my puppy wont eat his puppy food.?

Question

i tried putting a little bit of water into his food to soften it but he just smells it and leaves the bowl. what do i do? .. help!!!

he's about 9 weeks old too.

Answer 1

Nothing. Do not put anything into the food to make it more enticing because all you do is create a picky eater. Put his food down give him 5 to 10 minutes to eat, if he doesn't eat pick it up repeat this for the next few feedings. Hunger is a powerful motivator so your pup will eventually eat.
Our dog missing a meal is harder on the owner then it is on the dog.

Answer 2

I also had a finicky pup when she came home.. how long have you had him? if you just brought him home then..
Have you tried a little bit of canned dog food? or small pieces of chicken? I would mix just a little bit -teaspoon, not tablespoon- and coat the kibble in it?
if still no eating puppy, then slowly add a little bit more canned or meat.

Puppies go through growth spurts and stops. If you have had him for a few weeks and his appetite has suddenly just stopped, then don't worry, and don't let him beg for 'tastier' food.
Offer the food at meal time, and if he snubs it, take it away. Offer again in 20 minutes, if he turns away again, take it away and don't offer again until next meal time.
If he doesn't eat the next meal, being a puppy after all, then he may be sick and you should take him to a vet.

If he is 6 months or older, then unless there is other signs of sickness, such as diarrhea, vomiting, bloated stomach, whining, drooling etc then he is just being stubborn, and offer breakfast with a teeny bit of treats in it, not enough to make it "lucky charms" instead of corn flakes with half a banana. ok?
Again, if he snubs, and truly is a pup, he may be sick.

if you follow this you will have the answer you need in the morning.
You either have a stubborn dog, and you have taught it that you are the provider of food and he must eat what you serve.
Or in less than 24 hours you have detected a possibly serious illness and will be at the vet sooner than most.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Having had a number of dogs and currently have an English Setter who weighs 75 lbs and is eleven years old.
I can tell you from experience a dog will only eat when he is hungry and since dogs don't wear wrist watches they are not inclined to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner as you do because you watch tells you when to eat.
Here is what I recommend, provide two feeding bowls one that is ALWAYS filled with fresh clean water so the dog can drink when he is thirsty and another for food.
At breakfast fill his bowl with the designate amount of food and place next to water allow one hour then REMOVE the food bowl, at lunch time place the food next to the water again, after an hour remove the food.At dinner time give the dog the food again and allow another hour.Do this for three days and at some point your dog will eat and can determine what time he prefers ro eat then provide food twice a day when he prefers to eat.You may want to try canned dog food fo one feeding and dry for another to determine if the dog prefers dry or wet food, but do not pour liquid on the dry food because it is intended to help keep his teeth clean and if it is soggy the purpose is defeated.
If the dog is not eating after three days he may be ill or just cannot tolerate the food you are providing and you should contact a vet for advise.

Answer 4

First make sure that you are offering him puppy food. It usually has a stronger odor and is more attractive to a puppy. If that doesn't work take him to the vet he may have a stomach irritation and not want food. Don't wait too long he's only a baby and can lose weight rapidly. Not a good thing.

Answer 5

all pups experience this just after they come home from breeders, they are used to eating in a pack so this is a different routine for them.
Why are you adding water to the feed, if anything add a little fibre, a little vegetables or a dash of olive oil or cod liver oil,
Use what the breeder has been using and start to add little bits of veg, fruit , fubre etc to ensure the anal glands stay fit and unblocked...
Use white fish, salmon etc i place of canned dog food, on alternate days...Use skinners dried puppy milk for a few weeks to ensure that pup is getting all minerals and vitamins necessary for development, keep this is as you can give to a sickly pup and adult dog too.
Get some campbells condensed chicken soup in add a few spoons to a puppy dried food and see if that works, always check for any reaction to food as an ongoing food tolerance test, this is an ongoing evaluation for all dog owners, due to our modern living they get so many allergies now its hard to keep up.

Answer 6

My pup is almost 3 months old. When I got her at 8 weeks old the breeder suggested Iams puppy food with just a LITTLE bit of Iams moist food. She also suggested Nutri-Cal vitamins daily which will not only supplement her diet but will boost her appetite. I've never, ever given her any human food or treats and she's been an excellent eater. But some days she doesn't eat as much as other days but I've heard that when they are in a growing spurt they will eat really well. I've also been told that while they're teething they don't eat very much. The same with their ears...upright while growing, a little down when they're teething. Just keep his diet constant and don't try changing his food just to get him to eat - that would be the worst thing for you to do! They aren't like people in wanting something different to eat every day. Being consistent and not changing their diet is the very best you can do for him. Don't worry, they will eventually eat unless they haven't eaten for around 3 days. If that's the case it's time to take him to the puppy doctor~~~ :) BTW - Nutri-Cal vitamins comes in a tube, looks like maple syrup, around $10 and they really like it! Mine licks it off my finger until it's all gone gone!

Answer 7

how old is the puppy? if it is over 6 months then put the food for each feeding and give the puppy about 5 to 10 mintes to ear it. and then pick it up and give him some more at the next feeding. if there is more than 2 feeding then do it again at each feeding. after missing on not eating much he will decide that he ahd better eat his food.. no if it is a young puppy you need to have your vet check out the puppy.

Answer 8

make sure your feeding puppy food ;) and that is the right size for your dog, then i would try yogurt and brewer's yeast , milk would also work but the yogurt and brewers yeast is better for them, broth will also work you, make sure you heat it up a little so it can kinda soak in, adding very much meat can get expensive, canned puppy food can also be mixed in
if he still isn't eating i would call and talk to where you got him from breeder or . . . and see if they have any suggestions and what they had been feeding him if possible get the same food, if no help then call your vet
good luck hope this helps

Answer 9

What we do is put Chicken broth on the food. That is what we have to do with the dog food. Chicken broth (not chicken soup) or get some liver and cook it up and every meal put a few peieces of cooked liver in it and stir it in with the food and athe dog will eat it up. We have a 3yr old Picky Food eater (Boxer). And she has been this way for a while. Though lately she is getting better in just eating it plain. But every so often so just wants the Chicken Broth on it or she will continue to whine and not eat it.

Answer 10

I was amazed to see my new Jack Russell terrier eating dry kibble when I went to pick him up at 8 weeks. He and his littermates ate dry kibble along with mom. The size of the kibble should be proportionate with the breed of the dog. Good old Puppy Chow is the best. Purina ProPlan for puppies was not good for my litters. I wouldn't waste money on any of the other upscale dog food, and can food is not good, only for your conscience, if you want to believe it. If you can help it, don't eat in front of your puppy, he feels he being short changed with his food. And you will succumb to those puppy eyes. Then you will have a little fatty like I've got.

Answer 11

If you've just got him,he may still be adjusting to his new surroundings. Try something like boneless fish and some scrambled egg. Or some warm grilled chicken. He needs it to smellnice to make him want to eat it. Make sure you'refeeding him in a place that is quiet and where he will feel safe.
If you are still concerned and he hasn't eaten for 24-48 hours then you need some vetinary advice. Was he weaned away from his mum properly? Best of luck and i hope the little fella is ok.