Pup is not eating well

My puppy is 5 months old and is about 9 pounds. We have given him Wellness Puppy Food since the day we got him. Even though he was never an enthusiastic eater, he always ate his food at least 2x per day. Yesterday his food sat in his dish until 3pm and he only ate a little more than 1/3 of a cup and has not eaten since. I fed him this morning and the food is still sitting there. I have him in the kitchen where we can see each other, but he does not have a lot of stimuli in there, so I hoping he would not be distracted and just start to chow down. I put a couple of pieces of kibble on the floor before and he ate those up. I actually just heard him return to his crate and is laying in there now. He is not lethargic and is quite playful. I just don't think he's eating enough for his age and weight. He isn't showing any signs of stomach upset. Any suggestions? We are just giving him dry kibble.

Re: Pup is not eating well

My pups were like that. Not big eaters. I would try to beg them to eat, trick them, entice them, etc.

Then I just stopped trying and said they will eat when they are hungry enough. And that's what happens, even now, they aren't big eaters. They eat when they are hungry (as my vet assured me).

Sorry I have no other advice, just wanted to share my story!

Re: Pup is not eating well

Posted by Goobster

My pups were like that. Not big eaters. I would try to beg them to eat, trick them, entice them, etc.

Then I just stopped trying and said they will eat when they are hungry enough. And that's what happens, even now, they aren't big eaters. They eat when they are hungry (as my vet assured me).

Sorry I have no other advice, just wanted to share my story!

Re: Pup is not eating well

Lilly is not a big eater at all. She eats maybe 3/4 cup a day. We feed her dry food only and leave it out all the time. When she wants to eat, she will.

She used to be a champion eater when she was younger, but now she'll walk over to her bowl, sniff her food and walk away as opposed to wolfing it down within 30 seconds. When she started not eating right away, I freaked out (I'm a worrier to begin with) and have since learned that she'll eat when she wants to.

As long as your pup is not losing weight and still has energy, they should be fine.

Re: Pup is not eating well

welcome to my world.. I have no advice but I do feel your pain!! May you never get into the bad habbits that I have created for myself. Take Goobsters advice. they will eat when they are hungry.

Re: Pup is not eating well

Bailey, who is now 6 mos, goes through periods of eating everything in the bowl and skipping meals. I think some of it has to do with all their puppy milestones - teething etc. Some of it just has to do with him being a picky eater. As long as he has energy, I don't worry about it. I do put in a little bit (very little) of cut up meat (usually whatever we are eating or is handy- a bit of chicken or steak or cheese) to get him to the bowl and interested.... He'll scarf that down right away, look for some more, walk around a bit, then eat the kibble - or sometimes not....

The other trick is that I've started taking him on much much longer walks, and that has helped stimulate his appetite....

Good luck!

Re: Pup is not eating well

Re: Pup is not eating well

The weather sometimes has something to do with it as well.
Misty won't eat as much in the hot weather. I have learned to just leave her food, when she's hungry she will eat it.

Re: Pup is not eating well

Mine isn't a big eater either. She will go one day and not eat then the next 2 eat like a lil piggy. We give her dry mixed with wet. If you feel uncomfortable with her not eating all the time i would give a call to her vet. But it sounds perfectly normal.