Puppy Not Eating? 8 Week Old Puppy Not Eating Much But Acting Normal: What to Do

Okay, so my little fur ball, Gus, he's about 8 weeks old, and I noticed he wasn't eating as much as I thought he should. I mean, he's a puppy! They're supposed to be little food monsters, right?

I started by just observing him. Was he lethargic? Nope. Still bouncing off the walls, playing with his toys, chewing on everything in sight (including my fingers, ouch!). He was drinking water normally, pooping and peeing like a champ, no problems there.

What I did

• Checked the Food: First thing I did, I checked the puppy food. Was it expired? Nope. Did it smell weird? Nope. I even tried a different bag, just in case, from the same brand he'd been eating. Still no interest.
• Tried Wetting It: Sometimes, puppies prefer their kibble a little softer. So I added a bit of warm water to his food, let it sit for a few minutes, and then gave it to him. He sniffed it, licked it a couple of times, but that was it.
• Smaller Portions, More Often: I thought, maybe I was giving him too much at once. So, instead of two big meals, I switched to four smaller meals throughout the day. This seemed to help a little, he ate a bit more, but still not what I expected.
• Hand-Feeding: I even tried hand-feeding him! I sat on the floor with a few pieces of kibble in my hand and offered them to him. He ate a few pieces, mostly because he wanted to play with my hand, I think.
• No Table Scraps:. I made extra sure nobody was sneaking him any human food. Table scraps can upset their little tummies and make them not want their regular food.

After a couple of days of this, I was still a bit worried, I decided give my vet a quick call. And she said basically what I was seeing online, "as long as he's acting normal, playful, and his bathroom habits are regular, it's probably okay. Puppies, especially small breeds, can have varying appetites."

The vet suggested I keep monitoring him, keep offering the food, and if he starts showing any other symptoms (like vomiting, diarrhea, or being really tired), then bring him in. So I kept a close eye on. He is still not much eating but active.

So, yeah, that's my puppy food adventure so far. I guess I'll just keep watching him and hope he starts eating like a proper little piglet soon!