Puppy too small?

Our Berner was a very particular eater all through her first year. There were times when I had to hand feed her just to get her to eat the amount that the Vet said she should eat. I found that she like scrambled eggs with her morning feeding. Some how she always gained weight even if she did not eat much that day. We also found that chicken would give her diarrhea. The first year the Vet had us put her on Science Diet which kept her from having any diarrhea. When she turned one year it was like a new Berner was brought into our house. The Vet had us change to Nulo for large breads and we also introduced boiled chicken. It doesn't affect her any more. Vet thinks she just grew out of everything. She now weighs in at 100 pounds and Vet still says she should top at 110 and no more. Gaining weight after 1 year is very slow which is good. The only time they found parasites was when her Heart Guard Medicine did not work and she got hock warms. Heart Guard paid for her treatment and she tested negative to the hock warms after her first treatment. So hang in there with her she will grow and develop into a wonderful Berner.

 

Hi Mellie
Did you discuss the copraphagia habit with your vet? Sometimes copraphagia can be caused by a dietary enzyme deficiency which also results in weight loss and lose stools. It sure sounds like you are giving her high quality food. May be she is having a hard time processing it.

 

This site has some good information on copraphagia.

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_PoopEating.php

 

Our berner isn't eating a whole lot. Maybe 1 cup a day. 9 weeks. Could it be from teething and sore gums?

 

Could be several things. How long has your pup been in your house? Sometimes it take a few days to get used to you and being separated from its pack. Also, are you feeding the same thing that the breeder did? You could try moisten the food with a little bit of water not too much that it becomes a big pill of mush.

 

He's been with us for a week and a half. We mixed in the food the breeder had him on in the beginning to ween him off and help with the transition.

 

Did your Vet give you a recommended amount your pup should be eating for the dog food you are using? You could do some boiled chicken in with the kibbles. Not too much though the pup is small. I would say maybe no more then a tablespoon. Do not put the skin with the chicken, just the meat.

 

I meant to ask how much does the little guy weigh?

 

We haven't been to the vet yet. We are going on Friday. We were going off the recommendation on the bag of food itself. It's something we will definitely be discussing though. He is 15 lbs as of this past weekend. Will be weighing him when I get home.

 

15 pounds at 9 weeks is not bad at all. But ask Vet question about your pups food. We have given Sierra Vitamins since day one of her being in our house. Check with your Vet some recommend it some don't. Ours did because she had so many food issues during her first year.

 

After weighing him yesterday he is 17.5 lbs. Wow. He seemed to be eating just fine yesterday. I gave him some egg with dinner on Sunday and he devoured it, so I almost wonder if he didn't want to eat his food without the egg. But that's not something I'm giving him every day. He will just have to deal

 

Sierra got one egg a day up to one year in which she decided she was tired of eggs. Her cooked egg of chose was scrambled eggs. Yes your little guy grows even if you think he isn't eating enough. I bet he is just a bundle of joy!

 

We feed raw egg. The shell included. Lots of benefits. And shell is good for calcium. He loves it.

 

My son-in-law eats raw eggs. Can't stand watching him eat them. I couldn't probably watch Sierra eat raw eggs either

 

We are taking him off the egg because again this week he hasn't wanted to eat. So either the egg upset his stomach or he's mad that there isn't egg in food the next day.

 

I think a slow growing Berner is better than a fast growing Berner as long as it's otherwise healthy....at least from my vet has told me. At 18 weeks my Berner is bigger than my 18 month old female German Short haired pointer