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puppy nutrition
You have a new hungry friend who’s dependent upon you for proper nutrition and health. Puppies grow fast and need to build strong muscles, teeth, bones, and maintaining seemingly boundless energy for playing especially during their most important first 5-6 months.
Puppy Or Adult Food
Adult dogs are grown and maintained, they are already developed. A puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. Puppies are growing and need the appropriate extra nutrients. Introduce small amounts of solid food while still nursing. Slightly moistening dry food at first. Limit treats to about 5% of your nutrition plan.
How Often to Feed
From weaning through four to six months a puppy needs to eat three times a day. Twice-a-day is acceptable after six months. The when depends upon you, dogs aren’t on a meal schedule like humans but do try to maintain consistent feeding times.
How Much Food
Comparing to an adult of the same breed, a puppy needs about twice as much puppy food. Fueling rapid growth requires a lot of calories. Puppies are growing fastest in the first 5-6 months. Address nutrition needs weekly. At about 5 months the most rapid growth period, your puppy should start to look lean. As a guide try reading labels on commercial puppy food based upon by puppy’s weight.
When evaluating dogs, veterinarians use a body conditioning score. The score ranges from 1 for emaciated to five for obese. Expect some baby fat up to about eight to ten weeks. After that time a relatively thin puppy should have a visible waist, abdominal tuck, and may have the backbone tops and ribs visible with no fat would be a score of two.
Picking The Best Food
Your veterinarian, your neighbor, family, and most everyone has a dog food recommendation. As do many industry officials. Read the labels closely to see what ingredients and amount of daily requirements are met. Use food labeled for “growth” or “all life stages” for puppies.
Mainly observe your dog’s health you should see a thick and shiny coat, on an energetic and playful pup. Feces should be firm indicating a lack of gastric distress and brown showing most nutrients are being digested. Food should be switched by intermixing when possible to avoid gastric distress.
“Hey, that smells like my bowl!”
Feeding table scraps and the possible dangerous ingredients in them, may cause pancreatitis or gastric distress, and train your puppy to beg at the table. Use healthy treats remembering the best treat in your puppy’s mind is your attention. Keep the calories low and size small.
Avoid Feeding (Not a Complete List)
Grapes, Raisins, Chocolate, Raw Bread Dough made with yeast, Avocados, Onions, Chives, Garlic, large amounts of Dairy Products, Cheese, Milk, Alcohol, Coffee, Caffeine, Salty foods, Potato Chips. Products that include Xylitol like Gum, Baked Goods, and Toothpaste.
Large Breed Puppies
Hip Dysplasia is more common in larger breeds. Partly due to genetics but influenced by nutrition and are more likely to develop skeletal problems later in life. Overfeeding large-breed dogs will more likely develop chronic joint or skeletal problems when they get older. Adding more fiber to the diet of large-breed puppies is common.
Studies suggest that a restricted-balanced-calorie diet in early development is less likely to develop hip joint arthritis later. Excessive calcium and phosphorus can contribute to skeletal problems. Designed for controlling growth puppy foods for larger breeds are lower in phosphorus and calcium.
Feed The Adult Food When Grown
Larger breeds finish growing at 90% of adult weight usually at 12 to 18 months. Smaller breeds may finish growing at 9 to 12 months and can switch then.
Your pup’s growth and long-term health are dependent upon your feeding and treat habits. A treat doesn’t have to be food. Love, attention, a good rub, and talking work well too. Know what your dog is eating. Observe Pup’s health and determine what is best for your pup as it grows into an adult.
Mostly, get to know and enjoy your furry friend. Choose your brand, add to it or make your own, it’s up to you to do your best. The pup will be happy to help!
SD Hicks
Nutrition is an important start to a long healthy life. Keep your BFF healthy, they depend on us for their care. Nice article.