hello, i have had my puppy now for 5 weeks and hes such a great little pup, but i have noticed that he really isnt eating too great. When i got him i was given a bag of food which hed been eating at the pet shop which i didnt have any clue what actualy it was or what was in it. I fed him this for 2 weeks so not to disturb his eating habits then as it ran out i went to the pet shop to get him something else. I stupidly bought Bakers puppy food without researching, and after a week of bloated tummy i researched it and decided to change to James Wellbeloved puppy food. Ok here is my dilemma, he wolfed down the bakers, and eats perhaps 8 or 9 pieces of the James Wellbeloved in a day, he has now lost weight and now im worried. I went today and bought Barking Heads puppy food and he wont eat this either, can anyone please give me some advise as im starting to worry thats hes losing a little weight as being a mini chihuahua he needs to eat more than he is at the moment.. Thanks in advance of you replies

just to update, i havent given him any human food at all since i got him (as tempting as it is) so its not like he likes the taste of yummier stuff which could make him not eat his food, if that makes sense ....just wanted to clarify this ...

sorry to bump plz but he hasnt eaten since 9am, and it was 3 little bites..i know chihuahua's get low blood sugar ...any help please

I am not an expert but would recommend going to a vet (although beware they do recommend products that they benefit from).

We have struggled a bit with food. Our puppy came on Royal Canin which was fine for a while but made him hyper. Moved to Origin, which made him grow too fast ( he is large breed so want to avoid this). So just moved to Arden Grange..he is not overly enthusiastic but for his evening meal add a bit of fish e.g. Sardines in oil and he wolfs it down!

Good luck

I would get him to a vet if you are worried.

Also as he is from a pet shop he is more than likely from a puppy farm so he may have underlying health problems.

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Dan and Pippa!

try a little scrambled egg..something warm to entice him just for the time being...you need to get him checked him out at the vets though x

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Hope you got him checked out.My puppy was the same re:its food but I softened her kibble by adding a liitle boiled water to inticae her a bit more.Also mix a little meat/fish with one meal a day.Yours does need to see the vet if you haven't otherwise because that doesn't sound good.

I agree with Roly try adding a little water, you can leave it for a few minutes to let it go soft and try that, or just put the water on and give it to him straight away so its got texture still.

Other then this you could try getting a good quality wet, putting on a spoonful or two and coating the kibble with that, that may be enough to entice him and get him eating.

Have you tried a different dish too, some pups can be put off by dishes that are too deep. If you havent already maybe try a little flat saucer for example. Or try different mediums, if plastic try ceramic, if stainless steel try something else. Sometimes it can be what its in too.

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I would take him to vets to have him checked out.
Pups usually don't like having their food swapped about to much.
Better to gradually change from 1 type to another.
Hope you get it sorted.

Just wanted to mention that there is no such thing as a 'mini chihuahua'. A chihuahua is chihuahua. No such thing as 'miniatures' or 'teacups' or 'pocketbook' or anything else. They are just chihuahuas. All the above are used as marketing ploys which often imply the pups will stay smaller which is all down to the 'handbag dog' craze unfortunately
Whether they weigh just 2lbs or a larger 10lbs, they are all still chihuahuas. Remember sizes will differ in the breed due to different lines being bred.

Now back to the matter at hand. The smaller breed pups do often seem to eat very little, but then they are also very tiny at a young age. They should either have access to food ad lib or be fed 4-5 small meals a day, lessening as they grow older. It is very important they eat frequently as they are prone to hypoglycemic attacks (low blood sugar). I'd start by making the dry food appealing as possible, warming it, soaking it slightly, mixing it with small amount of fish oil/fish/cooked chicken or tinned puppy food. Naturediet Puppy is a great wet food, or even puppy tin from a supermarket if your desperate (I just prefer to use better brands).

Many dog food companies do samples you can request on their website, or by phoning/emailing them. I'm sure if you explain your situation they would be more than happy to send you some sample packs out for your puppy. Royal Canin, although not a great food, is supposed to be really appealing to dogs, as is Pro Plan. I think its just a case of getting him to eat anything at this point.

Maybe a quick vet trip would help? Just to make sure the Bakers hasn't left his insides messed up and to make sure his tummy is okay?

I hope he starts to eat for you soon x

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