Trying to put weight on my pup - Page 1

Tala is now 12 weeks, and weighs 17.4 lbs. I'm thinking this is a little small for her age. She sometimes is an enthusiastic eater, but most of the times (like today) really doesn't care to eat. I've tried different foods, mixing in canned food, mixing in oatmeal, mixing in white rice and chicken broth, but she doesn't seem to care. I'm using NurtiCal with her as well. Am I wrong to think that she's small for her age? What can I do to try to pick up her appetite?

Glad to see I'm not the only one going through this. I may just be paranoid, but she's out of a big litter, and her littermates are all bigger than she is, even though she was one of the bigger pups. If I could find something that would boost her appetite it'd be fantastic. She's currently on Blue Large Breed Pup, mixed with another pup food that is a no grain. It's almost like she's bored with food and would rather do something else. She gets plenty of exercise, which I would think would make her more hungry. But she just doesn't seem to care about food.

That's how my girl is. Sometimes she'll be all over it, but most of the time she just sits there. I always feed in the crate, because I have another female, and soon will have my friend's male who is truely a fatkid at heart, and would eat her food. She's already smaller than the littermates, and smaller than what the average GSD would weigh at this point, and I'm trying to measure her and see how tall she is.

Satin balls. Do a search.

Thanks Bee! I'll have to try that!

wow!! they are related! I have to put food in mines crate! she will not eat.. just guards her bowl from everyone else! She hates eating! no matter what is on or in it!! how funny !! I leave for a few hours during the day and leave just food in her crate.. no bones!!  she does eventually eat !

You just described my 12-month old all-Czech girl above !  When she is given her food (in her crate), she looks at it, and then completely ignores it and lays down beside it.   She does EVENTUALLY eat but she will probably take a whole day to do that.  She is a big girl however, at around 72lbs, lean as a whip, and as active and agile as a wildcat......I just wish she would eat more readily.  She won't guard her food either and if one of the others get access to her food, she would say to go right ahead and clean it up.

I have heard of a lot of people talk about this and I have been told its just a stage tbhey go through. Of course, provided they are healthy and active and dewormed. I had the same lroblem with two totally different young dogs between the ages of 9-2 months. One is my current female. I was told by several people that she looled skinnny so I tried feeding her more. Later she would go up to four days without eating! I tried putting all sorts of yummy things into her food, even tried raw and she sometimes wouldnt even eat the raw food. Well she grew out of it. Now I bet she would wanna finish her whole bag of Solid Gold if I let her LOL. I wouldnt worry too much of I were you ;)