pit puppy

Question
what is the best food to feed a 9 week old blue pit if it wont eat its dry puppy food

Answer
Several different things could cause your dog to reject the food you are giving it.

For example, if your dog was previously eating dry food softened with replacement milk or water or if it was eating canned food, it is probably rejecting the dry food for the simple fact that it isn't used to it.

Or, if your dog was already eating all dry food and you switched brands or formulas, it may just have an aversion to the new food.

Either way, your dog needs to eat and drink water. If you are dealing with the first scenario I mentioned above, try adjusting his/her food gradually. It isn't a good idea to jump straight from softened or completely moist foods to totally dry foods. Not only is your dog likely to reject it because of its unfamiliarity with the new texture, but sudden changes like that can cause the pup's stomach to become irritated (and may cause diarrhea, etc). To make the adjustment, start off with the same food the dog was eating originally and mix a small amount of dry food in with it. Maintain those amounts for the next couple of days and then increase the amount of dry food a little more while decreasing the amount of softened/moist food. Continue doing this every few days until the dog's entire meal becomes nothing but dry food.

If the second scenario applies, you may have to switch back to the dry food the dog was already eating. Either that or try another formula or brand. Something you may want to keep in mind- there are many stores that have sample packets of food available for free or for a nominal charge. As opposed to buying bag after bag of food and possibly wasting it until you figure out which one the dog likes, use the sample packs. Get a couple of different kinds, put them into separate bowls, and just let the dog sniff them out and see what it is interested in.

If neither of the above situations applies to you, and your dog has just inexplicably stopped eating for no apparent reason, you need to seek veterinary help. Proper nutrition is always important for any dog...but it is crucial for developing puppies. If you have done everything the same way since you got the pup and you can think of no reason why it would suddenly have a food aversion (brand or formula switch, etc)...I say call the vet.

I hope this has helped. If you have any more questions or have any additional information for me that you think would be helpful, just e-mail me back.