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Puppies Only Eat A Few Bites At A Time!

by Linda
(FL)

I have 2 Mini's, male and female. They are 16 weeks old. But from the time I've had them (8 weeks old) They only eat a few bites or piece of kibble at a time. They only want to play. Is this OK? I have to leave the food out all day long because they are not done by the time I leave for work. They eat Life's Abundance Dog Food, about 1/2 cup for both 2 x per day. Would it be better if I mixed their food with tuna or something to get them to eat everything at once?

I was also wondering, my male pup already lost his puppy fur how long before adult coat grows in? Do females grow at a much slower rate? My male is 10.5 lbs and female 6.2 She still has her puppy fur.

Comments for Puppies Only Eat A Few Bites At A Time!

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feeding pups
by: Gayle-- Big Run Aussies

I ALWAYS feed my puppies in the crate and that way there is no foolishness-- no eating of the other dog's food or playing. If the pup doesn't eat its food in 20 minutes, the food is picked up until later in the day and given back to them. Eventually they will learn to eat when you give them their food. If you keep the food out all the time, they will get used to that and keep eating just a few pieces at a time.

Eats a few bites
by: Anne

Don't leave their food out all day. If they aren't finished by the time you leave for work, Pick It Up.
They won't starve during the time you leave for work. If you feed them 2X a day, in am & pm, they will eat more than one or two bites at a time.
Hope that helps

Anne Calmes
Gold Ring Aussies
Louisiana, USA

meal time
by: Anonymous

from what i have learned in my limited experience with my aussie pup who was the same way to start, was that we needed to let her just go hungry until meal time that way when meal time comes around she is more than happy to eat all of her food

feeding habits
by: Anonymous

If food is available all day then they will continue to nibble when they feel like it. Leave their food down for no more than 5 minutes then pick it up until the next 'meal time'. Do the same again until they realise that there are 2 or 3 meal times a day.

try these ideas
by: Anonymous

perhaps try a different dog food, or flavor, if not, just add a teaspoon of yogart or sweet pototo. I am not familiar with your dog food, is it organic or at least natural? have you checked the ingredients? Aussies are sensative in many ways, you need to be careful what you feed them. perhaps they are not burnig alot of energy durng the day, while you are at work, they are still very young, and do alot of sleeping still, so they may not be as hungry. make sure you take them out, before you put down their food, exercise helps them get hungry. do you leave them safe toys to play with? nothing too smal, noe that can easily break, nor come apart, that they could swallow. do you give them alot of treat? if so, cut back.
its hard to say, but these are a few ideas. hope this helps. best to you

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