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paoh · Feb 23, 2005, 06:06 PM

:mad: I have a 4 months old puppie. One day he eats and the following day he doesn't. I'm giving him Nutra nugget for puppies. I've tried EVERYTHING. I've mixed his food with a bit of milk or with grounded meat or with can food (PEDIGREE) for puppies. At first he would eat it gladly but then he'd reject it. I think It's because of the hot summer that we are dealing with in Chile. Moreover, I'm giving him a vitamin to enhance his appetite but that doesn't seem to work. I don't know what to do... HELP :confused:

labman · Feb 23, 2005, 06:49 PM

I am guessing you are over feeding him. The hot weather could be part of the problem too. Is he so thin, that you can see his ribs? If not, go to http://www.purina.com/dogs/nutrition.asp?article=292. Let us know how he compares. Most puppies happily will eat far more than they need. They come from the breeder too fat and keep on eating too much. Dachshunds have enough trouble with their backs in later years without being overweight. Stick to the puppy nuggets and no canned food, milk, etc. Put down a little less than you have been feeding. Take away any he doesn't eat within 15 minutes. Do not give him anything else until the next scheduled meal. You can cut him back to 2 meals a day if you are feeding him more often now. Keep an check on his ribs, adjusting his food until he eats it all and maintains good body condition.

You could also change over to an adult chow when you run low in the puppy chow. It will slow growth giving him more time to develop a strong back and joints. My Lab mix Sheba is 4 months old tomorrow. I started mixing in a little adult chow yesterday, and by next week the last of the puppy chow will be gone and she will be eating all adult chow.

Cut out the vitamins too. A quality chow like Nutro is carefully formulated to give your dog everything it needs. Suppliments can do more harm than good, unbalanceing his diet.

paoh · Feb 23, 2005, 07:12 PM

;) thank you so much. He isn't thin, I'd say normal weight. Could I mix the food with warm water? Another thing, I am feeding my other 2 dogs (adults) Nutra nuggets performance. I was comparing the nutritional facts with the puppy food and they are basically the same. No difference. Should I give him that when he finishes his food?

labman · Feb 23, 2005, 08:28 PM

Yes, I am sure it will be easier to just have one chow for all the dogs. I have an older dog too, and will be happy to be down to one chow for both.

Feeding the chow dry gives the teeth and jaws exercise they need. It also helps keep the teeth clean improving the dog's breath.