# Can't get puppy to eat much!!



## LJones5 (Apr 5, 2012)

Hi everyone! We got Penny home Saturday afternoon and could not be more in love with her... it's been quite a weekend!! 

However-- we can't seem to get her to eat very much! We got the same food that the breeders were using... we were told to be giving her a 1/2 cup- 3 times a day for now. She will only have a few bites at a time... we've only gotten her to eat one actual meal (yesterday at lunch time), and even that she didn't completely finish. Has anyone else experienced this?? I'm not sure if she's just excited and adjusting to her new surroundings so she can't focus... ?

Also- she is OBSESSED with the cat's food! She keeps trying to get at it, we are doing are very best to keep it away from her! 

Any tips or advice would be great- thank you!!


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## dmp (Jan 23, 2012)

Our pup went like that, too. She didn't seem interested in eating anything initially.

Just lately she's been more up for her food - but she never passes the cat bowl without eating THEIRS.


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

Try adding some warm water and mid well. It will soften the kibble and unlock the delectable aroma


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## veifera (Apr 25, 2012)

= mix well. Oops!


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Are you feeding Penny dry kibble? If so (as veifera posted), you could try adding a little bit of warm water to it just before presenting it to her. That will not add any calories or throw off the nutritional balance of the food, but will simply make it more aromatic. 

As dmp suggested, it could be that she just needs a little time to adjust to her new surroundings. It's all new and strange to her. If she remains fussy, a change of food brands might be in order. There are so many really good brands of dog food on the market now.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

We went through this with Ruby. I started giving her treats since she wasn't eating....don't start that habit. I tried feeding her on the floor, on a plate, wetting her food, etc. One day my mom came over and said why are you doing all of this....she won't starve herself. I stopped all of the compensating and she started eating. She was never a big eater in the beginning. We just left her food out all day and she would graze.

As for the cat food - we moved all cat food to a room the dog could not access with a dog gate. I would highly recommend doing this and when Penny is a little older you can teach her to not eat the cat food.

Congrats on your little girl.


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

I agree re: wetting the kibble with warm water. Also, at the beginning I often put the food in my hand and she ate it that way (out of my hand). I didn't do this all the time but only when she didn't seem interested in eating.


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

LJones - we also brought home a Penny. A week ago. I posted in the royal canin thread that it was what the breeder was feeding, but she wouldn't eat it even with wetting it. After 3-4 days she was looking very thin. So I switched. Still not a lot of luck. So I sat on the floor and hand fed, then just held the bowl while she curled in my lap. After 3-4 meals like this, she finishes as long as you stay in the room. Personally i think she gets too tired to worry about eating. I have to wake her at dinner time. Our boy was like this in the beginning too. Now he's obsessed with his food. Good luck.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Some great advise...so don't panic. I've had eight puppies over the years and with the exception of my new vizsla who is the greedest dog on earth - they have all just picked at their food.

I think RubyRoo is absolutely right - she won't starve herself, all my other puppies lived to good ages!!! Don't make problems for yourself with hand feeding, etc....start as you mean to go on..You have to remember that when they were in the litter they had competition for their food so they eat up quick or they would go hungry. That is why I think it is important to put the food down leave it 10-15 minutes and then take it away. Then they go hungry until the next meal. She will catch on fast. I would try not to give her too many treats (which is hard with a new pup as you are training them) until you get the feeding regime sorted.

Good luck and keep us posted on how Penny is doing.


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## LJones5 (Apr 5, 2012)

Thank you guys all so much!! It was a little better yesterday and this morning... she's still not eating a FULL meal each time, but eating at least half-3/4 of each meal which is somewhat better... 

I did the warm water trick as well as putting some in my hand, some on the floor... and she would eat that and then continue on to the bowl and keep eating more. She also seems to like when I sit on the floor with her while she eats. So hopefully it continues like this!!

I'm attaching a photo of little Penny. Love her so much!!!

Thank you all again!!


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

Great news LJones5! 

As for sitting on the floor with her and hand feeding a bit, my pup liked that a lot too and truthfully, I enjoyed it. But, don't worry, that only went on for a couple of weeks and then she was fine on her on, which will be the same for your Penny I'm sure. She's precious!


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Ha! I had to sit on the floor and give my Sadie yummy little bites to lead her to the bowl just this morning. The last one I let her sniff & then dropped it in the bowl. Once she put her face in it, she chowed down & ate every single bite!

Funny to read that it's worked for others too!

She is one year old & has always been a picky eater.


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Pippa has also ALWAYS been a picky eater (she is almost 13 months). We FINALLY have her on a food solution that works for her - it's a mix of Acana and Blue Buffalo with a very small bit of wet Blue Buffalo food on top. In the mornings, she is a total grazer, which of course makes me nervous (since I have to work and HATE knowing she has not eaten). So, I sit on the floor with her, she sits on my lap, and she happily eats her breakfast :

I realize in the dog training world this is probably a big "no no", but it makes her eat and happy and I don't mind one bit!


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

I heard that vizslas are terrible for being picky eaters!

I hand fed Hercules when he was very young as he didn't like eating from the bowl. 

I read that hand feeding can be good as: a) it establishes to the dog that you are the provider of food, therefore the 'master' and b) it teaches them to have a soft mouth. Every time H nipped, the food went away and now people comment on how gentle he is. 

Now he eats from a bowl but is still a fussy bugger! 

The only thing that works for him is probably against all the rules! He refuses to eat dry dog food by itself and looks offended if you give it to him! So I will mix a small amount (half tablespoon) of tuna/sardine/wet dog food/sausage through the biscuits. I think it makes them more tasty as he will wolf it down! But I have to change it up otherwise he gets wise..

Honestly, he's fussier than a child


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

on occasion Ruby will ignore her food, I crack an egg into her food, that seems to work


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Agree with harrigab! Mixing a fried egg in our puppy's food will stimulate him to eat. Our puppy is free fed because we have experienced the same difficulty with meal times. With free feeding and mixing some egg, sweet potato, or greek yogurt in his food, our puppy will eat about 2.5 cups a day free fed.


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## Murphy (Jun 23, 2012)

Murphy can be fussy but a couple of things we do help.

- mix with a little warm water
- mix with a little puppy soft food (we use dry normally)
- hand feed (once he has picked out all of the soft stuff himself)
- sit next to him while he eats

all of those in different degrees seem to help. the main thing for us is being in the room with him.


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