Not Eating Breakfast

[Remolacha]

I am putting this here instead of the food or training sections, but I am not sure it is a health issue. Hoping for some new ideas.

 

Back in September, Conner started refusing to eat his breakfast some mornings. He always ate dinner, so I didn't worry much at first. He started refusing more often, and I had my vet check him over, but everything else was completely normal. I thought maybe he had just decided he didn't want to,eat in the morning anymore, as I have heard older dogs sometimes do. He is 10.5 and definitely not a morning dog. Just about the time we were going to run some blood work, he started eating regularly in the morning again. Then he stopped, again.

 

I have tried nummy additives, makes no difference. I tried offering him some of the different things he eats (he is raw fed) one at a time to see if there was one thing he had gone off of. Nope, ate everything. His poop has been completely normal the whole time. The mornings he doesn't eat, I put the food in a plastic container in the frig and give it to him for dinner, and he happily eats it. He eats treats, sometimes he will eat some kibble, but not often and not much.

 

So, anyone have any ideas? Anything we haven't tried other than a lot of fancy tests? Or should I just expect this to be our new normal?

[NeedlenoseJake]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it unless he starts losing weight or acting differently. Jake refuses meals all the time, but he seems happy and healthy so we don't worry about it. The only thing about raw is that you can't let it sit forever like kibble!

[Remolacha]

Yeah, now that I have Val, he gets until she finishes eating her food (which doesn't take long!) and then it gets picked up or she will eat it. I figure, if he really wants to eat, he'll learn that it won't be available forever

[Time4ANap]

Rocket won't eat his breakfast unless there's cottage cheese on it. Not that he's spoiled or anything.....

 

He will eat anyhitng for dinner, but breakfast must have the cottage cheese or he just stands there until you put it on. I just kind of go

[smurfette]

I give kibble for breakfast and leave it in the bowls till dinner. Dinner is raw. My boys often don't eat breakfast, but they love dinner.

Sometimes the eat some kibbles during the day, sometimes not. I don't worry. They are just not so hungry in the morning.

[MarcR]

Antnee (who is almost 13) will sometimes skip breakfast. I put his food aside and offer kit as "brunch", which he will happily eat. If he checks out OK from a health perspective, I wouldn't be particular concerned,.

[gryhndsr4us]

My Sky who is 7 will go days, occasionally weeks skipping breakfast. Then she will go days or weeks eating breakfast. As long as she maintains her weight, eats her supper and treats I don't worry.

[greysmom]

I stopped making my self crazy trying to get my seniors to eat in the morning. I offer food a little later, when they appear more awake, or after we've been out and about. But if everything checks out medically and they are holding a good weight, I would just let it go.

 

If, for some reason, he does need to eat (to take meds, gain weight, tummy gurgles) I would go with whatever you can get him to eat, even if it might not be the best nutritionally - canned food, Beneful prepared meals, oatmeal, mac-n-cheeze, home made foods.

[Guest TheGirlz]

My old girl (11.6yo) will not eat breakfast, so she gets her days feed in her evening meal. Sometimes in the weekend (generally means breakfast is later than the working week) she shows some interest so we give her a little and she will eat it but seriously not fussed. She is healthy and happy but just isn't an early morning "eating" doggie.

[Remolacha]

I never should have told him I was posting this He decided he didn't want dinner. So, after I fed everyone else, I gave him a little kibble and ground beef, which he ate. A little more, and then some goats milk. Sigh. He might as well be a cat

 

As long as he checks out healthy, I will stop obsessing and let him eat when he wants.

[greysmom]

The other thing I noticed with my seniors is that they don't want too much all at once. Just a spoon or two to get them started, then you can add a bit more. Yes, it's fiddle-y having to feed them spoonful by spoonful, but at that age I figure they deserve it!

[Guest GreyOrchard]

All of my oldies lost interest in the morning meal once they were approaching 9 and 10. They would take a bite or two, and that was it. The night time meal was more important. I saw it as self-regulating their weight due to slowed metabolism.

[Guest FordRacingRon]

MIne is 12 1/2,,4 days ago! Leia eats breakfast maybe 2 times a week,,,used to be everyday of course. Sometimes dinner is a fight two (then she gets Mirtazapine). Then at least once a week she turns into a raptor and wants to eat anything that could be food. She checks out healthy so I gave up worrying. She isn't losing weight, I supplement her with vitamins and that is about it.

[SanTanSnuggles]

My Surprise is not a breakfast eater, unless I cook him up some chicken to go along with what ever else he is offered. Just very picky. My San Tan Snuggles on the other hand, can not usually eat enough. She also loves her veggies. The rest of the day Surprise is just fine. He may eat a busy bone if he decides that a regular breakfast is not what he wants. I feed them three easy meals a day. That way one does not have to worry about the bloat thing as much. I would not worry. My Surprise will be seven in February. Just not a breakfast kinda guy.

[Remolacha]

I was having a discussion about this with my dental hygienist today, she has labs. She said she currently has a three yr old that most days doesn't eat breakfast. Just not a morning person, er dog,

 

As long as everything else is ok, I am just not going to worry about it.

[PatricksMom]

I swear Leo does this just to make me paranoid. He's been fine for three months, now this week he doesn't want to eat breakfast again. After a couple of rounds of exams and blood work (which were always normal), I figure this is just how he is (started around 5 years old).

[Guest FordRacingRon]

Actually,,to expand on Leia,,,she eats when she wants. Now I will freely admit this is my fault, my spoiling of her, and my treating her like a queen.

 

When she was younger she ran on her 24 hour clock and breakfast and dinner were always at the same time and she was in your face 30 minutes before that time (time changes were brutal). Now she pretty much eats when she is hungry. She may have breakfast, she may not. She may want it at lunch time,,maybe not. Dinner could be at 5 or 6 or 11....when she gets hungry. But my girl is 12 1/2 and I will do whatever she wants with the time we have left. As long as her tests come back normal (and they do) and her weight stays good (it is perfect),,,I am happy.

[Remolacha]

Yes, the oldies get whatever they want but I keep saying (about Conner) "but he's only 10.5" I know that's not young, but it's barely senior, to me. On the other hand, he is an 'old' 10, while Val is a three year old in a seven year old body

[sobesmom]

So - I think I posted the same thing a year ago about my Diana. At around age 10 she'd take food or leave it. Mostly leaving breakfast, but almost always eating dinner. Her weight didn't drop, so after asking advice, I quit stressing. I did starting offering food right after work, and then dinner, if she refused breakfast. I didn't go to add-ins or anything to entice her to eat. She just has always eaten what she needed, even through her younger years when I tried to fatter her up.

 

I still refuse to call a 10 or 11 year old a senior. I just don't see it. I'll call them a pre-senior. A pre-senior has some changes going on. Slowing metabolism, etc. So - if there are no medical issues, offer Conner breakfast, if he doesn't eat, give it to him later. Maybe go to 3 smaller meals later through the day. Or he might be fine eating one some days, 2 some days. No worries.

 

This is a transition age. That's ok. I've loosened up my strict feeding times a lot. And it's been fine. No need to panic - just adapt a bit. Heck, when I retire I'm going to eat breakfast at 11:00 am and snack at 7:00 pm and another snack at 11:00 pm.

[Remolacha]

Well, of course, today he ate all his breakfast Once Val can eat crunchies again (Dr wants her on soft food for 2 weeks after her dental) I am thinking about leaving some dry out in the morning for him to snack on during the day, if he wants. I know she will eat a lot of it at first, but she could stand to add a couple of pounds, so that's ok. If he shows no interest and she starts to get fat, I'll stop. But as long as he eats dinner and is otherwise healthy, I can let it go