Skinny miniature poodle

Question
I have a skinny miniature poodle who is 8 years old . I rehomed him after a friend had to get rid of him due to a changes in her life .He's the most fantastic dog he looks great before i have him groomed then he looks like skin and bone .The trouble is he won't eat dog food i have tried everything he just wont eat it he will only eat cat food and only one or two brands .His previous owener said he has always been the same the vet said his weight is ok maybe a few more pounds but he's full of life loves to play go for walks and still acts like a puppy .I'm worried about the long term affects on his heath not eating  dog food have you any idea's on food i can try or is it to late .

Answer
Hello Susan,
First off, try leaving dry food out for him at all times so he can nibble if he chooses. Also, keep feeding him the cat food, but also use dry dog food and add it to the cat food. Keep adding more dry dog food and lessen the amount of cat food you use. You can use a wet dog food of your choice to encourage him to eat if you need to. So your first trial mix might look like this, 1/2 cup cat food, 1/4 dry dog food and 1/4 cup wet dog food of your choice (optional). Offer this as his regular food. If he still doesn't like it, you might add some water or even try some chicken broth.
This mix will make more than he will eat in one serving, so you can save it in the fridge (if you used wet dog food in the mix).
About a week later, try 1/2 wet dog food (if he is eating the food with the wet dog food in it), 1/4 cup cat food and 1/4 dry dog food. Continue switching until you can either feed him 1/2 wet dog food and 1/2 dry dog food or he is eating totally dry dog food.  
If you have to, you can try adding Cottage Cheese, yogurt, fruits and veggies (such as Blueberries, Raspberries, Apples, Oranges, Carrots, Peas, Cucumbers, etc {just don't feed dogs Onions or Grapes/Raisins}).
It is not healthy for a dog to not eat for a long period of time. Some older dogs will go a day without eating, but when it goes beyond a day you need to start encouraging him to eat. Coconut Oil is very healthy for dogs coat and skin. You might try adding a 1/2 teaspoon of Coconut Oil to his food if he will eat it.

I hope this helps you some. If you have other questions about this, or other Poodle questions in general, please feel free to ask me.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim