Nutrition for your Puppy

This article focuses on some of the nutritionalespecially in larger breed dogs. This varies of
foundations needed to insure your puppy growscourse and should be discussed with the vet and
into a healthy adult.breeder.
The mother's milk provides the puppy with all theThere are many commercial pet foods available
nutrients and antibodies he needs for the firstfor puppies and the quality of these foods vary.
four weeks of life. You can introduce moistenedNormally the higher quality foods cost more as
puppy kibble around the age of four weeks. Thisthey use higher quality ingredients and less fillers.
will be introduced to the puppy as he continues toThis means your puppy will be able to get more
nurse. You may feed the puppy his kibble twice anutrients while consuming less food. During a
day as long as he is still getting enough of hispuppy's growing stage is not the time to try to
mother's milk. Whenever he gives up his nursing,save money on cheaper pet food or to feed
which will be around the age of seven to eightyour puppy table scraps. A quality puppy food will
weeks, his dry food feeding will increase. It is stillhave all the necessary vitamins, proteins and
advisable to moisten his dry food with warmnutrients the animal needs. Also, it is not
water for a few weeks until he has adjusted.necessary to give your puppy extra vitamins or
Unless your breeder or vet advises, it is notsupplements if the animal is on a quality pet food
necessary to add canned puppy food to yourunless your vet advises you to do so. Along with
puppy's dry kibble. The dry puppy kibble isquality puppy food make sure your puppy has
sufficient as long as you use a high quality puppyfresh water at all times.
food.Large breed puppies actually need less calories
Giving your puppy the right nutrition will provideand calcium in their diets. A puppy who consumes
him a healthy beginning for a healthy life. During atoo many calories and too much calcium may
puppy's first six months, he will need a highlydevelop joint problems. Large breed dogs have a
digestible diet consisting of more protein and fat.slower metabolic rate and actually reach their
A puppy is usually fed three to four small meals aadult weight later then smaller breed dogs. It is
day until he is about four months old. The amountessential that large breed puppies don't grow too
at each feeding will be determined by the brandfast or put on too much weight as puppies as this
of food and the advice of the breeder and yourcould cause developmental skeletal problems in
vet. It is very important not to over feed thelater life. Large breeds are usually kept on puppy
puppy as this may lead to problems later in theirfood longer then smaller breeds; sometimes from
life. Along with the vet, your breeder will be ableone year to eighteen months. Ask your vet or
to guide you on the proper feeding plan of yourbreeder when the large breed puppy should be
new puppy.switched to adult dog food.
When the puppy is four months old, you mayAs discussed before, table scraps are not
start feeding him three times a day. Once again,recommended for dogs. Any human food that
the amount of each feeding will be determined bycontains salt, sugar or other addictives may upset
many factors including brand of food, breeder andthe puppies or dogs gastro system. Animals don't
vet advice. Around nine months of age a puppy isneed salt or sugar in their diet and human food is
fed twice a day. Some vets recommend feedingloaded in these ingredients.
a puppy once a day when they reach a year inGood nutrition for your puppy is the stepping
age. There are some who think you shouldstone to a healthy, happy dog. A well cared for
continue feeding a dog twice a day; just feedpuppy is easier to train and will make an obedient
them smaller amounts in the morning and evening.and trusted member of the family.
This will help avoid gastro-intestinal problems,