Puppies are greedy, so if they lose their appetite, there must be a compelling reason behind it. A puppy may refuse to eat when its milk teeth fall out. He may then feel discomfort and pain while eating. The appetite barracks may also be the result of changing the previous food.
Your puppy may not want to eat due to loss of milk teeth or other painful conditions. Lack of appetite may also be a symptom of a change in the environment or food.
The puppy does not want to eat
• a puppy’s lack of appetite may be caused by tooth loss
• the puppy may not feel like eating due to a change in the environment in which he is staying
• The presence of another dog may cause puppy stress while eating
• the puppy may have a lack of appetite due to a change in the food
As a rule, we see puppies as big greedy; most of the time, this is true. However, dogs are not always so enthusiastic about food. Moreover, some puppies belong to the group of exceptional fussy eaters.
I think that, first of all, it is worth mentioning how important a proper diet is in growing a dog. A puppy needs a lot of energy to develop, which it supplies to his body with food. Therefore, the situation in which a puppy does not want to eat is complicated, and you should not take it seriously.
There are several reasons why a puppy refuses to eat his food. I will try to introduce you to most of them so that you can effectively help your little pet. I hope you can solve this problem with my tips.
Why is it essential for your puppy to eat a lot
Food is essential for life, both for us and our dogs. Moreover, it is worth mentioning how important a healthy and balanced diet is for a puppy.
Young dogs are incredibly energetic. There are plenty of them everywhere. I remember well what it was like when my dog was utterly tiny. It was hard to keep up with him. The amount of his energy and willingness to spend time actively was terrific to me.
At the same time, it was also a stage in his life when he grew fast. I had the impression that he was becoming a more extensive and mature canine daily. At this point, I must mention that his appetite was astonishing at the time. It seemed that he was constantly hungry. He was so eager and greedy every time he tried to eat.
He behaved this way because of his growing intensively at that time. Food also required him to have a lot of energy supplied to the body. Therefore, your puppy must eat enough food daily to keep him strong.
If the body of a young dog does not receive enough calories for proper development, it will harm him. Therefore, if your puppy does not want to eat, you must help him solve this problem.
Why the puppy refuses to eat
As I mentioned, a puppy’s lack of appetite can be due to several reasons. Please familiarize yourself with each of them and decide which fits your dog’s situation best. Correctly identifying the cause of the reluctance to eat is half the battle. This way, you will know what steps to take in this situation.
Loss of milk teeth
The cause of the puppy’s loss of appetite may be tooth replacement. Dogs, like humans, initially have milk teeth. At some stage, they fall out, giving way to permanent ones. That is a point where some puppies may feel uncomfortable.
Loss of milk teeth can directly cause reluctance to eat in a dog. During a meal, the dog feels pain, which is why his relationship with food is complicated. That does not mean the dog has no appetite but gives up the meal due to fear of immense discomfort.
In this case, choosing the right food for dogs with susceptible teeth will be necessary. It must be soft enough so the dog does not feel pain while eating.
If you want to learn more about milk teeth in dogs, please refer to the entry HERE.
Changing the environment
When caring for a puppy, you must know that settling into a new place takes time. In the first moments of your stay in your home, your pet may feel uncomfortable. He doesn’t know yet what to expect in this hitherto unknown place.
A lack of appetite is one of the consequences of this kind of feeling when your puppy speaks. Stress can be an overwhelming and direct cause of reluctance to eat for a little dog.
In this situation, you need to watch your puppy. Give him a few days to acclimatize to his new place. If his reluctance to eat is due to a change in his environment, everything should return to normal soon.
Different food type
Dogs and humans have their culinary preferences. Not everything you give your dog to eat has to taste. Perhaps your puppy doesn’t want to eat because he doesn’t like the food he gets.
The problem may be the type of meat or some additional ingredient in the food. My friend’s dog is hugely opposed to carrots. At the sight of the raw one, he gives her a wide berth. With time, it turned out that his aversion to this vegetable also applies to his food. When it includes carrots, it is almost certain that the dog will be reluctant to eat or give up the meal altogether.
Some dogs don’t like changes. They are miserable if they get different karma than they are used to. It is worth mentioning that you can change the food very often for your puppy. An other type will be preferred for newly born dogs, and another class for dogs already several months old.
Therefore, if your puppy gets used to a particular food, he may be pretty sceptical about it after changing it. In such a situation, you have to watch your dog. If, after a few days, your pet becomes convinced of the new food, the problem will solve itself.
However, if your puppy still shuns his food, try giving him a different one, and if that doesn’t help, another one. However, the whole process mustn’t take too long. Remember that food is essential to your puppy’s proper development. An insufficient amount of food can negatively affect his health.
Dog bowl |DUO amber
The presence of another dog
If a puppy goes to a house where another dog already lives, it may take some time for the dogs to accept each other. During this period, the older dog may try to dominate the puppy at mealtimes. As a result, the little dog may feel too much pressure during the meal from the other pet, which will make him reluctant to eat.
In such a situation, the best solution is to give the dogs food in separate rooms. You feed them together only when they fully accept each other and feel good about each other.
However, remember never to give your dogs food in one bowl. Each of them should have their own. This way, you will avoid many unnecessary conflicts. If you do not know which bowl to choose for your dog, from my own experience, I can recommend the DUO line from Bowl & Bone Republic. The bowl has removable inserts, which makes cleaning it extremely easy.
Disease
Lack of appetite accompanies many diseases that your dog may suffer from—both the wholly harmless and the severe threats. Therefore, if you notice a decrease in your dog’s desire to eat, you must keep your finger on the pulse. Observe if other disturbing symptoms accompany it or if you see any apparent changes in his behaviour. Consult your observations with your vet.
Lack of appetite in a puppy
As you can see, there can be many reasons for your puppy’s lack of appetite. Under no circumstances should this problem be underestimated. A healthy and balanced diet is essential in your puppy’s life.
What is your dog’s relationship with food? Does he enjoy his meals, or do you have to ensure he eats the right food for him? Let me know in the comment below.
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