puppy feeding schedule

Question
hello. can you plese tell me a basic feeding/pooping schedule for my new 2 month old puppy if i want to crate train her from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. (i believe i can get someone to visit at 12 and let her out for a while)?

Answer
Puppies eat several times a day, but usualy not a lot at a time. As the dog matures, it begins to eat more food per meal. Their natural habitat usually there is 1 meal per day. At 2 months the little critter likely wants 4-5 meals per day. Typically the puppie should be with the mother dog until 11-12 weeks old. Solid (dry) food can be introduced around week 5-6 and it helps to use a little can food (wet) mixed in until 12 weeks.

Typically we have the dogs out int he AM before breakfast, then while out, prepare the food, and then let them in to eat. When they finish food and water, back out for potty.  We repeat the process so the dog associates ingest with potty. As needed additional noon feeding. No food after 6 PM. With some dogs we have a 4 am potty until their organs mature and they have good control. Potty too often never develops the control necessary to get a good daily routine.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Henry Ruhwiedel
Westwind Kennels LLC