Poor appetite

Diesel is now 12 weeks old. He weighed in at 5.4kg on the weekend. He'd gained 1.3kgs over the previous 2 weeks which is ok but his appetite is usually poor. I'll put his bowl down, he'll smell it then walk away. I'll then feed him out of my hand to make sure he at least eats something but it's a struggle to keep him interested.

We have another puppy around the same age that loves what we feed him. Diesel doesn't show any signs of being sick, mostly full of energy and his poos seem fine. Should I be worried, he's not growing as fast as the other pup. Is 1.3kg over 2 weeks ok do you think for a puppy that age?

I am not much help, but how many times do you feed him a day and what do you feed?
Perhaps 4 smaller meals and try a little sardines or scrambled egg (fresh eggs made with no milk) to try and tempt him.
They can go through fussy stages, also try not to feed * bits.  

How many times a day do you feed him, and which food do you give? Do you feed both pups at the same time & in the same room?

He gets fed 3 times/day. They're fed at the same time in the same area but with several metres space between them. We've been teaching them that the other pups food is not theirs to touch.

They have been getting an organic mince mornings and night but yesterday I tried a pre-made BARF meal. Diesel lapped it up and looked for more. For lunch I leave out dry food for the puppy sittert to give to them when she gets there.

This morning Diesel was still a bit fussy but ate most of it, he really likes the BARF. I'm giving them Canine Country.

You should never feed them from hand if they are being fussy, it will make them even more fussy.

Try cutting it to just 2 meals, meat is very filly.

Hayley wrote:You should never feed them from hand if they are being fussy, it will make them even more fussy.

Try cutting it to just 2 meals, meat is very filly.

At such a young age, I'd stick to 3 meals a day.

If they like the BARF food, then stick with it! 

A behaviourist told me to feed from the hand every few days as part of their training. He said this will solidify my role as pack leader and make them comfortable with me touching their food in the future. Stupid advice??

I feed our 2 in separate rooms - they won't eat together, just stare at each other's bowls - daft things  

Diggs wrote:A behaviourist told me to feed from the hand every few days as part of their training. He said this will solidify my role as pack leader and make them comfortable with me touching their food in the future. Stupid advice??

Delete the 'pack leader' part (and any other reference to the outdated 'alpha theory' that this person may have given you) and I feel that you have some reasonable advice.

Some dogs can be food aggressive, and learning to eat with your hands in their bowl (food on your hands in the bowl) is a technique that can be effective in preventing/alleviating food aggression.

I feed Chiquito by hand or in his bowl depending upon what he is getting, when he is getting it and where we are ... personally, I feel there is no harm in hand feeding, so long as it is not done so consistently that the dog will not eat food unless it comes from your hand.

My pup is 11 weeks old and he is fussy like yours. He eats scrambled egg in the morning no problem but the other foods we have tried him on he just picks at.
My theory now is that he will have what I choose to give him whether he eats it or not.