Why will my puppy not eat pupy food?

Question

My puppy, who is about 12 weeks old, will not eat canned, hard, soft, or somewhere in between dog food- nor wll he eat hard food softened with water. What he WILL eat like a mad dog is Cat Food. I'm talking generic, hard as hell, star shaped cat food. We don't mind feeding him this. Our cat loves it and it's cheap. But is it safe? Is there something else we should try? Maybe kitten food? lol.

Answer 1

As a puppy it is not too horrible, but as he gets older....Cat food has a different balance of nutrients and a much higher protein level. What I would suggest doing is slowly mixing the wet dog food in with the cat food until you replace it. If you mix it real well and add dog food slowly, he should adjust. Or since it is dry food, mix the dry dog food with the dry cat food--get some kibbles and bits- something fun and small so he might not be able to differentiate between them.
If he picks out the cat food and ignores the dog food, don't give him any more. One day of not eating is not going to harm him, and if he is hungry, he will eat it. It sounds cruel, but nutritional-wise, he is much better off switching to a puppy chow sooner than later.

Answer 2

Feed the cat out of reach of the puppy so that he can't get it. Place a bowl of nutritious quality puppy food down for the puppy in the morning give him 15 minutes to eat it. If he doesn't eat it take it up. Repeat at lunchtime and at dinnertime. Keep fresh water available at all times. The puppy will soon learn that the only food available is the puppy food and he needs to eat it when he it is offered.

Answer 3

Cat food isn't good for either dog or puppy. I would contact your vet. There might be something lacking that your puppy needs.

Oh a good Dog food is the most nutritious food ever for humans. It is the most balance of any food. That was in a science magazine written by a nutritionish. Many hikers take it with them.

Answer 4

Cat food is for cats, not dogs. My understanding is that over the long term it will cause kidney problems in dogs.

Get puppy food, put some chicken or beef broth in to get him in habit of eating it. Keep diluting the broth until it is water.

When he is hungry he will eat it, but keep him away from the cat food. WHen I had both cats and dogs, the cats food was on top of the dryer.

Answer 5

Never give a dog cat food!!! Cat food contains fats and oils that a cat needs...but is not healthy for a dog...try using the puppy dry food and pour warm chicken broth or beef broth over it

Answer 6

Dogs love fish. You could try mixing canned puppy food with soem fresh fish from the supermarket. It will disguise the smell of the puppy food.

Answer 7

This is bad for him. Cat food is not balanced for him. For one thing it is too high in protein.

So what, you say, is a little extra protein going to do?

Ask all those folks on high protein diets what happens to the extra protein---you pee it out. A diet of cat food is going to start to hurt his kidneys. Wean him off it or go cold turkey and he'll learn to eat something else because doing this long term will hurt him.

Answer 8

A food that's nutritionally balanced for a cat isn't appropriate for a dog's needs, and vice-versa. Just give your puppy, puppy food. He'll eat it eventually. Trust me, he's not going to starve himself in protest.

Answer 9

Try giving your puppy a mixture of cooked ground beef with rice. Then gradually add puppy chow.

Answer 10

Feed him puppy food only when he gets hungry enough he will eat it.