Feeding Your Dog

PUPPIES- When your puppy is very young, 8-12 weeks old, you will need to feed it four times a day. You can taper your puppy's feeding schedule gradually as it gets older. Puppies three to six months old require three meals a day. Twice a day feeding is optimal for puppies six months to one year old. After your dog celebrates its first birthday, the feeding schedule should diminish to one meal a day. For larger canines and dogs susceptible to bloating, you can feed them two smaller meals a day. The food you feed your dog or puppy should be premium dry food for a well balanced diet.

This may be combined with canned dog food, water or broth. Some dogs like a treat of people food to accompany their daily cuisine such as cooked eggs, fruits, cottage cheese and vegetables. Go easy on the people food with puppies as it can result in vitamin deficiencies, teeth and bone problems, obesity, picky eating habits and annoying table manners such as begging while owners are having dinner! You must always make sure your pup or dog has lots of clean water and wash your dog's food and water bowls regularly.

Puppies' nutritional needs are different than their adult dog counterparts. Choosing a puppy food that has good nutrition balance will ensure that your pup is getting the right amount of protein, calcium and the correct amount of calories. You should always check labels of dog and puppy food before buying and confirm that the first ingredient is meat and not meat by-products. When your puppy begins teething this may affect its eating habits and your puppy may not have much of an appetite. Don't panic, this is normal. Check with your veterinarian regarding breed types and feeding habits, some larger breeds require puppy food up to year two or when they have reached full maturity for nutritional reasons.

Your puppy will have a healthier and stronger digestive system and will not suffer maladies like upset stomach or diarrhea if you feed it the same food every day. Puppies' systems don't adjust well to change and it's a good idea to stick to the same schedule of feeding time on a daily basis. Even though your little loyal companion will look at you with sad and hungry puppy eyes, do your best not to give in and overfeed it. As your puppy grows, you will change its food to a new brand or flavor type. Doing this gradually by mixing some of the old food with the new food until you have transitioned your puppy over will help it adjust to the digestive changes that result from this change.

It is normal for puppies to experience some stomach upset problems and this is no cause for alarm if the symptoms go away within a day or two. Your puppy's appetite will change as it grows and it is a good idea to monitor the changes you see with your puppy. Contact your veterinarian if upset stomach or diarrhea occurs for a longer amount of time.