Help!

[Lambeau]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new mastiff owner! I just picked Lambeau yesterday and he's turning 11weeks tomorrow and he weighs about 35lbs. I love him so much he already knows how to hold his pee and poo. Never had an accident in the house which was a plus!! The previous owner fed him iams large puppy breed that's soaked in milk and were planning on switching to blue buffalo. I understand we have to ween him over. My problem is he doesn't drink or eat if I dip my hands in water he licks my hand like there's no tomorrow. Btw They used to give him well water. I'm afraid he'll get dehydrated. Idk what to do.

 

[angelbears]

Try ice cubes.

 

[mastiffico]

if hes not drinking the city water it might be because of the chemicals that they put in the water ..alot of animals can smelll it and they dont like it ...you might want to try spring water form the stor or get you some water from someone that has a well ...hope your dog goes to drinking

 

[broccolini]

Any way you can get some jugs of water from his previous owner? When I picked up my kitten, his breeder sent home a bottle of water and told us to switch him over gradually. She did a lot of showing and said new water made the cats sick just like a new food would.

I don't know if that applies to dogs, but it seems reasonable.

 

[Lambeau]

So he just drank his first bowl! Actually I switched out the stainless steel bowl to a plastic Tupperware and he finished the whole thing same water just different bowl! Hopefully he'll do the same with food. He hasn't eaten a good amount of kibble since we got him.

 

[mastiffico]

i wwas feeding my english mastiff in a big plastic bowl ..the day before i picked him up a stainless steel bowl ...good thing ..he ate the plastic one ..lol ...chewed it to pieces ..glad hes drinking ...might have been a little scared too in a new home

 

[Lambeau]

He still doesn't eat on his bowl or Tupperware. I held some kibble in my hands and he started eating them so I figured I'd feed him. (I know it's a bad habit but he hasn't eaten anything got me concerned). Is it possible that the bowl/Tupperware is too deep or big? It's prolly like an inch and half deep. He smells the tip and walks away.

---------- Post added at 05:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:47 AM ----------

And also I laid some kibble on the floor and he ate that too!

 

[Lambeau]

And also I laid some kibble on the floor and he ate that too!

 

[ruthcatrin]

He's feeling stressed by the change. A switch to stainless was a good move.

As you're hand feeding him get the bowl under your hands and with each piece keep lowering the kibble in as you offer it so that he's gradually working his way into the bowl, then offer a piece on the bottom of the bowl with your finger on it, then no fingers....

 

[Lambeau]

I tried it yesterday and it doesn't work I'd hand feed him over the ball and slowly bringing it down in his bowl but once his nose goes in the ball he walks away.. I don't know what to do. And his water he's barely drinking.. I gave him ice cube and he liked it.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Keep repeating, go slowly.....if nessecary use a paper plate in place of the bowl at first, get him eating off that, then fold up the sides just a bit, then a bit more....

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

Try a dinner plate or low edged bowl for the kibble, or just feed from the floor. Sometimes for boredom I suggest scatter feeding, as long as you dont mind and neither does the dog then its win/win - he gets a good game of sniffing out his food and a fully belly as well. As for water maybe he doesnt like putting his head/face in to the bowl. I would either try putting the bowl a little higher up so he doesnt have to stoop down or a shallower vessle like a pie plate to begin with until he gets used to putting his face in to a deeper container.

 

[Robtouw]

Try hand feeding him for a while, it is a good way to establish trust.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

I would use a plate. Ruger would only eat some of his food when I brought him home but he still seemed hungry and I could tell that the bowl seemed to be the problem. I fed him on a plate for quite awhile and he ate like a champ. As he gets bigger, he relly won't care whe you change it but for now, I would go with a plate or even the floor if that works for him. Find a shallow bowl for his water and put the ice cubes in it and he will probably drink much better. It will be fine, he is just trying to get used to his new home. Congrats on your baby!

 

[TN Dogues]

another thing we use to teach reluctant puppies to drink - add a little bit of milk to the water. I do it for several days and gradually reduce the amount of milk until they are drinking plain water.

The milk can also help disquise the 'taste' of city water. (lucky us, we have artesian well water)

stainless bowls are better (they don't scratch like plastic and offer places for bacteria to grow) but some dogs don't like them - so we also use heavy ceramic bowls.

Probably the stress of being in a new place is what is causing your puppy to not want to eat/drink. But it should only last a day or so.

 

[Lambeau]

Thanks everyone! Ill try everything. He's doing really good. Still no accidents inside the house! (I hope I didn't jinx it)

Btw this is Lambeau! Yes we named him after Lambeau field. My wife is a big packer fan!

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

Oh my, he is gorgeous!

 

[jenny adams]

on the water have you tried boiling it, it could be the chlorine in tap water that is putting him off, boiling gets rid of it and other chemicals used to purify water, that's why boiled for baby,s and he is a baby, gypsy only piked at food for a bit then we had to get her eating proper meals,

---------- Post added at 04:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 PM ----------

he is adorably

 

[jenny adams]

he is adorably

 

[Rugers-Kris]

He is beautiful!!!