# Help with new puppy



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

Got a new german shepherd puppy she was on puppy chow from the breeder. we Switched her to science diet large breed puppy food and she ate it for a few days and stopped eating it so we tried acana same results so we bought pro plan focus large breed puppy and doesn't seem to like it at all not sure what to do now. We were thinking of trying Merrick. If anyone has any ideas and can help we would appreciate it. Thank you.

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Is it possible she's getting lots of treats as you are potty training,crate training,etc?If so she's probably just not hungry at mealtimes.Treats should be torn into tiny pieces,about raisin sized.Try adding low sodium chicken broth or bullion broth to her kibble.Just enough to moisten it.


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

We just give her little pieces of hot dogs and she doesn't get much of those 

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Ok,good.Try moistening with broth or even goat's milk and see if that works for you.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

How old is the puppy?

Maybe go back to the original food that the breeder fed until she is more settled in your home and then switch. 

Science Diet is really awful food. Pro-plan is over-priced for the quality of ingredients. Acana I am unfamiliar with but I think is better stuff, Merrick is higher quality. 

Take the dog to the vet to rule out illness and parasites. 

If the puppy is 6 weeks old or older, she does not need any milk products and does not need the kibble to be softened. She will need water available at all times, but that goes without saying.


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

She is 11 weeks we have had her for 4 weeks she has been to the vet 3 times and has been treated for everything she weighs 28lbs when we got her she weighed 14lbs when we got her.we have done the broth thing she takes a few bites and walks away.

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

rogngin86 said:


> She is 11 weeks we have had her for 4 weeks she has been to the vet 3 times and has been treated for everything she weighs 28lbs when we got her she weighed 14lbs when we got her.we have done the broth thing she takes a few bites and walks away.
> 
> Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


She's gaining weight normally then.I'm going with my original thought about the amount of treats


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

We will give it a couple of days and probably try the Merrick unless you have a better idea for food for a puppy that will help her with joint problems in the future. Thank you all for the help.

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Some dogs do not like food moistened, so I would not put broth in it. I would offer the food for 10-15 minutes two to three times a day, and then put it away. 

A healthy dog will not starve herself to death.

Put a handful of kibble in your pocket and use that for treats.


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

She eats if I hand feed her but don't want her to get used to that . we want to eat out of a bowl.

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Yes, but you give her a treat for going potty outside or for sitting, downing, etc. Use kibble instead of whatever treats you are using. Most dog treats are junk food. Phase them out if possible. 

For high value treats in training, I use FreshPet vital chicken, salmon, and something meal. It is 90 percent meat and 10 percent fruits and vegetables, or something like that. Smells good. Locally sourced and kept refrigerated. It is cut into small bits that are perfect for training sizes, soft, so the dog is not crunching away in classes. 

Human food, like cheese, hot dogs, and some jerky can be used for training treats as well.


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

We make hot dogs into jerky for training and cut them up in little pieces

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

That's good, my trainer uses them. Some people feel they are too filled with salt, etc. I figure the FDA is better about people food than dog-anything.


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

We didn't think buying puppy food would be so hard she doesn't seem to like anything unless I hand feed her

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

"She is 11 weeks we have had her for 4 weeks she has been to the vet 3 times and has been treated for everything she weighs 28lbs when we got her she weighed 14lbs when we got her.we have done the broth thing she takes a few bites and walks away.
"

let's look at the numbers 
at 7 weeks she was 14 pounds
at 11 weeks , one month later she is 28 pounds 

that is doubling the weight in one month !!!!

a good average weight for a 12 week old is anywhere from 17 to 22 pounds .

hot dogs are full of fat and sugar and nitrates


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

They are training treats not her food and the treats are cut very small so she doesn't get very much.

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## rogngin86 (Mar 13, 2016)

The vet said she should gain 3 to 5lbs a week she is very long and tall the vet is expecting her to be a very large dog . her dad is taller than I am at 6ft standing on his back legs. The vet said she is still on the thin size. 

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

selzer said:


> Some dogs do not like food moistened, so I would not put broth in it. I would offer the food for 10-15 minutes two to three times a day, and then put it away.
> 
> A healthy dog will not starve herself to death.
> 
> Put a handful of kibble in your pocket and use that for treats.


This. You didn't say if your puppy is free fed or not, but if she isn't eating you might be just leaving it out because you are worried. If it is available all the time, she will just graze. Get her use to having set meal times. She will understand real quick that she needs to eat it when it's available.


----------



## GSD316 (Jan 5, 2016)

We switched to Authority grain free puppy food. This is Pet Smart brand and ranked 4.5/5.0 from dog food advisor. We feed 3 times per day since she is puppy. We make minute rice with low salt or no salt chicken broth (instead of using water). We mix in a small amount of rice with her food maybe once a day or two. Seems to work good.

No treats are given to her for going to bathroom outside, but we do use mozzarella cheese sticks in small amounts for training.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

OK so you got a food she is eating?
If not go back to the original one that she was eating.
Put the food down (in her crate works best) with the dog. Leave her for a while. If she doesn't eat, pick up the food and offer it again later. (repeat).

I would quit changing food. 
With the exception of getting her on large breed adult food rather than puppy food of any sort. Puppy food, even large breed puppy food, seems to = pano for this household. But for now, back to the original unless she is eating your current offering. Then stick with it for a while and gradually transition off of puppy food.


----------

