Puppyhood is a time of rapid growth and development. As a result, puppies require different levels of nutrients than older dogs, as well as a difference in the frequency of their meals and amount of food being offered. Their nutritional needs continue to evolve during the first year or two of life. Before your puppy comes home, do your due diligence and select a food for your puppy.
Choosing a Puppy Food
Due to their special nutritional needs for growth, puppies should only receive a puppy food formulated for growth for at least the first year of life. Giant breed dogs may even continue to require a large breed puppy food until they are two years old, as they take longer to reach full maturity. Dog food manufacturers offer special formulas for puppies and often specifically for large breed puppies, for whom the protein, calcium and phosphorus levels are more critical.
With the ever-increasing options of brands and specific formulas, it can be overwhelming to walk into a pet store. Remember that not all puppy foods are created equally and the cost of the food is not necessarily indicative of its quality. Learn to understand at least the basics of pet food labels as a way of comparing foods and look for foods that follow the guidelines set forth by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and conduct feeding trials following the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) guidelines. If any questions arise, your veterinarian is your best resource for making specific diet recommendations for your individual puppy.
There are three forms of commercially produced dog foods: dry kibble, semi-moist and moist canned foods. Most pet owners opt to feed dry food due to the benefits of its cost and convenience, although canned foods are also a viable alternative. Semi-moist foods are rarely recommended due to the high sodium and sugar content present. But which is best for your puppy? It will depend on your lifestyle, budget and the preference of your puppy.
Bringing Home a Puppy
For the first few days after a new puppy comes home, it is a good idea to continue feeding the same type and brand of puppy food that the puppy was eating before coming home. After a few days, slowly start to offer the food that you have chosen. Pets need to be switched to a new food slowly and gradually over at least five to seven days to prevent intestinal upset. For example, make a mixture that contains 25% of the new food and 75% of the old food, and feed that for several days. Then make it a 50-50 mixture for several days, then 75% new food to 25% old food for several more days. After that, start feeding new food exclusively. If at any time your puppy starts vomiting, has loose stools or appears constipated, slow the food transition process.
Table Scraps and Treats
As hard as it can be to say no to your puppy’s big brown eyes, it is best to adopt a tough love approach when it comes to avoiding table scraps. Table scraps are typically higher in calories than dog treats and often lack the nutrients needed by growing puppies. Offering table scraps can pose life-long problems, such as weight gain, gastrointestinal problems or unbalancing the diet. Feeding dogs from the table reinforces the bad habit of begging, which can be a difficult habit to break.
Treats should never account for more than 10% of any dog’s caloric intake, which is not much in toy breeds. Your puppy's food is their sole source for the nutrition needed, so do not 'fill up' your puppy on treats before meal time. Treats can be used during training to reward good behavior, but be careful not to overdo it. Instead of using treats during training, many puppy owners opt to give puppy kibble as a reward. If you decide to go this route, be aware of how much food your dog consumes during a training session so that their meals can be adjusted accordingly.
Puppy Feeding Schedule
The puppy's feeding schedule will be somewhat dictated by your own personal schedule. In order to build good eating habits for the future, it is important to train your puppy to eat regular meals rather than free feeding with food left out at all times. Feeding times should be supervised and should occur at roughly the same times every day. Feeding puppies on a set schedule helps puppies go to the bathroom more regularly, typically making housetraining easier and faster.
Puppies under six months of age should be fed three or four times per day. After six months of age, most puppies may be fed twice daily. It is particularly important to offer frequent meals in toy breed puppies. Being so tiny, these puppies can have more difficulty regulating their blood glucose (sugar) than larger puppies. Low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) can cause serious problems, such as seizures, low blood pressure or even death in puppies.
Make it a habit to give the puppy some quiet time after a meal. Do not let children romp and play with them for the first hour or so after eating. Make it a habit to take your puppy outside for a potty break after each meal.
How Much to Feed a Puppy
So, how much should a puppy eat? The amount of food given with each meal should not be solely dictated by what is on the back of the puppy food bag. The feeding chart on the bag of food provides a good starting point for how much a puppy should eat in a given day based upon their age and body weight. However, most puppies need to eat less food than what is listed on the bag, but a few may need more.
Adjust the amount fed to maintain your puppy at an optimal weight. The mathematical calculations that can more accurately determine an adult dog’s food requirements are not applicable to growing puppies. Your veterinarian can help you determine the proper amount to feed to keep your puppy at an optimal body condition.
Remember to have water available with or immediately following the meal.
Puppy Water Needs
Puppies may seem to drink large quantities of water. They need water and cannot be deprived of it. A dog or cat can lose almost all of their body fat and half of their protein mass (muscle) and still survive. However, if this same animal loses 15% of their body water, they will die. Water is the most important nutrient of all.
For dogs of any age that eat dry food, water is even more important to aid in digestion. Puppies also need more water per pound than adults do because they are growing. Growth comes through very active metabolism at the cellular level. These processes produce many wastes and by-products that are excreted into the blood. It requires plenty of water to carry these substances to and be flushed through the kidneys.
Providing fresh, clean water is important. Infectious agents and diseases, such as leptospirosis, Giardia, E. coli and Cryptosporidium can be transmitted through contaminated water sources. Providing fresh, clean water greatly reduces the risk of disease and therefore keeps your pup happy and healthy.