Archive for March, 2010
« Previous Entries |How To Feed Small Puppies
puppy feeding – don’t make it complicated!
When you have a new puppy, it’s hard to know where to begin. You have to figure out where he’ll sleep, Where he’s to stay when you’re not home, How to get him to go potty outside? How will you get him to come when called? How to give him a bath? And where to get him vaccinated? It’s all rather confronting, isn’t it?
One of the most immediate issues will be concerning puppy feeding. In this article we’ll cover what to feed your puppy , when to feed your puppy and in what quantity.
First of all, puppies should be with their mother until at least eight weeks old. Mom will know exactly what to feed him and when. Once the puppy is weaned from his mother and you bring him home, this is when your tour of duty starts.
Don’t make the mistake of feeding puppies adult dog food. Ensure the food contains meat as the main item. Skip the brands that list grains as the first few ingredients. Grains are unsuitable foods for puppies, grains may also cause his digestion to suffer.
When feeding small puppies, stick with puppy food for at least the first year. Most dogs should be ready for adult dog food after this time
A dog’s stomach usually doesn’t like a lot of changes and you may notice some diarrhea if you suddenly change foods. If you are going to change the brand or flavor, do it slowly by mixing the first brand with the second and increasing the second over a period of time so their stomach can handle it.
Puppy feeding needs to be regular – at least 3 times a day. After 2 months or so you can decrease feeds to 2 per day. Feed your puppy at the same times every day and be consistent with this.
Dog food packaging should list feeding amounts based on the dog’s weight. If you are unsure, or if it doesn’t seem right to you, ask your vet for their recommendation. Naturally you’ll want to give him enough so he grows and thrives, however too much food will cause weight gain rather than healthy growth.
Now you have the what, when, and how much as regards puppy feeding. If you have any problems, your vet’s office is just a phone call away.
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