Hello from Hawaii!

[IssyCullen316]

[b][color=#BF00BF][color=#804080]Hey everyone!

My name is Isabel & my husband is Matt, we are both 24 years old and currently living in Hawaii. My husband has been in the US. Army for 4 years, I have been a paramedic for 5 and I am in school to be an RN. We have been married a little less than a week and are very excited for the years to come.

My husband has always wanted a Pit Bull and for about a year and a half has been asking at least twice a month if we could get one. The truth is that I have never owned a Pit Bull. My father was a narcotics officer and I grew up with German Shepherds & Dobermans. I needed to know as much about the breed, their temperament, their health issues, their relationship with children as I could. Needless to say, there is a LOT of information out there & most of it is wrong. I became extremely sad at the horrible reputation these sweet natured creatures have acquired because of selfish, horrible, heartless owners who use them for profit or game. I figure the best place to get advice is from Pit Bull owners themselves!

A few days ago my husband and I were looking on the internet and found a beautiful litter, he didn't bother asking and I looked uninterested. Unbeknownst to him Id put the number in my phone and called the woman while he was at work. I spoke with the woman for 2 hours- I'm sure she was annoyed at the amount of questions I asked. The puppy is only 7 weeks old and I was worried she wouldn't be old enough to come home and be away from her momma. She assured me (10 or more times) she was. Puppy in hand I headed off to Petco and bought everything I thought she'd need crate to food to toys and vitamins.

When my husband saw our pretty little girl he was ecstatic to say the least. We ended up naming her Keira (Key-Rah). I was worried about her first night because it would be her first time away from her littermates and her mom but I am so happy to report that, although, at first she was not a fan of her crate she whined only a few times. I kept waking up every 2 hours to take her out and she held it every time 'til we got outside. This morning we woke up and I tried to feed her but it seems she doesn't want to eat....She had a few bites and then wouldn't eat anymore that worries me a bit. Any advice?

I am so proud of out little girl and cannot wait to watch her grow as she socializes with other pups, develops her very own personality and adjusts to her forever home. <3

thank y'all for taking the time to read a bit about us.
Hope to get to know you all better through this forum!

Matt, Isabel & Keira[/color][/color][/b]

[bully480]

Socialization is the key, get her to meet as many people as possible and once she has all her puppy shots meet as many other trusted dogs and even cats as possible. Dogs just like people can be picky eaters and if she was still nursing when you took her she could not be used to eating regular food you may need to try and different food if she doesnt take to it after awhile, try and feed her premium food high in protein.

[IssyCullen316]

Socialization is the key, get her to meet as many people as possible and once she has all her puppy shots meet as many other trusted dogs and even cats as possible. Dogs just like people can be picky eaters and if she was still nursing when you took her she could not be used to eating regular food you may need to try and different food if she doesnt take to it after awhile, try and feed her premium food high in protein.

Thank you! We have her on Natural Balance Potato & Duck formula. I got a bit of wet and a bit of dry I tried mixing it and she seems to like that better. Her breeder told me she was on dry food. Hopefully I will be able to wean her off the wet and have her on dry in a few weeks. I want her to love all animals and especially children, I agree socializing her is so important and I cant wait for all her shots to be done!

Thanks again!

[OffRoad]

Is the dog food too hard for her? My last baby I cooked for. He loved chicken mixed with rice (he liked the chicken more than rice and would pick chicken out first and eat rice last). I boil rice with a finely chopped carrot (enough to last for 4 meals). I would cook it in homemade chicken broth. It's super easy to make and takes no effort. Take any kind of dark meat chicken on the bone, thighs, drumsticks, even wings. Lightly boil 2 pounds chicken in 10 cups water for 1.5 hours. It makes the best broth. I gaurentee, even if she won't eat solid food, she will eat that. And you can use that broth to cook rice. You can shred the meat and feed her that.

The more sensitive her stomach, the less ingredients. Start with broth, then add a little rice and chicken meat. Then add in her dog food when she eats more.

I am a big believer in natural food. Even if you don't want to cook for her, you can warm her food in broth to make it easier to chew.

Think of what is easy to digest for a baby.

[AllisonPitbullLvr]

Is the dog food too hard for her? My last baby I cooked for. He loved chicken mixed with rice (he liked the chicken more than rice and would pick chicken out first and eat rice last). I boil rice with a finely chopped carrot (enough to last for 4 meals). I would cook it in homemade chicken broth. It's super easy to make and takes no effort. Take any kind of dark meat chicken on the bone, thighs, drumsticks, even wings. Lightly boil 2 pounds chicken in 10 cups water for 1.5 hours. It makes the best broth. I gaurentee, even if she won't eat solid food, she will eat that. And you can use that broth to cook rice. You can shred the meat and feed her that.

The more sensitive her stomach, the less ingredients. Start with broth, then add a little rice and chicken meat. Then add in her dog food when she eats more.

I am a big believer in natural food. Even if you don't want to cook for her, you can warm her food in broth to make it easier to chew.

Think of what is easy to digest for a baby.

This is not a balanced diet for a growing puppy.

OP, 7 weeks is too early to be taken from the litter so I'm sure she's having a rough time adjusting. Did you get proof of vaccines? Is she bright and active or quiet and lethargic? How are her bowel movements? Any vomiting? Puppies shouldn't go very long without eating so if she hasn't had a decent meal yet, (and even if she has) its never a bad idea to have her checked over by a vet post-purchase.

[IssyCullen316]

Is the dog food too hard for her? My last baby I cooked for. He loved chicken mixed with rice (he liked the chicken more than rice and would pick chicken out first and eat rice last). I boil rice with a finely chopped carrot (enough to last for 4 meals). I would cook it in homemade chicken broth. It's super easy to make and takes no effort. Take any kind of dark meat chicken on the bone, thighs, drumsticks, even wings. Lightly boil 2 pounds chicken in 10 cups water for 1.5 hours. It makes the best broth. I gaurentee, even if she won't eat solid food, she will eat that. And you can use that broth to cook rice. You can shred the meat and feed her that.

The more sensitive her stomach, the less ingredients. Start with broth, then add a little rice and chicken meat. Then add in her dog food when she eats more.

I am a big believer in natural food. Even if you don't want to cook for her, you can warm her food in broth to make it easier to chew.

Think of what is easy to digest for a baby.

This is not a balanced diet for a growing puppy.

OP, 7 weeks is too early to be taken from the litter so I'm sure she's having a rough time adjusting. Did you get proof of vaccines? Is she bright and active or quiet and lethargic? How are her bowel movements? Any vomiting? Puppies shouldn't go very long without eating so if she hasn't had a decent meal yet, (and even if she has) its never a bad idea to have her checked over by a vet post-purchase.

I have her on Natural Balance Potato and Duck formula I mix some wet with her dry and she is eating that, thankfully. I did get proof of vaccines but they gave her the first round at 5 weeks so when I made her appointment yesterday I made sure to let the Vet know that and we are starting rounds all over again. She is very playful and bright, she loves her chew toys and she growled and barked at my husband yesterday- it was actually kinda funny. Her bowls are pretty consistent. Ive actually been keeping a log since we brought her home. She potties every 2 hours unless she drinks water then she goes within 20 minutes of the consumption of the water. If she eats she has to go after about 30-45 minutes. It is solid and brown perhaps a bit dark- we are doing a stool sample at the vets just for my own piece of mind. No vomiting or diarrhea. She sleeps a lot but that's normal about ever 2 hours she gets tired so we play and potty and drink water and then it's off to nap land where she will sleep about 25-30 minutes then shes back at it. Last night was a little rough. her first night in her crate she was just fine- she whined maybe twice my husband or I would "shhh" her and she'd fall asleep. We woke up ever 2 hours to take her outside- alternating. Last night, however, was a bit harder she cried a lot and stood up in her crate whining wanting to see us, I finally grabbed my phone and opened pandora to "lullabye" radio....believe it or not- she passed out. woke up every 2 hours to potty but when she'd go back into her crate I'd turn on the music for 10-15 minutes and she'd be asleep again. She cries when she has to poop and pee so that's always a sign shes gotta go if it's between her usual 2 hours. Right now shes been asleep at my feet for about 15 minutes it's 8:15 am and we have had an eventful morning haha.

Is there any way to make the transition easier for her? I know she must miss her mom and litter mates

Thanks again!

[IssyCullen316]

Is the dog food too hard for her? My last baby I cooked for. He loved chicken mixed with rice (he liked the chicken more than rice and would pick chicken out first and eat rice last). I boil rice with a finely chopped carrot (enough to last for 4 meals). I would cook it in homemade chicken broth. It's super easy to make and takes no effort. Take any kind of dark meat chicken on the bone, thighs, drumsticks, even wings. Lightly boil 2 pounds chicken in 10 cups water for 1.5 hours. It makes the best broth. I gaurentee, even if she won't eat solid food, she will eat that. And you can use that broth to cook rice. You can shred the meat and feed her that.

The more sensitive her stomach, the less ingredients. Start with broth, then add a little rice and chicken meat. Then add in her dog food when she eats more.

I am a big believer in natural food. Even if you don't want to cook for her, you can warm her food in broth to make it easier to chew.

Think of what is easy to digest for a baby.

Thanks for the input- I think I may cook for her every now and again once she's older as a puppy I dont know what her exact nutritional needs are. I heard that Natural Balance and Blue and really good so we are trying out the Natural first. When I mix it with wet food she eats it fine- my husband put a little bit of water on the kibbles to soften them up and that helped her too but she doesn't seem to have too much trouble chewing. Sharp for some small teeth!!

Thanks again!!

[IssyCullen316]

bowels* wow -___- haha

[Curly_07]

Please be sure to read all stickies at the tops of each section prior to posting elsewhere. You may want to repost your questions about her eating and such in the Health section so that you get more input.