Hi there everybody! How is everyone doing today?
I have a series of concerns that I hope some of you experiences Cav owners can help me with..
Charlie was rescued ffrom a puppy mill( or So I think) a week ago. he is 8 mts old. And he only weighs about 8-10 pounds.( is he underweight?)
My problem is that he won't eat anything. I've tried both the puppy food he Was eating(pedigree for dogs) and the food we intend to feed him( Iams...my vet said this was the only good 'retail' food out there) and he refuses to eat. He has ate out of my hand twice, but in a week he's only had about 1/2-1 cup of food (IF THAT!!) I have made him hamburger/rice mixture that he gobbled up, as well as 'liver brownies'(homemde treats) milkbones for puppies and some carrots that he stole from my son!.. I don't want to feed him too many treats b/c I'm afraid he will think that it is ok NOT to eat his puppy food. But I don't want him to STARVE!!! I finally called the breeders and asked what his feeding schedual was. He was fed on a night schedual!! He was feed, put to bed(without being let outside to go poop)and in the morning he would let him out to do his 'thing' and then back in he went. It makes me tear up to think about how they treated him. My heart just breaks in two. Anyways, i've tried to handfeed him in the night, but he still won't bother. just a few little bits of kibble( I can count the pieces he's ate on fingers and toes!) He goes to the vet tomorrow to finally get neutered(something that should have been already done months ago!!). SO, I'm hoping things will get resolved.
I've also noticed that he is 'mopey' and lays around A LOT. When we first got him he was a little more 'peppy-er', but I think he's getting a little lethargic. Lack of calories? or am I just a neurotic dog owner?
He's also been nipping at his leg a little. It's not raw, but The pink color of his skin is starting to show through his white fur...is this something to worry about? or once again...am I loosing my MIND?
Does anyone have ANY advice, comments, or words of encourgement that they could share with me? My stomach is in knots.....
I have a series of concerns that I hope some of you experiences Cav owners can help me with..
Charlie was rescued ffrom a puppy mill( or So I think) a week ago. he is 8 mts old. And he only weighs about 8-10 pounds.( is he underweight?)
My problem is that he won't eat anything. I've tried both the puppy food he Was eating(pedigree for dogs) and the food we intend to feed him( Iams...my vet said this was the only good 'retail' food out there) and he refuses to eat. He has ate out of my hand twice, but in a week he's only had about 1/2-1 cup of food (IF THAT!!) I have made him hamburger/rice mixture that he gobbled up, as well as 'liver brownies'(homemde treats) milkbones for puppies and some carrots that he stole from my son!.. I don't want to feed him too many treats b/c I'm afraid he will think that it is ok NOT to eat his puppy food. But I don't want him to STARVE!!! I finally called the breeders and asked what his feeding schedual was. He was fed on a night schedual!! He was feed, put to bed(without being let outside to go poop)and in the morning he would let him out to do his 'thing' and then back in he went. It makes me tear up to think about how they treated him. My heart just breaks in two. Anyways, i've tried to handfeed him in the night, but he still won't bother. just a few little bits of kibble( I can count the pieces he's ate on fingers and toes!) He goes to the vet tomorrow to finally get neutered(something that should have been already done months ago!!). SO, I'm hoping things will get resolved.
I've also noticed that he is 'mopey' and lays around A LOT. When we first got him he was a little more 'peppy-er', but I think he's getting a little lethargic. Lack of calories? or am I just a neurotic dog owner?
He's also been nipping at his leg a little. It's not raw, but The pink color of his skin is starting to show through his white fur...is this something to worry about? or once again...am I loosing my MIND?
Does anyone have ANY advice, comments, or words of encourgement that they could share with me? My stomach is in knots.....