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Old 12-09-2010, 11:40 AM  
WarChild
Let slip the dogs of war.
 
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bermuda
Posts: 17,263
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiopa_Matt View Post
We have a little 7 week old lab, he's depressed out of his mind, and I feel really bad for the little guy. He just mopes around, totally depressed all day, everyday. I'm not sure what to do.

Tried to give him loads of different types of food, but just won't eat. Only eats barely enough to keep himself alive. I try to play with him lots, but he doesn't care, and will just sulk instead. Our house is very clean, and he has loads of room to run around and play, has lots of toys & stuffed animals, etc.

Took him to the vet, and he checks out fine. We check him once a day, and he doesn't have any ticks or fleas. He's supposed to get a vaccination in a week once he's 2 months old, but I'm very hesitant to do that, because after our last puppy got vaccinated she become so weak it killed her.

I'm not sure what to do. His mama is just beside us, and only 5 feet away, so he gets to see her 2 or 3 times a day. A good friend took in two of the puppies, so he has two sisters just down the street he gets to play with 2 or 3 times a week, etc.

He's depressed out of his mind though, won't eat, and just mopes around all day. The only irregularity I can think of is that there's too many people coming in & out of my house all the time. There's always different people here hanging out, every single day. I'm thinking he doesn't feel as though he has a home, because there's no sense of normality for him. Would that make sense for a lab?

Or any other suggestions?
That's very strange.

Too many people should be a good thing rather than a bad thing for any puppy really. Dogs are social animals and usually like to interact with other people and pets. A puppy, especially, should be curious about the World and the people around him.

I suppose it COULD be seperation anxiety that's presenting in a strange way. Do you keep the puppy with you through out the day or is he kept alone or outside for large portions of the day?

Not eating is usually a very serious sign in dogs. It's often an indicator of pain or sickness. I would take the puppy to another Vet if I were you. Look for a younger female vet. Someone who finished Vet school in the last say 5 years (as opposed to say 25 years ago). The behavior is abnormal and has pointers to being medical not psychological.

P.S. - Don't be silly. Get the puppy all of his vaccines. It's silly not to.
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