Light appetite or not food-motivated?

[Adria, Dan, and Sookie]

Hello,

We just brought our little Sookie home yesterday, so I don't know if this is because she's still adjusting to life without her mom and the pack or if it's something we'll need to work on. She doesn't seem to have much appetite and she isn't excited about her treats. She barely ate half of her breakfast this morning -- and that was over a couple hours. She got a ton of exercise yesterday, so I was expecting her to wolf down her food today. We feed her the same food that the breeder fed her. Is it common for pups to be disinterested in treats or food? Could it be nerves or just adjusting to the new house?

[Tammy & Gracie]

I think that is probably stress of her recent life changes. I would not free feed her. Put the food down, if she does not eat it, pick it up after 15 or 20 minutes. Do not give it to her again until the next normal feeding time. I might try a little plain yogurt stirred in as extra enticement. Ease up on the treats for now to let her get hungry. Are her stools ok? Drinking plenty of water? If so, she is fine, just out of sorts due to changes. As a puppy Gracie was not very food oriented. That developed later.

[Adria, Dan, and Sookie]

We'll try picking up the dish if she isn't interested. She is not shy about the water and poops about once every two or three hours, so she's probably just adjusting. Thanks a lot!

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Congrats on Sookie. She is very cute. She will eat. She is probably just overwhelmed. She won't starve. She'll get the hang of it. I agree with what Tammy says. Back off on the treats so she will get hungry. Lucca's brother, Tahoe (Darcy- the mom) live near Portland. They will be a year this month. They are on DoodleKisses.
Good luck!!

[Adria, Dan, and Sookie]

Cool! Thanks!

[renae]

I've been going through the same thing - we brought home Murphy last Monday. He had a ear infection and a parasite that he is on medication for now. Yesterday was really the first day that I was finally seeing signs of a real puppy. I added some diced up hot dog to his food to make it a bit more interesting and that helped. Today he is even more lively and interested in things around him and again, it's been almost a week since we brought him home. In Muprhy's case, I'm guessing that it was a combination of new home/people/missing his litter mates and also that he just plain didn't feel great. Have you had Sookie at the vet yet? Good luck!

[Adria, Dan, and Sookie]

Oh goodness! Poor guy. Glad to hear he's feeling better! Sookie's healthy, we just couldn't tell if it was nerves or appetite. We haven't taken her to the vet yet, but we really trust the breeders, and they had a vet making house calls. I was worried that training would be extra painful if she wasn't motivated by food, but it sounds like it gets better.

[Adria, Dan, and Sookie]

She's doing much better! Ate all her breakfast this morning. I heard her bark for the very first time in the yard today when she was trying to entice me to play some more.

Sookie and Ruby could be twins!