Pup not that interested in her food

[Amy]

Bleu is 8 weeks, 6 days old.  We have had her almost a week. I am wondering what you all think of her eating habits.  She is on Iams Puppy (which is what the breeder had been giving her).  We do plan to switch her food after she has been here awhile.  Not wanting to bombard her with too many changes at once. 

She has only been eating about 1/2-3/4 a cup of chow a day.  We have limited the treats, but she does LOVE them.  When I put the food down, she will eat for a couple minutes and then leave to go do something more interesting.  She has been pooping 3-4 times a day and it looks normal. 

Does this sound like a normal pup adjusting to a new place? Or should I be alarmed? The food bag says she should be eating 1 and 3/4 cups a day. 

I am wondering if I should start mixing a new food in now and see if she likes it more? 

Any advice would be appreciated! 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd feed her three times a day, at set times, in a quiet place with no distractions. No kids playing nearby, etc. If you're using a crate, you could try feeding her in there. It also helps if the puppy has not been romping and playing immediately before meals, so 10 minutes of quiet time in the crate before being fed may help too. Put one-third of her day's worth of food in her bowl, give her 15-20 minutes to eat it, and then take it away, no matter how much she has eaten. Don't offer more food until her next scheduled meal time. 

[Amy]

Thanks Karen!  I have been reading in the Food Group and respect all of the knowledge you have to offer!  Do you think I should keep with the Iams another week then?  I was thinking I would wait two weeks to make changes, but wondered your opinion.  I will do the quiet time before feeding and feed without the kids around. I appreciate the suggestions!  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, it's best to wait at least two weeks before switching foods. Good luck! :) 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Our Fudge hardly seemed to eat when she first came home. I can remember worrying and trying to get her to eat. She still is a picky girl and will only eat when nobody is around and our other dog has left the kitchen. Your pup is getting used to all the news things in her life and will adjust to your schedule soon. Good luck!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Laurie,  I knew Fudgie wasn't a big eater, but I didn't remember that she was a closet eater like Ned. As a puppy he wanted to eat everything, especially the other dogs' food, but once he outgrew that, he became very time/place selective.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Yep, she sometimes circles through the kitchen in a loop if I am in there over and over again, until I leave the area and then I hear her eating.

[Amy]

Thanks for the reassurance!

[M. and Mila]

Same here,10 week puppy not very interested in food but LOVES her training treats.

Thanks for the idea Karen,will try feeding in the crate here too.

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

As a puppy, Sedona was a reluctant eater. We tried everything to entice her to eat - different food, toppers, mix-ins, etc. She's now 4, healthy, happy, appropriate in terms of weight AND still a picky eater. In fact, she gets a "treat" for finishing her dinner - her nightly fish oil capsule.

[John]

I had the same problem with Ziggy.  He would only eat about a half-cup between lunch and dinner time.  After a while, I decided to stop trying to feed him three times a day and just stick to two and he's been much better about eating since then.  He is a mini-doodle, and a really small one at that(14 lbs at 10 months).  I wonder if that is attributed to the amount he ate as a young pup.  He's very healthy, but I was expecting him to be around 50 lbs fully grown.  I don't see that happening now, ha.

[Tammy and Violet]

I put Violet's gibble in her kong and plug it up with 1/2 milk bone ... she has never ate ...really ...out of her bowl ..the vet says she is ok at her weight... but .... ..I also had put apple sauce ans pumkin on top too

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Quincy was not much of an eater as a younger pup-we did the toppers etc to entice.  Not a problem now at 16 months! He is clean plate club all the way and always looking for treats.