# Pup won't eat everything at once



## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

Hello everyone.

I'm new to the forum, I got a GSD puppy a few days ago. His name is Sam.

I feed him twice a day (after I eat lunch / dinner) and I use the amount that the breeder recommended me to. However, the pup doesn't seem to eat everything, he leaves about 30% behind. I want to feed him on a regular schedule but if I take it away from him, an hour later, he gets very hungry. He'll eventually eat everything up but it'll take him quite a while (hour or two).

I don't think this is a food problem, it's what he's had since he was born.

My question is, is this normal behaviour? Is it going to stay this way?

Thanks for the help.

Regards.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Welcome to this great site and the wonderful world of GSD's!!
What are you feeding and why do you feed him around lunch time and not in the morning? How old is he? Did the breeder recommend 2 x's a day?
Sorry for all the questions. Puppies should be fed three times a day til they are at least 3 mos old, maybe the amount is too much all at one time.


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## triordan (Dec 5, 2008)

i agree with the above poster, split the ammount into 3 smaller meals, give him 15 minutes to eat, if he doesn't finish pick it up and don't offer again until next meal, he'll figure it out! when we first brought home our guy he was eating 1 cup of kibble 3x's a day
how old is Sam?


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

Puppies have small stomachs can't handle too much in one sitting, you need to feed 3 meals a day to 6 months then down to 2 a day.


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

I feed Denali 1 cup of kibble 3 times a day and she eats it all up every time. She gets fed at 7am, 12pm, and 6pm. 
I noticed once, when I fed her a little late(around 9am), that she wasn't as hungry and didn't finish her whole meal. 
It's probably something similar to how I'm hungry at breakfast time, but if I don't eat my hunger goes away.







lol

She also didn't eat the kibble we put her on when we first got her with much enthusiasm. But once we found a brand she liked, she eats it without much urging. Just my .02!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: deleet
> 
> I feed him twice a day (after I eat lunch / dinner) and I use the amount that the breeder recommended me to.


 does this mean you don't give your dog breakfast?
i fed my dog (puppy) 3 cups a day. 1 cup in the early am, 1 cup at noon (no later than 1:00 pm) and a cup at 6:00 pm. we took his water bowl away at 7:00 pm. we also gave our puppy a few biscuits through out the day. he also had chicken or beef as a little snack.

what are you feeding your puppy?


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Also, I noticed that with the stress of moving into a new home and adjusting they can be off their food a little bit. It took my guys about a week to really start eating consistently. I also feed about 1 cup 3x a day. But I let them eat about as much as they want for 10 minutes. If they don't finish then I take it away, I figure that they won't starve themselves. My dogs have always been good self-regulators when it comes to food. Too much and they stop eating...too little and they wolf it down. I also watch for body condition. As long as they don't look starved then they're probably getting enough to eat.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

Sam is now 9 weeks old.

Breeder told me twice a day and the amount is measured in a cup that came with the food. The food brand is Royal Canin, I don't know any specifics but I can look if it's relevant.

Since he told me twice a day I figured it wouldn't be first thing in the morning.

One thing he did advise me to do is to soak the food in water for about 5 minutes and then give it to him. I believe it was related about his stomach and being harder to twist it?

So all pups get fed 3x a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner? Also, I usually feed him at 14 pm, 20 pm and go on walks with him after that (also walk him in the morning and at around 12:00 am).


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

A nine week old pup should be fed 3or 4 times a day! I would feed 7 am, 2ish and about 7 pm. If he needs a snack around 11 pm, give it. Break up the feedings into his daily ration. Don't go by what the bag says, they need different amounts as they grow, so you may have to bump it up a bit when he is going thru a growth spurt and back down if he is feeling a bit plump...you should be able to feel the ribs, but he shouldnt feel skin and bones.
My pup would barf bile from going so long from dinner to breakfast. Puppies don't bloat(twist) so you do not have to worry about that, you can soak it, but I think they like to crunch. It works those little gator teeth!
There are many great threads in the puppy section about weight, and how much everyone is feeding per age.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

7 am is too early for me since I only get up around 8-9 .. I go to sleep at about 12 - 1 am so I'll bump those times an hour.

As for the weight, I think it's not bad, he doesn't look thin or too fat either (I've only had him for a couple days too)...

The factor I'm worried about is peeing / pooping in the house. For example, this morning I went outside with him and he did nothing. Came back, left about an hour later, returned 2 hours after that and he had pooped on the floor .. heck, I was cleaning it up and he peed on the floor in front of me too.

The goal is to try and sync the food schedules with the walks I give him so I don't have to 'force' him to do anything.


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

I'm just curious.







How come you're not using a crate? When you're away it confines them and he stays out of trouble and danger(like electric cords, chemicals ect.). Also, it reinforces the denning instinct. 

So as long as they don't have to go (which he probably will because two hours might be too long for him to wait), he won't pee or poop in a crate that's good for his size.

As for the not doing anything outside thing, Denali is the same way sometimes. She doesn't like Florida heat. If it were up to her she would pee and poop inside the house where there is AC, everyday LOL. You just have to wait the puppy out (I know it's frustrating but puppies require patience







) and stay outside until they pee and poop. Others on the forum even wait for their pups to go TWICE. 
I don't have thhhattt much patience lol.

As a general rule though, puppies need to go out at least once every hour. ESPECIALLY if they're running around being crazy and active. It should be done:
After naps
After playtime
After eating/drinking
Anytime your puppy walks away from you and starts sniffing the ground
And immediately after your puppy has been running around being crazy. That's usually when the accidents happen for me, because Denali just squats and pees in a matter of seconds.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

I never liked restraining the pup to a crate, I have a blanket out for him and he always lays down / sleeps there.

When I'm out, he usually stays in a balcony (I have like 3) which is fairly long, in my opinion much better than a crate. It's really hot here this time of the year too so he loves staying outside (much cooler, I don't have AC).

As for going out every hour, even I don't have the patience or the availability to do that, once every 2 or 3 hours is ok though.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: deleetI never liked restraining the pup to a crate, I have a blanket out for him and he always lays down / sleeps there.
> 
> When I'm out, he usually stays in a balcony (I have like 3) which is fairly long, in my opinion much better than a crate. It's really hot here this time of the year too so he loves staying outside (much cooler, I don't have AC).
> 
> As for going out every hour, even I don't have the patience or the availability to do that, once every 2 or 3 hours is ok though.


Then you shouldn't complain about his accidents in the house. Crates are for the dogs protection and making him wait to go out at your conveinence is setting him up to fail. Please remember you are setting his foundation to succeed in everything he does in the future. 
The age of 8-12 weeks is crucial for setting rules and boundaries. It is the time when pups are learning the most even though they are very young.
Be sure he cannot get stuck in the rails of the balcony or as he grows, or tries to jump over it. 







I am worried about the future of your pup with the attitude you are sharing. _Patience and availability _are two words that you should have both of!


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: deleetI never liked restraining the pup to a crate, I have a blanket out for him and he always lays down / sleeps there.


Personally, I don't consider it as a "restraint". Yes, Denali cries when I put her in her crate at first... but guess what? When she needs a nap, or she is tired of playing with people that come over the house, she goes into her crate where she knows nobody can bother her. Her crates are her own place inside my home and she knows it. It's useful when I'm cleaning, when I have to go out ect ect. The list goes on. 
Yes, crates CAN be cruel. But ONLY when you use them to confine your pup ALL the time and ONLY when you put him in there without giving him a chance to get rid of some energy first. If you exercise your dog, you can put him in his crate and he will go into rest mode.



> Originally Posted By: deleetAs for going out every hour, even I don't have the patience or the availability to do that, once every 2 or 3 hours is ok though.


Unfortunately, if you're not willing to take him out, it's going to take him *much* longer to potty train. He has to be in the habit of going outside to potty and the only effective way to accomplish this is to not let accidents happen in the house. One of the main causes of dogs getting put into shelters is because they are not potty/obedience trained.








A simple problem that can easily be fixed, gets an innocent dog killed.

A puppy cannot hold it for 2-3 hours. So, you're going to keep getting accidents and if you're not willing to let him relieve himself, then you can't really complain. An older dog would have suited your needs better.

A puppy cannot instantly synch with your routine. They are a lot of work for the first few YEARS of their lives. YOU have to teach them everything they need to know... this requires time and PATIENCE.

Good luck..


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

I'm aware that it requires a lot of time and patience to get him to always do it outside, I don't mind that he does a few accidents in the house when I'm not around or when I don't take him out ..

I'm talking about the times that you DO take him out, sit around for 10 to 15 minutes, he does nothing, comes home and poops on the floor. That's just annoying and I can't understand why he does that.

I guess I can try and see if I take him outside more often but shorter periods of time (few minutes).

I also spoke to my breeder and they also feed the pups twice a day, he told me that 3 times a day would be better but not vital for the puppy.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Your pup should be supervised at all times, and crating him will give you some freedom. What are you going to do when he innappropriately chews a table leg or woodwork? Shoes and everything else he can get his teeth on? 
Annoyed because your 9 week old pup is pooping on the floor? He is a _baby_! I could see it if he was over 4 months and doing it. What he are doing now is what you will see at the 4 month stage, so best to set up the proper foundation now.

I think it *is* vital for a 9 week pup to be fed 3x's a day, especially if he isn't finishing what you give him. 
Whatever, you will do what you think is best-I hope it is in the best interest of your puppy.


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

There are many reasons for his behavior. For one, he has too much space to run around. If you don't want to crate him, another alternative is to keep him tethered to you on leash. That way you can watch his behavior and take him outside as needed.

My puppy is only allowed in the living room area and the kitchen. That's it. (And that's only if I'm in the room with her) I don't trust her enough to give her full run of the house, and for good reason!







She's not potty trained and as soon as I let her out of my sight, she has an accident. (I learned the heard way lol)
If I can't be hovering over her, then she goes in the crate. 
If you think the poops are annoying now, wait until he's older and the poops get BIG. That's NOT fun to clean. 

Another reason could be that's he's developed a habit of going in the house. Make sure you clean up pee and poo with cleaners that are specifically for this, or with water and white vinegar to eliminate the smell. You can place the paper towels you used to clean the mess outside in the spot you want him to go at. I have not tried this, but I've read this as a suggestion for tough potty training situations in other threads.

As for the eating thing... to each their own. But since your puppy is not eating his whole meal right away anyway, it may mean that he would do better on 3 meals about 5-6 hours apart with snacks in between.


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## tnbsmommy (Mar 23, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: deleetI'm talking about the times that you DO take him out, sit around for 10 to 15 minutes, he does nothing, comes home and poops on the floor. That's just annoying and I can't understand why he does that.


I'm certainly not an expert, having chosen two grown dogs to rescue, rather than go through puppy stages, but, I would guess... he's a baby, he doesn't KNOW what you want from him when you take him outside yet. He quite simply doesn't have to "go" just yet.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

I may be getting ahead of myself, sure. I realize that he's only 9 weeks old and I'm not going to get major overnight improvements.

Everything I'm doing and what I'm asking about is on how to deal with these situations so that they don't happen later ... I don't want to keep cleaning poop 5 months from now.

As for space, I move around the house a lot and I usually move him with me. He's just learned today how to go up and down the stairs by himself so he's having fun with that (also, is that a problem, thinking that since his bones are fully developed yet..). The leash will probably help, I'm going to try it tomorrow and leash him around the house.

One other thing, he peed on the floor when I got home earlier today just as soon as I arrived (a little bit, not much). Is this normal? He also peed a lot more when I got a new rug on my kitchen (lets put my smell on there?)...

Again on the going outside business, I was out for over an hour just now and nothing. That's a lot of patience. He also got scared with two dogs in a house that kept barking as we went by, not sure if that helped either (I didn't pet him, read not to, but had to pick him up to keep going).

Buying a crate right now won't be easy. They're not cheap and I'm coming up short this month because of the food and bowls and etc I already bought for him.

Also, onyx, everything I do is in the best interest of the pup.. or else I wouldn't have gotten it in the first place. I've been reading a lot of stuff (including these forums) because I want the best for the pup.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Take him to the same spot everytime to potty. Don't play with him. Tell him potty or some key word.
Look on craigslist for a varikennel or a wire crate, you can sell it on CL when he outgrows it for the same amount. Usually they run around 30-40 for the size you need. There are a couple right now on my local CL. I am thinking of selling Karlos smaller one, but want to keep it a couple more weeks for transporting him.
Good to hear with your last paragraph, these forums are full of great advice and information and if someone puts advice on here that most disagree with/ it will be brought to attention immediately~with reasons for disagreement.
The pottying when you get home could be submissive peeing. Some dogs do this out of excitement, just run him to his potty spot without a bunch of welcome home drama from him. Most dogs will outgrow it. Another thing for you to read up on


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

Sadly, I'm in the EU and there's no Craigslist (or similar) here ... I can find new crates but they go for around 90~100 euro (130 usd), which I find quite expensive.

About the potty training, last night and this morning he peed in the same spot, I guess he's starting to get used to it. He's still pooping in the house though, he won't poop outside for some reason.

Is it a good idea to drive him somewhere to potty? There aren't many gardens here and they're usually filled with larger dogs, of which he's still scared of so I avoid them.. I could drive him to an open field or something, I wouldn't mind it much.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

That does make things harder-for a cheap crate, and the housetraining issue. I wish I had some advice...


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

If he's peeing in the same spots over and over it could mean you're not getting the smell all the way out. 
You can buy cleaners that are made specifically to get rid of pet odors or you can use water and white vinegar. It's important to get rid of that smell or he'll keep going back to that spot.

Like I said, if he's still not doing his business outside, take the paper towels you used to clean up his accident outside with you and put them on the ground. If he smells his own mess in that spot he'll be more likely to go potty there. Another thing you can do(only if you catch him mid-pee or mid-poop) is pick him up and run him outside to finish. When he does, gives him LOTS and LOTS of praise and maybe a treat or two. It's ok if your neighbors think you're crazy









I don't have any good advice for the dog thing







. Whenever my puppy is afraid of something, I take her up to the object. If she reacts in a bad way, I ignore it, if she shows interest and tries to get closer, I praise. This might not be a good idea though because they're strange dogs







. Do you have any friends with dogs that can help you socialize your puppy? It needs to be nipped in the bud ASAP.

Edit: Oh! And the stairs thing... It's great that you're teaching him how to use stairs. I adopted a dog once that was terrified of them. I've never read anything bad about going UP stairs, but going down can stress their joints and plates ect. (or so i've read)


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

I stand corrected, one large travel box for my pup actually costs 200 euro. Sadly I don't think he'll get one soon. I might build something cheap however, I'm considering it (something wood based maybe). Suggestions?

I'll have to see if I can get a new cleaner, he does seem to be using the same spots over and over. I clean it with a mop so I'm not taking that outside (walking a dog with a mop == call the crazy police).

I've just been outside for 30 more minutes, he did nothing again. I'm doing everything right, walking through the same spots where he did it before, when he does something, treat / praise him.

He also wouldn't eat lunch (he took two bites and called it quits), I find that odd but it's the first day I'm giving him 3 meals.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Do you have a rescue that you could maybe borrow a crate or x-pen? Or a dog training club, may have someone that you can rent or borrow from. Wood will get chewed and could be dangerous if he swallows splinters.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

The potty training seems to be going a bit better now. I took him out today and he peed / pooped at noon, he only peed in the morning. The important fact is that in between that he didn't have any accidents









He stil won't eat everything I give him though, I had a small amount in the morning and he left about half .. at noon I gave him that amount and a bit more, he left half again. I fear I'm starving him but I'll see what happens later today.

For now he seems to like my kitchen a lot but it's rather big for him. I keep him there for a couple hours, go upstairs or leave for a bit and he doesn't whine or anything. I also don't see anything chewed off since the only thing he could chew would be the table + chairs (they're wood). I also leave a chewing toy usually so that should help.

About the stairs, he seems confortable going up but not going down much. He was terrified at first too but since my house has 3 floors, I wanted him to learn quickly .. he did ok on the inside one but the staircase outside is still a no-go for going down. I guess I shouldn't force him to do it.


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## deleet (Jun 15, 2009)

Hey folks, it's me again.

The puppy still won't eat everything, I've been regularly feeding him 3 times a day and he will take a couple bites and won't eat the rest.

Soaking the food helped a bunch since he eats more of it later but he still won't eat the full 3 meals.

Think I might be going to he vet today.


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