Name
Feeding
Guidelines for New Puppies
Short Description
Feeding Guidelines for New Puppies
Affected Animals: Puppies.
Description: Deciding
on what, how much, and how often to feed are the key questions
that need to be addressed by the primary caretakers of
a new puppy. Before introducing a puppy to a new household,
owners should find out the type of food the animal has
been fed, as well as its feeding schedule. Providing a
similar diet will help ease the transition to the home
environment.
Dog foods are available as canned or dry products. Most veterinarians
recommend feeding a dry growth product because this type
of dog food is less expensive than canned foods and the crunchy
kibble helps to minimize tartar build-up. Canned products,
however, are more palatable and can be used as periodic treats
during puppy training. In addition to the extra cost, canned
products must be covered and stored in the refrigerator once
the can has been opened.
Dog food products made specifically for puppies should
be nutritious and should promote growth; look for the words "complete
and balanced" on the label. Complete and balanced products
contain all the necessary nutrients, in appropriate amounts,
for young, growing dogs. Owners should also check the label
for the Association of American Feed Control Officials' claim,
which confirms that the product has been tested in animal
feeding trials.
For puppies less than 16 weeks of age, offering small meals
three or four times each day may ease the transition to the
new home. In addition, by feeding a meal every few hours,
owners will have more opportunities to observe the animal's
food intake and to train it to eliminate outdoors directly
after each meal. Once the animal is six months old, the feeding
schedule can be gradually shifted from the multiple daily
feedings to two meals of equal portions, given in the morning
and in the evening.
In considering where to feed the puppy, owners should take
into consideration how they plan to manage training and housebreaking,
and whether there are additional pets or children in the
household. Some feeding places include a kennel, the garage,
the kitchen, the bedroom, or even beside the owner's chair
in the living room.
Some puppies do very well when food is made available all
the time -- an approach called ad libitum or free choice
feeding. However, many young dogs tend to overeat with this
method, and the extra weight they carry as puppies can lead
to health problems as they get older. Feeding instructions
listed on pet food packages offer reasonable recommendations
to follow for about two weeks with the initiation of the
diet; after that, owners should adjust the quantity of food
provided at each meal based on the animal's body condition.
A puppy with good body condition should have an hour-glass
shape when viewed from the aerial view, or from above. In
contrast, a puppy that is overweight will not have any definition
or shape around the midsection. Owners can assess body condition
by running their hands over the dog's ribcage to feel the
ribs. The ribs should be distinguishable by palpation, but
not visible. The animal may be too thin if the ribs can be
seen; if so, the owner should increase the total calorie
intake. However, if there is too much fat over the rib cage,
and the puppy's ribs cannot be distinguished, the total amount
of calories allowed should be reduced.
Most puppy owners want to feed treats or snacks of some kind,
and there are several commercial pet treats available in
grocery stores, pet specialty shops, and even on the Internet.
The use of treats as rewards during training is appropriate,
but the portions should be small because most treats, snacks,
and human scraps fed to puppies are a source of extra calories.
To avoid problems such as obesity and diarrhea, treats and
snacks of all kinds should not make up more than 10 percent
of the puppy's total caloric intake; this guideline applies
to adult dogs as well.
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