Feeding schedule for 6 week old puppy: Creating a Puppy Feeding Schedule

Creating a Puppy Feeding Schedule

What can we help you find?

ArrowLeftRed
SearchRed
SearchClose

Back

Fueling your puppy’s way in the world, a few months at a time.

You have a new puppy. Maybe you adopted your little buddy or your dog gave birth. Either way, you have a fluffy little bundle of fur to feed (and feed properly). A puppy feeding schedule helps.

Just like human babies, how you feed your dog will have long-lasting consequences. “The feeding habits started as puppies will likely linger far into adulthood,” says Dr. Jennifer Koehl, veterinarian and writer of VMDiva. It is important to choose the type of food you want to feed your dog, whether it is dry canned or fresh.

It is also vital to start out with a feeding schedule. “Dogs thrive on predictability,” says Dr. Chris Bern, veterinarian and writer of A Vet’s Guide to Life. But it can’t be set in stone from day one. Like your puppy, the feeding schedule will grow.

Birth to 6 Weeks
The best food for newborn puppies is their mother’s milk. Be sure to start the mother on puppy food. “Not only does this give the mother extra nutrition,” says Dr. Bern. “But as the puppies begin to practice eating, they will sample their mother’s food, making transitioning to puppy food easier.”

If the mother is not around, feeding a newborn puppy becomes dicier. Several dog milk substitutes are available, so consult your veterinarian about the best options. At birth, puppies need to be fed every two hours. “Not only do they need constant feeding,” Dr. Bern warns. “But they also need help going to the bathroom.” The mother dog will lick each puppy’s genital region to stimulate the elimination. “People will need to use a warm washcloth to rub the puppy’s anal area to help it go to the bathroom,” Dr. Bern says.

6 Weeks to 4 Months
By six weeks, your puppy should be fully weaned and eating puppy food. At this age, your puppy feeding schedule should involve feedings two to four times a day, depending on the breed. Small breed puppies, like Yorkshire terriers, are prone to hypoglycemia and should have more food available during the first weeks. But don’t leave food out forever — it’s important to set meal times to help with housebreaking.

“Dogs will have colon contractions about 20 to 30 minutes after they eat,” Dr. Bern says. This gives you both the opportunity to make sure that he is outside. Refer to your puppy food for the correct amount of food for your dog’s breed or size. “The amount on the package will be the total amount your puppy should eat each day,” Dr. Bern advises. “Split that total amount into the number of feedings you are giving your dog.” For example, if you should give your puppy one cup of food and you have two feedings a day, you should measure out one half cup of food for each feeding.

4 to 8 Months
Your puppy is growing. In addition to more food, he should be able to go longer without eating. It’s also time to make sure that your puppy learns good mealtime manners. Never feed your dog from the table. “If your puppy begs for food, do not feel bad removing him from the dining area during mealtimes,” assures Dr. Koehl. It’s also important to teach your puppy how to eat. “Make sure that he sits and stays before you put his bowl down,” advises Dr. Bern. “Food motivation makes training easier.”

8 Months to 1 Year
During the final months of puppyhood, your dog should be down to an adult feeding schedule — one to two times a day. By the time your dog is a year old, she is ready for adult food. To make the change, start by adding a small amount of adult food to your puppy’s meal. Add more adult food every day as you cut the amount of puppy food until you are feeding only adult chow. Again, follow package instructions to determine how much to feed your pup.

When to Worry
Your puppy should be bright eyed, active and eager to eat. If your pet ever appears listless or refuses to eat, seek a veterinarian immediately, as a feeding adjustment may be necessary.

Have a new pup to name? Check out 51 Unique Dog Names! 

Shellie Braeuner, is an award-winning children’s author. She earned an M.Ed from Vanderbilt in Human Developmental Counseling and has worked as a nanny for more than 25 years

Like what you’re reading?

Join Care for FREE

Email

Please enter a valid email address

Click ‘Next’ to start an account and get tips, tricks and trending stories.

Already Registered

The email address you entered is already registered. Would you like to log in?

Log in

Almost done!

Join Care for FREE

Create a free account to access our nation wide network of background checked caregivers.

First Name

Please enter first name

Last Name

Please enter last name

Zip Code

Please enter a valid zip code

By clicking “Join now,” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Welcome to Care!

You’re on your way to finding someone your family will love.

Start now

Puppy Feeding Fundamentals: Timeline for Puppy Feeding

Walk down the dog food aisle of any large pet-supply store, or peruse the shelves at a boutique pet-food shop, and you can quickly become overwhelmed. This is especially true for puppy owners, and probably even more so for first-time puppy owners. When did it get so complicated? Back in the day, dog food options were far more limited, and even responsible dog owners didn’t worry too much about what went into their dog’s dish.

The process may now be somewhat more involved, but that’s a good thing. Higher quality ingredients with better sourcing and specialized diet formulas lead to overall better health for our puppies. And every bit as important as what to feed your puppy is having an understanding of his special nutritional needs.

All puppies are different, so if you have any concerns or questions about your puppy’s food, feeding schedule, or nutritional health, always consult your breeder or veterinarian—that’s what they’re there for.

Many puppy owners wonder, “How long should I feed puppy food?” Here is a general timeline for what your puppy needs at each stage of his first year of life.

Feeding Your Puppy: A First-Year Timeline

• 6–12 weeks: Growing pups should be fed puppy food, a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients. Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands. Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks; small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks.
• 3–6 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day. A pup should be losing her potbelly and pudginess by 12 weeks. If she is still roly-poly at this age, continue to feed puppy-size portions until body type matures.
• 6–12 months: Begin feeding twice daily. Spaying or neutering lowers energy requirements slightly; after the procedure, switch from nutrient-rich puppy food to adult maintenance food. Small breeds can make the switch at 7 to 9 months; bigger breeds at 12, 13, even 14 months. Err on the side of caution: Better to be on puppy food a little too long than not long enough.
• After age 1: Most owners feed adult dogs two half-portions a day.

How much food should I give my puppy?

There’s a saying in canine feeding: Watch the dog, not the dish. Body condition, not the amount eaten or left in the bowl, should determine portion sizes. Portion sizes depend on individual metabolism and body type, and nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. If your puppy occasionally skips a meal or picks at food, don’t worry. It could mean she is ready to eliminate a feeding or that you have given her too much, in which case simply reduce the quantity served.

Also, if you are doing treat-based training with your pup, adjust the amount you feed at mealtime accordingly. Whenever training with treats, keep the treat as small as possible.

How often should I feed my puppy?

Like human babies, puppies start out needing many small meals a day, of a food formulated for their special nutritional requirements. Most, but not all, dogs finish meals quickly. To discourage picky habits, feed at regular times in regular amounts and don’t leave food down for more than 10 to 20 minutes.

Your breeder will be an excellent source of guidance for both of these questions, as will your vet.

Is it worth it to buy expensive puppy food?

Premium dog food has higher nutritional density, so you can feed your dog less to achieve the same results. Also, premium foods have stable ingredient profiles; the composition of bargain brands can vary from batch to batch.

The major dog-food companies invest heavily in product development and research, constantly upgrading formulas to keep up with their competitors. This means that feeding premium food puts you on the cutting edge of canine nutrition.

Dry food, wet food, or both?

Many pet-food companies have worked with canine-nutrition scientists to develop special formulas for both large- and small-breed puppies.

• Canned food is the most expensive to feed, and dogs often find it most palatable. Be careful of “all-meat” claims, though. Your dog should have a complete, balanced diet to fulfill nutritional requirements. Meat alone may not do it.
• Semi-moist food is available in one-serving packets. It is usually made to look like hamburger.
• Kibble is the most economical, and the major makers offer a complete and balanced diet for dogs of all sizes and ages. Dry food can be fed exactly as it comes from the bag.

Some dog owners say there is an oral-hygiene advantage in hard kibble because the friction produced helps to keep the gums and teeth healthy. Kibble can be moistened, either with water or canned food. Although unnecessary, that addition may make food tastier.

Food for Big Puppies & Little Puppies

There are differences between the nutritional needs of small-breed and large-breed dogs, and that is especially true for puppies. Adult dogs who weigh less than 20 pounds are considered small-breed dogs. These puppies grow quickly and may reach adulthood by 9 months. Large-breed puppies (20 pounds and up), grow more slowly—it takes anywhere from 15 to 24 months to reach full size and maturity.

• Best food for small-breed dogs
• Best food for large-breed dogs 

Chart Your Puppy’s Weight and Growth

• There are growth-and-weight charts available in print and online. Weigh the puppy weekly and record his progress, comparing him to breed-appropriate weight charts. Adjust his food intake to achieve an average rate of growth.
• Weighing a dog, even a squirming puppy, is easy. Just weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the puppy. Subtract the difference—that’s the puppy’s weight. Voila!
• Don’t worry about an ounce or two either way; no two dogs, even within breeds, are built exactly alike.
• A young dog carrying too much weight has an increased risk of orthopedic problems, due to stress on immature joints. Obesity can also lead to diabetes, diseases of the heart and other organs, and general lethargy.

My puppy is begging! Should I feed him people food or table scraps?

One little French fry will invariably lead to another, and another. Before long, an obese dog will be crowding you off the love seat. Also, a steady diet of table scraps can create a nutritional imbalance, and certain ingredients and spices in your favorite dishes can cause upset stomach in dogs.

The pleading gaze of a begging dog can be irresistible. This is no accident. During his long partnership with man, the dog has perfected cunning methods of exploiting the human habit of associating food with affection. In prehistoric times semi-domesticated canines first cultivated human beings as a food provider. As the two species grew closer, dogs modified begging behaviors to maximize results: The more pathetic a dog seemed, the more scraps were tossed his way. Dogs have since refined this approach into a low-risk, high-reward hunting technique.

But don’t be fooled: Begging is not an emotional crisis or a test of your love. It’s what scientists might call an evolutionary survival strategy, or what the rest of us might call a scam. Allowing your dog to guilt you into overfeeding him, or serving him a steady diet of table scraps in a misguided show of affection, can have harmful or even fatal results.

Puppy Feeding Tidbits

• Feeding your pup the moment you get home may encourage puppy separation anxiety. Play or grooming is a more positive way to say hello.
• When medically necessary, you can purchase canned or dry prescription diets from veterinarians to feed dogs with kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious conditions. These foods should never be fed without a prescription.
• Some vitamin or mineral supplements, when utilized incorrectly (such as extra calcium given to a large-breed dog on a good diet), will do more harm than good.
• Before making a major change in your dog’s diet, consult with your veterinarian and, when possible, the breeder. Once the formula is chosen, stick with it. Sudden changes in food may cause digestion problems.
• Small portions of carrot or apple chunks are healthful low-calorie snacks most dogs love.
• Fresh water should be available at all times. During the summer months, consider setting up multiple indoor/outdoor water stations. To avoid a buildup of bacteria, wash the water bowl daily.

How to Switch from Puppy Food to Adult Food

When switching from puppy food to adult food, you should make the switch gradually over a period of a few days. A sudden change in your dog’s diet may cause stomach upset. Talk to your veterinarian about the best food for your puppy.

Puppy Feeding Advice

Make sure everyone gets with the program

Your entire household must be committed to your dog’s feeding regimen. If there’s a soft touch for a handout in your family, your dog will find it and exploit it, thus undoing the good you are trying to do. Keeping a dog trim takes a conscious effort from everyone on your team.

Give a dog a bone? Careful!

Our best advice here is caution. Poultry and pork bones, or cooked bones of any kind, are strictly forbidden. They splinter into shards that can cause choking and serious damage to the dog’s mouth, throat, or intestines. Any bone, in fact, once chewed into small pieces, can block the intestines and lead to a nasty bout of constipation, can cause lacerations of the mouth and internal organs, or can lodge in the throat with fatal results. It is important to note that bones have little if any nutritional value.

There are other ways to satisfy a dog’s craving to chew. Commercially available chew toys and simulated bones are made for dogs of all sizes.

As the famous food writer M.F.K. Fisher wrote, “First we eat. Then we do everything else.” This is true for our pups, too.

Need help with your adorable new puppy? Training your dog can be challenging without expert help. That’s why we’re here to help you virtually, through AKC GoodDog! Helpline. This live telephone service connects you with a professional trainer who will offer unlimited, individualized advice on everything from house-training to behavioral issues.

Puppy Feeding Guidelines | Schedule & Tips

Hello, I am rescuing my first puppy next Monday. She’ll be 11.5 weeks when we get her, and I’ve never had a dog that young. The people fostering her are feeding her litter 3/4 cup twice a day.

She’s an Australian shepherd/great pyrenees/golden retriever mix. I keep reading mixed things about feeding them twice or three times a day. Which do you recommend?

And if it is three times a day, given that she’s almost three months old, how much would you feed her each time? I have an appointment with a vet on that Friday, but wanted to ask you what you thought, hoping to get an answer before I pick her up.

Thanks so much in advance! I’m really excited to take on this challenge, But it’s also a little nerve-wrecking to not know how much to feed her exactly?
-Michele Solano

Read Dr. Kristy Conn’s Advice:

Congratulations on your newest four-legged addition to your family. I understand the excitement and trepidation that comes with bringing home a furry ball of joy. You want to do right by her and that includes making sure she is getting the correct amount of nutrition. This is a popular time of year for bringing home puppies so I’d like to take the opportunity to review basic puppy feeding guidelines for the first year of life while covering your question which may also answer any future questions you or other readers may have.

First 6 to 8 Weeks

During the first six to eight weeks of life the puppy should stay with the mother and be allowed to nurse ad-lib. It is especially important they nurse from the mother. The mother’s milk provides the best nutrition and provides antibodies to help protect your puppy from disease. Sometimes it is not possible to keep a puppy with the mother for the first eight weeks such as when the mother develops eclampsia or mastitis. In these situations milk replacers and bottles especially designed for puppies can be found at any major pet store.

Weaning Your Puppy to Solid Food

Weaning your puppy to solid food should not be an overnight endeavor but should ideally take place over the course of two to three weeks. First select the brand of puppy food you intend to feed. Puppies have high caloric and nutritional needs and so the food selected should be a high quality brand of puppy food. Talk to your veterinarian for specific recommendations but generally the best puppy foods will be a good source of protein, calcium and calories.

Starting around four to six weeks of age begin introducing your puppy to puppy food by making a gruel by blending the puppy food with milk replacer. Offer the gruel three to four times a day gradually reducing the amount of milk replaced used to make the gruel. This way your puppy gradually learns to adapt to solid food and gastric upset is minimized. By around eight weeks of age your puppy should be eating solid food.

How Often to Feed Your Pup

Puppies should be fed three to four times a day therefore if you are currently feeding ¾ a cup of puppy food twice a day you should consider spacing it out by feeding ½ cup three times a day.

Smaller meals are easier to digest for the puppy and energy levels don’t peak and fall so much with frequent meals. At around six months you may start feeding twice a day for convenience but because your dog is a mixed large breed dog I would recommend sticking with a 3-4 times a day feeding schedule if possible to minimize the risk of gastric dilatation volvulus.

Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dry Puppy Food, Chicken and Rice Formula – 34 lb. Bag

• One (1) 34 lb. Bag – Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dry Puppy Food, Chicken and Rice Formula
• Formulated to support an appropriate growth rate for large breed puppies
• Glucosamine supports developing joints and cartilage

Move on From Puppy Food

Puppy food is very high in calories and nutritional supplements so you want to switch to adult food once your puppy begins to approach maturity. There is no set age when the switch should be made because it will vary with the breed and individual dog.

In general, the smaller the dog the faster they reach maturity. Small breeds up to 30 pounds mature around ten to twelve months of age although some toy breeds reach maturity even sooner. Medium breed dogs up to 80 pounds will reach maturity between twelve to sixteen months and I believe your puppy may fall into this category. It really depends how much Great Pyrenees she has in her. Large breed dogs weighing more than 80 pounds can take up to two years to reach maturity.

When making the switch to adult food, do it slowly over the course of one to two weeks by gradually mixing in increasing amounts of the adult food with decreasing amounts of her puppy food to minimize gastric upset.

Foods to Avoid

Try to avoid foods that list corn or meat by-products as the first ingredient because meat should be the first ingredient.

Avoid feeding your dog puppy food longer than you have to. Feeding puppy food too long can result in obesity and orthopedic problems. You will know when it is time to make the switch when you notice your dog eating less of the puppy food or if she starts to put on too much weight.

Don’t Let Your Dog Get Chubby

It is important to be able to judge your dog’s body condition score in order to determine how much food you should give.The recommendations on the labels are guidelines only and will not apply to every dog. You may need to feed a little more or less depending on your dog’s condition score.

Ideally you should be able to feel but not see the ribs and by looking straight down at your dog while she is standing there should be a recognizable waist. Ask your veterinarian if your dog is at a healthy weight during your next visit and ask for examples of body condition scores.

All About Dogs

Protecting Your Dog From Diabetes

May 14, 2022
No Comments

All About Dogs

5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Happy And Healthy

October 23, 2019
No Comments

All About Dogs

Understanding Your Dog’s Nutritional Needs

June 18, 2015
No Comments

How To Take Care of a 6 Week Old Puppy

At 6 weeks old, a puppy is still too young to be taken from its mother. Ideally, a puppy should be taken from its mother after 8 weeks. However, in rare circumstances where a puppy is weaned at 6 weeks, these tips below will help you care for a 6-week-old puppy.

Page Contents

• 1 How much should a 6 week old puppy eat?
• 2 Can 6 week old puppies drink milk?
• 3 6 week old puppy feeding schedule
• 4 6 week old puppy training
• 5 What to do with 6 week old puppy crying at night
• 6 How to handle a 6 week old puppy with fleas
• 7 What to do if your 6 week old puppy sleeps a lot
• 8 Why does my 6 week old puppy have diarrhea?
• 9 Conclusion

How much should a 6 week old puppy eat?

Puppies cannot consume large quantities of food like larger dogs. So be sure to feed the puppy small portions of food. You should also stay close when feeding the pup to prevent overeating.

Puppies can eat raw food or pup food. Milk or similar supplements are not needed at this time. When the pup is up to 8 weeks old, the food intake can increase. However, you still should not overfeed the pup.

Good puppy foods must contain protein or meat as the main ingredient. You can also add foods with fruit, vegetables, minerals, and added vitamins.

It is important to note that puppy breeds differ, so this is why Pitbull puppies need different types of food from Chihuahuas. If you aren’t sure about what to feed the puppy, contact a vet to get the best information about your puppy’s nutrition.

Can 6 week old puppies drink milk?

Milk is great for humans as it provides energy. However, it is unsafe to feed a dog milk from a cow. This is because cow milk causes diarrhea for dogs. If you must give the puppy milk, then opt for goat milk. You can also hand feed your puppy soft foods that are pup friendly.

While you give the puppy goat milk, remember that the puppy needs water for hydration. Give him water often to keep him healthy and hydrated. The water can also come in handy when the pup has diarrhea. Keep a clean bowl of water for the puppy.

6 week old puppy feeding schedule

Normally, a puppy should be fed at least four times a day. Smaller meals are recommended because they are a lot easier to digest. It also gives the puppy perfect energy levels for the day. When your pup is about six months old, you can reduce feeding to twice a day. However, if the dog is a large mixed breed, you can stick to the original feeding pattern to reduce the risk of illness.

Remember to move on from feeding the dog puppy food as he grows. Puppy food has high calories, so you need to make the switch before the puppy becomes an adult dog. Vets do not recommend any set age to switch because breeds and individuality differ in dogs.

Generally, when a dog is smaller, he reaches maturity faster. Smaller breeds that weigh up to 30 pounds may mature at 10 to 12 months. Other smaller breeds mature waster too. Dogs weighing 80 pounds mature at 12 to 16 months while larger dogs take up to two years.

As you switch to adult dog food. Take up to a week or more to complete the training. Start by mixing small to large amounts of adult dog food with the puppy food. Remember to reduce the quantity to prevent a gastric upset.

6 week old puppy training

You must train your puppy on how to behave, toilet habits and more. Your pup also learns by playing with you. However, you should try to do this without touching the pup because the puppy may not like this. The touching can also make the puppy aggressive later in his life.

While playing, you can begin to teach your dog some commands such as sitting and standing. To teach the puppy, repeat the words severally until he begins to respond. Ensure that you have some treats nearby to appreciate the pup’s hard work. This training is important while the pup is young as it helps the dog to grow up well behaved.

You should train your dog not to bite humans. Puppies often bite as a form of play but as he grows, it can become a habit. Teach the puppy not to bite anyone using different tricks. Be attentive towards the pup so you can tell if he bites people around.

When it comes to toilet training, it can be stressful to train the puppy. But it is necessary to prevent bad toilet habits when the puppy is grown. Start the training with a newspaper.

Start by laying the newspaper in the puppy’s house and teaching him that he should use that newspaper whenever they need to answer nature’s call. The training can be hectic and requires lots of patience.

It is better to schedule a time for the puppy to ease himself. A two-hour interval may be ideal. After giving the puppy water, you may also take him out to pee.

Also, you can reduce water intake for the pup before bedtime to prevent messes. Also, don’t forget to take the pup out when he wakes up so he can ease himself.

Using the same spot for the training is important. It helps the pup to recognize the specific spot when he wants to pee.

Praising your pup is also important. it makes it fun for the pup and doesn’t seem like a form of punishment. Tie a small bell on the doorknob to train the puppy on how to send a message to you that he has to go.

Ringing the bell before taking your pup out will teach the puppy to do the same. It may take a while to get used to, but he will learn to be patient.

At 6 weeks old, a pup isn’t aware of social skills and you need to train him on how to interact with people and other animals. The puppy has to learn proper interaction with humans being and animals. A park is a suitable spot for this exercise. If you have any friends with experience in dog training, you can also invite them over to help the pup get used to other people.

Your puppy should also have adequate training on how to be home alone. If this training isn’t done, the dog may become hyper when no one is home and go on a rampage. The pup can begin to chew on items in the house and create a mess.

To train the pup in this aspect, place the crate in one spot with water, a food bowl and some newspapers. Allow the pup to stay there alone for a short while. This training can be started in one week. It may take some time and the pup may be aggressive at the start but will calm down later on. If the pup’s behavior improves, be sure to give him a treat.

What to do with 6 week old puppy crying at night

Puppies cry when they need to alert their owners of a problem. During the first few days with you, a puppy may cry instinctively to tell you that he is afraid, in pain, hungry or just needs to pee. Giving the puppy attention will help reassure him that he is not alone. it could stop the crying at night.

How to handle a 6 week old puppy with fleas

If your pup has fleas, you need to groom him using a flea comb. You can also pick the fleas off using a tweezer. After doing this, wash the pup’s bedding, clean the surrounding areas and treat the other pets in the house for fleas.

What to do if your 6 week old puppy sleeps a lot

Puppies sleep a lot so you should not worry when your pup sleeps a lot. However, you need to check the sleeping schedule of the pup to ensure that he gets enough sleep.

Your pup should get at least 18 hours of sleep daily like a newborn child. So, ensure that the pup has a comfortable spot to sleep in.

Sleeping is crucial as it helps develop the immune system of the pup. It also helps your pup to rest well and have more energy to play.

Why does my 6 week old puppy have diarrhea?

Diarrhea in puppies can be a sign of parasites, worms or even a change in diet. You need to monitor your pup closely. What seems like a stomach bug may be fatal for pups who have underdeveloped immune systems. Take the pup to the vet if you notice diarrhea.

Conclusion

Having a six week old puppy under your care is like caring for a newborn human. You need to be very patient with your pet. You also need to ensure that you give the pup attention as you teach him different life skills. Your friends and family can help you train the pup as well. To help the pup socialize better, you can throw parties for puppies so the pup can blend in with other pets in the house.

Taking care of your 6 week old pup is no easy task, but following these simple steps, you can train a healthy adult dog.

Everything You Need To Know| Petfinder

There’s a lot to plan for a puppy’s arrival. At the top of the list is how much to feed a puppy. Your puppy’s portions depend on his breed, weight, and age. Plan ahead and create a puppy feeding schedule that is consistent, nutritionally balanced and meets his energy requirements.

Why feeding puppies puppy food is important

Puppies need a lot of calories, extra protein, and more fat to help sustain growth, so puppy food is balanced accordingly. Typically, puppy food also includes some of the nutrients found in mother’s milk, like the Omega Fatty Acid DHA.

To ensure you’re selecting a puppy food, make sure it is labeled specifically for puppies or says “for all life stages” somewhere on the package.

Puppy feeding chart

How much to feed a puppy and how often to feed a puppy depends first and foremost on his age. The easiest way to remember how much to feed a puppy is to create a puppy feeding chart that matches your puppy’s breed and weight at maturity.

Very young puppies need to eat a high-quality puppy food diet approximately 3 to 4 times per day. The frequency of feeding puppies goes down to 3 times per day at around 3 to 6 months of age, and 2 times per day at around 6 to 12 months.

After about a year, most puppies can transition to a nutritionally balanced adult dog food diet 2 times per day.

How much to feed a puppy
Age	Portions	Frequency
8 – 12 Weeks	Small Portions	3-4x/day
4 – 5 Months	Puppy Food	3x/day
6 – 8 Months	Puppy Food	2x/day
9 – 11 Months	Adult Food	2x/day
1 – 2 Year*	Adult Food	2x/day
2 Year +*	Adult Food	2x/day
Check the back of your puppy’s food packaging to get accurate portion sizes for his weight.

*Toy and smaller breeds may be able to transition to adult food a little earlier (some as early as 7 to 9 months), while some giant breeds don’t reach adulthood until around 18-24 months. Ask your veterinarian for specific guidance here, and if you have any doubts as to when your puppy has officially become a full-grown dog, keep him on puppy food a little longer. When it comes to feeding puppies, it’s better to give a few extra nutrients than not enough.

What to feed puppies in the first year

As a new pet parent, you’ll find no shortage of dog food choices for feeding puppies. Puppies grow at a rapid pace, and a few food transitions are to be expected.

Starting Solids: 8 weeks old

1. Typically, solids introduced at 8 weeks of age.
2. Transition the pup slowly to solids, usually over 5 – 7 weeks.
3. At first, wet the kibble with water.
4. Allow the kibble to soak for a few minutes so that’s it’s soft.
5. Continue to wet the kibble with water over several weeks.
6. Each week use 1 tsp less water to soften the food.
7. By week 3 – 4, your puppy’s meals should be mostly crunchy kibble.
8. At week 7, he should be fully transitioned onto the dry dog food.

Regular Feeding: 6 – 12 months old

1. At 6 to 12 months establish regular eating times.
2. Start serving 2 feedings per day.
3. Create your own puppy feeding schedule routine.
4. The first step on the schedule is to leave the bowl of food on the floor for a set amount of time.
5. For beginners, start with 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how fast your dog eats.
6. Be consistent with the schedule and always use the same place to feed your dog, same time, and same time period.
7. Your dog will learn how this schedule works for the next 2 weeks.
8. Once your puppy is familiar with regular meal times you’ll find that they’re followed by regular potty times.
9. Bonus! More solid foods make picking up after your pup a lot easier.

Switching to Adult Dog Food: 1+ years

1. Adult dog food is introduced from a year old.
2. Transition your puppy slowly by mixing the new food into his puppy portions.
3. Meals should be a mix of 75% puppy food to 25% adult food.
4. Continue to serve mixed portions for about 2 – 3 days.
5. Gradually increase the adult food and decrease the puppy food by 10%.
6. By day 5 or 6, your puppy should be fully transitioned, eating 100% adult food.
7. Patience is key and a slow transition will help your puppy’s stomach adjust.
8. The whole process should take about a week.

Which dog food diet is healthier: Wet vs Dry vs Raw

Selecting a puppy food can be daunting. Most major dog food companies work with pet food nutritionists and adhere to strict guidelines for creating complete and balanced nutrition.  The most important thing to remember when choosing a dog food diet is that it’s appropriate for your pup’s life stage.

While there are many pros and cons of what to feed a puppy, the best food for your pup is the one that he enjoys eating, fits in with your budget and your family’s needs, and has your veterinarian’s seal of approval.

* Always follow veterinarian recommendations and/or instructions on the bag.

4 Tips to maintain a puppy feeding schedule

You’re well on your way to feeding your pup a perfectly healthy diet. Just don’t overdo it on treats. Keep in mind that treats should take up no more than 10% of your puppy’s total food quota for the day.

Finally, pay attention to your pup’s cues and always keep the following in mind:

• Stick to dog food and skip the table scraps; some human foods can make your dog sick.
• Keep fresh water out along with any food, and clean both food and water bowls regularly.
• Don’t start a medical diet or supplements without a prescription or recommendation.
• Always consult a veterinarian with any questions you may have.

Learn more about feeding a dog

Get dog nutrition tips from experts. Subscribe to the Petfinder Newsletter.

Setting up a Puppy Feeding Schedule

The Spruce / Madelyn Goodnight

In This Article

• Food Amount

• Up to 3 Months

• 3 to 6 Months

• 6 to 12 Months

• Frequency

• Time Schedule

Your puppy needs quality food to grow and develop into a healthy dog. The feeding schedule, how much, how many meals to provide and the type of food depends on the breed of puppy, size, and age.

Amount to Feed

Young puppies are growing rapidly and need more food per pound than older puppies. At the age of 3 months, your puppy will begin to need a little less food. You will need to be careful not to overfeed your dog. A puppy should be losing the round belly at this point. If you still have a roly-poly puppy, you should keep your dog on lower portions until the pot belly is gone.

At age 6 to 12 months you may spay or neuter your dog, which will result in slightly lower needs for calories per day. This is also the age where you may switch from high-calorie puppy food to adult maintenance food, although that will depend on the breed. Smaller breeds switch at age 7 to 9 months while larger breeds stay on puppy food until 12 to 14 months.

The amount you feed depends on your puppy’s age and the type of food you offer. Directions on the food package are only a starting guideline, so be ready to adjust the amount up or down if your baby is still hungry, or leaves food behind.

Weaning to 3 Months

3 to 6 Months

6 to 12 Months

These are estimates. Feeding amount can vary based on breed, size, and age.

How Often to Feed

You will often see daily amounts on the charts provided. You will need to divide these into the multiple meals suggested for puppies of various ages.

Most pups should be fed at least three times a day until six months of age. Tiny puppies like Yorkies and Chihuahuas are prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if they don’t eat often enough, so four meals daily may work best.

Feed three or four separate meals to young puppies during the first few months at home. Then gradually wean them to one or two meals daily by the time they are 6 months old.

However, there are some puppies that either won’t or aren’t able to eat enough when fed once or twice a day, and their growth may suffer as a result. Ask your veterinarian about feeding smaller servings several times a day.

Making Your Puppy Feeding Time Schedule

It’s tempting to simply fill up the bowl with dry food and let puppies snack all day. While convenient for you, that won’t allow you to monitor the baby’s intake, which also helps predict output—when your dog needs a potty break. ​Use meal schedules as part of your house training efforts.

Scheduled meals also alert you to check with the vet if your puppy that normally eats enthusiastically one day refuses a meal. Free feeding from a bowl that is always kept full can be dangerous for that reason.

Routine is important, so be consistent. The best way to do that is base the feeding times on your schedule. Dogs consider meals a social affair, so timing your own meals with the puppies can work well.

A first meal might coincide with your own breakfast, the second when the family comes home from school or work in the afternoon, and coordinate the third with your evening meal. If you’re not able to be there to feed at prescribed times, you can provide one of the puppy’s meals in a treat-toy, and leave it with her in her crate or play area while you’re gone.

Feeding puppy meals in the crate or carrier also associate “good things” with the crate. Scheduled meals not only are healthy for the puppy, they aid in house training and crate training, and can be a bonding experience with your puppy.

Preparing Homemade Puppy Food

Watch Now: All You Need to Know about Puppies

Puppy care from 1 to 5 months – how to properly feed a puppy – ProPlan

Puppy care up to five months

August 03, 2022

Proper nutrition and good care are the foundations of a dog’s health, longevity and happy life. Therefore, even before buying a puppy, you will need to think carefully about all related issues.

Puppies grow very fast, and for their harmonious development, both physical and mental, the first months of life are very important.

Peculiarities of mental and physical development of puppies by months

Puppy at 1 month old

In one month, or four and a half weeks, puppies still live with their mother, brothers and sisters. Not so long ago they began to hear and see, and during this period they have an active phase of exploring the surrounding space, new sounds, smells, surrounding people and animals. Monthly puppies are still too small to make meaningful actions, as long as they are all based on instincts and communication with their mother. As a rule, breeders do not sell puppies at the age of one month, giving them the opportunity to get stronger, to get the first lessons in socialization. Human interaction during this period is very important for puppies to develop as companion dogs.

From one month to two, puppies have an active phase of memorization or, in other words, an identification phase. The puppy begins to meaningfully recognize parents, form social relationships with littermates and people.

Roar and take away a toy from a brother or sister, bite mother on the cheek to share food, run away from a person or run up to him. During this period, each puppy has a lot of similar questions, the answers to which he receives by performing an action and receiving a reaction. The sister gave the toy away, which means it is weaker, next time you can take the toy away again. Mom growled and shook her scruff, so don’t bite her on the cheek. The person came and pleasantly stroked or screamed loudly – depending on the action, the puppy will build its further reactions to repetitive stimuli.

Puppy at 2-3 months old

Two- and three-month-old puppies are very affectionate, inquisitive and sociable. They are active and constantly exploring something. For example, when meeting strangers, they run up to them completely fearlessly, sniff, caress, jump, sometimes bark. Therefore, during this period, they can easily develop positive skills associated with any activity. At this time, the puppy can easily be taught to follow the commands “Place!”, “Come!”, “Walk!”.

Puppy at 3-4 months

Skills for commands “Sit!”, “Lie down!”, “No!” the puppy will work out much easier at the age of 3.5-4 months. This is due to the fact that such commands are based on inhibitory reactions that are not yet developed in the puppy at an earlier age.

Puppy at 4-5 months

At the age of 4-5 months, the puppy needs regular, gradually increasing in time and difficulty walks, which are important both for his physical development and for the accumulation of life experience. During this period, the puppy is developing the characteristics of his nervous system, his character can noticeably change. When meeting with strangers, the puppy may no longer run up to them to start a game, but only observe from the side, and at the first manifestation of even unsharply pronounced threatening actions by outsiders, they get scared and run away. Therefore, this time is also called the period of fears.

At this time, the owner is required to be very careful, affectionate handling of the puppy, careful observation of what may frighten him. You need to try to predict such a moment in order to distract the puppy from the negative reaction in time with a treat or a game.

At what age is it better to take a puppy?

If you are offered to take a puppy at the age of 1 month, it is better not to do this, allowing the baby to grow up in his own family for another month.

No matter at what age you took a puppy, at two months, at three or four, try to establish the right relationship with him from the first day, which is commonly called good contact. This will allow him to develop affection for you, obedience, devotion, and subsequently love. To do this, you need:

• always treat your pet calmly,
• feed him, walk him, comb him in time – that is, take care of him,
• regularly train with him, combining games and initial training.

Try not to let any troubles in life affect your communication with the puppy. Dogs very subtly feel the mood of their owner and react accordingly.

Problems that arise as the puppy grows

Problems that can arise during the growth period of puppies of any breed are mostly related to improper feeding. The amount of feed should be constantly measured in relatively small portions to avoid overeating. Obesity in dogs puts a lot of stress on the heart and circulation. It happens that even weak ligaments and joints are exposed to unnecessary excessive stress in puppies and young dogs. The consequence of this can be diseases associated with the paws and joints. With proper nutrition, the puppy should actively play, run, and explore the territory several times a day. Too tiring walks for several hours in the first year of life should be avoided. If your dog is unwell, contact the dog breeder or veterinarian immediately.

Puppy Care Highlights 2 to 5 Months

In order to lay a solid foundation for your dog’s health from childhood, your puppy will need to be vaccinated and dewormed at specific times.

Deworming and vaccinations

The dog’s breeder performs the first deworming procedures. Together with basic housing and feeding instructions, he will tell you about the exact schedule for further deworming and vaccination procedures. Usually the owner of the puppy gives him an anthelmintic drug before the next vaccination, ten days before it.

1 month

As mentioned above, at the age of one month, the puppy is still too small to separate him from his family. Good breeders do not give away their wards at such a young age, but leave them in the company of their mother, at least for another half a month or a month. During this time, the puppy is actively adapting to the outside world.

If, nevertheless, the circumstances are such that you have a one-month-old puppy, then you will need to give him the first vaccination when he is 6 weeks old. If you are unsure about the best time to start vaccinating, contact your breeder or veterinarian.

2 months

If you pick up your puppy from a breeder at 2-2.5 months of age, the breeder usually does the first vaccination. This happens when the puppies are 8-9 weeks old, so he comes to you already vaccinated. The second vaccination should be done by the owner when the puppy is 12 weeks old. It must be remembered that until the second vaccination is given to the puppy, he must be quarantined. For a detailed explanation of the timing of vaccinations, you can contact the puppy’s breeder.

3 months

If for some reason the puppy did not receive its first vaccination either at 6 weeks of age or at 8-9 weeks of age, the third variant of the vaccination schedule should be used. This means that the puppy should be vaccinated for the first time at 12 weeks of age and revaccinated between 14 and 16 weeks of age. In order not to get confused in the timing and make the necessary vaccinations on time, it is recommended to have a calendar where the puppy’s age in weeks and the necessary weeks for vaccination will be marked. Or you can seek the advice of a veterinarian.

A later vaccination date does not change the fact that the puppy will have to be quarantined until he has had his second vaccination. This means that he will not yet be able to communicate with his relatives on the street.

4 months old

If your puppy has been vaccinated according to the standard vaccination schedule, this means that at 4 months old he is already fully vaccinated, the quarantine is lifted, and you can enjoy walking together, getting to know other dogs and doing initial training.

5 months

At the age of 5 months, the puppy should be active, already fully accustomed to the house, know his nickname, a few basic commands, understand what is possible and what is not.

During this period, he still continues to change his teeth from milk to permanent, which begins at about three months and lasts up to seven months. During this period, you need to monitor the puppy’s oral cavity, monitoring whether milk teeth fall out. This is important both for the health of the dog and for the formation of the correct bite.

Care for the health and appearance of the puppy

Training for walks

Regardless of the time of year, it is necessary to accustom the puppy to walks. Immediately after sleep and after each feeding, the puppy must be taken outside for 5-10 minutes to accustom him to the toilet. The more often you take your puppy outside, the faster he will understand what is wanted from him, and the faster he will get used to going to the toilet outside the house.

Longer walks, for the sake of play and active movement, are recommended between feedings. It is worth slightly increasing the time spent outdoors from 15 minutes to two hours a day, depending on the weather and season. Of course, it is important to consider the breed and age of the puppy. At first, a two-three-month-old puppy can be carried outside in your arms. At the same time, if the puppy has not yet completed the entire course of vaccinations, all contact with other dogs should be excluded.

During the walk, the puppy must be in motion, do not let him sit or lie on the cold ground. At two months, it is already possible to teach a puppy to a leash. The puppy gets used to the soft light collar quickly. At first, you need to lead him on a leash so that the puppy feels that you are leading him. Follow him (the leash should be long enough) and carefully, without jerking, take him away from unwanted places. It is necessary to ensure that the puppy does not eat unsuitable food items from the street.

By the third or fourth month during a walk, you can walk up to one and a half kilometers with a puppy of a large breed, with a puppy of a medium or small breed, this distance should be proportionally reduced. Increase the distance gradually, do not tire the puppy with too much exercise, otherwise he will lose his appetite and will not grow well.

With a five-month-old puppy, you can already run in deep snow, earth, sand, play active outdoor games, swim, let him accompany his owner on a ski or bike ride. But even here you can’t overwork the puppy, at the first sign of fatigue, you need to take a break or stop walking.

When walking with a puppy, teach him not to pay attention to noise, not to be afraid of cars, gradually moving with him from quiet streets to more noisy ones. The puppy needs both free walking and playing with peers. Socialization is especially needed for a puppy living in a private home. Keep him away from stray and unfamiliar dogs, as they can infect him with infectious diseases. During walks, you can teach your puppy to play with balloons: praise him and rejoice with him when the balloon bursts. This game will strengthen the psyche, and the puppy will not be afraid of fireworks and explosions of firecrackers.

If the puppy lives in an apartment, walks are allowed after the first vaccination. But you need to make sure that he does not meet other dogs on the street until the second vaccination. If the puppy will live in a private house, where he will be alone on his territory, you can start walking from the first day of being at home.

After a walk, especially in wet weather, wipe or wash the puppy’s paws and stomach. In winter, it is simply necessary to do this so that street reagents do not irritate or injure the skin on the paw pads.

Everyday care

Grooming time is not just a time for caring for a puppy, but also a great opportunity to communicate, establish contact, and caress a pet.

Grooming

A short haired puppy needs a natural bristle brush and a fine metal comb for shedding care. An ideal care product for short-haired dogs is a massage mitt. For puppies of long-haired breeds, a slicker brush is still needed.

Puppies of all breeds will also need nail clippers, towels, shampoos. Bathe your puppy only as needed. Combing the more often, the better – this is how the puppy gets used to being touched, and this will come in handy in the future. Put the puppy down regularly, inspect the tummy, paws. In the future, he will not be afraid of human hands.

If you have a puppy of a breed that is characterized by a very long coat or a coat with a thick undercoat, you can go to a professional groomer to get the puppy used to brushing from childhood.

Dental care

Clean teeth are essential for good health. On sale now there is a large number of a wide variety of chewing sticks that act as a toothbrush, as well as special toothpastes and brushes for dogs.

During the growth period from 3 to 7 months, puppies change teeth from milk to permanent. At this time, it is important to follow the process of changing, and if necessary, contact the services of a veterinarian.

Ear Care

Bathing a puppy is only necessary if, for example, he is dirty in something. After each walk, wash and wipe the paws and stomach. When you wash your pet, be careful not to get water in his ears: moisture in the ear canal can promote fungal and other diseases. If the ears are dirty, take a damp swab and lightly remove the dirt. If the ears are dirty inside, wipe them with a cotton swab moistened with a special lotion, but not deep. Clean ears must be dry. In puppies with hanging ears, the ear canals are closed and not ventilated, therefore, for prevention, we recommend using special ear cleaners once every one to two weeks.

Nail care

Nails trimmed as needed. If the dog wears off its claws during walks, they are not trimmed. It is advisable to regularly feel the paws and fingers: if someday the dog cuts its paw, you will be able to provide first aid in a timely manner and apply a bandage.

Long claws can cause paws to turn out even when set correctly. When shearing, the claws are shortened, and the paw becomes in place, so it is very important to ensure that the claws do not grow unnecessarily. Start clipping or sharpening your puppy’s nails as early as possible, every one to two weeks. For small puppies, clippers from a manicure set are well suited. When conventional clippers are no longer suitable, you will need to use special clippers for dog claws. There are blood vessels in every claw, and if you hit them, they will bleed, so try to avoid this when trimming your nails. If trouble happens, treat with hydrogen peroxide or use a special hemostatic pencil that can be bought at a pharmacy.

Puppy Nutrition

Feeding Basics

Puppies should receive a balanced diet of excellent quality, since it is up to the age of one that the foundation is laid for their health for life. The owner of the dog is obliged to provide food that is appropriate for the size of the dog and its breed. You can’t go to extremes, believing that the dog can eat everything and feed it with leftovers from the table. But it is also impossible to humanize a pet, deciding that the pet will receive only the most delicious, and give him delicacies that are intended for people – they will cause only one harm to the dog.

Improper nutrition can lead to obesity, internal diseases or skin diseases. Only nutrition that maintains the health of the animal will be correct. Therefore, it is very important to balance the dog’s diet in terms of the content of the main food components: proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

The easiest way to do this is to use ready-made puppy food, where the content of all these elements, as well as vitamins and minerals, is taken into account, calculated and balanced.

What are the main components of food for dogs

Meat should form the basis of the dog’s diet – be part of the food or be the basis of natural nutrition. Meat is the main source of protein . But if the dog eats exclusively tenderloin, or, conversely, only defective parts (veins, skin and cartilage), this will lead to indigestion, so the meat base must be mixed from both pure meat and offal. This includes animal fat, which serves as a source of energy. Protein is also found in fish, seafood, dairy products and eggs.

To maintain healthy teeth and bones, skin and coat, the dog needs unsaturated fatty acids contained in vegetable oils. They are found both in plant products (sunflower, peanut, olive, soybean oil, sprouted wheat grains), and in animal products – in oily fish (salmon), in eggs. An excellent source of unsaturated fatty acids is fish oil.

Carbohydrates – energy providers for the body. They are found, for example, in cereals and are often added to ready-made feeds so that the dog eats up and has enough strength for active games and walks.

A complete diet must also contain vitamins and minerals necessary not only for building the skeleton, but also for other metabolic processes. The body of a growing dog undergoes continuous restructuring. As a “building material” for bones and muscles, a puppy needs protein and carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals as energy suppliers for metabolic processes. The total feed should consist of about a third of protein, at least 5% of fat and at least half of carbohydrates.

Thus, if you decide to feed your puppy with natural food, you will need to take into account all of the above about food components in order to create a complete diet for him. In addition, it will be necessary to constantly adjust it, since the needs of the body will change with age. For example, as strange as it may seem, puppies and young dogs require more food than adult dogs of the same weight; up to five months – twice as much, and then – by about 50%. Their food should be two-thirds, and later at least half, consist of meat and other protein substances. It is easiest to follow the correct serving size by reading the information on the package of ready-made food that is appropriate for the age and needs of the dog.

By choosing ready-made puppy food, you will provide the puppy with all the necessary nutrients, you will be able to change the food according to the age of the growing pet, offer him different tastes. In order to give out the required daily allowance, you will need to read the recommendations on the package.

How to properly feed a puppy from 1 to 5 months old

It is impossible to create the perfect diet for all puppies at once. Here you will need to take into account factors such as the breed, age, size and activity level of the puppy. Feeding a puppy taken from a breeder should continue for the first time according to the recommendations of the latter.

In the third or fourth week of life, puppies, in addition to mother’s milk, begin to receive the first complementary foods. Accordingly, it is the breeder who decides what kind of food the puppies will eat in the first months – either natural food or industrial food designed for very young puppies up to 1-2 months old. So when you pick up a puppy, which can be between one and a half and five months old, his digestive system will be adapted to exactly the food he received in his first months of life. For at least one week, you will need to keep your feeding schedule and diet unchanged to avoid digestive upsets caused by restructuring and the stress of moving to a new place. It will be easier for the puppy to get used to the new conditions, and then the change of home will be painless for him.

Later, if for any reason you wish to change your young pet’s diet, you can do so at any time. In this case, the best option would be to consult a breeder or veterinarian who will give you valuable recommendations.

Puppies should not be fed a day’s worth of food at one time, their stomach is too small to properly digest the entire amount of food; the consequence of this will be an overload of the stomach. In addition, the ligaments, joints and bones will receive too much stress, which will only bring harm. In a healthy, well-fed puppy, the ribs do not protrude visually, but should be felt with the palm of your hand.

Underfeeding a puppy in the first months and up to a year will have negative consequences that are very difficult to correct. That is why it is so important to feed your puppy in a balanced way and to follow the exact feeding time. Following these two rules will help you keep his weight normal.

After eating, the puppy should be allowed to rest, as is customary with wild animals after a hearty meal. Otherwise, when playing immediately after eating, a life-threatening situation of twisting of a full stomach, which occurs in dogs of large breeds, may occur.

Number of feedings for puppies of different ages:

1st month – 5-6 times a day;

2-4 months – 4 times a day;

5th month – 3 times a day.

Divide the day from morning to evening into equal intervals and try to feed the puppy at this designated time.

What not to give to puppies:

• Rich meat broths.
• Chicken bones (tubular).
• Boiled bones.
• Smoked, salted, fatty.
• Sweets, chocolate in any form, cakes.
• Legumes.
• Cabbage.

All of these foods are either poisonous to dogs or can damage the digestive tract, disrupt metabolism, or cause gas.

Only a general diet is described here, for more detailed recommendations you can always contact the breeder or veterinarian. In the future, having studied the needs of the puppy, you yourself will be able to select the appropriate food and treats for him in order to raise a healthy dog ​​out of him.

Industrial food for puppies

In terms of protein and other essential substances, ready-made feeds fully comply with scientifically sound standards. The modern way of canning preserves vitamins better than home cooking. In the manufacture of destroyed pathogens contained in the meat. Another advantage is that you can always have a supply of food in the house. For example, when traveling, ready-made food is the easiest solution to a feeding problem. Dry food contains five times less water than normal wet food, so make sure you have water in a separate bowl. 200g of dry food has approximately the same nutritional value as 850g of whole food in a can, or 400g of meat and 125g of porridge. In this case, no additional goodies are needed – they lead to obesity!

Proper feeding of a puppy is the basis for the formation of a healthy animal. He needs more high-calorie food with a high protein content. During this period, the puppy’s digestive tract is not yet fully formed, and as the transition from mother’s milk to ready-made feeds, the bacterial flora of the intestine accumulates.

When choosing a puppy’s diet, it is important to consider its age, size or breed, level of physical activity and individual health status. All these parameters are taken into account in PRO PLAN 9 super premium dry food0227® .

For large breed puppies, PRO PLAN ^® OPTISTART ^® for large breed puppies is suitable: it contains a balanced content of such important elements as calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary in the correct proportion for the growth and development of bones and joints, which is especially important for large dog puppies.

For puppies of medium breeds, as well as small and toy breeds, the OPTISTART ^® range also includes breed-specific specialty foods.

Water

Water, always fresh and clean, never icy, must be freely available to the puppy at all times. Although a healthy dog ​​will hardly drink on food with normal moisture, he should be able to quench his thirst in the heat, after some effort, or with a certain food. Persistent increased thirst for no recognizable cause is a sign of illness.

Possible diseases in puppies

Puppies, like all children, can get sick with something. Diseases can be infectious and non-infectious, traumatic in origin and genetically transmitted. If you can encounter the latter unexpectedly, since some diseases that are inherited may appear at a later age, then other types of diseases can be avoided. To do this, you will need to strictly follow the recommendations for caring for a puppy, feed him properly and monitor his health.

Infectious diseases

Parvovirus enteritis is a dangerous infectious disease, one of the symptoms of which is intestinal upset. The lethality of this disease in puppies reaches 90%. You can avoid it by making the puppy the necessary vaccination on time.

Canine distemper – a viral infection that is very dangerous for puppies, almost always leads to death. It can manifest itself in various forms, the most dangerous is the nervous form. Vaccination is made against the plague of carnivores.

Adenovirus and canine viral hepatitis – infectious diseases caused by adenoviruses of the first and second types. Transmitted by airborne droplets or saliva from a sick dog. Most dangerous for puppies and young dogs. A timely vaccination against these diseases will protect the young pet.

Leptospirosis – an acute infectious disease that is contagious to humans, can be fatal to a puppy. The carriers of the disease are rats. Vaccination minimizes the risk of contracting the disease.

Rabies is a fatal viral infection that is contagious to humans and fatal to dogs and humans. Rabies vaccination is mandatory and annual.

Parasites

Internal parasites

For all types of internal parasites that a puppy can infect (for example, roundworms, tapeworms, heartworms, heartworms and others), special antihelminthic drugs have been developed that need to be given to the puppy periodically.

External parasites

Fleas, lice, mites, which can infect a puppy while walking or communicating with relatives, not only cause him discomfort, but can also become a source of more serious diseases, causing otitis media, various dermatological diseases. Therefore, it is mandatory to periodically treat the puppy from external parasites. You can check the processing schedule with the breeder or veterinarian.

Other diseases

A puppy can also get sick for various other reasons, for example, hypothermia, as a result of which he will develop cystitis . Or, if you take a puppy in a car with open windows, where he will look out, then he may develop conjunctivitis . If the puppy lags behind in growth and development , or he starts lameness – the problem may be related to improper nutrition.

Of course, it is impossible to protect a puppy from all diseases one hundred percent. Therefore, you, as a responsible owner, should always carefully monitor any changes in the behavior and mood of the puppy, and at the first sign of illness, seek help from a veterinarian.

If you follow the correct feeding regimen, make vaccinations and deworming on time, give feasible physical activity in accordance with the age of the puppy, then you can avoid most diseases, giving your pet a happy childhood.

Article on our Yandex Zen channel.

Share

Related Products

PRO PLAN® OPTISTART® for medium breed puppies with chicken

The OPTISTART® complex contains a special ingredient, colostrum, which helps…

PRO PLAN® OPTISTART® for medium breed puppies with chicken

The OPTISTART® complex contains a special ingredient, colostrum, which helps…

PRO PLAN® Veterinary Diets HP Hepatic complete diet dry food for puppies and adult dogs to support liver function in chronic liver failure

PURINA® PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS HP. Feed…

PRO PLAN® Veterinary Diets HP Hepatic complete dietary dry food for puppies and adult dogs to maintain liver function in chronic liver failure

PURINA® PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS HP. Feed…

PRO PLAN® Veterinary Diets CN Convalescence complete dietary food for cats and dogs of all ages in recovery

PURINA® PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS CN. Feed…

PRO PLAN® Veterinary Diets CN Convalescence for cats and dogs of all ages in recovery

PURINA® PRO PLAN® VETERINARY DIETS CN. Feed…

PRO PLAN® OPTIDERMA® for medium breed puppies with salmon and rice

OPTIDERMA® complex includes a special combination of nutrients…

PRO PLAN® OPTIDERMA® for medium breed puppies with salmon and rice

The OPTIDERMA® complex includes a special combination of nutrients…

what and how many times to feed

When a small fluffy pet appears in the house, the first question that worries a caring owner is what is better to feed a puppy? What foods are suitable for his diet? And what is better to give the baby: natural food or industrial food? In the article we will tell you what to feed a puppy, how many times a day it should be done, and also how to calculate a portion of food, taking into account the age and breed of the animal.

CONTENTS

1. Puppy natural food
2. What foods can be fed to a growing dog?
3. Industrial feed
4. How to feed a puppy correctly?
5. Daily Feeding Rate
6. Diet according to breed
7. Puppies of small breeds
8. Puppies of medium breeds
9. Large dogs
10. Feeding a puppy according to its age
11. Feeding one month old puppy
12. Feeding a two-month-old puppy
13. Feeding a 3 month old baby

The selection of a diet for a small pet is a very crucial moment, because a balanced diet guarantees the full development of the body and the prevention of possible diseases.

Important: When choosing food for a puppy (purchased food or natural food), you must be guided by one simple rule – do not overfeed. Overeating can lead to joint problems, poor pet health, organ diseases and other serious diseases. Therefore, it is important to correctly calculate the portion that is given to the puppy.

Of course, you can spoil your pet. For example, before going to bed, give him porridge with milk or meat. But it doesn’t have to happen every day.

Feeding a puppy with natural food

Many owners prefer to feed their dogs with natural products because:

• they are cheaper than ready-made food;
• the owner is confident in the quality of the food he gives to the pet.

But natural food also has a lot of drawbacks. During the growth period, the puppy eats a lot, so you will often have to buy and prepare food for him.

If this prospect does not scare you, then here are some tips for choosing a diet for your baby. So that he does not get poisoned, you must ensure that the products are fresh. Meat “smell” at a low price will have a bad effect on the puppy’s health. Remember, he is a small child and should be treated responsibly.

Second rule: no table feeding! Food for him must be prepared separately, fried meat, fragrant barbecue, various soups will surely cause pleasant sensations in people, but not in a puppy. For him, this food is bad.

What foods can be fed to a growing dog?

1. Milk

Dogs up to 4 months of age should be fed with milk. You can offer it raw or cook porridge from it. But not all milk will do. It is better to give preference to goat, it rarely causes allergies and is better accepted by the body. If such milk cannot be found, you can offer cow’s milk to the puppy, but before that, be sure to dilute it with water.

Closer to six months, milk begins to be canceled, reducing its amount.

Important: Animals older than eight months should not be given milk.

1. Dairy products

Improves pet’s digestion and enriches the body with calcium. A puppy can be pleased with cottage cheese, kefir, low-fat sour cream. Hard cheeses are also useful, they are usually used as a treat when training a dog.

1. Meat

Meat should make up at least 40% of your puppy’s daily diet. It is better to give raw meat, but you can also safely feed your pet frozen, boiled and scalded meat.

Do not feed bones to your puppy. They break and can injure the digestive organs. You can make bone broth and add it to porridge.

It is also not recommended to feed pork to dogs, regardless of their age.

1. Fish and seafood

Thinking about what to feed a puppy, include fish in the menu. It can be given twice a week. It is better to offer your baby sea fish (since river fish can be harmful), squid, shrimp and pollock. Do not mix fish with meat.

1. Vegetables

Vegetables contain a large amount of vitamins, so it is worth accustoming a puppy to them. You can offer them together with cottage cheese or porridge, as well as rubbed on a fine grater, in the form of mashed potatoes or stewed. The most useful vegetables include pumpkin, carrots, zucchini and greens.

1. Berries and fruits

Beneficial for a growing organism, so they are advised to be used as a supplement to food intake. It is not recommended to give bananas because they can speed up weight gain. Also, do not offer grapes and currants that cause bloating.

1. Cereals

No need to make porridge the main dish. Cereals have a beneficial effect on digestion, but they are the basis of nutrition, but only supplement the milk and meat diet.

Puppies may like porridges such as:

• semolina;
• buckwheat;
• rice;
• oatmeal.

If your baby has diarrhea, temporarily eliminate the porridge you fed him.

1. Eggs

Saturate the dog’s body with protein. It is recommended to give twice a week.

Industrial food

How to feed your pet with dry food? This question is asked by any responsible owner who decides to make purchased food the basis of the nutrition of a new pet. Some owners believe that such feeds do not contain enough substances for the proper growth of the pet. But this is not the case, the food is designed to not only satisfy the dog’s hunger, but also provide it with the necessary vitamins and minerals. Purchased food is well balanced, it is easy to give it to your pet, the main thing is to follow the dosage instructions.

What is the right way to feed a puppy?

Purchased food for small puppies must be soaked in advance. About half an hour before feeding, fill it with water so that it swells. It is forbidden to soak the granules in broths.

Follow the dosage instructions on the package. Do not underestimate or exceed the dose. If the dosage is exceeded, dry food can cause rapid weight gain.

There are cases when a dog needs to be transferred from regular food to dry food, but not abruptly, but gradually. We recommend discussing the transition with your veterinarian before doing so.

If you do not know what food to feed your puppy, it is better to give preference to premium lines. Typically, these types of feed contain a greater amount of minerals and vitamins.

Zoomix shop offers dry food of existing classes: from economy options to super premium. We advise you to take out the following brands:

• Hill”s;
• Royal Canin;
• Purina Proplan;
• Popular feed
• New
• Stock

• Select Weight

  Canned food for cats Lechat Pate. Pate with game and poultry (100g)

  Canned food for cats Lechat Pate. Pate with game and poultry (100g)
  Lechat Pate
  Pate with game and poultry is a complete food for cats.
  Production – Italy.

  Ingredients
  game, meat…

  Price:
  from

  40

• Select Weight

  Dried chicken breasts

  Dried chicken breasts
  Treats for dogs. Slowly baked chicken breast in the oven will allow your pet to enjoy the true taste of…

  Price:
  from

  236

• Select Weight

  Cat food Eukanuba Senior 7+ Top Condition wet ration of chicken in sauce for adult cats over 7 years old

  Cat food Eukanuba Senior 7+ Top Condition wet ration of chicken in sauce for adult cats over 7 years old
  Complete and balanced nutrition with high quality animal protein to keep cats in top shape

  MAINTENANCE. ..

  Price:
  from

  53

• Select Weight

  Treats for dogs CLAN De File, Turkey, 40 g (pack of 30)

  Treats for dogs CLAN De File, Turkey, 40 g (pack of 30)

  Price:
  from

  194

Daily Feeding Rate

Dose food according to the dog’s age. The younger the pet, the more often you need to fill the bowl.

1. Baby from 1 month old should be fed 5-6 times a day. During this period, the puppy should already be eating on its own, and it must be gradually transferred from milk to adult food.
2. From 2 to 4 months it is recommended to feed 4-5 times a day.
3. From 4 to 5 months – 2-4 times.
4. Dog food from 6 to 10 years old – three times a day.
5. From 10 to 12 months – 2 times.

At night you definitely need a break between meals. So the dog’s stomach rests, and it develops the habit of eating at a certain time.

Important: should not be increased by skipping meals. Feed your dog the usual amount of food.

Diet depending on the breed

The difference in feeding puppies of certain breeds is due not only to their size, but also to their predisposition to allergies and diseases. So be sure to check with your veterinarian or breeder about the best food to feed your puppy and what eating disorders they may have on specific foods.

Puppies of small breeds

The nutrition of puppies must include trace elements necessary for the formation of internal organs. When selecting food or natural food, it is important to serve food in small portions, in small granules or pieces. Food must be free of solid particles.

The puppies are taken from their mother at about 2-4 months of age, at which time the breeder is already feeding. Therefore, the owner will be aware of the habitual diet of a new friend. Better to follow it. If the owner does not like the brand of food or certain foods and dishes, you need to slowly transition the dog to other elements that will be included in the new diet. It is allowed to continue the transfer only if the pet does not develop allergies and disorders.

Medium breed puppies

Medium breeds, usually hunting. In the ratio of their mass and the amount of food they need, they require the most food. This is due to the fact that they have a large loss of energy.

The list of products for natural nutrition in such breeds with their maturation remains virtually unchanged. And for all ages, there are special types of purchased feed. They are easy to use – just follow the instructions.

Large dogs

Large breed dogs require a large amount of food, which is natural given their size and energy expenditure. In addition, animals that live in enclosures or in yards require even more food. But large dogs can be transferred to a single meal.

If you see that the animal does not eat enough or refuses to eat, the volumes or meals should be reduced.

Feeding the puppy depending on its age

In the first two months of life, the puppy is only learning to feed himself from a bowl. Therefore, as a rule, dogs are offered at the age of 2-3 months. Breeders begin to feed the baby just at this time. For complementary foods, commercially available pastes and pates specifically for puppies or dairy products and low-fat broths are usually used.

Feeding a one-month-old puppy

If you bought a baby who is only one month old, you need to be very careful about his nutrition. Suitable foods for feeding are:

• milk;
• cereals;
• vegetables;
• cottage cheese.

Feed the dog every three hours. When the age of the animal reaches 1.5 months, you need to gradually increase the dose. But the list of products remains unchanged.

Food is best served ground (no blender allowed). During this period, it is necessary to teach the baby to chew food, so it is better to boil the meat first, and serve it raw at the age of 2 months.

Important: food should not be cold.

Feeding a two-month-old puppy

Changes include doubling the food dosage and including seafood in the menu (if the growing dog is not allergic to them). The main food items should remain milk and porridge. When the puppy is four months old, their number gradually decreases and they are replaced by meat.

Feeding a three-month-old baby

At three months, the diet is expanded. You can add eggs, dairy products and fruits. Foods high in protein should make up the bulk of the diet, with the rest being carbohydrates and dairy products.

From four months to six months, the basic principles of nutrition are preserved, there should be more protein. From six months, feeding pets approaches the diet of an adult dog.

sample menu and nutrition rules

Proper and balanced feeding of a puppy is a necessary component of its healthy growth and development. At the age of up to a year, a pet’s teeth, skeleton, and muscles are formed. Therefore, from the first days, the owner must be very attentive and responsible to nutrition. The better the diet is selected, the more healthy and active the dog will grow.

Contents

Frequency of feeding per day

Puppies need a specific number of meals according to their age. The smaller the baby, the more food he needs. When the puppy is about a month old, he is allowed to feed himself, gradually moving from milk to regular food.

You can get acquainted with the approximate plan using the following table:

Age of the puppy, months	Number of meals per day	Feeding schedule, hours
1-2	5-6	7, 10, 16, 19, 19
2-4	4-5	7, 10, 10, 10 14, 18, 22
4-6	3-4	7, 12, 17, 22
6-10	3	7, 14, 21
10-12	2	7-20

From night to morning, the puppy should have a break in food. At this time of day, his gastrointestinal tract should not be loaded with food, so it is better not to feed the baby, even if he begins to whine and howl. And so that the pet does not cry from hunger, at night he needs to be given hearty milk porridge or meat.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

If one day the owner violated the schedule and missed one feeding of the puppy, you do not need to treat him with a double portion next time.

Peculiarities of nutrition of week-old puppies without a bitch

Sometimes a person has to somehow replace the mother for newborn puppies. They need to be fed every 2 hours, the temperature of the artificial mixture should be no more than +40 degrees. To do this, you will need to purchase a baby bottle with a nipple, a pipette or a syringe with a rubber nozzle.

It is better to feed week-old puppies with special powdered milk, which can be bought in pet stores. The composition of this food is most similar to dog milk. In addition, you can at home prepare a mixture based on goat or cow’s milk. For 1 liter you need to take 3 yolks, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons of vitamins in liquid form and a spoonful of corn oil. Mix all this, bring to a temperature of +35 gr. and feed your baby with a bottle or syringe.

Interesting: At what age do puppies open their eyes

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

At the age of 3 weeks, the puppy should be fed with ordinary crushed food, controlling the condition of the four-legged cub.

Regardless of the type of feeding, babies need water. It can be given starting from a two-week period.

Diet according to age

Some owners or breeders teach small pets to eat from a bowl without human assistance by 3 weeks. But most often, first complementary foods, and then the training of puppies to eat on their own occurs about a month or a little earlier.

Feeding at 1 month

The basis of a pet’s diet up to one and a half months of age, regardless of breed, is mother’s milk. Therefore, the question of how to feed a small monthly puppy does not cause much difficulty. During this period, it is very important to follow a meal plan. If the bitch has a large litter, but little milk, or the owner is caring for newborn dogs, then veterinarians recommend introducing early first complementary foods – at about 2-3 weeks.

When the pet is 1.5 months old, he will be happy to try other dairy products – low-fat kefir, sour cream, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese. For such a puppy, porridge cooked in milk is also well suited, which can then be cooked in meat broth.

This is interesting: Cereals allowed for feeding dogs

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

It is important to observe the pet’s weight gain, which will show how useful the chosen diet is for him.

2 months

A puppy at this age is very different from what he was just a month ago. You can already expand the menu, but at the same time you need to carefully and gradually introduce new food. It is recommended to feed the puppy with dairy products for at least another 2 months. But their volume should be gradually reduced.

The table below will help you create and vary a sample menu for a small 2 month old puppy.

In addition, boiled chicken or raw quail eggs can be given to a two-month-old baby 1 to 3 times a week. Fruits will also be useful for a growing body.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

Uncooked pet meat should be frozen for at least 3 days, and it is recommended to scald it with boiling water before serving. In one feeding, it is forbidden to combine this ingredient with milk.

3 months

From the age of three months, the puppy is transferred to four meals a day. To keep teeth and bones strong, dairy products should not be excluded from the diet. Food should be varied and rich. If earlier the owner treated the fluffy baby only with natural products, you can’t abruptly transfer him to dry food – this will adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract.

A three-month-old puppy begins to change teeth and develop an overbite, so it is recommended to give him crackers and soft, non-sharp bones. Do not forget about hygiene.

Feeding from 6 months

Approximately from six months old, small pets begin the stage of enhanced physical development. Because of this, they require much more protein food.

A significant portion of the diet is lean meat. The puppy’s menu also includes vegetables, cereals, cereals, boiled or raw eggs. A couple of times a week you can give fish, but due to the low protein content, it needs to be distributed 2 times more. For this, only marine species are suitable – cod, hake, pollock.

An interesting article: What vegetables and fruits can and cannot be given to dogs

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

You can’t feed a puppy with minced meat. Most often, dogs simply swallow it without chewing it – the pet may have problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to the accumulation of undigested residues.

Puppy dry food

Another food option for growing dogs is dry food. It is healthy, properly balanced, has all the necessary substances and minerals. Such food is divided into the following categories:

• economy – the cheapest food with low energy value and a minimum of useful properties;
• premium – medium price class, the composition is much better than the previous one;
• super premium – mixtures similar to natural products;
• elite (holistic) – expensive and healthy food with many additives and ingredients.

Veterinarians do not recommend economy food for puppies. Due to the lack of trace elements necessary for growth and development, a pet can grow weak and often get sick.

A few tips for feeding puppies ready-to-eat food:

1. Don’t choose low cost food – the desire to save money can lead to much more spending on pet care.
2. Good pet food is most likely to be found in veterinary pharmacies. It must be in closed packaging.
3. Do not forget to regularly pour clean drinking water.
4. Dry food should never be given together with natural food. When combining such products of different composition, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is greatly disrupted.
5. Do not frequently change food brands and mix different varieties with each other in the same dish.

Puppies should be given finished products no earlier than 4 months. Before meals, it is soaked in warm water for half an hour before feeding.

Vitamins

Naturally fed puppies should be given vitamins as a nutritional supplement for overall health. Their norm is determined depending on age and breed. But even if the owner took a puppy of a purebred mongrel, he needs useful supplements no less than a thoroughbred representative.

Among the recommended vitamins for growing dogs, vitamins A and D are in the lead, especially in the autumn and winter seasons. They contribute to the normal development of the musculoskeletal system and the prevention of rickets.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

Ask a question

If puppies eat dry food, they do not need extra vitamins. In this case, additional substances will only harm him.

Prohibited foods

New owners are often afraid to make a mistake and feed a fluffy baby with unhealthy food. In addition to not giving cold and hot food to puppies, there is an important list of foods prohibited for them:

• bread, loaf, sweet pastries;
• sweets, chocolate, honey, jam;
• everything that causes flatulence and bloating – cabbage, grapes, peas, beans, plums;
• pork;
• river fish;
• fried, spicy, salted, smoked;
• sausages;
• ketchup, mayonnaise, various sauces;
• bones.

Food from the human table for puppies is unacceptable and dangerous.

Learn more

Many people are wondering if salt should be added to dog and puppy food. Here you need to maintain the right balance and add one pinch 1 time per day to one dish. It would be a big mistake to salt food on a par with human food. At the same time, you should not completely deprive your pet of this beneficial substance – any animal needs salt in a small amount.

General advice

Veterinarians usually emphasize how badly overeating can harm a dog. But lack of food can also cause her health problems. To avoid this, you should definitely follow a few simple tips:

1. The puppy should always have access to clean water at room temperature. The drinking bowl should be washed regularly.
2. It is necessary to draw up a feeding schedule and stick to it.
3. Serving should be calculated by weight.
4. If the pet ate much less than usual, the next feeding does not need to increase the amount of food.
5. There is no strict schedule for the diet, but you can not replace one product with another that is unequal in composition and nutritional value – for example, put more cereals in a dish than meat.
6. In case of rejection of a certain product, do not worry or force the pet to eat – it is better to give him what he likes.
7. Each meal should be no longer than 15 minutes. If during this time the puppy has not eaten everything, the owner should put the remaining food in the refrigerator.
8. Place the food plates in such a way that the dog does not have to bend too much towards them. Otherwise, it will lead to improper formation and development of skeletal bones. An adjustable stand with a tripod will help to avoid this.
9. You can’t have an active pastime immediately after eating – you should wait 1-2 hours and then start walking, playing and training with your four-legged friend.

Proper and balanced nutrition for your growing pet is easy. You just need to remember which foods are recommended for a puppy, and which are strictly prohibited, and also strictly follow the feeding schedule. If a four-legged friend is cheerful and cheerful, his coat is smooth, shiny, and his teeth are healthy, then all this indicates the right choice of food for his pet and the owner’s care for him.

Error code: “Forbidden”. Error message: “The request cannot be completed because you have exceeded your quota.” Domain: “youtube. quota”. Reason: “quotaExceeded”.

Have you added your Google API key? See help.

Check YouTube if ID PLH53slWA60RcAO00gsoiGQNxpKSKMfvct belongs to the playlist. Check the plugin’s FAQ or submit a bug report to support.

Like this article? Share with friends:

How to properly feed a puppy from one month to a year

Today I want to tell you about how to properly feed a puppy. After all, your fluffy must receive everything necessary for a growing body and grew up strong and healthy.

Of course, you won’t be able to remember all the subtleties of this process right away. But every day you will gain more and more experience, constantly learn something new and useful. In the end, you will become well versed in the natural feeding of the dog.

And I hope that my advice will help you with this.

Basic Rules for Puppy Feeding

Here are the main points that every novice dog breeder should know:

Basic puppy food

Feeding a puppy properly is not that difficult. You just need to know which products can be given to him, and which are strictly prohibited. Read about what is useful to feed the dog, and what should not be given in any case.

Additional supplements and treats

In addition to the main products, the following supplements can be included in the daily diet of the little barbosik:

• Chalk.
• Shredded quail shell.
• Honey (teaspoon per day).
• Fish oil (teaspoon per day).
• Brewer’s yeast.
• Bran.
• Laminaria.
• Germinated cereal seeds.
• From 3 months you can give beef cartilage, chicken necks.
• Beef tripe and other by-products can already be included in the baby’s diet from 5 months.

How many times a day should a puppy be fed

This is how a puppy is fed from one month to a year.

How much to feed a puppy

On a natural diet, the daily amount of food consumed by a dog should be approximately 6-8% of the dog’s weight. For example, if your pet weighs 10 kilograms, then 7% would be 700 grams.

Feeding your puppy properly doesn’t mean feeding it to the bone. Overfeeding is much worse than underfeeding.

The number of servings you should determine yourself, based on age and level of physical activity. Appetite can be influenced by many factors. For example, in the summer, in the heat, dogs eat much less than in the cold season. Read about what to do if your pet is not eating well.

Finding out if your puppy is hungry or not is easy. If the baby licks the bowl after feeding, leaving nothing there, then this means that the fluffy has not eaten. In this case, you should increase the portion. Well, if the baby leaves excess porridge in the bowl, then he is completely satisfied.

Feeding a puppy from one month to a year

At a young age (approximately up to three months), dairy products should be the main diet of a four-legged dog. The puppy should receive 40-50% dairy products from the total daily diet, 35-50% meat products and approximately 15-25% cereals and vegetables. In milk, you need to cook porridge. Kefir, milk, fermented baked milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream – all this should be present in the diet of a fluffy baby. With age, the amount of dairy products should decrease, but meat, on the contrary, increase.

After 3 months, the puppy should be fed according to the following scheme: 25-30% dairy products, 50-70% meat, 20% vegetables and 10-15% cereals. Read which foods should be given to the caudate, and which are absolutely not allowed.

All diagrams below are examples. You can experiment and be imaginative.

It is useful to add mineral supplements to the feed (chalk, crushed eggshells, fish oil, dry seaweed).

Feeding plan from one to two months

From the age of three weeks, puppies can already be offered solid food. New foods should be introduced gradually, starting with one type of protein (such as beef or veal). Products must be fresh and natural. Once a week, a raw quail or boiled chicken egg.

One teaspoon of vegetable oil can be added to one of the daily meals to prevent constipation. I propose the following feeding schedule:

• 7.00 – natural cottage cheese, with milk or sour cream.
• 10.00 – boiled (or scalded beef / veal) + a little boiled rice.
• 13.00 – milk feeding (milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, sour cream).
• 16.00 – boiled (or scalded beef / beef trimmings) + some rice.
• 19.00 – milk feeding with the addition of an egg.
• 22.00 – raw scalded meat. It is useful to give raw meat at night so that the dog sleeps better. Look at recipes for “raw” feeding.

If you give your pet raw meat, then do not forget that before feeding it must be frozen for at least 3 days in the freezer, and scalded with boiling water immediately before feeding.

Feeding plan from two to four months

From 8 weeks you can gradually introduce new foods, one every 3-4 days. It can be muscular meat of lamb, horse meat, rabbit meat, fish, poultry. You can also diversify the assortment of vegetables and fruits: cucumber, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, apples, lettuce and other greens, berries. Vegetables and fruits also need to be administered every 3 days, and alternate. By introducing vegetables one at a time, you observe the body’s reaction to a new product, and reject the possibility of an allergy to one or another type of new product for a puppy.

Here is the feeding schedule:

• 7.00 – cottage cheese mixed with milk or sour cream. Or rice porridge boiled in milk + a teaspoon of honey.
• 10.00 – boiled or scalded meat (or poultry) + a little rice + grated carrots (or other vegetables). At first, it is better to stew vegetables a little in plain water.
• 14.00 – milk feeding (cottage cheese, sour cream) + fruit (or egg).
• 18.00 – boiled turkey (fish) + grated stewed vegetables and herbs.
• 22.00 – raw scalded (or boiled) meat or fish with vegetables. If your diet allows, you can add a little boiled cereal to your food.

Feeding Plan Four to Six Months

During this feeding period, start offering offals to the puppy. Do not forget that the amount of offal should not be more than 10-15% of the total meat diet of the animal.

Feeding schedule:

• 7.00 – milk feeding (cottage cheese, sour cream) + fruit (or egg).
• 12.00 – by-products (heart, spleen, liver, kidneys, and so on) + a little boiled rice + vegetables + greens.
• 17.00 – milk feeding.
• 22.00 – raw scalded (or boiled) meat or fish with vegetables. If your diet allows, you can add a little boiled cereal to your food.

Feeding plan from six to ten months

Puppy already eats like an adult dog. Raw meat bones can be introduced into the diet.

Remember: bones should only be raw. Boiled, stewed or fried bones are strictly contraindicated for animals. The bones must be intact. Under no circumstances should you offer chopped bones to your dog. For starters, chicken necks, milk (young) lamb ribs are perfect.

You can feed like this:

• 7.00 – cottage cheese mixed with milk or sour cream. Or rice porridge boiled in milk + a teaspoon of honey.
• 14.00 – boiled or scalded meat, fish or poultry + some rice (if necessary) + various vegetables grated on a grater to which the dog is not allergic (carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber ….) + greens.
• 21.00 – raw scalded (or boiled) meat or fish with vegetables. If your diet allows, you can add a little boiled cereal to your food.

If you offer your pet “soft” bones, at first it is best to feed them during the daytime, and under your supervision.

From the age of 6 months, beef tripe can be included in the baby’s diet, replacing one of the feedings with it. The scar is recommended to give 2-3 times a week. Check out these beef tripe recipes.

Feeding plan from ten to twelve months

At this stage, dairy products in the diet are significantly reduced. You can feed according to this schedule:

• 7.00 – you can alternate meat and milk feeding (meat feeding for two days, on the third day we replace meat feeding with milk feeding).
• 20.00 – raw scalded (or boiled) meat or fish with vegetables. If your diet allows, you can add a little boiled cereal to your food.

Do not forget to give your puppy boiled chicken or raw quail eggs 1-3 times a week. Fish oil, seaweed and other natural supplements for dogs, vegetables and fruits.

It is not necessary to calculate the weight to a milligram and adhere to a strict diet. It is not necessary to run to the market if there is no pumpkin, zucchini or cucumber in the refrigerator today. The main thing is that throughout the week the dog receives all the necessary set of vitamins and minerals. You can, at your discretion, alternate meat, fish, poultry, organ meats. But be sure to have vegetables, herbs, and possibly cereals every day. Several times a week cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs.

Between feedings, you can give your puppy treats and treats that you have prepared yourself. Well, now you yourself see that it is not so difficult to feed a puppy properly. You yourself can adjust the order and diet of feeding.

Although our Jack is no longer a puppy, I think this video will be of interest to every novice dog breeder.

How we feed our Jack

This video is about natural dog food. I will talk about how to properly feed the dog. You will see the daily diet of our Jack.

In addition, our tailed chef will show recipes based on meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and cereals. We hope that after trying Jack Russell Terrier specialties, your ponytails will be satisfied.

Good luck and may your furry pet grow big and healthy!

Puppy Diet and Feeding – How to Choose a Puppy Food

Puppies grow quickly and their digestive and immune systems develop slowly, so their nutritional requirements are different from those of adult dogs. To support your puppy’s healthy development and future health, it is vital to feed your puppy a balanced, complete diet that takes into account his special needs.

Why puppy nutrition is so important

Puppies go through a period of intense growth and development. Nutrition plays a key role in supporting these processes and has a major impact on how strong and healthy your puppy becomes as an adult dog.

How Puppies’ Nutrient Requirements Change

As puppies mature, their nutritional needs change, with different breeds maturing at different ages. To meet the nutritional needs of a puppy throughout its growth period, it is necessary to feed it a special puppy food until it reaches adulthood.

One month

At the age of one month, the puppy can be gradually weaned from its mother’s milk and switched to solid food. Puppies need nutrients that promote natural defense mechanisms and the development of beneficial microflora in a sensitive digestive system.

Two to four months

This phase focuses on supporting the development of the puppy’s skeletal structure with carefully selected amounts of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.

Four to seven months old

At this age, the puppy begins to gain weight and needs to consume a large amount of easily digestible high quality protein.

10 months to adult

As puppies mature, they still need additional nutritional support for joint health, especially large breed puppies, as their body weight puts more stress on the skeleton.

When does your puppy become an adult dog?

	MINIATURE	SMALL	MEDIUM	LARGE	VERY LARGE
Average adult weight	Up to 4 kg	Up to 10 kg	11-25 kg	26-44 kg	45 kg or more
Length of growth (birth to adulthood)	8 to 10 months	8 to 10 months	12 months	15 months	18 to 24 months

Puppy Nutrients

Puppy nutrition should provide the animal with enough energy and quality protein to support growth. In addition, the food should be easily digestible. ROYAL CANIN® rations are balanced nutrition tailored to the individual needs of puppies based on size group, breed and activity level.

Puppy Nutrition

ROYAL CANIN® Scientific Approach to Puppy Nutrition

We specialize in healthy nutrition because we understand that puppy food is about more than just providing energy. In addition, the formation of tissues and organs, protection against diseases and the prevention of digestive disorders and joint diseases, as well as diseases associated with aging, are important.

Puppy Range

ROYAL CANIN® Puppy Nutrition supports your pet’s growth and development by providing all the nutrients your puppy needs to meet their first year of life.

Puppy food

How much food should I give my puppy?

A puppy’s nutritional requirements depend on its breed and adult size. Consult your veterinarian to determine the expected adult weight for your puppy according to its breed. Then you can choose the most suitable food for him and the right amount of daily portion.

Establishing the right diet for your puppy

A puppy’s stomach is small and its immature digestive system can’t cope with the overload caused by overeating. To prevent the puppy from suffering from digestive disorders such as diarrhea, you should divide the daily portion of food into several small portions and give them to the puppy throughout the day.

How the puppy’s diet changes

At first, during weaning, the puppy will need four meals a day, distributed evenly from morning to evening. By the time the puppy reaches adulthood, he will be able to switch to one or two feedings a day.

Smaller breed dogs mature earlier than others, so they can switch to fewer meals per day at an earlier age. Below are recommendations according to the intended size of an adult dog. But it’s always worth talking to your veterinarian about the best feeding schedule for your puppy.

Puppies thrive on a stable diet and do not need a variety of foods like humans. To keep puppies feeling safe and avoiding digestive upsets, give them the same food, preferably at the same time, in the same place and from the same bowl.

What is mixed feeding for puppies?

Mixed feeding involves the use of wet and dry food in one meal or distributed between different puppy feedings. Both foods have important benefits. For example, with wet food, the body receives the necessary moisture. In addition, finicky animals like it. Dry food, in turn, helps to slow down feed intake if the animal eats very quickly.

Benefits of mixed feeding for puppies

When should an animal be mixed fed?

Puppies can be mixed fed at any age, but the sooner they are introduced to different food textures, the less likely they are to be picky as adults. The dog’s digestive tract gets used to a certain composition and type of food. Therefore, when deciding to use a mixed feeding method, it is important to introduce changes gradually.

Mixed dog feeding

Correct Puppy Eating Habits

Feeding a puppy can be stressful, especially if you face problems such as not eating or eating too fast. Here are some helpful tips to help you quickly establish positive associations with the feeding process in your puppy so he gets the nutrients he needs.

Portion Control

To avoid overfeeding your puppy, read the feeding instructions on the food package and carefully measure each serving. Remember that the amounts shown are for the whole day, not for one feeding.

Do not feed human food

Dogs and humans have different nutritional needs. Foods that are good for humans can cause serious digestive problems in dogs. In addition, feeding your puppy leftover food from the table or from your hand can cause undesirable behavior.

Be careful with treats

To avoid overfeeding your puppy, treats should always be included in your total daily diet. Establish how many treats the puppy can get and offer them at the right time and for the right occasion.

Limit your puppy’s activity before and after feeding

To prevent digestive disturbances, try not to let the puppy jump or tumble for a period of 30-40 minutes before or after feeding. And don’t feed your puppy right after a period of high physical activity.

Maintain a quiet environment while feeding

Extraneous sounds can distract the puppy from the food, so ensure a quiet environment at the feeding area. Keep your pet safe while he is eating, but do not interfere with him, as this may cause a defensive reaction in the animal.

Speed ​​of food intake

If the puppy swallows food too quickly, try using a slow feeder bowl or a food puzzle. Even if the puppy eats slowly, remove the bowl of food after 15-20 minutes so that he does not get used to constantly coming to the food.

How to switch your puppy to a different food

Sudden changes in your puppy’s diet can lead to digestive upset and even food rejection. Whether you are transitioning your pet to adult food, changing foods, or starting mixed feeding, it is always important to introduce a new food gradually. Such a transition is recommended to be carried out within a week, using the following proportions:

• days 1 and 2: 75% old food + 25% new food
• days 3 and 4: 50% old food + 50% new food
• days 5 and 6: 25% old food + 75% new food
• Day 7: 100% new food

Changing dog food

Questions and answers about feeding puppies

Puppy Feeding Quiz


Test your knowledge with our quiz

Question 1 of 4

How often should a three month old puppy be fed?

Once a day

Twice a day

Three times per day

Right!


Three-month-old puppies of any breed require three equal feedings per day. Puppies cannot regulate their food intake, so more frequent small meals are easier on their digestive systems.

or

Wrong


Three-month-old puppies of any breed require three equal feedings per day. Puppies cannot regulate their food intake, so more frequent small meals are easier on their digestive systems.

or

Question 2 of 4

When should large breed puppies be switched to adult dog food?

12 months

15 months

18 to 24 months

Correctly!


Large breed dogs with an adult weight between 26-44 kg reach maturity at the age of 15 months. If a large breed puppy is introduced to adult dog food at an earlier age, its nutritional needs may not be adequately met.

or

Not properly


Large breed dogs should be switched to adult dog food at 15 months of age. If done earlier, their nutritional requirements may not be adequately met. If you do this later, the dog will receive more energy and protein than he needs.

or

Question 3 of 4

Why is it important to transition a puppy to a new food gradually?

Use leftover croquettes

To avoid digestive disorders

Correctly!


Dogs have sensitive digestive systems, so gradually transitioning to a new food over the course of a week will help prevent digestive upsets and avoid situations where the puppy starts to refuse food.

or

Not properly


Dogs have sensitive digestive systems, so gradually transitioning to a new food over the course of a week will help prevent digestive upsets and avoid situations where the puppy starts to refuse food.

or

Question 4 of 4

Which of the following trace elements are responsible for healthy joint development?

Protein

Carbohydrates

Fats

Correctly!


Protein plays a vital role in the healthy development of a puppy’s tissues, muscles and skeleton.

or

Not properly


Protein plays a vital role in the healthy development of a puppy’s tissues, muscles and skeleton.

or

Thanks for taking the test

Points earned:
0/0


Learn more about

Puppy Feeding and Nutrition

Puppy Range

Choose a complete, balanced food that meets your puppy’s special needs.

Puppy food

Can a puppy have milk?

How often to feed a puppy

Kennel cough in dogs

How to feed a dog during pregnancy

Puppy feeding

Necessary items for a kitten

Puppy Nutrition Questions

Puppy socialization

Changing teeth in puppies

Vaccination of puppies

Vaccination of puppies: canine parainfluenza virus

Should a male be castrated?

How and what to feed a puppy so that he grows up healthy?

Balanced, proper nutrition means a lot for dogs. If the owner knows how to feed the puppy and follows the recommendations of veterinarians, it is likely that the development will go right, the pet will be cheerful and live long. For feeding, ready-made feeds and natural products are used, mixed nutrition is also practiced. There are plenty of disputes around this issue, it is difficult to accept one of the parties, natural and so-called artificial nutrition have advantages, the owner will have to decide.

Feed – how to give, how convenient and useful

The main advantages of feed are ease of use and enormous time savings. The problem of how to feed a small puppy is removed completely. The only thing you have to do is divide the food into portions and give it on time. Feeds are produced in different types, designed for puppies of different ages and sizes, they contain vitamins and minerals in a balanced amount.

Feed must be soaked before serving. It takes about an hour to soak 100 grams of feed, for this amount 300-350 ml of water is taken. So that the food does not turn sour, it is recommended to soak it before each feeding.

Natural products – what to give, in what quantity

Natural feeding provides for feeding with meat, cereals, vegetables, boiled eggs, cottage cheese – so that the puppy receives everything that is needed for development.

Half of the daily diet is meat, another 40% is cereals and 10% is vegetables. Additionally, eggs and dairy products (cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, whey) are introduced, meat can and should be periodically changed to fish.

Meat. To feed a puppy, he is given lean meat: rabbit, veal, beef and turkey. It is desirable to freeze it for 2 days before serving – to kill harmful microorganisms. The meat is given thawed, raw. The third part of a one-time norm can be mixed with cereals 5 minutes before it is ready. Porridge that smells like meat will please the puppy more, and gradually he will get used to it.

Fish. Fish is given boiled , without bones, usually a couple of times a week – you need to see if the dog likes it or not.

Groats. Porridges are boiled in vegetable or bone broth, milk, water. Puppies can be given oatmeal, rice, buckwheat. The cereal is cooked for 15–20 minutes, the liquid should cover it by 1. 5–2 cm. The possibility of adding meat is written above.

Vegetables and herbs. If you ask a veterinarian what to feed a puppy, he will say that he needs to be given zucchini, broccoli, if the season allows, parsley, sorrel, dill. Pumpkin and carrots are also useful, but orange vegetables are potential allergens, so they are given little by little, with great care. Boiled or stewed vegetables are fed, greens – raw, but well washed. Only an apple can be given raw, but peeled, no more than a quarter a day.

A puppy may not want to eat vegetables in their pure form, so if he resists, they can be mixed into porridge, like meat, after cutting or mashing into a puree.

Dairy products. They must be free of preservatives and dyes, that is, for feeding puppies, it is better not to buy them, but to make them yourself.

Eggs. Approximately 2 times a week, quail or chicken eggs are given, they must be boiled before serving.

Mixed feeding

With such a diet, cereals should be discarded, only meat is combined with the feed, if desired, with stewed vegetables.

Food is given in the morning, and in the evening, after a walk, meat is given only 5 hours after food, not more than 3 times a week .

At night, regardless of the diet, it is always advisable to give only meat, without vegetables and cereals – this will ensure healthy sleep and allow the dog to run to the toilet less.

People often ask what to feed a 1-month-old and 2-month-old puppy. The products listed above are given regardless of age, the main thing is to observe the norm and frequency of feeding.

How to correctly calculate the amount of food and meals

It is easier with ready-made feeds – the dosage is already calculated, it is indicated on the package. To calculate a one-time portion of natural food, you need to take 5-10% of the dog’s weight, that is, to feed a puppy up to 2 months old, which weighs about 4 kilograms, a 200-gram serving is prepared. More accurately, the volume is calculated according to the needs of the dog: if she does not eat enough, it is better to reduce the portion, if it is noticeable that she remains hungry, it is worth adding food.

Growing dogs should eat often, literally by the hour:

• 1-2 month old puppies should be fed 6 times a day, at three-hour intervals, from 7 am to 10 pm;
• 2-4-month-old puppy is given food 5 times a day, from 7 am to 10 pm, but with larger, equal intervals;
• 4-6 month old puppy – 4 times a day, again at longer intervals;
• 6-10 months – 3 times;
• 10-12-month-olds – only 2 times, at 7.00 and at 21.00.

In addition to knowing how and what to feed puppies, you need to remember that by giving them food, they can be disciplined at the same time. The bowl with food is placed for 15–20 minutes, then it is taken away, even if the dog did not have time to eat all . This relieves the owner of the need to remove sour and dried food, and teaches the dog to eat what they give.