Originally posted by 20202@Feb 13 2005, 01:03 AM
I love Sisse's new pictures. They are adorable. She looks just like Izzy, they are about the same age, aren't they? IzzyBella is 10 weeks and weighs 1.5 pounds. She gained One ounce the first week home. I too was worried aout Izzy's lack of food interest. She seems to be getting over it. I put her breakfast (wet kibble with a pinch of NutriCal stirred in. What she doesn't eat before wandering away from her dish, I remove and toss out. Same with her other two meals. She has dry kibble 24/7. She seems to be learning that if she doesn't eat it NOW, she's going to lose it later and that seems to have picked up her eating habits.
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Hi, just a couple thoughts that may help.... If it were me, I would not give the Nutri-Cal unless she is not eating. The first ingredient is corn syrup so she will get used to very sweet meals. The Nutri-Cal is very handy if your baby won't eat or has a stomach upset and can't eat, etc. Then this can be a life saver (literally).
But if she is eating, then I don't see a need for Nutri-Cal. Also, at 10 weeks you are doing the right thing for sure by leaving food out 24/7. She will learn an eating schedule when she is older. Here is the info Catcher's breeder sent me about feeding, which I followed.... Hope this helps.....
"We do not recommend putting young Maltese puppies on a feeding schedule. A feeding schedule of no less than three meals a day can be implemented when the puppy has finished growing...usually at about 6 to 9 months of age. When Maltese puppies are in their rapid growth stage, up to 6 months, we suggest allowing free access to food and water at all times.
"He/she will be more likely to eat when things are calm and quite. It is a good idea to offer several pieces of kibble by hand often for the first few days to encourage frequent meals. If he/she seems disinterested in the kibble, try moistening it with just a tiny bit of water. This will often stimulate their appetite. It is also a very good idea to have some canned puppy food on hand to encourage meals if the appetite is off from traveling or a digestive upset. The dry puppy kibble should remain their main source of nutrition and these yummy tempting things be used only as an occassional addition.
"It is very important that young Maltese puppies eat frequently to avoid low blood sugar/hypoglycemia. They are very much like toddlers at this age and can sometimes be so busy and having so much fun that they will forget to eat."
