Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs to keep their bodies strong. The most noticeable time is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth (you might find a tooth near his dish or on the floor; this is normal).
During this phase, his mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause him to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There's nothing you can do except to wait it out, even if his appetite is low for a couple of days.
Helpful Hints
Don't switch to a new formula to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:
Assessing body condition is an important step in the overall evaluation of a companion animal's nutritional well-being.
Particularly in cases where the dog appears to be obese or underweight, it is important to evaluate total health of the dog before a proper nutritional management program is selected. The following body condition charts help explain body condition terms.
