Proper feeding of puppies

The diet of a small puppy is a top priority for the owner, because so much depends on it: the dog’s growth, health, and development. For everything to go smoothly, the baby needs to receive all the missing vitamins and nutrients. Among other things, nutrition should be balanced. 

What to feed a puppy per month

Three weeks is a very tender age. It is at this time that the first complementary feeding should begin. It often happens that owners begin to feed puppy simple food from the table. But this is the worst mistake, because a puppy is just like a child, and you wouldn’t feed a one-month-old baby a piece of fish or steak. A small dog also needs special food.

What can you give your puppy:

• As soon as the puppy is a month old, start giving him cottage cheese, but only low-fat and no more than twenty grams per day.
• Mix pasteurized milk with white bread crumb and egg.
• The little fidget definitely needs meat. Give him minced meat, but very little at a time. Start with half a teaspoon. And add two servings daily.
• Boil vegetables every day. Pass them through a blender and blend into a paste. Giving should start with no more than 50 grams per day, eventually increasing to 150 grams.
• Starting from one and a half months, introduce porridge into the diet: rice, buckwheat, and so on.

Under no circumstances should you give a three-week-old baby fish!

Remember, you must train your puppy to sleep at night and be awake during the day. Feed him little by little up to five times a day.

This period is very important and difficult, so do not forget to take the puppy to the veterinarian for an examination. You may need to take a course of vitamins to strengthen bone tissue.

Don’t forget that your pet’s diet will depend on the breed. After all, you can’t feed a Bolonka and a Great Dane the same. Larger dogs should get more protein than smaller dogs.

What to feed a puppy at 2 months

When the puppy reaches two months, his diet should include:

• up to 45% meat;
• 20% vegetables;
• 40% dairy products.

The puppy must eat kefir, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Most often there are no problems with milk, but in extreme cases it can cause diarrhea. This means she is too fat. In this case, you need to change the product to a less fatty one.

The baby needs protein, and this is meat, fish and eggs. As for meat, it can only be given fresh if it comes from livestock. It is best to pre-boil the store-bought version. Don’t forget to grind it in a blender or pass it through a meat grinder, since a two-month-old baby is not yet able to cope with a whole piece.

Only the whites can be given from eggs. You should start with one egg per day, and gradually increase the portion. From three months you can start giving yolk.

At two months, marine fish are introduced into complementary foods. It is important that it is boneless. Before giving it to the puppy, it must be boiled and cleaned.

Starting from two months, vegetables can be given raw. You shouldn't force your dog to eat vegetables if he doesn't want to. In this case, it’s worth using a little trick - just grind them finely and add to fish or meat.

Porridge is best cooked in meat broth. Since the dog already knows the taste of meat and fish, it is unlikely to eat empty porridge in water, and besides, it will be much healthier in broth.

What can you feed puppies?

When it comes to choosing food, the dog relies entirely on its sense of smell, since it has no taste buds at all. This is why some dogs prefer berries and some prefer meat.

Nowadays there are several ways of feeding pet:

1. Food made from natural products, prepared directly by the owner himself.
2. Store-bought food comes in the form of dry cookies and canned food.
3. Combination of food - natural food + store-bought food.

There is, of course, a fourth option and, unfortunately, it happens most often. The dog feeds on what is left after the owner's meal. This is categorically wrong and harmful for a baby, and even for an adult dog, so it’s not even worth talking about.

The puppy's diet should be balanced and include the required amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. That is, everything should be in moderation: milk, meat, and vegetables. You cannot feed your pet, say, only meat or vegetables.

Very often, precisely because of difficulties with food balance, dog breeders choose the easiest way - to buy store-bought food. After all, it’s much easier than standing and boiling something at the stove. But, unfortunately, not all food of this kind is good. It often causes allergic reactions or digestive problems in dogs. This is due to the fact that even a specialized store will not be able to protect you from counterfeiting 100%. But when you cook on your own, it’s a completely different matter.

Dry food for puppies

Dry food is a completely finished product. You don't need to heat, mix or dilute anything. All you have to do is carefully read the packaging and choose exactly what your pet needs, based on its breed, age and preferences.

Dry food is divided into several types:

• Top-class or super-premium food. This is the most expensive and best type of dry food. It contains only natural ingredients of the highest quality.
• First class food. They are balanced and meet all the necessary criteria at the global level.
• Middle class. This food has both quality and price based on its name.
• Economy class. This option is neither balanced nor quality. The only positive aspect of this food is its low price.

How much to feed a puppy per day

The number of times a puppy is fed depends on its age. The smaller the puppy, the more often he will have to be fed. Around the age of three weeks, the puppy is allowed to eat on its own, gradually transferring it from feeding with mother's milk to simple food.

Number of feedings per day:

• up to 6 times a day puppies up to two months;
• from 2 to 4 months, babies are fed no more than 4 times a day;
• after 4 and up to 6 months, feeding is reduced to 3-4 times a day;
• from 6 to 10 months, stick to three meals a day;
• starting from 10 months, meals should become two meals a day.

Remember that you should never feed your puppy at night! At this time he should rest.

What not to feed puppies

At absolutely no age, up to old age, a dog should not be fed cold or hot food. This is a taboo that any owner should remember.

Also, puppies should not be given the following food:

• flour and confectionery products;
• beans;
• grape;
• plums;
• spicy and fried foods;
• salt (you can add a little salt to the food, but in no case oversalt it, or just give it salt);
• various additives and sauces;
• any bones, you can cook broth on them, but they themselves should not get to the puppy.