Recommended Serving Amounts For Homemade Dog Food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
This works out to be approximately:
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
There is much variation in what the ideal amount should be as it depends on how much your dog weighs and how active she is.
I feel that the best approach is to feed and watch if your dog is losing weight, give more, and if your dog is gaining weight, give less.
For our pugs, we feed a scoop each in the morning and a scoop each in the evening, plus all their supplements.
We have an easy system for this: homemade food is refrigerated in a sealed container with a measuring cup , and all the supplements are lined up together in a cupboard in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients organized and accessible will make feeding time fast and smooth.
Compared to feeding commercial food, where you might scoop out kibbles or open up a can, feeding homemade food with all the supplements takes maybe 10 seconds more. And even if it took 10 minutes more, fresh wholesome food for our furbabies is worth it.
Why Do You Need To Switch To Adult Dog Foods
Due to the fact that a growing puppy has a need for more energy, we want to feed a puppy food thats full of nutritional supplements and are high in calories.
A general rule of thumb is that larger dogs mature more slowly than smaller dogs. Small dogs of less than 30lbs can mature at 10 to 12 months of age, and even sooner among some toy breeds. If you have a medium dog of up to 80lb, they may not mature until theyre 12 to 16 months old. If you have a larger breed, you may have to wait until theyre two before they reach full maturity.
Similar to your switch to puppy food, you should switch to adult dog food over the space of 2 to 3 weeks by gradually introducing the adult food to their puppy mix to prevent any gastric upset.
The primary reason you need to transition from puppy food to adult food is to ensure your dog remains at a healthy weight. The ability to judge your dogs overall condition will be important in determining how much you should feed them.
I will not give you any recommendations or guidelines on this, as they will vary from dog to dog and from breed to breed.
Experts recommend you do some research to work out how to calculate your dogs conditioning score. If you have questions or queries, you can always talk to your vet and they will point out some simple steps you can take, but I hope Ive at least helped you just a bit in discovering what to feed a 2-month-old puppy.
What To Feed Puppies As They Grow Bigger
As your puppy grows bigger, so will their appetite. To give them the extra energy they need to support fast bursts of growth and build up muscle mass, youll have to increase the amount you feed your puppy
Depending on their breed, a six-month-old puppy can require up to twice the daily calorie intake of a two-month-old! As a general rule of thumb, increase portion sizes gradually over the first 12 months, after which most puppies can be moved on to adult food. You should always check with your vet before increasing or decreasing meal sizes as puppies will differ in their caloric needs based on their size, with larger breeds moving onto adult food later, at about 18 to 24 months.
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Dont Let Your Dog Get Chubby
It is important to be able to judge your dogs 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 dogs 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.
Preparation Of Our Homemade Diet
All of the information above might seem intimidating, but I assure you that making the actual meals for our dogs takes no more than 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.
First, we cook our complex carbs, whether theyre grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables.
While that pot is simmering on the stove, we cook the meat in a separate pan in coconut oil and ground turmeric. After its cooled a bit, we add chunks of meat to our food processor and pulse until theyre broken down into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.
Then, we gather whatever vegetables or fruits we have in the kitchen , chop them up as needed, and toss them into the food processor.
We also add a few clean, crushed eggshells to the mix. A few pulses turns all this food into smaller pieces, making them more digestible for our dogs.
Finally, we add the cooled, cooked carbs to the food processor and do a couple more pulses to combine. Everything should have a finely crumbled texture by this point.
Since dogs have short digestive tracts, its crucial that you break down the food to increase its bioavailability that is, making all the nutrients in those wholesome ingredients more digestible in a dogs system.
I prepare enough food to last my two pugs an entire week. Its unbelievably easy, and I like knowing exactly what goes into their food. Friends will watch us feed our pugs and remark that it looks good enough for them to eat!
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When Can Puppies Eat Dry Food
Feeding Your Puppy: Whats the best dry puppy food? Healthiest puppy food? Best puppy food grain for sensitive stomachs? Our guide.
Feeding Your Puppy: Whats the best dry puppy food? Healthiest puppy food? Best puppy food grain for sensitive stomachs? Our guide.
Theres nothing quite like the early days of puppyhood. Its the start of your journey together a special friendship that lasts a lifetime. At the start, you teach them new tricks, watch their confidence grow and spend countless hours cuddling up to them on the sofa. These moments make the sleepless nights worth it.
In these early stages, youll start to notice your pup developing a tendency to think with their stomach and let their appetite do the talking a trait that stays with most dogs. Watch out for those puppy eyes at dinner time.
What they eat at the beginning has a big say in things like the growth of muscles, teeth and bones. Thats why when it comes to food, its important they have everything they need to support them through their early development. Its our job to make sure we get dinner time spot on.
Understanding Shih Tzu Puppy Nutritional Needs
Looking through all of the food options, it can easily become confusing about which dog food is the right choice for your Shih Tzu puppy.
Understanding what the Shih Tzu puppys nutritional needs are can help you decide which food choice is really the better option for your dog.
You will want to feed your dog a high-quality dog food that has natural preservatives rather than added preservatives.
You will want to look for wholesome ingredients as well, which includes human-grade meats, veggies, and fruits.Some owners prefer to give their dogs a grain-free diet, so that is something else to look at when looking at food.
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S For Weaning Puppies
To begin weaning, take the mother away from the puppies for an hour, two to three times a day, to encourage them to try solid food.
Make a Gruel For Your Dog
Weaning food for puppies should be offered gradually, with modest amounts at first. Select a puppy food that is appropriate for puppies of this age group. The puppies mother may already be supplementing her diet with dog food, which is advantageous since the puppies may witness her eating and learn from her behavior. Puppies may begin to take some of their mothers food as an indication that they are fully prepared to be weaned.
Allow the puppies to try soft, mushy puppy food or prepare their own meal by softening dry puppy food with warm water, mashing it up, and allowing it to cool to body temperature. For easy access, feed it in a wide, shallow dish. It can be a messy affair at first as the puppies leap into the dish and inspect their food. Make sure you have everything youll need to clean up afterward!
Bring the Puppies Back to Their Mother
Allow the mother dog to lick the remaining food from the dish and clean the puppies when reunite.
Increase the Amount of Solid Food Gradually
The puppies diet should only contain ten percent of solid food when theyre starting the weaning process. Then, progressively lower the amount of milk over the next month and replace it with more dog food every three or four days. This will allow your puppy to adapt to solid food safely and without experiencing any digestive issues.
Puppyhood Is The Best Time To Consider Pet Insurance
As a puppy, your dog has probably not shown any significant health concerns at his young age. Since pet insurance companies dont cover pre-existing conditions, the younger your dog is when you sign up, the better coverage you will likely receive throughout his lifetime. Furthermore, pet insurance can help support you financially during the unpredictable puppy years when dogs are more likely to chew on things they shouldnt and run into dangerous situations. Check out our pet insurance guide to learn more and to determine whether pet insurance is worth it for your puppy.
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When Does A Puppy Start Eating
Puppies, like other mammals, begin their lives by feeding on the milk provided by their mother. Living with her and her siblings, as well as maintaining lactation, is recommended until at least two months of age. That’s why it’s not advisable to adopt a dog before that age. Even in the case of orphaned puppies fed with artificial milk, the litter must remain together until the minimum of eight weeks.
But this does not mean that they have to spend all that time drinking only milk. From 21-28 days of age, puppies will begin to show interest in their mother’s food and it is a good time for them to start eating solid. The lactating female will be consuming a certain diet to be able to receive all the nutrients and minerals needed to produce milk for her litter. It’s perfectly fine for her puppies to try her food. Simply make sure it’s moist so that the puppies can ingest it more easily.
After around two months of age, their mother will also motivate them to eat more solid food by preventing them from accessing milk. This would be the final weaning stage. That’s why, when we adopt a 2 month old puppy, we shouldn’t buy puppy milk formula. We should already be feeding them solid food for puppies. But what food should a 2 month old puppy eat? Continue reading as we go through a puppy’s ideal diet.
My Puppy Isnt Eating What Should I Do
While most puppies will rapidly scoff down whatever food you give them, some can be very fussy eaters. Not eating regularly, or at all, can be the symptom of a larger health problem, so you should see your vet and rectify this before turning to the food and your puppys eating habits.
Failing to eat due to illness is normally accompanied by lethargy and a change in behaviour, but not always. You may be able to check for bad teeth, growths, sores or foreign objects in the mouth or throat, but your vet has the tools and know-how to find and diagnose these things faster, as well as take the necessary actions or prescribe the essential medication to help your puppy recover. Furthermore, if your dog is not showing any external symptoms, but is still refusing to eat, vomiting up their food, or suffering from prolonged diarrhoea, then it could be something internal. Dont try to solve the problem yourself go to your vet to give your puppy the best chance of a speedy recovery.
Assuming your vet has given your puppy a clean bill of health, the next thing to examine is the atmosphere in your home, especially the area where your puppy eats. Try to keep this a quiet space and relatively free of too much foot traffic. While most dogs dont mind other people being near them while they eat, if your puppy isnt eating, this could be the reason.
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Is It Okay To Feed Puppies Human Food
In a word, NO!
A lot of human food isn’t good for your puppy, and even the food that isn’t necessarily bad for them could cause problems simply because they are getting too much food or too much of certain things.
For example, too much of the wrong kinds of fat could cause liver failure in a puppy. By giving them that nice big piece of fat you could off your steak, you could kill them! This isn’t very likely to happen, but is it worth the risk?
Homemade Dog Food Sources
- Meats: chicken, turkey, beef, bison, pork, lamb, venison
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, thawed frozen peas
- Complex carbohydrates: brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, lentils, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, winter squash
Recommended Serving Amounts
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
This information is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Every dog’s dietary needs are different. Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when applying this information to your own dog’s diet.
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Risks Of Feeding Puppies People Food
Theres nothing wrong with treating puppies in a healthy way, but its easy to go too far. A fat puppy may be cute, but it isnt healthy, and obesity can lead to a shorter lifespan as an adult. Keeping your puppy lean as he grows into an adult dog can actually add up to two years of longer life.
Puppies have special nutritional needs While they may enjoy the same food we do, a little can go a long way. People food for puppies isnt necessarily terrible, especially in small amounts. However, too much can replace the balanced nutrition they need.
Overindulging may risk their lives if they eat too much or gobble the wrong thing, whether you treated them on purpose or they fished it out of the garbage.
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When you start to house train, follow these steps: Keep the puppy on a regular feeding schedule and take away their food between meals. Take the puppy out to eliminate first thing in the morning and then once every 30 minutes to an hour Take the puppy to the same spot each time to do their business.
- Your 7 month puppy may take a few steps back in training during puppy adolescence, but dont let this discourage your efforts! Learning ebbs and flows for all developing babies and continuing the education is a key to staying on track.
612 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 612 months: Begin feeding twice daily.
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Best Quality Dog Food For Labrador Retriever Puppy
Labrador Puppies show a faster growth rate between the age of 2 to 15 months. They need a diet loaded with high-quality nutrition to assist in the healthy development of bone and muscle mass. A higher amount of calories, protein and fats are ideal for promoting good overall health in puppy Labradors.
We at PetsWorld have in stock a number of high standard foods exclusively formulated for a large breed dog like Labrador Retriever. The diets are offered by premium brands like Royal Canin, Hills Science, Arden Grange, Orijen and Pedigree providing an absolutely safe and top quality nutrition.
Royal Canin Labrador Junior is a diet that is solely made for lab puppies with a kibble shape and size that adapts perfectly to their jaws. It has a nutritional formula that balances the intestinal flora, thus promoting excellent digestive health in the pups.
Arden Grange Puppy Junior Large is a fine quality diet that has enhanced levels of Glucosamine and Chondroitin to keep strong joints and cartilage in Labrador puppies. Chicken is present as the fundamental ingredient that makes it delectable for the pickiest of eaters.
For nourishing Labrador puppies according to their evolutionary and biological needs, we have Orijen Puppy Food which has a dense source of richly nourishing protein to support your growing puppy. An excellent blend of freeze-dried chicken and turkey flavour makes the food highly delicious.
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