New to the Doodle Kisses and have questions

[Sherrie Coyle]

Hello to everyone!

 

We are new to the Doodle world, and to this group.  I am not sure how to use this site yet, but I do have a few questions, and hoping to get some feedback.

 

First, if this not the correct way to post questions, please let me know.

 

We were blessed with our baby Abby on 6/15, so she had been with us now for 11 days.  She has adjusted very well into our home and we love her so much!

We went to the vet today for her next round of shots, and she is gaining weight, but she is not eating enough.  It seems she does not care for the food we are feeding her, which is what the breeder was feeding her.  The Vet gave us some of the food he recommends, and she scarfed it!

So, first...how much do you recommend a 10 week old puppy be eating, what is a good weight for a Medium size doodle puppy at this age, and if you could please direct me to some good info regarding good puppy food, I would really love any help.

 

Thank you so much,

Sherrie & Brian Coyle

 

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Sherrie, welcome to DK!

We have a very active Food Group here http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup where you can view our list of recommended dog food brands and check our discussion forum on feeding puppies as well. I am pretty sure the food the vet gave you will not be on our list, lol, but we have lots of help and tips on foods and fussy eaters as well.

We generally recommend that you not change a puppy's food for at least two weeks after they come home, for various reasons. Sometimes leaving their homes, their mothers, their littermates, and everything they have ever known is enough to throw off their appetites and they need a little time to adjust to the new environment.

There is no way to recommend a certain amount that any puppy or dog should be eating, as all foods have different calorie content, and feeding amounts vary widely from one food to another. The age and weight of the dog as well as the expected adult size all play into that. You should be feeding 3 to 4 times a day at this age. And it's hard to say what would be a good weight for a "medium doodle puppy" at that age because there is such a wide variation in size with these mixed breed dogs as well. Did your vet feel that Abby was underweight?

[Heather & Brinkley]

I don't have answers but I wanted to say welcome! You will get some great answers in here from very knowledgable people. You will find that many people on this site feel strongly about the kind of food that their doodles are being fed (regarding fillers, etc), I would recommend you check out he food group on this site, as you could get some good tips. Within the last year we switched to the brand Orijen and we've noticed a big difference in Brinkley's health; however he's never been a big eater. He goes in spurts.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Abbey is one cute puppy! Congratulations on your new baby!

Vet food is overpriced junk here is a discussion explaining why you should say no when the vet recommends it http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/why-you...

As Karen states, we have lots of great information in the food group, with recommended brands

Welcome to DK!!!!!

[Moe]

My vet recommends and sells Orijen in the office. Between him and the food group we were sold. Not sure how much he charges compared to pet stores.

[Adina P]

If she's gaining enough weight and ribs are not visible or poking out too much...she's probably doing fine and it's just 'new parent jitters' you've got about her eating.  I wouldn't worry about it unless the vet thinks she is too thin or there is an actual weight issue that comes up. 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Welcome to Doodlekisses.  And welcome to Abby.  Check out the food group, but also know that many many dogs are raised on just plain old kibble.  Be sure that it is made in the USA.  Not all food that vets recommend is overpriced or junk food.  Although that does happen. 

 

Be sure to join the puppy group as you will get a lot of tips from people who currently have puppies.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Congratulations on your new puppy. Enjoy every minute of this experience. I have two dogs with very different eating styles. Fudge is a slow eater and in the beginning I was panicked that she was not eating much. I can remember my nieces trying to feed her by hand. Eventually, she started eating, but she still is very picky about when she eats and she likes to be in the room by herself. Just a quirk, I suppose. My other dog, Vern, eats much more enthusiastically and we never had a problem with him not eating. I think they are all different and unless the vet is concerned, I would not be either.  I love Fromm for both my dogs and Vern started on it as a puppy, so Fudge and Vern would be on the same food. The Food Group can help with that question.

I just wanted to add that Pet Insurance is a great thing to have for your puppy and the earlier you get it, the better. Just my two cents. Your puppy is adorable. Good luck!!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Welcome to Doodle Kisses...Abby is just adorable!  Definitely join the Food Group....there's great information there.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Welcome!