Not eating very much.

Question
Hi Jennifer,

I have a 12 week old boxer who is not eating very much.  I feed her a cup of Canidae all stages dog food in the morning, afternoon, and at night.  I would say that out of all three servings she is not even eating a full cup.  This started about a week ago.  Should I be worried?   Thank you.

Answer
Hi Daniel,

If she's eating, just not the full amount, and if her weight, elimination, activity, etc., are good, then I wouldn't worry too much.  The amounts on the bag are very rough guidelines, and some dogs actually need less than is suggested; also, Boxer puppies do go through some weird growth stages and may want more or less than their usual amount of food.  

You primarily want to watch her condition - puppies do go through stages where you can see every bone in their body from across the room; typically prominent hips or spine are indications of a dog  being underweight, but this might occur during a "walking skeleton" phase - however they shouldn't be prominent for more than a week or so.  If it does last longer, or if she shows other symptoms (lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc.), then a vet visit would be in order.

Good luck!