I've just recieved another e.mail from the bloke who bought my singleton pup.
Things are fine, apart from the norm, wearing everyone out and generally being a madame.
But he is worried that she isn't eating enough.
I feed my dogs raw food, and she was also on raw food, I admit she wasn't a big eater, which I put down to her filling up too much on mums milk. She did eat a variety of meat and veg, but sometimes it was a struggle getting it down her. I was hoping she would be a better eater when she didn't have mum to fall back on, but doesn't seem to be. In his 1st email he said he was worried about her, he was also trying to change his other dog over to raw (who wasn't really taking to it.) So I'm not sure whats happening there.
I suggested he fed her somewhere quiet away from the other dog, if she didn't eat what he was giving, then take it away and try again on the next feed time. Making sure not to give anything else in between. I said she should soon come to realise she has to eat it there and then, or she'll miss out.
Do you think that was best.
If he's tried that I don't really know, as he hasn't said. But he is still worried that she's still not eating enough. His words were,  I am worried about DD from the point of view that she still ain't eating ! well, 2 x chicken wings spread out over the day, a bit of mince and lick Dude's bowl clean when he's finished, but I'm sure that ain't enuff. She only eats the mince when I feed it to her by hand, same as chicken wings, otherwise she would be eating precisely NOTHING,
What do you suggest, for those who don't no, she is a 10 week SBT.
I'll pass on any advice. I'm going to ring him later tonight. And we are going to see her a week on Saturday when we go to Leeds Champ Show.

Mitch

Hi Mitch,
     I would say she is not a good eater, mostly because she has never had the rivalry of littermates for her food. And it may be harder than you thought to make her a "good eater" but she may get the jist with hard work, and a lot of paitence.
     You see I wouldn't say for a pup that young put it down and if she doesn't eat it leave her till the next feed time - I may be soft :) but a puppy needs every meal to grow properly. She must be eating something  more than he thinks she is eating.
     A meal for a 8-10 week old pup would be to me that is;
Breakfast about 1/4pint of milk with cereal like porride/weetabix/porridge/rusks
Lunch about 4oz of cooked minced /shreded meat or maybe if you prefer good quality tinned together with puppy meal/small bite mixer with gravy or meat stock, and every other day a little veg like carrot thrown in.
Tea same as lunch maybe change for scrambed egg and maybe add a little cheese.
Dinner again a milk based meal.
     Sometimes I swop the tea and dinner meal around :) But mostly I find this framework works; when they get to about 12 weeks I swop one of the milky meals to dried food so they get good mixture. The at about 4 months drop down to too 3 meals. But I step up on the feeding of one of the others I must say mine have always dropped "tea" but always wait until they are ready to drop a meal.
     I would say again maybe soft but I hand fed Sal for about 2 weeks when she wouldn't eat then she got the jist again and there is no stopping her now. :)

Karen

Michelle
is he giving her milk  ? Maybe she is filling up on this ? Also is he giving any form of treats throughout the day as this may also be filling her? Its easy for pup owners to do.
Libby wasnt a big eater on dried food- she'd have a few mouthfuls and leave it unless you fed from the hand - but she would wolf it down with egg added or the like.
Now they're both on meat and veggies and she wolfs everything down. ;)
Is pup eating any of the older dogs food? They sometimes like to finish off their left overs
I'm sure once theyre chasing each other about as Staffies do, she'll soon have an appetite :)

Hi michelle,

Lel has a good point I mean it is so so very easy to give a pup a treat be it a bit of your bacon sarnie to a bit of cake and that would fill a pup up easily. And youdon't think they've eaten anything ;)

Karen

Untill I speak to him properly, I don't really know if he's feeding treats etc.
I don't think a puppy needs milk or milky foods once they are old enough to leave their mother.
And he is trying to keep her on raw food, so there is no need to be feeding dried kibble etc.
Actually when I think about what he says she eats, it probably weighs more than I think. If she is getting through 2 chicken wings a day, that would weigh about 8oz (sorry I work in lb's and oz) she probably only needs to be eating about a lb in weight. So if she gets the same in mince and other things, she'll be getting enough. I think raw food weighs more than it looks. When my 3 get their tea, roughly half their daily intake, it never looks much, especially when its heart.
I'll let you no more when I've spoken to him.

Mitch

Yes he more than likelyis feeding more than he thinks. Karen

Is the puppy gaining weight? its got to be the best way in telling if she is having enough.
Amos

hi Mitch our lizzie was never a big eater when all her litter mates had gone. I even resorted to getting down on my hands and knees and pretend to eat her food. She soon picked up with her eating and the thought of me eating it made her realise that she best eat it herself .as its already been posted shes never had any rivalry for her food so she maybe just thinks if  i leave it it will still be there later. from what youve posted, to me she seems to be getting the right amount.All the best Gwen

You have a point there Gwen when Sal first came to us she went very uniterested in food but to be honest apart fom handfeeding etc she picked up and ate when the cat wandered into the room. Not that he would lower himself to eat puppy food of course  ;)

Karen