Puppy won't eat regularly

[Pretty Penny]

We have been having trouble getting Penny to eat. She will only eat if we are sitting down next to her by her bowl. If we stand up or walk away she just starts crying and doing this howl thing. I'm afraid she's not getting enough food in her. If we are not sitting right there by her...she will only end up eating a few nibbles here and there. I've tried mixing wet food in and for the first few days she loved it and ate it all up; but now she's back to not eating it again. Does anyone else have this problem? Should I change her dry food. I have her on Science Diet Puppy. Thanks!

 

[gmacleod]

Personally, I'd change the food indeed. Not just in the hopes of getting her to eat more, but because (even if the price tag doesn't suggest so) that brand is serious junk food. It really is - you'd be doing just as well with a generic brand of grocery store floor sweepings.

Rather than launch into a long explanation of what's so wrong with that food - instead, here's some information on how to choose a good food. No dog food can magically be any better than the ingredients used to make it, and this page gives you an idea of what to look for, what to avoid, and why. With that information, you should be able to see for yourself what's wrong with SD and to make a reasonable assessment of any other food you look at: www.boxerworld.com/feeding For information on what the ingredients are of over 700 different foods, plus ratings and reviews, you may find this site rather helpful: www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews

Beyond changing to a better quality food, I'd suggest putting the food down for the pup - give her 20 minutes to eat, then pick the bowl up and put it away until the next meal time. She should be offered small meals about 4 times a day at this age - and it won't hurt her to skip one, whereas it will help to teach her to eat when food is offered. You might also consider moistening the kibble with a little warm water (check that it isn't preserved with citric acid first - if it is, it shouldn't be moistened) prior to feeding. That can sometimes help with young pups who don't really recognise dry kibble as food.

 

[Pretty Penny]

Oh my goodness...and all this time I thought SD was a great food. My vet's office even sells it. Thank you for this information. I am going to read through those websites when I get home from work tonight and go over with my boyfriend which food will be best.

I'm also going to work with Penny on taking the food bowl away after feeding time is over. We've been leaving it out at all times, hoping that she'll eat whenever. I hope this works. I feel like she's skin and bones....yet she's still gaining weight at each vet visit.

Thanks again!

 

[harlie'smom]

Im in the same boat right now, but i think mine is because he has my other 2 as a distraction. I too have to stay right next to him and often have to hand feed him, atleast one of his meals daily. Do what Gmac said, put his food down and give him 20min and pick it up, eventually he'll get it. My problem is working on my other 2 to leave the kitchen when he's eating.

 

[dizzydogmom]

I feel like she's skin and bones....yet she's still gaining weight at each vet visit.

I was worried about Piper Ann when I first got her, too-she still really thin, and you can see most of her ribs, plus her hip bones are rather pronounced. I bought this up to my vet, and he pointed out that boxers are exceptionally hyper and between that and the fact that she's still growing, she probably burns the calories from what she eats. So long as she is eating, active, and well muscled, he told me not to worry.

So now I don't worry so much.

 

[tianthai]

When I first got Oscar (3 months old), he would not eat at all unless we handfed him kibble by kibble and we did for the first couple of weeks. Now I do not know where the food-shy dog is!

 

[Fawn's Mom]

We still have this problem with Morgan.
She is kenneled during the day when we are at work (no more than 7 hours though - and friends often come over to let her out to play during the day).
In the mornings, she knows that we are leaving so she won't eat.
Some days she will and some days not. The vet says not to worry and I don't because she will eat when she's hungry and she does every night when she is fed.
My little peanut is small - but healthy. She had a Dr. appt. on Monday infact and is still hovering right around 49 lbs. Doc. says that she's fine. She's now 27 months or so, but healthy.
don't worry...but DEFINITELY do put your pup on a better quality food.
We did that right away (due to health issues early on) and we noticed a huge difference. We have had Morgan on Innova, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, and Innova EVO Red Meat right now.
Morgan also gets treats sometimes in her food. 2 eggs or so a week, yogurt, cottage cheese. If you add these to her food and mix them up once in awhile, it could also make her more interested. Just an idea!

 

[Bigstabile]

Rudy goes through phases where she seems disinterested in her food. Maybe a month or 2 after I brought her home she would consistantly only eat like 1/2 of what I left out for her. I cut back what I was giving her and she'd finish it then I slowly added a little more each day until she was getting as much as she should and she would eat it all. Then just this past month she would literally let her breakfast sit for 6 or more hours before she'd finish it. All morning she would just pick at it. I started giving her a couple pieces of american cheese (her favorite treat) right after she finished and within 2 days she was back to munching it down right away.