Feeding your puppy
Feeding your puppy the right puppy food is essential for his long-term good health. But first you'll need to know what makes good dog chow and what foods a puppy needs. Do you want a healthy, happy, bouncing puppy, who is always ready for a game and a cuddle? Then feed him good quality puppy food and give him a great start in life! On this page: How much should I be feeding my puppy and how often? Final words about feeding your puppy What should I feed my puppy?Your new puppy needs a diet that gives him all the nutrients required to grow quickly and healthily. What you are feeding your puppy now will have an effect on his overall health as an adult dog - just like feeding a child can determine how fit and healthy they are as a grown-up. Puppy food should include:
That sounds a lot like a human diet, doesn't it? Well, although the list of essential nutrients is similar, dogs are not humans and have different nutritional needs. Your puppy can't live on a human diet - any more than you can live on a dog's diet. To make sure your puppy gets the right nutrients in the right quantities, buy a premium puppy food - one that is designed especially for puppies. You can ask your vet or your breeder what sorts of food you should be feeding your puppy. Always get high quality food - you need to make sure you get the safest, healthiest puppy food from day one. There's more information about what goes into good quality dog food at Healthy Dog Food and you can find out about how to choose a good puppy food at Puppy Kibble. My own dogs were started on
Orijen Puppy Food Do I need to give my puppy supplements?If you are feeding your puppy with a 'complete food' designed specifically for puppies, it is unlikely you will need to give him any food supplements, such as extra vitamins or minerals. In fact, supplements could actually harm your dog because they cause an imbalance with the nutrients already in the complete foods. If your puppy has particular health problems, there may be a need for supplements but do speak to your vet before adding anything to his diet. How much should I be feeding my puppy and how often?If you have bought a premium dog food, use the quantities for feeding listed on the label as a guide to how much you should be feeding your puppy. The amount he needs will depend on
his age and breed (larger breed puppies will eat more than
smaller breeds). You can even get puppy food specially
designed for large breed puppies, such as the top quality Orijen Large Breed Puppy Food Remember not to overfeed: the habits you establish now will follow your puppy throughout his life. For good dog health, always feed a little less, not a little more. Puppies need more calories and nutrients than adult dogs and will need to be fed more often. Puppies under 6 months of age should be fed 3-4 meals a day - check with your vet, or read the label on the dog food packet to see how much you should feed at each time. Remember that puppies only have small stomachs and can't fit a lot in at one time. Remember too that at this stage of their lives, puppies need a good deal of energy and nutrients - but it's still important not to get into the habit of overfeeding them. You don't want to set your puppy up for a lifetime of weight problems! After the age of 6 months, you can decrease the number of meals you are feeding your puppy to two per day. This can then be the pattern of feeding for the rest of their lives. Most adult dogs will thrive better on two smaller meals per day, rather than one large one. What about bones?Some people would advise against feeding your puppy bones because the bones can splinter
and damage the animal's internal organs. Dogs can also choke on bits they chew
off. Bones can carry parasites, and bones left lying around or dug up after
being buried can give dogs food poisoning. However, a raw, meaty bone will help to keep your puppy's teeth clean, keep him occupied for hours and provide useful protein and minerals that won't interfere with his complete food. But there are some rules to follow if you want to give your dog bones:
Choose a bone that is appropriate to your dog's size. Small dogs may like a chicken wing but they can splinter and cause problems for larger dogs. Chicken necks may be a safer choice. Lamb necks, lamb shanks and beef spare ribs are all good choices for all sizes of dogs. You can also use rawhide bones, which are bone-shaped twists of dry cow hide, and other safe chew toys. These have the advantage that they can be left around for the dog and they don't make a greasy mess like a meaty bone! Final words about feeding your puppyMore puppy care at PuppyPrimer.comThere's a vast amount of information about puppy food available to research nowadays. It's almost as well covered as human food! Although your dog should not eat a human diet (just look at the list in What NOT to feed your puppy), he should still eat high quality, human grade food that is free from pesticides, preservatives and additives, and that is full of energy and nutrients. So do your puppy a great big favour! By feeding your puppy premium food, you'll give him the best chance of a long, healthy life. Return to the top of Feeding Your Puppy Go back to New Puppy Care |
