[esnvancouver]

Hi I have yet another question! Thanks to everyone who has been so helpful with my other questions.

My "cavadoodle" is 11 weeks old. We've had him at home for about 5 days now. He seems to be adjusting ok, and he is used to his crate which is great.

I'm just wondering about feeding. From what I've read it's best to feed him twice a day. According to the food instructions a puppy his size (6 pounds) should be eating about 1 1/4 cup of food. I'm lucky if he eats 1/2 a cup of food through out the day. I'm worried but he seems to be ok. He's lively and playful. He pees plenty and has a poop usually after each meal.

I know the pet food that I'm feeding him isn't the greatest, but I'm keeping it the same as he had before he came home. I want to slowly move him on to the healthier stuff. I the food is Eukenuba(sp?) puppy food.

Is this fairly normal? Maybe it's just because he's still adjusting to everything?

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My other question is about licking/nipping at his own front leg. He seems to be doing this a lot. I know it's not a good habit for him to have. Any suggestions on how to counter this?

thanks again!

 

[Binkalette]

The bag will -always- tell you to feed way more than your dog will actually eat. Half a cup seems to be quite a good amount of food for a 6lb dog to me. Our 15 lb Lhasa eats about 3/4 - 1 cup a day, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how active she is. She is on a higher quality kibble though.

 

[Trainer]

I think at 11weeks you might be better off feeding 3 times a day.

 

[hanksimon]

I agree with Trainer. Current clinical studies show that 3x a day for puppies, 1 or 2 times a day for adults, and 2 times a day for seniors (older than 6 ! )... Having said that I feed my 8 yr old once a day... go figure.

If she is eating and pooping OK, then that's a good sign. The next thing to check is weight gain. I suggest that you weigh her once a week (on the same day and at the same time) to make sure that she is gaining weight consistently every week. So, if she gains one pound in one week, but only half a pound the next, then she is gaining weight but not consistently. (Don't take me literally, it may be normal for her to gain only 1/4 lb per week) Record the trend for a month, and then call the Vet for his opinion... if you are still concerned.

ALSO.... she is a tiny thing with tiny teeth and the food may be a little too hard for her. And, I agree with Binkalette. My 60 lb dog eats 3 cups of food a day, so 1.25 cups seems like a lot for a 6 pound dog. You don't want to overfeed her, and as long as she is gaining weigh, you're probably getting it right. HOwever, if you absolutely need her to eat more, take one or two tablespoons of warm water and add it to the food. That may soften it enough for her to eat more. Any commercial food should be OK, you can always improve quality... but I fed one dog cheap Purina and he lived just fine... for 17 years.

The licking is not normal. It is probably annoying her. But you'll have to ask the Vet to take a look at the next checkup. It could be a bruise, a bite, an insect, or an old injury. You could try wiping the leg with a warm, damp cloth to see the result, but that is too difficult to diagnose by email.

- Hank Simon