Well I went and got a little puppy over the weekend. She is only 2 pounds and is 8 weeks old. She will be really small when she gets older. I took her to the Vet. Saturday and she got all her shots and wormer. But I can't get her to eat! I have tried everything dry food the breeder gave us can food EVERYTHING. And because she is SOOO samll I am very scared for her. And the Vet told me that because she is so small she could get sick really fast. Can anyone help me??

Honestly, my dogs barley touch dog food.
We feed them people food... such as Chicken, beef, lettuce (one dog loves it) and anything you can imagine... They eat there dry food every now and then but there perfectly healthy.

I might not be the best idea to give the dog people food because its so young... maybe it wants its mothers milk?
Have you tried wet food?

I had to prepare cooked rice with boiled hamburger for one of my dogs when they had a very sensitive tummy as a puppy. Another idea might be baby food of some kind?

I am wondering if the shots may have caused the puppy to have an upset stomach? Soaking the food in water to soften it is a good idea, but you can't leave it too long in case it might spoil.

True! It can very well be the shots- But regardless of what people say "oh it gives them worms"

In my case not true.

Try to give him.her a tiny tiny tiny piece of soft checking to see if he will eat

I have done all that. I only get it to eat 3-6 little bites of food at a time. I am just so worried . I would just die if something happened. .

How much did the breeder indicate that the dog should eat at one time? It sounds like a pretty tiny dog? Might be that you just have to do a lot more feeding times?

Aw... Dont worry... I really think it wants its mothers milk... puppies are raised onn milk when there first botn.. you know? He is still so young. Did you try milk?

Be careful about the milk idea... I've heard of some dogs having lactic intollerance... different enzymes etc in regular milk from the store as opposed to mother's milk

I kind of have the same dog my dog will only be 5 pounds when it gets older it is a morkie(yorkie/maltese) he will be 3 months soon.. and I also had the same problem.. caned food might be better. But dry food it better for their teeth.. What I do and I still do this is the food you got from the owner put hot water on it.. maybe about 2 or 3 teaspoons depending on how much food you are giving her that makes it soft so she can chew she probably isn't eating the dry hard food because she is still young and has not gotten all of her teeth in so it is hard for her to chew.. so if you would like try putting some hot water on the food make it soft.. leave the food on the ground.. when she is hungry enough she will eat it:)
Hope this helped:)

She is a 2.5 pound maltese Pom mix. I guess I am not sure if 5 little peddles enough at a time weom

Worst thing you can do is tempt it with a bunch of rich food. Stick to what the breeder gave you. At 8 weeks she shouldn't have any trouble eating dry food. The trouble may be just being in a new home. Here are some ways to help bond with her:

''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.

Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.

Keep working with her, giving her plenty of attention and making the dry food available. At that age, 3 meals a day should be fine. At 8 weeks, they should quickly adapt to a new home. If she doesn't start eating in another day or 2, get back with the vet. Don't waste time trying to tempt her with richer food at this time. If she doesn't eat, it could be a physical problem needing prompt attention.

Have you read the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802 It start with general material for the new dog owner, but you and those above with a picky eater need to read the later section on ''My dog won't eat.''

At least one of the others trying to help pointed out cows' milk was bad. You shouldn't listen to everyone wanting to help.

From an email:
''Thanks for the info and help with my puppy. I wanted to know if you
Would know how much food she should eat at a time she is so small 2.5
Pounds and she only eats about 6 little pebbels at a time like 3 times a
Day and they are like the size of 2 grains of rice put togeather. Do you
Think that is ''

That doesn't sound like enough. She has had time to adjust some to her new house. With a larger puppy, I would give it more time. She is like a bird, needs plenty of food. I am afraid you at least need to call the vet.