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I brought home a female Boxer puppy 3 days ago. She is 6 weeks old today. I am feeding her the same food (Purina Puppy C


Asked by Guest 673409 on Oct 13th 2009 Tagged diarrhea, puppy, eating in Puppies
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Enzo

Your question?


Enzo answered on 10/13/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Pippin CGC

She is too young to be away from her dam & litter mates & Purina is a horrible food!


Pippin CGC answered on 10/13/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 2 Report this answer


Farley

Agreed with Pippin. A puppy needs to stay with its mother until 8 or 9 weeks. What are you doing with a 6 week old pup?!

And I would look into a better food option right away. Anything by Purina isn't a healthy choice, no matter what a certain lil' lab that hangs around here says ;)


Farley answered on 10/13/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Jack

6 weeks is definitely too young for this dog to be away from her mom and litter mates, for reasons that range from health and well being to behavioral issues (her mom and litter mates would still be communicating important behavioral related things to each other which are vital to healthy behavioral development.)

If you purchased this dog from a breeder, you might request that they keep her until she's 9 weeks old, at which point you'll pick her up. There are actually laws in a lot of states which don't allow puppies this young to be sold or adopted out.

Regardless, if she's on Purina, you'll have to keep her on it for a few weeks while you change the food. Any change of food that is too fast will result in gastric upset and that's not good in any dog, but particularly in a dog this young.

If you end up keeping her, I'd just feed her the food she was on for a week or two before even trying to transition. She's going through a lot right now with her new home. Good luck!


Jack answered on 10/13/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Aster

There are studies showing puppies should stay with their mother and litter until at least 6 weeks, but the same studies show they need to be in their new homes long before 12 weeks.

There are no studies condemning Purina. Unlike the others, I have started puppies on it and they did fine. It is a well proven food. At the worst, you do need to feed a little more and have larger, softer stools to clean up. As far as nutrition goes, it has the same thing as any other puppy chow.

If she has lose bowels, most likely it is some kind of a parasite and only a vet visit will correct it. Changing food may only make it worse.


Aster answered on 10/14/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Fritz

Many people have started puppies on Purina foods, but it is not the best choice.

It is full of corn and byproducts. People who are educated about pet foods all agree that you want a food with a named meat and/or meat meal in the first five ingredients and no animal digest or byproducts.

Supermarket dog foods are unhealthy and are only used by people who are ignorant about dog nutrition or are taken in by the millions of dollars the company’s spend trying to get people to buy the product.

You will also see people who hero worship a local trainer or school use the foods out of ignorance.

Your puppy is very young, if it is possible to get it back with mom and sibs it’s not a bad idea but if not possible get a high quality puppy food and consider a high quality canned food for a supplement.(mix the old food and the new and slowly eliminate the old food) Keep the puppy warm and watch carefully, he should be okay. Pip was around this young when we found him and grew into nice dog.


Fritz answered on 10/14/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


K-10 Von Canein

Here's what's in Purina Puppy chow, and why it should not be there.
www.dogfoodanalysis.com


K-10 Von Canein answered on 10/14/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Guest

So technically you got your puppy when it was only 5 weeks and 4 days which is very very irresponsible of the breeder to give up the pup that soon. I would take the puppy back and have it stay with its mother for a couple more weeks. From reading your bio it doesn't sound like this breeder cared for his dogs at all to have that many litters at a time.
As for Purina I would switch to something more healthy.


Guest 245198 answered on 10/14/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer