Why does my 4-month-old puppy eat fast, have hard poop, and pee a lot?

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. It is pretty typical for puppies abdomens to look distended after eating whether they eat fast or not. It is more to do with the amount they are eating more than than the speed. Puppies abdomens can also be distended due to worms. If he has not been dewormed that should be done as soon as possible. Puppies should be dewormed every 3-4 weeks until they are 4 months old, then once monthly. That being said, eating fast is not good for them for other reasons. They can swallow a bunch of air which can cause bloat. So, I recommend you either feed him smaller, more frequent meals or get him a special bowl that will slow down his eating (see link). ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/search?query=slow%20feeder ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

No he's perfect. We are getting used to many dogs and cats being fat. His coat is shiny, he has a good waist and there is plenty of muscle over his spine. It does sound like he poops more than normal. I would try a higher calorie food. There may be excessive fiber in the food you are feeding causing that much poop. Gradually mix the new food with the old one over a week or so to prevent stomach upset. I'm pleased to see such a fit, active dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blue.

Congratulations on your new puppy! Mylo is adorable! From the photos, he looks like he is in good condition, however, he may actually be thinner than he appears because he is so fluffy. You should be able to feel his ribs and spine, but they should be covered by muscle and fat. Essentially, you should feel bones with a slight amount of pressure, but not when only running your hands over him. Loose feces is common in puppies, but should be evaluated by a vet. It can be caused by intestinal parasites, inappropriate or quick diet changes, I recommend having Mylo seen by a vet as soon as possible, you can bring a fecal sample with you in a disposable container so your vet can test for parasites. Regarding Mylo's biting, this is very common in puppies as they are teething. It is a behavior that is undesirable and can be trained out. When Mylo bites, I recommend ignoring him and stopping what you are doing. This will let him know that the behavior is unacceptable, and that he can only have your attention when he is not biting. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Toby. He is adorable! That is a lot to pee in a short period of time, and it may be a sign of an issues such as a UTI. I'd have him seen by a vet for this behavior. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Beuno. Stool problems in young dogs are most commonly caused by parasites or diet. I recommend having his veterinarian perform in depth stool testing to assess for parasites or other causes of gastrointestinal infections. If there is nothing found, then you may need to consider a diet change. I would recommend a prescription gastrointestinal diet that is formulated for use in puppies such as Purina Veterinary Diet EN. This is a highly digestible diet and many times can resolve the symptoms. You need to be careful with grain free diets as some have been associated with heart disease. They also tend to be quite high in carbohydrates which can lead to weight gain over time. I hope this information helps!

Hello, thank you for your question about Teddy. It is possible that Teddy doesn't have the urge to drink water because he is already getting lots of liquid in his diet from the milk. It is also possible that the milk is leading to the change in consistency of his feces. I would recommend trying to lower the amount of milk and see if he will eat rice mixed with water or ground chicken. If his feces continue to be watery I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian to look for an underlying health problem! Hope this helps!

Hiccups are very normal in puppies, so I wouldn't be concerned about this :) If you think he is eating too fast, you can try putting his food in a puzzle toy like a Kong or a Kibble Nibble so that he has to eat more slowly - this is also a great way to keep puppies busy and give them something fun to do. Puppy training should be very positive with lots of rewards and short training sessions - Yogi is just a baby, so his attention span is going to be very short at this age. Use treats to show him what you want him to do, then praise and reward when he gets it right. Puppy proof your home to keep things out of his reach that he shouldn't have, and make sure he has lots of appropriate items to chew on - things like bully sticks, cow or pig ears, or rawhide chews are great for this. Puppies don't understand the concept of "doing wrong" - they only know that you're angry, and they act scared and submissive because they're frightened. So focus on showing him what you want him to do, and prevent him from making mistakes by managing the environment. If you have specific questions about how to teach him to do certain things, feel free to post another question with more details - we would be happy to try and help.