[Puppy Owner]

I recently bought a Black Labrador puppy predomitely as a pet but also to use when I go shooting, he was under size when I got him as his mother dried up after 6 weeks and he wasn't eating great, took him to the vets for his first inoculation and he is about 1kilo under weight but we put this down to his poor start and that he would catch up, the vet did say he would loose his appetite for 24 hours but that was 3 days ago and he still isn't keen on his food, he eats a little bit then looses interested, I use eukanuba puppy food (which I have heard is good), he is getting skinny again but still has energy, I want to give him the best start and would love to see him behave like a typical Lab and eat everything but the bowl!! Is there any alternative food I can give him in the short term to build him up before weening him back onto his dried food??

Please help labman!!

[labman]

Not eating tends to be serious in a Lab, although there are exceptions. Have you read through the sticky on dogs not eating at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post254171 How do you rate him on body condition as illustrated in the link in the sticky? If he is really coming up on the thin side, you might call the vet and talk about his weight. How did the vet determine he was underweight? If he referred to a chart, I am not sure you should trust his answer. I hate to question a vet's opinion, but many of them don't do a good job on keeping dogs lean. I am a little concerned that he wasn't eating very well before the shots and still isn't. I would like to see what your evaluation shows, and what the vet says. It is a little tough sorting out if there is a problem the vet missed or it is an unusual Lab that just wants to show a little rib. They exist, but it is mostly Shepherd owners that have to endure that. I don't think it is time to start tempting him with rich food yet. That seldom is the answer and can create problems.

Eukanuba likely is a good as anything, maybe better. On another site, I see more questions on dogs have problems on the more expensive chows. You might look at the rest of the sticky too.

[RubyPitbull]

I am a bit confused. Is this puppy still 6-7 weeks old? Have you only had him for a few days? Did he ever eat dry food or once the mother dried up, was there a problem getting him onto solids? Please follow labman's advice. His sticky is excellent and if you can't get the pup to eat, you really need to call the vet. 3 days of not eating is a cause for concern. If the vet feels there isn't any need to bring him in for a health check and it is just a matter of training him to eat solids, you might want to consider mixing a bit of warm water in with this chow to soften it up and create a gravy that may tempt him.

[Emily94]

When we got our black lab, her mom was such a determind hunter we couldnt help but getting her pup, but even after the owner said her pup wasnt eating we could let this one go so we brought her home and fed her milk and bread mixed together and now she is a determind hunter just like her mom at a year old:D

[labman]

Cows' milk contains lactose which puppies don't digest very well. Bread and milk doesn't make a complete and balanced diet.

[Emily94]

Well our lab lived great off it till she was about 10 weeks as well as(sorry should have added this) wet dog food.

[Puppy Owner]

Thanks guys had a look at the chart and he is probably a little slender, he is very skinny on his back end which is a concern for his hips, (although both parents have excellent scores and pedigrees). He has actually taken his food a lot better over the last 24 hrs, soaking it and breaking it up seems to have worked.

RubyPitbull - to answer your question I got the puppy at 7 weeks and he was partially weaned onto rice and soaked food, he ate well after a few days of getting him and was doing great until he got his jabs, he went off his food (I also think this may have something to do with the fact I was using worming powder, which he may not have liked, any ideas? )

Labman - re vet, the vet gave him a general health check and determined that he was a kilo light by referring to a chart, I knew this already as he isn't had the best of starts but was sure (as was the breeder, (who has bred many field champions and has some of the best looking labs I have seen)) that he would catch up on a diet of good quality dried food, what upset me more is she made it sound like it was our fault which upset my missus and her attitude was not great, if he keeps going the way he has over the past 24 hrs he will eat just less than the daily amount recommended for a dog his weight and age and will hopefully increase in weight before his 2nd inoculation in 10 days time!

Thanks for the advise I think I may just be an over concerned puppy owner!

[labman]

One disadvantage of being given well cared puppies is, that it leaves me less prepared to deal with the real world. A light eating Lab was seeming more likely than one not fully weaned. It still sounds like he may be light eating for a Lab. They do exist, I had one years ago, older half brother to my 14 year old Aster. She didn't eat like normal Labs as a puppy, but does now.

Softening his food and breaking it up is OK for a while. I can't promise he will turn into the sort of Lab that earned Hoover and his pups Kirby and Eureka their names. Those are popular vacuum cleaners here.

[labman]

Whenever I decide to dig up this old thread, all I have to do is a search on Saluki. https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/b...ghlight=Saluki