Help! Why did Johnny's behavior change at 11 months?
 

Johnny is now 14 months and at around 11 months his behavior changed. We got him at 4 1/2 months, worked with a trainer to socialize him to dogs and people. Gave him frozen Kongs while we went out to keep him occupied. Got him into daycare twice a week to get used to being away from home. Used treats and a clicker for obedience training. Fast forward, he now won't touch the food he used to eat and it's a chore getting him to eat anything. He won't eat in the morning at all, unless it's treats for training, and at night, he won't eat unless I hand feed it to him. If we're leaving the house to go out, he won't eat the frozen treats. He used to start eating it and completely ignore us. Now he gets upset when we leave, especially me. I never made a big deal about leaving, just confined him to the kitchen, gave him his treats, and left. Got home, took all my stuff off then greeted him. Our trainer says he definitely has separation anxiety. I'm very stressed. I feel like I'm a prisoner, constantly researching new foods, home-cooked diets (he won't eat supplements), training techniques. Spending hours begging him to eat. We rarely leave him alone now, because he won't eat. I know he's hungry, because he's chewing on things.

He is perfectly housebroken, great with dogs and people, knows his commands, and walks perfectly on leash. I just need some advice on the food thing. All help is greatly appreciated.

Any time a dog's behavior or eating habits change for no reason that think you can explain, such as a new baby being brought into the home or you just bought a new dog, it's time to see the vet first. And be sure that he sees a small-dog vet who, besides a physical exam, including neuro and ortho, does bloodwork. Changes in behavior are often the only way we know our dog is having medical problems or pain since he can't tell us.

There could be other reasons for his change in behavior, of course, but first of all you have to be sure there is no medical problem such as pain, tumor, high white cell count, anemia, major organ dysfunction, etc.

Thanks. He's been to the vet. If I get desperate with his eating, I'll give him plain protein, chicken or beef and he eats that.

What tests did the vet do to check him out due to his refusal of food? What did he tell you was likely going on with him - causing this change of behavior?

Full blood panel. She said he's just being finicky. He did have a bout if giardia prior to the finicky eating, so maybe after having all the chicken and rice, he didn't like the dog food.

Many of these Yorkies are certainly finicky eaters but it's odd he started this after his puppyhood. Maybe it is related to his giardia but the vet would likely have mentioned that rather than finicky as being the reason for his refusal of food.

Is he healthy and hardy enough for you to withhold his regular meal for most of a day and see if he will eat his regular food then?

Have you tried Separation Anxiety desensitization training to try to help his Separation Anxiety?

Yorkies are picky eaters but Johnny's eating behavior is quite strange. Your trainer must be correct that he's having a separation anxiety. For a short period of time, my yorkie used to be this way when we got another dog into our home. But after a week of coaxing her to eat and taking really good care of her, she's fine already.

Wow does this sound familiar. One of my dogs has had that exact same problem. Yorkies are finicky eaters to being with and if you cater to their eating whims you are in for a very frustrating And costly situation. One question ... Is your pup throwing up at all? My dog had been diagnosed with gisrdia as a pup and then we went on an Odyssey of vet visits and dog foods and treats that he would eat. My other dog was fine What I wascfinslly told by my last vet is that he has dome food allergies and he was placed on the IG gastrointestinal dog food .... He can never have anything prepared that is for people and that seems to have worked