normal.

He‘s still doing it and I hope once he’s finished growing that his meals will even out like my older minipoo. I find it annoying because I never know how much to put down. With Fresh Pet food I have to cut it up before serving and I prefer to cut just enough for his meal.

Like you I was concerned that first time when he barely ate anything for a whole day, but he wasn’t acting like a sick animal.

I don’t think Theo is being picky and I have not added toppers or switched to new more exciting food. He gets his normal meal.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I wouldn’t assume it wasn’t a bad bag of food. Eating or smelling something rancid could turn him off that formula for a while. Could also leave him feeling kinda queasy.

I once got a rancid bag of potato chips. My favourite flavour, too! I’ve been suspicious of that brand ever since.

As far as training you goes.... You were worried he was sick, so it makes sense you’d throw all sorts of yummy things at him. I did the same thing when Gracie had some health scares. Totally understandable. But you can rotate Elroy’s food or otherwise keep things interesting without encouraging excessive pickiness. Peggy eats three brands of food on a daily basis. Doesn’t affect us at all, and it keeps her happy and healthy.

With her, I draw the line at toppers because I was throwing out way too much food. But Gracie was thrilled with her toppers. You’ve just gotta figure out what works best for Elroy.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

I would trust your vet. She said that it's common for puppies to skip a few meals from time to time, and that doesn't mean you need to change a thing. Keep feeding kibble and know that, from time to time, he will skip a meal.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

He's normally a super enthusiastic eater, if I remember correctly? If he's still not eating, and it was a sudden onset, especially with the vomiting, I would ask the vet for abdominal x-rays. Two things that come to my mind are an obstruction or an intususeption. 

A friend's Doberman is recovering from surgery to remove a rock a couple of days ago. One of the first signs something was wrong was she was vomiting and just acting "off".


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Galen went off Purina puppy formula pretty early after inhaling it originally. I knew the bag was fine, because Pogo and the cat were both willing to eat it. Ritter is iffy about the Purina puppy formula too. (Again, the cat will happily eat it.) He much prefer's Galen's grownup dog formula. Right now I'm like Peggy; I'm rotating Ritter between several flavors.


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## a2girl (Oct 4, 2020)

Around the time that Hugo turned 6 months, he started rejecting his kibble when it was fed using a Kong Wobble or Bob-a-lot. He still enjoyed his frozen Kongs and Toppls but suddenly preferred water-soaked kibble on a lick mat at meal times. He's now very uninterested in just dry kibble---although for a while he liked eating dry rolled into a towel---so I've been adding a tsp of Greek yogurt or fruit mash (he LOVES bananas). I say all this because I think Elroy is of a similar age to when Hugo's behavior changed.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

How’s Elroy today?


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Elroy's still not eating his kibble, but is taking his dried meat jerky treats as rewards for training. He'll probably get like maybe 180-240 cal/day of these (3-4 pieces cut up into tiny bits). Maybe he's on a non-growth period and he's self regulating. He had a healthy poop this morning and is peeing normally so I don't see anything terribly concerning at this time. His behavior, besides food intake, is totally normal. He has no signs of being sick, no signs of tummy aches, no sluggishness, still playful, all normal. 
With puppy stage kibble, it's almost all primarily chicken. There's a few lamb and turkey kibbles. There's salmon in an all stages food. I feel I should get a kibble besides chicken. Is turkey different enough, or is turkey poultry going be essentially the same as chicken? What good puppy kibbles would you all recommend?


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Skylar said:


> Tom, with my puppy Theo we’re going through a bumpy period where he would eat a lot, then very little for a day or two. As part of the rollercoaster he would then go back to his normal amount followed by eating very little and then a few days of eating a lot. My guess is that it is related to growth spurts and he’s adjusting to his caloric needs. Throughout this period his activity level and behavior was normal.


I think this is exactly what's going on with Elroy. Growth spurt rollercoaster = food intake rollercoaster.
He is acting perfectly normal. Thanks for the encouragement!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Farmina has a lamb formula for puppies: FARMINA N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Recipe Puppy Medium & Maxi Dry Dog Food, 26.5-lb bag - Chewy.com

But it does contain some chicken ingredients.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

a2girl said:


> Around the time that Hugo turned 6 months, he started rejecting his kibble when it was fed using a Kong Wobble or Bob-a-lot. He still enjoyed his frozen Kongs and Toppls but suddenly preferred water-soaked kibble on a lick mat at meal times. He's now very uninterested in just dry kibble---although for a while he liked eating dry rolled into a towel---so I've been adding a tsp of Greek yogurt or fruit mash (he LOVES bananas). I say all this because I think Elroy is of a similar age to when Hugo's behavior changed.


Yes, they're about the same age. Elroy is going to be 6 months old in a week and a half. I've tried toppers, and he's only interested in the topper. He'll work to avoid getting any kibble with it, so it defeats the purpose. I think with all the treats he gets from training, he's OK with saying no to his kibble. I think some hard love is in order here. Reduce treats and see if he eats when he gets hungry enough.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Peggy eats three brands of food on a daily basis. Doesn’t affect us at all, and it keeps her happy and healthy.


Would you mind sharing what foods you rotate?


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

cowpony said:


> Galen went off Purina puppy formula pretty early after inhaling it originally. I knew the bag was fine, because Pogo and the cat were both willing to eat it. Ritter is iffy about the Purina puppy formula too. (Again, the cat will happily eat it.) He much prefer's Galen's grownup dog formula. Right now I'm like Peggy; I'm rotating Ritter between several flavors.


When you say Galen "went off" PPP early, what did you switch to? What foods do you use in their rotation?


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Would you mind sharing what foods you rotate?


Sure! They’re adult formulas, but this system works well for her and us:

*Breakfast*

Heaping spoonful of Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken on one plate
1/2 cup Farmina Ancestral Grains Chicken & Pomegranate on another plate, topped up as necessary throughout the day. Some days she eats a lot, pawing her plate to say “More, please!” and some days she eats very little. Any uneaten kibble is discarded at the end of the day.
If she doesn’t eat the Weruva (rare), the plate of chicken is put into the fridge for dinner.

*Dinner*

Heaping spoonful of Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken 
Glandex chew

*Additional Kibble*

We hand-feed Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters (Beef, Grain-Free) throughout the day. We use these big, crunchy kibbles for indoor training sessions (1/4 cup per session) and as occasional low-value reinforcements at home and while out and about. She also gets a 1/4 cup in her crate at bedtime. In total, she probably gets about a cup of Honest Kitchen per day.
We used to feed the chicken version, but wanted to incorporate a different protein.


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## a2girl (Oct 4, 2020)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Elroy's still not eating his kibble, but is taking his dried meat jerky treats as rewards for training. He'll probably get like maybe 180-240 cal/day of these (3-4 pieces cut up into tiny bits). Maybe he's on a non-growth period and he's self regulating. He had a healthy poop this morning and is peeing normally so I don't see anything terribly concerning at this time. His behavior, besides food intake, is totally normal. He has no signs of being sick, no signs of tummy aches, no sluggishness, still playful, all normal.
> With puppy stage kibble, it's almost all primarily chicken. There's a few lamb and turkey kibbles. There's salmon in an all stages food. I feel I should get a kibble besides chicken. Is turkey different enough, or is turkey poultry going be essentially the same as chicken? What good puppy kibbles would you all recommend?


Hugo's breeder has all her dogs and puppies on Purina Pro Plan All Ages Performance Sport 30/20 Chicken/Rice formula. I continued with it and now am contemplating adding a second "flavor" in this line while finishing up my 18 lb bag---they offer All Ages 30/20 Beef/Rice, Salmon/Rice, Bison/Beef, Salmon/Cod. Hugo is now over 7 months old and I think he may have reached his full height and weight. It seems as if Elroy is fine and may be at a growth plateau.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Sure! They’re adult formulas, but this system works well for her and us:
> 
> *Breakfast*
> 
> ...


Thanks for your help Robin. I'm sure I'll use this info in the future.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

a2girl said:


> Hugo's breeder has all her dogs and puppies on Purina Pro Plan All Ages Performance Sport 30/20 Chicken/Rice formula. I continued with it and now am contemplating adding a second "flavor" in this line while finishing up my 18 lb bag---they offer All Ages 30/20 Beef/Rice, Salmon/Rice, Bison/Beef, Salmon/Cod. Hugo is now over 7 months old and I think he may have reached his full height and weight. It seems as if Elroy is fine and may be at a growth plateau.


My breeder used, and recommended, Purina Pro Plan Puppy, chicken and rice, soaked in water. He's been thru his 5 day supply, (1) 34 lb bag, and I just opened the 2nd 34 lb bag. Besides treats, this is the only food he's eaten all his life. His treats have been pretty simple. In order of value, he's been treated/trained with 1) His Normal Kibble 2) Purina Moist and Meaty - Steak 3) String Cheese 4) All Beef Hot Dog 5) Full Moon Beef or Chicken Jerky. He's only accepting 3, 4, and 5 for treats now.

I look into the non chicken all stages formula's you mentioned. Thank you!


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

94Magna_Tom said:


> When you say Galen "went off" PPP early, what did you switch to? What foods do you use in their rotation?


Galen went on strike when I was still feeding him the Purina ProPlan chicken puppy food. At the time I was feeding Pogo one of the Pro Plan adult shredded versions. I can't remember which protein. Galen thought this food was the best thing ever and would routinely pick all the shreds out of Pogo's dinner. Eventually I gave up and just let him eat adult food. 

Currently everybody's favorite is the Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein HP kibble. (Galen got put on HP when he had his gastric bout at Xmas.) This is not an appropriate food for puppies, but Ritter doesn't care. He elbows Galen out of the bowl at every opportunity. This formula is probably not an option for you, as Elroy has not conditions that warrant going on a prescription food.

Ritter is currently on Purina Sensitive skin salmon formula puppy food. (Ritter doesn't need the sensitive skin formula, but I figured Galen had a better chance of tolerating it if the two dogs switched bowls.) Ritter will eat it if there's nothing better, but he acts like someone presented him with a green salad at a BBQ.

I have also tried both of them on Taste of the Wild Ancient Grains Lamb formula and Acana Wholesome Grains Lamb formula. Both bags are an all life stages formula, so they can be fed to both puppies and adult dogs. (I ran out of Royal Canin ,and I was running low on puppy food. These were the only non-chicken options at the local pet store.) Both dogs will eat these foods, but the kibbles seem to be hard. Ritter had a bit of trouble with them when he was teething. Again, they treat these foods like salad at a BBQ. They eat them, but only after looking around to see if anything better might be available.

During Galen's splinter-in-the mouth recovery period I had both dogs on canned food. Again, this is a situation where I was feeding what I could get rather than what I might have considered ideal. Galen flatly refused to eat the Royal Canin HP canned. The puppy liked it fine. Weruva Lamburgini was deemed acceptable by both, but it's not an all stages food. Evanger's Lamb and Rice Formula was their favorite. It is an all stages food. It's even kosher for passover, although to my knowledge neither Ritter nor Galen celebrate that particular holiday


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Elroy finally ate almost a whole meals worth of his kibble. I guess he just wasn't hungry enough. I do think he's trying to train me to give him something else. I know he would be happy to fill up on treats. Tough love wins the day!


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## Kuzco (Dec 16, 2020)

Looks like problem solved, but it does sound to me like self-regulating due to growth spurts and/or activity level.

I started out giving Kuzco meals at set times when he was little, but transitioned to essentially free feeding him once he got around 5-6 months. Sometimes he’ll take a few mouthfuls and others he’ll scarf down the whole bowl and lick up any crumbs. He eats a lot more when I’m at my boyfriend’s and he’s been roughhousing with his dog all day long compared to when it’s just me and him (lower activity level, obviously 😄). If the poops and behavior is normal, I doubt there’s a more serious problem. And if he was hungry, I’m sure he’d be letting you know by going to his normal food spot and staring at you or pacing or something similar.

Lastly, I buy Purina ProPlan FortiFlora probiotic supplements for Kuzco and mix it with his food any time there’s a hint of stomach issues or during times of stress (traveling, family visiting, after long car rides). It seems to work well and he loves it. Plus it’s a powder that you can pour on the food then stir up to coat most of the pieces. Not all that expensive, especially with coupons and when not using every day.

You’ll figure out what works best for you though! And completely normal to be worried about changes in behavior (just like any new parent 😁). I’m slowly learning to step back and assess if something is vet worthy or just needs observation.


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## The Popster (Feb 23, 2021)

Interesting, as I have heard of self-regulating and am thinking more and more that might be what our Poppy does.
In fact your discription is very similar, she sometimes wolfs down licks the bowl, other times turns her nose up.
She is coming up to one year old , putting on weight, has energy, poos well...
Yup, and when she has had a real 'big day', playing with other dogs, been down to the country retreat, then she is def more hungry.


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## TuttoBene (Apr 23, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Elroy is acting 100% normal in his temperament, but today he is not eating right. I usually feed him water soaked kibble 3x/day at 8:30am, 2:30pm, and 8:30pm. I guess it started yesterday. I'm not sure if it corresponds precisely, but it sure is close to aligning with me opening a new bag of kibble (sealed w/best before date of Nov 2022). Yesterdays lunch and evening meals he turned down the wet kibble and ate it dry. Full servings each time, no issues. This morning he refused the wet kibble again, but this time he also refused it dry. Around 1:00pm, he ate about 3/4 serving of his dry kibble. Good, right? Well, we had training class at 2:15, and right as we got there (2:55) he threw up what seemed like his entire meal. It looked regurgitated, rather than vomit. I cleaned it up and we went to class. He was perfectly fine in class, acted 100% normal. Ate plenty of treats in class. We got home at 3pm, so it's mealtime again, but he didn't/wouldn't eat anything. I left the dry food out for free feeding, but he didn't touch it. Tried the wet kibble again, not interested. 8:30pm I gave him wet kibble, and dry kibble, but he didn't eat any. I then gave him a pouch of Purina 'Moist and Meaty' (it's adult dog food, but I use these as treats) , and he ate about 2/3 of it (about 300 kcals) and then wouldn't eat any more. He's drinking plenty of water. He is still acting normal now other than the not eating concern.
> I think I'll go to the store and buy another small bag of kibble to try it, maybe my 'new' bag is spoiled. If that's the case, I think he'd eat it from another new bag.
> Not sure when I need to get concerned and call my vet. Could he have just decided he doesn't want this kibble any more and he's trying to train me to give him something else? I don't want to fall into a trap by feeding him yummy human food.


Is Elroy about 5 months old now? Just asking because Tutto had a big change of eating habit around that age . So we switched him from three meals to two meals a day. Then transitioned to adult kibble but puppy wet. That is what we feed him now at 6.5 months old. There were a lot of eating h changing eating habbits with Tutto’s littermates around the same age. We bascily decided to ignore his finicky transition. Some days he barely ate (but always took his training treats). It sorted itself out.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

94Magna_Tom said:


> 3) String Cheese 4) All Beef Hot Dog 5) Full Moon Beef or Chicken Jerky. He's only accepting 3, 4, and 5 for treats now.


I think as you said, he’s just being fussy because compared to dog food, these are delicacies ! They are not the type of food I would give regularly or in large amount. Not very good, especially the jerky and hot dog.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

TuttoBene said:


> Is Elroy about 5 months old now? Just asking because Tutto had a big change of eating habit around that age . So we switched him from three meals to two meals a day. Then transitioned to adult kibble but puppy wet. That is what we feed him now at 6.5 months old. There were a lot of eating h changing eating habbits with Tutto’s littermates around the same age. We bascily decided to ignore his finicky transition. Some days he barely ate (but always took his training treats). It sorted itself out.


Yes. Elroy is around 5 months now. He's actually going to be 6 months a week from Saturday. He is eating now (1½-2 cups today, plus treats), but nowhere near as much as he was a week ago (3¼ cups/day plus treats).


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Dechi said:


> I think as you said, he’s just being fussy because compared to dog food, these are delicacies ! They are not the type of food I would give regularly or in large amount. Not very good, especially the jerky and hot dog.


Yeah. He doesn't get many of the higher value treats. The treat quantity is lesser and lesser as the value goes up. Hot dogs are only (well almost only) used for reliable recall training. And 1" of hot dog makes about 16 tiny treats.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

On the topic of jerky, Peggy _adores_ her Tylee’s jerky. The only ingredient is chicken.

Glad to hear Elroy’s eating again, but maybe just with a new “big boy” appetite.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> On the topic of jerky, Peggy _adores_ her Tylee’s jerky. The only ingredient is chicken.
> 
> Glad to hear Elroy’s eating again, but maybe just with a new “big boy” appetite.


I don't know about a 'big boy' appetite, but definitely heading into new appetite territory. We'll figure it out. He's still 100% normal and very happy!


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## ndspencer1104 (Jun 28, 2021)

TuttoBene said:


> Is Elroy about 5 months old now? Just asking because Tutto had a big change of eating habit around that age . So we switched him from three meals to two meals a day. Then transitioned to adult kibble but puppy wet. That is what we feed him now at 6.5 months old. There were a lot of eating h changing eating habbits with Tutto’s littermates around the same age. We bascily decided to ignore his finicky transition. Some days he barely ate (but always took his training treats). It sorted itself out.


... eating soft foods and not crunchy foods could be a teething symptom. Gums - chewing hurts because adult molars are coming in? However, I had a young female that ate a lava rock which worked out fine after surgery. She refused food and quit drinking. She was my dear companion for 16 years.


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## Linda Bradley (Jan 5, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Peggy has had many short periods of little to no eating, many of which aligned with hormonal fluctuations. I wonder if young males experience anything similar? How old’s Elroy now? Adolescence can bring a lot of changes.
> 
> Hoping this is just a blip and he’s back to loving food again in no time.


The


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## Linda Bradley (Jan 5, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> I don't know about a 'big boy' appetite, but definitely heading into new appetite territory. We'll figure it out. He's still 100% normal and very happy!


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## Deere (Jun 25, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Yes. The vet said the same thing. Is long grain brown rice OK? I don't eat white rice, so I'll have to get some if it's supposed to be white (I understand white for easy digestion, but I don't think Elroy has a digestion issue). Do they usually like rice by itself, or only when mixed with chicken? He didn't eat the brown rice I offered him (I don't have any chicken yet).
> I'm going to just relax for now and see if we can have a normal day. Time for a walk.


The dogs I've had would not eat plain or brown rice.
I use long grain white rice(boil in bag or Uncle Ben's) mixed with meat.
The amount of meat to rice is roughly 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cooked meat cut up or ground and 3/4 cup of rice(I had Cairn Terriers) for 1 cup of food.
You can use chicken or beef bouillon/stock to cook the rice in. After the rice has cooked(don't over cook; it would be one large lump with out visable grains) and before it cools you add the cooked meat; hamburg/ground chuck or chicken
Mix well; don't make it soupy.
Serve a lighter portion than your regular dog food portion.
I keep a few cans of cooked white meat chicken on hand for upset stomachs (you can rinse the chicken to reduce the sodium)and some Uncle Ben's.
A dehydrated Hamburg and Rice combination is sold @ some specialized pet food stores and it is good.
I hope Elroy is back to eating regularly so you don't have to worry. Ivan's not eating drives me crazy.


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## Deere (Jun 25, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Elroy's still not eating his kibble, but is taking his dried meat jerky treats as rewards for training. He'll probably get like maybe 180-240 cal/day of these (3-4 pieces cut up into tiny bits). Maybe he's on a non-growth period and he's self regulating. He had a healthy poop this morning and is peeing normally so I don't see anything terribly concerning at this time. His behavior, besides food intake, is totally normal. He has no signs of being sick, no signs of tummy aches, no sluggishness, still playful, all normal.
> With puppy stage kibble, it's almost all primarily chicken. There's a few lamb and turkey kibbles. There's salmon in an all stages food. I feel I should get a kibble besides chicken. Is turkey different enough, or is turkey poultry going be essentially the same as chicken? What good puppy kibbles would you all recommend?


How much protein is in the dog food you are feeding also I would try a different protein than chicken and or maybe a different brand.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Deere said:


> How much protein is in the dog food you are feeding also I would try a different protein than chicken and or maybe a different brand.


Purina pro plan puppy is 28% protein, 18% fat. It's what my breeder recommended. I do agree that I think he's grown bored of chicken. 
Today he ate pretty good. I moistened some kibble from the large bag, and the same amount of kibble from the small bag (same kind that I just bought at the store to see if the other bag was rancid). I added the canned topper to the small bag kibble and he ate it all up. l then added some topper to the large bag kibble, and he ate that up too! I weighed him Tuesday, 42.2 lbs, and again today 41.8 lbs. Hopefully he's back on track now, eating wise.


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## Deere (Jun 25, 2021)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Purina pro plan puppy is 28% protein, 18% fat. It's what my breeder recommended. I do agree that I think he's grown bored of chicken.
> Today he ate pretty good. I moistened some kibble from the large bag, and the same amount of kibble from the small bag (same kind that I just bought at the store to see if the other bag was rancid). I added the canned topper to the small bag kibble and he ate it all up. l then added some topper to the large bag kibble, and he ate that up too! I weighed him Tuesday, 42.2 lbs, and again today 41.8 lbs. Hopefully he's back on track now, eating wise.


I am so glad he is eating for you. Ivan has been eating Orijen Large Puppy(38% protein) with several different proteins; chicken, turkey, flounder, mackerel and offal. I started to alternate with Orijen Regional Red(38% protein) so he's eating much better. The Red has several different proteins; beef, boar, goat, mutton, lamb and more offal than the Large Puppy. l am feeding this brand because of the high protein and offal per my vet. His breeder fed raw which contains the most protein which I continued until I had to stop due to health reasons. I really like this brand and the products in it because I fed this raw. I thought you might be interested in either product because each uses several sources of protein and include offal. I know it's not cheap. I buy from Petco repeat & delivery(no charge) it's cheaper than Amazon or Chewy also it comes in 2 quantities: 13# to try & 25#.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Deere said:


> I am so glad he is eating for you. Ivan has been eating Orijen Large Puppy(38% protein) with several different proteins; chicken, turkey, flounder, mackerel and offal. I started to alternate with Orijen Regional Red(38% protein) so he's eating much better. The Red has several different proteins; beef, boar, goat, mutton, lamb and more offal than the Large Puppy. l am feeding this brand because of the high protein and offal per my vet. His breeder fed raw which contains the most protein which I continued until I had to stop due to health reasons. I really like this brand and the products in it because I fed this raw. I thought you might be interested in either product because each uses several sources of protein and include offal. I know it's not cheap. I buy from Petco repeat & delivery(no charge) it's cheaper than Amazon or Chewy also it comes in 2 quantities: 13# to try & 25#.


Thank you for the info on Orijen Large puppy. After reading the ingredients I can understand the high cost. Maybe I can get this as a Topper for the Purina kibble.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Elroy is eating well again, although I think I'd call it a new normal. My concerns about him never self regulating have been allayed. He's eating about 2½ cups/day rather than the 3+ he had been doing. I tiny bit of topper makes his kibble desirable. I'm glad I don't have to worry about him eating any more!


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## a2girl (Oct 4, 2020)

I'm glad to know Elroy is ok! I'm seeing that self-regulation with Hugo too. His eating patterns have completely shifted in the last month---he's now just shy of 7.5 months old. He no longer wants to eat frozen Toppls or Kongs (kibble plus a yogurt/babyfood topping), or eat from his Bob-a-lot or Kong Wobbler. He seems to prefer water-soaked kibble spread on a lick mat or just dry kibble served in the open base of the Wobbler. His premolars are still coming in so maybe that's why he's liking the soft food. Who knows?!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

a2girl said:


> He no longer wants to eat frozen Toppls or Kongs (kibble plus a yogurt/babyfood topping), or eat from his Bob-a-lot or Kong Wobbler.


At 2, Peggy rediscovered the joys of the Kong Wobbler. 

@94Magna_Tom, so happy that Elroy’s settling into a new normal. Phew!


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