My 4-week-old puppy won't eat dry food or bottle. What should I do?

At 3 weeks of age, you can actually start introducing wet puppy food. I would wet it down with some puppy milk and put it on a paper plate. This way he can explore the wet food and try some. If your veterinarian evaluated him and say he is physically ok then I would not worry too much that something is wrong. I would just continue with trying to feed him the bottle but also offer and wean him onto the wet food. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Maggies is very cute! I think that 4 weeks is too young to be taken from the mother and siblings. At this stage I would mix puppy formula with canned puppy food. If she won't eat that then you can mix the cerelac in with the canned puppy food but I personally do not like animals eating human dairy foods. Gradually over the next week or so add less and less puppy formula and more canned puppy food. Then around 5-6 weeks add moistened dry food. Hopefully by 7 weeks she will be eating all canned or dry puppy food. Good luck!

Great question! To help them wean and to get used to dry food, I would soak a high quality puppy formulated dry food in water water until soft. Then mix that with puppy formula such as KMR to make a mush the consistency of oatmeal. Over the next two weeks, gradually increase the amount of dry puppy food and decrease the amount of water and KMR you use until they are eating the dry puppy food only.

AT 4 weeks old it is good to try to start feeding them so they can be weaned by 6 weeks old. Each puppy is different and may take to it a different times. I would try dry puppy food mixed with water so it is soft, then feed them. They may not eat at all and play in it. If that happens, skip a day or 2 and try again. You may have to place some in their mouths to teach them. They will still nurse despite being fed so it does not have to be a lot of food as they are little and can't hold very much. The better they get and the older they are, you can decrease the amount of water added to get them used to dry puppy food.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 3 weeks is young. I’d recommend a puppy milk replacer and bottle feeding for another week or 2. Then mix the puppy milk replacer in with canned puppy food and gradually add dry food over a couple of weeks. I like Purina proplan orhl’s puppy foods. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor baby! I would have Billy dewormed and a stool checked for parasites. At 7-8 weeks you need to start his puppy vaccines (DHPP). At this time he should eat canned puppy food and you can add puppy formula for a week or 2. I do not think he needs to be bottle fed at 4 weeks. Good luck

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He may be too young still so I would continue to hand feed him for now for at least 2 more weeks but I recommend that you leave the bowls available to him so that he can let you know when he is ready to make the transition. Best of luck!