Have you recently welcomed a new cute and cuddly puppy into your home but are at a loss on what to feed it? Perhaps you are thinking of buying or adopting a puppy but do not know what the right diet should be? Worry not, I got you (and your puppy).
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What things do you need to consider when selecting your puppy's diet?
The first thing to remember that a puppy dog's diet is not the same as an adult dog's diet so a trip to the grocery store to grab a bag of adult dog food is a no-no. Adult dog food will not meet the nutritional needs of growing puppy. For a quick guide on what to feed your adult dog, check out this post.
You can choose to feed your new puppy one of several options. Natural and organic puppy dog diets have become more popular in recent years. Some pet owners prefer to feed a raw diet to their puppy but most people choose to use kibble as the main component of the puppy dog's diet. For this reason, I will focus primarily on this choice.
As you wean the puppy, a high-quality puppy food with tiny kibble is best. A puppy’s diet should include all the essential vitamins to support excellent growth. Your puppy dog's diet should consist of puppy food moistened with water.The water will create a softer, more palatable meal for your pet. Do not moisten the puppy food with milk, as it acts as a laxative.
As the new puppy grows and becomes accustomed to eating the kibble as a regular part of their diet, you will want to gradually decrease the amount of water. If you plan to feed dry dog food in the future, expect to transition the dog's diet earlier than later. Continuing to moisten the dog food will make the transition more difficult later in life. By six weeks of age, your puppy diet can be solid kibble.
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How often should you feed your puppy?
Your puppy should be permitted all the kibble they want during the initial phase of the weaning process. Make sure you present the meals at regular intervals. Around five months of age, your puppy dog's diet should decrease to only two feedings a day. By this time, you should establish a specific quantity of food per day to ensure a healthy diet and weight for your dog.
How much should you feed your puppy?
Talk to your vet about how much to feed your new puppy. All puppies look cute, round and cuddly at some point during their first few months. It can be difficult to know when your puppy is overweight. Your veterinarian will advise you on this issue. It is a good idea to open up the door of communication between you and your vet now, so you can establish what is best for the new puppy.
Conclusion
Feeding your new puppy a healthy diet does not have to be difficult. Talk to your vet for advice and information. Always choose quality food as the main source of nutrition in your puppy dog's diet. A healthy diet for your puppy will set the stage for a healthy dog in the years to come and is essential for a long, happy life together.