just got my 1st puppy...couple questions...please help

[Curtislj]

I just brought home a 3 month old puppy who was born on christmas day so i named her Noel..

Noel was just taken from her mother so i figured she would be scared and shy. she wont eat a bite and barely moves at all she walks very weary...how long should i expect his kind of behavior and how should i make her feel at home??

[chocolatepuppy]

Congrats on your new puppy! A three month old puppy should not be acting like that! She should eat and be running around. Please take her to the vet.

[Nikko]

Congrats on the new puppy, I love the name, very cute! How long have you had her? I don't think I would bring her to the vet just because she hasn't eaten yet. Now if it's been a few days and hasn't eaten enough for even one day then I would probably consider it. When we first got our dog she was almost 4 months old and acting very much the same way. We had to try many different dog food samples until we finally found something she would eat. I refused to feed her what the previous owner was....mainstay....bleh! She was also extremely terrified and would cry all through the night for quite a few days. Eventually she warmed up to us and now she eats like a horse and can't stand to be away from us. I think that the previous owners husband abused her before we adopted her because she is still very scared of men, no matter what their size is. I also think she was abused with water because she is so scared of it. Bathing her is a nightmare! She's getting a lot better, it just takes time. I hope that I've helped you and that she eats really soon! You definitely need to share some pics though!

[chocolatepuppy]

Hmm, I've had 7 puppies since I've been an adult and never had one not eat or not move around.
Regardless, any new puppy should be taken to the vet asap for a check up. JMHO.

[Dragonrain]

Maybe it just depends on the puppy. Not all animals react the same way to the same situations.

But I would take her to the vet anyways, I always take any new pet in just for a check up. It's good to have a vet that knows them, has their information on file, and that you like, so you don't have to go crazy searching for a vet when you really need one.

[marmilla]

My puppies are the worst eaters ever, but pretty active. My younger pup was born on Christmas day too! You can try hand feeding her at first, sometimes that works. I've also read that letting your pup sleep with a shirt you have worn or a blanket you use can be comforting because of smell. I would keep things relatively calm for her though.

If you are concerned about health, some signs that something is something "wrong" are: unkempt fur, gooey eyes, red eyes, excessive drool, very drippy or dry nose, etc. Going to the vet with a new puppy is a good idea. Sometimes they can have worms or other health issues that the vet can take care of pretty easy. It would also be good to ask about heartworm preventative and flea/tick treatment medicine. Flea season is coming up (in Oregon at least!)

Congrats on the new addition!