# Help 10w puppy not eating- losing weight...



## 3girlsluvHav (Apr 11, 2008)

Good Afternoon everyone!

We brought home our Murphy last Friday- and it has been such an adventure since. He is so sweet and HATES to be left alone- we feel so sorry for him when we have to go put the kids to bed and he is in his x-pen. He wants to roam free so much and be with us ALL the time- which would be great but I know it's not best for potty training- can't wait till that's complete. I am so concerned for him b/c since Fri he has lost 5 ounces and he's only 3 lbs. I emailed our breeder and she said to get Nutrical which we will get in 1 hour- but I am just worried it's a sign of something else. We are on day 3 shouldn't he be eating- so far it's about 1/4 a cup per all day. Please give me some suggestions!! THANK YOU!!

P.S. I tried to upload pics one at a time and it won't take sorry!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

What does your vet say?


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Alycia, not much help from me, but I hope little Murphy is alright and will start eating soon again. Is he being lethargic? Does he drink well? Have you asked your Vet?


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I wouldn't take a chance with such a young puppy and he is so tiny too. Get in to see the vet. Are his eyes bright? Have you seen him drinking? Have you tried offering bits of food from your fingers?


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## 3girlsluvHav (Apr 11, 2008)

Havtahava said:


> What does your vet say?


She was here at 11am- said to try kibble wet and give some cheese as well. I ran everything by breeder and she said no to processed cheese and just thought the nutrical (supplement-high cal) would be the first step to stim his appetite....My breeder offered more info - the vet seemed not very concerned. It's crazy b/c I haven't worried about such things my girls were babies. He is wetting and has 2 small bm's per day.


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

How about adding some baby food or some canned dog food to his kibble. Also, what are you feeding him now?


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## 3girlsluvHav (Apr 11, 2008)

good buddy said:


> I wouldn't take a chance with such a young puppy and he is so tiny too. Get in to see the vet. Are his eyes bright? Have you seen him drinking? Have you tried offering bits of food from your fingers?


His vet was here this am- house call which was nice. His eyes seem bright - but he's so dark it's kinda hard for me to tell. He is def spunky chasing the kids around the yard. My daughter just tried to feed him by hand, which is not a trend we can stick to, and he did eat a bit- I just laid some on his bed and he is eating some now. Can it be he does not like his bowl- can they be that tempermental?

Thanks for your reply!


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## 3girlsluvHav (Apr 11, 2008)

juliav said:


> How about adding some baby food or some canned dog food to his kibble. Also, what are you feeding him now?


I have tried the canned and he was not interested in it at all. Breeder said to feed Puppy Chow proplan. Perhaps each day will get better just can't help to worry b/c they rely on us for everything!


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## casperkeep (May 16, 2007)

I hope things are going better for little Murphy. I would keep in contact with vet and breeder. Let us know how things are going.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I would say nutrical is something you buy and give if you can't get to the vet right then but nothing long term. I have used it for my maltese when doing agility but never a solution. Maybe instead of a bowl try a small plate?

Amanda


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## ruthann (Jan 26, 2007)

Have you tried cooking some chicken and adding brown rice? Annabelle was always a picky eater, but a fourth of a cup of what dog food is the baby eating? This amount seems enough for a baby. How many times a day is it eating? Three small meals a day gets more nurishment into them. Have you tried hand feeding? How much does the puppy weigh? Somewhere on this forum there is a breeder who published a receipe for a homemade diet to add weight onto her dogs. I'd try everything to get enough food into him to keep him from losing weight. Keep us posted, so we can stop worrying with you. Ruthann


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

If your vet is okay with it, Nutrical can be a good appetite stimulant. Make sure you don't give too much. It is basically a corn syrup product. 

It is very sticky and Murphy may get some in his facial hair, which is hard to remove once it dries, so you may want to clean his mouth with a warm, wet washcloth after feeding Nutrical.

Ruthann, if you are thinking of the Satin Balls recipe I posted, I'd hold off on that. He's so young that he'll probably adjust just fine after he's been with Alycia's family a while and gotten into a routine.


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## MoJoBoy (May 26, 2008)

3girlsluvHav said:


> His vet was here this am- house call which was nice. His eyes seem bright - but he's so dark it's kinda hard for me to tell. He is def spunky chasing the kids around the yard. My daughter just tried to feed him by hand, which is not a trend we can stick to, and he did eat a bit- I just laid some on his bed and he is eating some now. Can it be he does not like his bowl- can they be that tempermental?
> 
> Thanks for your reply!


Hello New Mommy,

I had the same problem when I brought MoJo home. I ended up trying a smaller, cat sized bowl and that did the trickeace: If he is going to the bathroom and chasing the kids around, that is a good sign! Do you leave the food down during the day or is it scheduled? Maybe he is taking a little in when you are not watching!

Good Luck


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## MaddiesMom (Apr 1, 2007)

Its weird, but sometimes putting the food on a small plate instead of in a bowl will get them to eating. Also, you can try adding a teeny bit of water and microwaving a few seconds until its warm....sometimes the additional scent of warmed food will entice them to eat.


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

What puppy food are you feeding him? Could be he's just not crazy about the food. Also if it's a richer puppy food, he may not need to eat as much as ones with much more filler. WHen you feed him leave the food down for 20min then take it away. Let him build an appetite. Never leave it down for more than 20min.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

On days when I worried about how much they ate, I would put kibbles on the floor and it seemed to get them started eating. I don't know what it is about the bowl, but sometimes just a few scatteered on the floor worked better. <g> Try a plate or even a shallower dish and see if that works better.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Scooter wouldn't eat either and we tried everything! I bought 4 or 5 different bowls and then a plate but he still wouldn't eat unless we put the food on the floor. That's ok since we have tile in the laundry room where he eats and I just clean up the floor when he's finished. Until 12 weeks we fed 3 times a day but now do twice. Sometimes giving him a tiny treat before taking him to his food gets him going and he'll eat it.

It was really frustrating :frusty: when we first got him because I was so worried that he was too small but he gained weight and is now at 5 pounds. We switched to Evo Red Meat-Small Bites and he's doing very well now!

Good luck, he's such a cutie!!!


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

Actually if he's wetting and pooping and has energy I say don't worry so much-especially if vet seems to think he's okay.

I give Posh 1/3 cup dry kibble and two heaping TBsp. of wet food twice a day and she NEVER eats all of it. I also give her treats during the day (Solid Gold jerkies, probably 5 total per day). She definitely could use some more "lovin" aka cush. but I try not to obsess.


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Could the scales just be different and he has not actually lost weight?


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

3girlsluvHav said:


> Can it be he does not like his bowl- can they be that tempermental?


ound: YES THEY CAN BE THAT TEMPERMENTAL!!! Oh I think we have all been through this with our pups. let me just say Jasper was such a finicky eater when he was a pup that he would vomit bile because he was so hungry. I am happy to report that he is now 2.5 years old and 18 lbs... not at all a light weight.

If it has just been a few days, he has energy and is doing his biz and the vet is not concerned-- I would just ride it out. Or you can do what I did (and still do) and try every dog food known to man. And let him know that he has you wrapped arounf that cute little tail. I have heard a lot of stories where people say their puppies boycott the food they were getting at the breeders. This could be that they are just adjusting or they really weren't eating all that much at the breeders-- It's hard to tell what 6 puppies are actually eating.

The putting the kibble on the floor or a plate worked for us too. As well as making them work for their food--either through teaching games--(come, sit-paw) or putting the kibble in a kong or other toy that they have to work to get the food out. Jasper really liked this one from Pet Stages.

http://www.petstages.com/dogs/interacting/play-with-me.html

Oh and by the way WELCOME to the Forum!!!


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Oh nothing is worse than worrying about a puppy eating. I agree with the warm food - I always like to add some warm water to the kibble and put a bit of wet food in to help stimulate the appetite. Another thought is to feed the puppy in a crate. You can buy a hanging bowl for less than $5 and this way they get the idea that they better eat if they want to get out and play. Also gives them one more positive association with the crate. The idea of a small plate or smaller bowl sounds good too.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

A little warm water is a really good tip!

Also, if the puppy is acting picky, I think free-feeding (leaving the bowl down) is the wrong way to go. If you put the bowl down three times a day at regular times, he will know when it is time to eat and will be a better eater.


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

MacGyver still wants 2-3 pieces of kibble on the floor before he'll eat out of his bowl. I don't know why this makes a difference, but its worth a try.


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

Okay folks I just tried the warm water added to Posh's food and she came running like "Yes! Mom you finally gave me something good." What's up with that? The kibble still has some crunch to it, but I think it seems more like real food now, especially with the Merrick "Thanksgiving Dinner" canned food. It actually smells like turkey stew to me, I've been a vegetarian for ten years now, so this is a weird smell for me.  I love you guys! My baby is chowing down as I type.


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

He may be just a little stressed coming to a new home,away from his litter mates/momma and everything he is used to. If your vet says he looks ok--try not to worry. The nutra-cal can help in a pinch,but like Amanda and Kimberly said,I wouldn't rely to heavy on it. It is just mostly for a "backed into a wall situation",I believe. The forum members have all given lots of good advice for you to try. Please keep us informed how he is doing and I'd keep in touch with his breeder as well.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Yea Posh! Isn't that amazing how something so simple can work? The only thing I worry about is that they don't get the "full" crunch power so keep the amount to 1 tbsp so it doesn't get overly soft.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

3girlsluvHav said:


> Good Afternoon everyone!
> 
> We brought home our Murphy last Friday- and it has been such an adventure since. He is so sweet and HATES to be left alone- we feel so sorry for him when we have to go put the kids to bed and he is in his x-pen. He wants to roam free so much and be with us ALL the time- which would be great but I know it's not best for potty training- can't wait till that's complete. I am so concerned for him b/c since Fri he has lost 5 ounces and he's only 3 lbs. I emailed our breeder and she said to get Nutrical which we will get in 1 hour- but I am just worried it's a sign of something else. We are on day 3 shouldn't he be eating- so far it's about 1/4 a cup per all day. Please give me some suggestions!! THANK YOU!!
> 
> P.S. I tried to upload pics one at a time and it won't take sorry!


I haven't read the other responses, so I'm sure you've already gotten some great advice from our hav-parents,

BUT, I did have the same problem with Gucci. I had a hard time getting her to eat, it seemed like she wanted to play and snuggle and really showed NO interest in food, she still can be lukewarm about eating, but I was *freaking* OUT.

I ended up giving her Little Cesars (which is like "cake" to dogs and isn't the best food, by far) but she LOVED it. And then I would mix that with a better kibble and slowly transitioned her.

What I did, was basically go to the petstore and the grocery store and buy small samples and canned food, I think she was really interested in the canned food because she had not gotten that at the breeders, so it was 'new' to her palate.

It worked for me...so if you haven't fixed the problem yet, try canned mixed with kibble.

Kara


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

I changed the dogs over to this food and they go crazy for it. I put warm water on the kibble and add a couple of tablespoons of the wet food and then get out of the way while they race to the bowls. It's expensive but I like the ingredients and the dogs love it. http://shop.halopets.com/Natural-Dog-Food


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## 3girlsluvHav (Apr 11, 2008)

MaddiesMom said:


> Its weird, but sometimes putting the food on a small plate instead of in a bowl will get them to eating. Also, you can try adding a teeny bit of water and microwaving a few seconds until its warm....sometimes the additional scent of warmed food will entice them to eat.


Thank you Jeanne, Kimberly and Everyone- I sat at my computer and just read every comment and it was so helpful. It's so goofy b/c I have not worried about a baby eating since my human 3 daughters!  But the food on the floor did it! What a baby! I just had not thought of it. Actually I put some on his fav puppy bed and he ate it all- it's like he wanted to be held instead of eat! He'd whine to be let out of the xpen (which he hates)- but our first floor is big and I want to be successful at potty training. Also- warming it up was great. He did not really like the Nutrical- but my breeder said to put it on the roof os his mouth so he had to eat- so that was good. We got some liver treats to and he loved those. I guess indeed he was just settling in- never in my life have I seen a dog be such a baby- it's one of the reasons I choose this breed b/c of the kids- he is great with them and craves their attention- which they love.

Thanks again- and here's to some warm kibble on Murphy's bed!


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## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I'm glad Murphy is doing better with eating. You got good advice here.  Cicero is 6 months old and after a while he still gets in a rut and decides he is tired of what he is eating. He doesn't like a bowl either and eats the dry food off the floor. One thing you might want to try if you are worried about him getting enough food, is to use the dry food as a treat to learn his commands. Crazy, but they seem to eat their food if they have to work for it.


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## ginny (Mar 29, 2008)

I used a one of the little rimmed plates that is for olive oil and bread when Suzy was small. The food the breeder sent home had too large of a kibble size, her error that she sent regular size and not the tinier kibble. I replaced it with the same brand but smaller kibble. Maybe the pieces are too large for Murphy? You could try slicing them or dicing them in the processor.
Everyone else has great suggestions.


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## Posh's Mom (Dec 20, 2007)

*This Forum is Amazing!*

I love you guys!! Tonight I fed Posh her regular kibble (Evo) mixed with Tbs. of Merrick Thanksgiving Dinner (Canned) & Tbs. of warm water. The canned/kibble mix I have been doing for six plus months, however, the warm water is thanks to suggestions by you all, namely Lisa and Kimberly.

Meanwhile, tonight, I took another forum tip (I vaguely recollect Kara suggesting this?) and instead of feeding her from her "fancy" stainless steel with the rubber ring to keep it from sliding dog bowl, I fed her off a small square, flat sushi HUMAN plate.

Guess what?

She cleaned her plate!!!! :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:

I am one happy mama. I sure hope this wasn't a fluke tonight.

Warm fuzzies all around.eace:


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Amy, maybe Posh just wanted some sushi! But the fancy plate was enough! :biggrin1:


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Amy, that's great! I have always added some warm water to Kubrick dinner of kibble and 1 tbsp of wet and I also got the idea here. The forum is great for tips like that!


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## Tango's Mommy (Jun 22, 2008)

I use vanilla or plain yogurt mixed with Tango's dry food, and he's loves it. Let me know if you try it and how it works out for you.


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