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13 week old pup - weird eating habits

6 replies

ToxicPoppy · 12/05/2022 21:56

Picked up pup at 8 weeks from the breeder and he was on raw completes, 4 meals a day. Ate really well for the first couple of weeks, then seemed to realise there was no competition for food, so started leaving a bit and not being as interested.

At 11 weeks, he had horrendous diarrhoea for 2 days - fed him cooked chicken on the vets advice, but he really picked at it and had little enthusiasm. Ever since then, he’s just not been eating very well at all. Really won’t touch raw, so, after throwing away a ridiculous amount of meals, I’ve ended up buying a good kibble (wolfworthy) and some Forthglade wet food, which he also has little interest in most of the time.

He won’t eat anything out of a bowl, so I’m stuffing kongs, using a lickmat and a snuffle mat for kibble, but he’s really only having the odd mouthful during the day, then at around 8pm, he suddenly gets hungry and eats anything in sight.

I put his full allowance of kibble in the snuffle mat this morning, bar what I’ve retained to use as training treats (even that is hit and miss as he’s far more toy motivated than food), plus some wet food on the lickmat, which has been thrown away and replaced twice as he’s ignored it all day, but in the last hour or so, he’s eaten everything.

He’s putting weight on and is full of energy, but I’m just concerned at his age that he should be eating more regularly than he is. Vets don’t seem concerned though, as he’s obviously healthy enough.

Has anyone else found that their puppy has started dropping meals too young? Is there anything else I can do? Am I worrying over nothing? Thanks :)

OP posts:
PollyRoulllson · 13/05/2022 08:26

What breed?

Personally I would be giving the puppy smaller amounts at each meal and picking up the food after 15 mins of so. Then offereing the food at breakast lunch and dinner.

When the puppy is eating small amounts regularly I would then up the quantity.

However dogs are contra free loaders which mean they prefer to work for their food then just be given it so that would not worry me - if the food is given as training opportunities throughout the day

coffeecupsandfairylights · 13/05/2022 11:00

I wonder if he's stuck in a cycle - he eats a big meal at night so just isn't hungry when you try and feed him through the day?

ToxicPoppy · 14/05/2022 13:08

He’s springer spaniel cross. I’ve tried small regular amounts and he just ignores it. Genuinely doesn’t seem hungry until later in the day, apart from a few bits of kibble given as training treats, and even then he prefers a toy to food, particularly when we’re out walking. He seems happy, healthy and is putting on weight, but it’s stressing me out as I’ve never had a dog not interested in food before!

OP posts:
ToxicPoppy · 14/05/2022 13:13

Adding a picture just because he’s cute :)

13 week old pup - weird eating habits
OP posts:
DeanStockwelllsBunny · 14/05/2022 13:24

My dog was like that until she was about a year old

She ate little or nothing during the day but by 9pm she would eat everything .
I started to split her evenings meal into three , two small ones and one a bit bigger .
To start with I would have all three meals ready in individual bowls and when I knew she was ready to eat I would feed her them immediately after each other.
A period of about 6 weeks I would feed her small one , wait 5 minutes large one wait 5 minutes small one .
Small one wait 10 minutes large one wait 10 minutes small one and so on until the meals were spread out thriughout the day and quantity increased as she got more use to it.
You have to be consistent though and keep a eye on the timing .
As the timing got further apart I put a reminder on my phone and it's easy to lose track of time and then eventually I bought her a bowl with a timer on it automatically fed at the same time every day even if I wasn't at home.

Barneysma2 · 16/05/2022 14:45

Hi, my boy has been like this for a while - would take him all morning to eat his breakfast. I have started walking him first thing in the morning before any breakfast and it seems to be doing the trick as when we get back he has worked up an appetite and gobbles his breakfast. He is on Butternut Box. Might be worth a shot giving him a nice long walk first? One minute they eat everything the next they will leave it, its hard not to get worried about them 💙

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