Simple Guide To Feeding Your Puppy

The first few weeks of a pup ingesting solid food
will be imperative for their growth and
betterment, both mentally and physically, making
it important for dog owners to understand proper
nutrition for their canine companion, as well as
proper amounts and the best diet obtainable

Understanding Food Motivation in Dogs:

Before choosing any type of kibble or canned
food for a puppy, it's important to remember
that dogs are highly food motivated. Their wild
ancestors and relatives are often forced to
endure days or weeks without much to eat, and
the trait of eating as much as possible at any
given time is still apparent in most modern dog
breeds.

This makes it easy to overfeed a puppy. Most
puppies will eat as much as you will give them
as many times as you offer food until they gorge
themselves sick. On the flip side, food can be a
great training tool if used correctly. Keeping
this food motivation in mind, you can begin to
assess the best feeding routine, diet and
schedule for your dog to ensure they do not eat
too much, but are getting enough for their
specific needs and energy level.

Proper Nutrition and Feeding Amounts:

First puppies and younger dogs need a different
type of chow that is formulated to compensate for
rapid growth and development. Always feed your
pet age-appropriate foods.

Do not just grab whatever bag of dry kibble
happens to be on sale at your local supermarket.
Read the nutrition labels and compare
ingredients. Dogs are carnivores by nature, and
while some grains and vegetables can be helpful,
the main ingredients in quality dog food should
always be meat. Dog foods that are high in
"filler" products, like corn or other
carbohydrates, have the potential to increase
the risk of obesity in canines.

Remember, too, that constantly changing the
diet of a dog or puppy can also have negative
effects. A rotating diet of several dog food
types and brands may cause Fido to become
finicky or cause digestive problems. Find a type
of chow your canine companion likes and provides
proper nutrition and deviate as little as
possible.

Stick to the Schedule:

Younger puppies will need to be fed about three
times per day, but as they grow older you can
adjust this to twice per day and, depending on
the breed and energy level of your dog, once per
day. A new puppy should eat once early in the
morning, once around noon, and once in the early
afternoon. Try to avoid feeding before bedtime,
as this may cause more elimination accidents in
the house and be a setback to housebreaking.

If you are using food as a training tool,
remember to subtract the amount you have used
during training, be it treats or dry kibble,
from Fido's daily meal intake. For example, if
your pooch usually receives two cups of food per
day, but you fed him half of a cup of treats
during training sessions, you will want to feed
him a little less at meal time to prevent excess
weight gain over time. Keep in mind that treats
are usually not 100% nutritionally complete.

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This is a basic guide, if in any doubt please
seek advice from your vet or a group that
specialise in your breed. Resourced
http://www.chudleys.com

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