# Help! My puppy doesn't like his puppy food & won't eat!



## tippykayak

I'm going to answer in this thread instead of the duplicate one.

Here's my first response:



tippykayak said:


> Relax. A puppy will not starve himself unless there's an underlying health condition. Switching foods so quickly and stressing out about mealtimes will only make him picky and anxious.
> 
> Pick a good food. Put it in front of him for 15 minutes, three times a day. If he doesn't eat, pick it up at the end of the 15 minutes anyway and wait until the next mealtime. Your puppy will eat enough.
> 
> You don't want him chubby anyway. It can lead to growth issues, and if he makes it to adulthood with extra weight, it'll shorten his healthy lifespan.


Here's what you wrote back in that thread:



lorinjax said:


> So I don't have to worry about him not eating enough? I guess I'm afraid he'll starve himself! lol
> Do you suggest I just stick to Innova? I really can't even force him to eat one piece of it. Or is there a better food that puppies actually like?
> And by chubbiness I meant the cute little round puppy belly. It's all gone. Maybe it's because he's getting older? Can you tell I haven't had a puppy before? lol


No. A healthy dog will not starve himself. If he doesn't eat anything for a whole day or more, that's when I'd go to the vet, not just because he's picky. Some pups just aren't big foodies.

I'm sure the Innova LBP is great. We feed Eukanuba LBP, so that's the only food I can recommend from personal experience.

Stop forcing him to eat. You're just making it weird and awkward for him. Give him access to a bowl of food for fifteen minutes, and then just pick it up. That's more than enough time for him to get what he needs.

The round puppy belly does disappear as they get older. That's a good thing. You want a lean puppy. A lean puppy is much more likely to grow without issues and to arrive at adulthood at a healthy weight.


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## GoldenSail

Is he eating any of it at all? If yes leave it alone. Mine is like that. If I feed her too much she'll simply stop eating--and she does not eat much ever and she's a small girl. In fact if I am able to get her to eat more than usual she might skip a meal or two. But she's fine, and lean and healthy. So I wouldn't necessarily go to the vet either if he does not eat one day--as long as he is otherwise looking and acting normal.

If not, see if you can find or buy samples of food to find something he likes. Some dogs are pickier than others.


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## dexter0125

I feed Taste of the Wild. I just made the switch from High Prairie to Pacific Stream for the same reason, he doesn't seem interested in his food. My dad keeps saying, "he'll eat when he's hungry." That's not the case. I could leave it out all day (I don't, but if I did..) and he wouldn't eat it. I hoped the new flavor would be appealing, but it isn't, it's just different..so I have a 30 lb bag of that.... The thing is, he's spoiled, and wants vegetables with his meals. So instead of giving him the 1 1/2 cups of food twice a day like I was doing, I give him a cup of food and a small amount of green beans, peas, or carrots with his food twice a day. Green beans are his favorite, and mixed in with his food, they make him eat..so mama is happy  Try it. It can't hurt..


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## oakleysmommy

dexter0125 said:


> I feed Taste of the Wild. I just made the switch from High Prairie to Pacific Stream for the same reason, he doesn't seem interested in his food. My dad keeps saying, "he'll eat when he's hungry." That's not the case. I could leave it out all day (I don't, but if I did..) and he wouldn't eat it. I hoped the new flavor would be appealing, but it isn't, it's just different..so I have a 30 lb bag of that.... The thing is, he's spoiled, and wants vegetables with his meals. So instead of giving him the 1 1/2 cups of food twice a day like I was doing, I give him a cup of food and a small amount of green beans, peas, or carrots with his food twice a day. Green beans are his favorite, and mixed in with his food, they make him eat..so mama is happy  Try it. It can't hurt..


 i would just put him back on the High Prairie formula


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## dexter0125

oakleysmommy said:


> i would just put him back on the High Prairie formula


I would, but now I have a 30 lb bag that I need to use first. I knew I should've just bought the 5 lb bag.  He ate it perfectly fine after I added his green beans. As always.

I prefer the High Prairie myself, it smells much better than the Pacific Stream. :yuck:


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## Sophie_Mom

If I recall, you haven't had your puppy for very long. Most would recommend that you not change his food so soon after bringing him home. Think of all the changes he has been through. Even though you want to change it in the upcoming weeks, your pup would probably do better with a consistent food for now. When he is settled in and ready to be changed over, you should be gradually changing his food with a slow transition from Puppy Chow to whatever you choose for him. Good luck!


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## CarolinaCasey

Set his bowl down for 10 minutes. At the end of that time, pick up the bowl. Repeat at lunch and at dinner for as long as necessary until he eats his meals. He will eventually get the idea that "I better eat now or I'll be hungry later."

So long as he has been cleared of any life threatening issues or blockages from a veterinarian, I suspect he is just acclimating to a new home and environment. Dogs don't eat well when they're stressed or too hot. 

Pick a food and stick with it. All of the changing is just going to encourage picky behavior.


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## Tahnee GR

Young puppies often have a problem chewing hard kibble-it sometimes can hurt their teeth. You may want to try softening the kibble in warm water first.


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## lorinjax

So I guess I just shouldn't worry about Puppy Chow not being the "Best" food for now? He did eat that food. lol So do you suggest waiting a couple months to change to a better food?


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## HudsensMama9

Tahnee GR said:


> Young puppies often have a problem chewing hard kibble-it sometimes can hurt their teeth. You may want to try softening the kibble in warm water first.


I totally agree with this. When Hudsen becomes picky about his food, I moisten it with some warm water and let it sit for about five minutes before putting it down for him. He goes crazy for it! I think when the food is moist, it smells a little stronger and is a little more enticing!


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## vcm5

Did you try switching foods gradually? Start with 3/4 old and 1/4 new for a few days, then switch to 1/2 and 1/2 for a few days, and then to 3/4 new and 1/4 old for a few days before you fully switch to a new food. This may make the transition easier for your pup!


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## Willow52

Hank was a lazy eater when he first came home and wouldn't touch the kibble the breeder was feeding. I decided on Innova LBP and added a little canned and some cottage cheese. He loved it. After a month or two I stopped adding the 'toppers'.


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## lorinjax

so I tried adding warm water and a tiny bit of green beans and he devoured his food! His poops are still hard and it's been 24 hours so I take it that is a good sign. I'll talk to the vet about it tomorrow at his puppy check up just to make sure!
Thank you for all the advice!


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## dexter0125

That's great  just keep doing what you're doing and he'll be fine and a big boy in no time.


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## HudsensMama9

Glad to hear he is eating. It is always scary when our pups won't eat. Sometimes they just need a little change-up


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## Launi

lorinjax said:


> So I guess I just shouldn't worry about Puppy Chow not being the "Best" food for now? He did eat that food. lol So do you suggest waiting a couple months to change to a better food?


I personally wouldn't feed Puppy Chow because I am skeptical of it's quality, but many people do feed it with good results; dog food is really a personal decision. I would definitely wait at least a few weeks until changing foods, though.


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## Blondie

I second Hudsensmama9. Try a gradual switch again in a month or so. We feed Fromm duck and sweet potatoe, it's an all life stages food. You can get free samples from specialty dog food stores(not the big box stores)and use as treats to see how he likes it.


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