wait and see?/introducing raw?

aloha, my pup is 14 weeks 5.5.lbs. I thought I read at 14 weeks double the weight for aprox. adult size. I just hope for normal size. maile seems not to enjoy her kibble so much and I was thinking raw. should I start with chicken necks. from my read so far it seems there is alot of info to learn about feeding raw, and I have only scratched the surface! thanks

14 weeks is early to go off food. Have you had a vet check for worms, infection etc? Don't let them tell you all pups go off their food....they do but not really this young and there is always an exception to the rule.

Feeding just chicken necks would not give a puppy (or adult dog) sufficient nutrition. If you decide to go with raw food you really need to read up on the whole area of canine nutrition, as you suspect yourself (there are some threads on this with some suggested books) and also would be better off going with the premade raw foods though be aware these are quite expensive. Many breeders who do feed raw do not do so until the puppy is at least six months old though, for many reasons. Some do start them from small. There are also risks with feeding raw so make sure this is a choice you are fully comfortable with. I nearly had an emergency room incident feeding raw chicken wings and personally no longer opt for a raw diet. Many people feel the benefits outweigh the risks.

In general puppies often get fussy about their food and you are likely just experiencing some normal game playing. Just put her food down, leave it for 15 minutes without checking on her, cajoling her, changing dishes etc, and then lift the dish after 15 min -- with no comment and not making a big deal. Put it away and do NOT feed any treats or anything else til the next *scehduled* feeding at which you repeat this process. If you stick to this she will likely be eating normally within the week, This is a common game puppies play as soon as they realise you will give them lots of attention if they do not eat. However, if she will truly eat NOTHING then get her immediately to a vet to make sure she isn't ill. Puppies can go downhill very quickly if something is wrong.

The 14 week estimate is quite rough and depends on many factors. If the litter was large or she was a small puppy in the litter, she will probably catch up to her littermates and be the average size of parents AND grandparents (not just parents). That is a bit on the small size however for her age; 13 lbs is the breed standard minimum for an adult. For this reason if you think she is truly off her food seeing a vet would be a priority. A small underized puppy definitely needs complete nutrition and to be eating well to put on weight.

aloha, many thanks for the info. she may just be a small framed petite dog. I was wanting her to grow to be at least normal size, but I am having my doubts. didn't mean to give the impression she is off her food. she has been to vet has shots and no worms. it just seems to take her most of the a.m. to finish her kibble. she does eat it. I just thought I could also feed her other things that she would enjoy besides boring kibble. guess that's a human emotion on her diet. I would never start a new diet without fully researching and making sure she had the right nutrition. glad to know that raw is not something to consider for a pup so young. thanks again vikki

Hi Vikki

If you are just wanting the supplement the kibble with other foods then, yes I'd say go for it.

When we got Beau from the breeders at 8 weeks, they already had him eating:

kibble
raw meaty bones - chicken necks
meats - minced beef, lamb, chicken
dairy products - milk, cheese, cottage cheese etc

Beau is now 20 weeks old and I've had him on a primarily raw diet now for several weeks. He is doing very well.

Do take it easy though and only introduce one food every couple of days. That way, if something makes your puppy sick or gives him runny poos you will know what it is.

As Karlin said, if you are wanting to move your puppy over to a complete raw diet, then you need to read up, as it is more complex than just feeding one meat source, or meal alone.

I've recently read & reviewed here "Give Your Dog a Bone" by Ian Billinghurst, and I've also purchased (yet to arrive in the mail) "Grow you Pup with Bones" by the same author.

Just be aware that if you go down the home prepared route, you need to offer a very wide range of foods so that your puppy gets all his nutrients and during the growing phase it is important to get the right balance of proteins, vitamins & minerals.