[Carol Ann]

Hi....just wondering how Izzybella's first vet appointment went. I know what the vet said about the ear hair, but how else did it go? She's so cute!!

Is she settled in now?

I see you live in Gettysburg; it's gorgeous there. My son went to school in Carlisle, kind of near there, and I just love that area.

Do you have more pics of your furball? Would love to see them.

 

[020202]

I have so many pictures already. I have to get them in our photo gallery.

The vet gave her a good bill of health, thanks for asking. She had no fleas, no ear mites, good temp, good heartbeat, she weighed 1.4 lbs. Her eyes were good and clear, gums good. Izzy didn't get any shots but she is scheduled for some in a few weeks.

Izzy is settling in much much better than I hoped for. We keep her in a playpen in the middle of the room and her crate, pee pad, dishes and toys are in there with her. She knows her name and has had NO potty accidents, she hits that pad everytime. My only concern is that she isn't eating as much as I thought she would. The breeder sent her home with canned Pedigree (Yuck!) and Eucanuba. She didn't eat much of that at all so we switched her to Chicken soup and she seems to like that but she only eats about a half cup of food a day. She's drinking from the water bottle more than the dish. She's playful, active and has normal stools so I quess I shouldn't worry. I just never had a 1.4 lb. dog before, maybe I don't know what to expect.

She sleeps all night long. She is learning that whining doesn't get her picked up and held but that playing nicely does. When she is sleeping on me, I'm constantly touching her ears, feet, teeth etc. so that she gets used to being examed and groomed.

Did I just write a book? LOL Sorry. I could talk about IzzyBella all day. Feb. 16 is getting closer and closer isn't it? I'm thinking about you and Sisse and can't wait to compare notes.

 

[k/c mom]

Originally posted by 20202@Feb 5 2005, 11:23 PM
The breeder sent her home with canned Pedigree (Yuck!) and Eucanuba.  She didn't eat much of that at all so we switched her to Chicken soup and she seems to like that but she only eats about a half cup of food a day.  She's drinking from the water bottle more than the dish.  She's playful, active and has normal stools so I quess I shouldn't worry.  I just never had a 1.4 lb. dog before, maybe I don't know what to expect.

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Just an FYI regarding food.... if she doesn't eat all her food you may want to hand feed her. I did this with Catcher and eventually he started eating on his own and I truly miss that little guy sitting on my lap while I hand feed him and feeling his furry mouth in my hand. It is so cute to watch them eat close up....

Your baby is very small and she may do better with a very tiny kibble. I don't know the size of the kibble in the brand you're using but there are some brands made for small breeds. One brand that I have used is Royal Canin small breed puppy. The kibble is teeny tiny flat triangular pieces. It is highly digestable and easy on their stomachs. It is very easy for small dogs to chew it. I don't like the fact that is has the cheap filler, brewer's rice, in it but it is not harmful... I am just extremely picky about food.

What I did with Catcher was divide his daily ration in to three servings. I would put the proper amount for breakfast in his bowl and if after a couple hours he had not eaten it, I would hand feed him what was left. Then do the same at lunchtime and supper. Before bed I would give him a treat or something so he would not have an empty stomach during the night.

 

[vita]

I have always taught my puppies to eat from my hand...even larger breed pups. It doesn't seem to interfere with their eventual ability to eat on their own. Toy breeds dogs are more likely to experience low blood sugar episodes as pups so it is important to keep their stomachs full and if that can be done with hand feeding so be it. The advantage in to adulthood is a dog whose appetite is down will take food from your hand sometimes and that can bring them through an illness and it cuts down on the probability of them becoming food aggressive. I like to get down on the floor near the food bowl and hold my hand over the bowl, let them take afew kibbles from my hand, drop the rest in the bowl...and after a while they will pick one up and eat it..then I do a little hand feding again..it seems to re enforce the idea that my hand and the bowl are good food sources.

 

[pico's parent]

That's funny about the hand-feeding. Pico is almost 4 years old and still brings kibble up onto the sofa where my husband is watching TV and drops it on the sofa and looks at him expectantly until he picks up a piece and hand feeds it to Pico!

He only does this about once a day and only for a few pieces but he never fails to do it. He doesn't do it to me, either, just my husband. Who knows what lurks in the mind of a maltese?

 

[020202]

These puppies sure are quirky. Our little Izzy has been nicknamed Cujo because she has these little yellow dots on her playpen floor and she attacks them, snarls at them, bites at them and generally just terrorizes them. Poor yellow dots.

Izzy's first vet weigh in was 1.4
Her second weigh in was 1.5
Yesterdays weekly weigh in was 1.7

She's eating her food more and more without the nutri-cal. I'm slowly finding treats that she will work for. I just love this board and being able to share with all you guys.

 

[pico's parent]

We all remember what it is like being a new mom and we delight in listening to your experience, too.

1/2 cup of food sounds like plenty to me for a 1.7 pounder. Pico doesn't eat much more than that and he is 4.3 pounds and almost 4 years old. He gets a mix of canned and kibble probably totaling a cup of food, which he sometimes doesn't eat all of on a given day. His weight has held pretty steady the past 3 years so I don't worry about it.

Your Izzy sounds like a little pistol!

 

[littlepeanut]

I'm glad to hear that Izzy is doing so well!!! I'm not sure of the serving sizes for Chicken Soup, but Peanut's a little over 5 pounds and his serving size of food is about 1/2 cup a day.

I know what you mean about Izzy attacking the little yellow dots!! Peanut does the same with his blanket. It has snowflakes on it and he tries to 'kill' the snow flakes

These little ones are so entertaining!!! Glad Izzy is doing well!!