Read Dr Kristy Conns 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 Id 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.
Is My Puppy Underweight
Full or partial anorexia in dogs can lead to a multitude of life-threatening health problems, including the body shutting down to save energy. Prolonged underfeeding will mean your puppy doesnt get the nutrients they need to grow properly, and can lead to stunted growth, brittle bones and a weak immune system both in the short and long term. Anorexia is a condition which should be treated seriously and urgently. If your puppy doesnt eat after 24 hours or continually vomits up his or her food, seek help from your vet.
Similarly to an overweight dog, there are ways of telling if your puppy is underweight:
- The ribs and spine are obviously pronounced, even when you are not touching their sides
- When feeling their ribs, you feel no hint of fat nor muscle.
An anorexic puppy is much harder to manage than an overweight pet, largely because there are so many things that can cause the problem, including hormonal imbalances and psychological issues. It is also harder to get a dog eating again after it has stopped than it is to control the diet of an overfed puppy. Once your vet has diagnosed the problem and come up with a plan for you to follow, you will likely need to begin feeding your puppy small but regular meals until they are able to digest food properly again.
Best Puppy Food For Labs
Labradors fall into the category of large-breed when it comes to specialized dietary needs, due to their risk of hip dysplasia.
A labrador can grow from just under a pound at birth to over 70 pounds in one year.
This rapid growth means their bones must change quickly, and this must be supported by their nutrient intake.
And, unlike smaller breeds that can be fed as adults around 9-12 months, larger breeds like Labradors are still considered puppies until 12-18 months.
Its better to err on the side of caution and feed puppy food longer than switching to adult food too soon.
There is a large variety of high-quality puppy food available for you to feed your lab.
When looking for a puppy food for your labrador, look at labels that meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials nutrient profiles for growth, all life stages, and including growth of large size dogs.
Foods with these labels meet the nutrient guidelines for the proper amount of calcium and phosphorus for your large-breed companion.
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What Food Is Best For A Puppy
So long as the food is nutritious and suitable for puppies, it should be sufficient to help your puppy grow properly. There are a whole host of different types of dog food available to choose from: wet dry grain-free food with fish, rice and vegetables and food for small, medium and large breeds. James Wellbeloved offer a whole host of different puppy foods which will encourage your puppy to build a healthy appetite and to grow up fit and strong.
Dog Food Fundamentals: How Much Food Do I Give My Puppy
Typically, 4 daily feedings are enough for your puppy’s nutritional needs. Feed small dogs by the age of 12-13 weeks. During this time, you also need to start decreasing daily feeding from 4 to 3 meals. You’ll even notice your 4-legged furry friend loses its potbelly when they’re about 12 weeks old.
A rule of thumb is to watch how much food is left over. Reduce your pup’s portion size if there are leftovers after and only give them the amount they eat. That’s because the portions depend on their personal metabolism and body type.
Plus, nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog – even of the same breed, litter, age, etc. Once you notice your dog skips a meal or picks their food, it’s time to reduce the amount you serve them.
If you’re training your dog using treats, reduce their meal portions too.
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How Many Cups Of Food Should I Feed My French Bulldog
Before you look at the French Bulldog feeding chart below, you might want the quick answer to how many cups of food to feed your French Bulldog. As a general rule of thumb, you should feed a French Bulldog puppy aged 8 to 12 weeks around 1 and a half cups of food a day, in 3 separate meals.
As your Frenchie gets older, the number of cups of food you should feed them will change. You can see the cup amounts and frequencies in the French Bulldog feeding chart graphic below.
The French bulldog puppy feeding chart shown above is taken from the Royal Canin dog food range. This is exactly what we fed Claude as he was growing up. They range a specific French bulldog puppy food, and on the packaging you will see a version of the chart above, including how best to feed your own puppy.
Its the food our vet advised, and we actually noticed that it reduced his farting and flatulence plus he wasnt as sick as much compared to other brands.
Handy Hint: To stop your Frenchie from bloating and possibly choking you should use a suitable feeding bowl. Here are the best French Bulldog food bowls that vets recommend.
When Should I Switch From Puppy Food To Adult Food
Knowing when to start the switch from puppy food to adult dog food depends on your puppys breed. Roughly, toy, small and medium dog breeds mature between six to 12 months, while large breeds, who have much more growing to do, mature at 12 to 18 months, although some can take longer. For advice on your puppys specific breed, check their food packaging, or consult a vet.
If your dog liked the food you had been feeding them as a puppy, it is a good idea to stick to the same flavours when transitioning to adult dog food. Start slowly by feeding your dog 90% of their usual puppy food with 10% of the new adult food mixed in. Then, once you are sure your dog is eating their food without any problems, you can gradually increase the ratio of adult food to puppy food over the course of a week or two.
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Step : Special Considerations For Life Stages
Puppies:
Feeding puppies raw food isnt any more difficult. The only thing you need to keep in mind is theyll eat more than adults to fuel their rapidly growing bodies.When can you start puppies on raw?Immediately.Many raw-fed breeders wean their puppies directly onto raw from their mothers milk. You can begin feeding raw the day you bring your puppy home.How much should you feed?There are two options to use to determine quantity:
Feed 2-3% of expected adult weight.Granted, this is easier to figure out with purebred puppies than mixed breeds. But if you have a good idea of how much your dog should weigh, feel free to go this route.
The Top 5 Food Allergens For Labradors Include
Beef
Proteins are common allergens. Feeding a single food for years can increase the possibility of your dog developing an intolerance or allergy to that protein.
Since beef is one of the most common dog food ingredients, its a common allergy to watch out for. To avoid developing, while a puppy, rotate the base protein that you feed.
If you suspect your dog has a protein allergy, you can experiment with a different protein to see if his symptoms get better.
Dairy
Some dogs are lactose intolerant, leading to fast, diarrhea and/or vomiting. It can also lead to skin itchiness.
Its best to ask your vet, but in the meantime, try avoiding all forms of dairy to see if your pup improves.
Wheat
While dogs are carnivores, most can tolerate grains with no problems. The select few, though, can experience an allergic reaction.
For labradors, this might show up as reoccurring ear infections. If you suspect this, please check with your vet or pet nutritionist.
There are many grain-free foods on the market these days, so its not difficult to find the perfect one for your pal.
Eggs
Unfortunately, some dogs cannot tolerate the proteins present in egg yolk. But, fortunately, its pretty easy to avoid eggs if youre a dog just check food labels to be sure.
Chicken
A chicken allergy is similar to beef, as its an allergic reaction to the specific protein present.
Chicken, chicken meal and chicken by-products are found in a lot of dog foods since its a cheaper ingredient filler.
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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 dont 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.
- One 34 lb. Bag – Purina Pro Plan Brand Large Breed Dry Puppy Food, Chicken and Rice Formula
- Made with high-quality protein, including real chicken
- Natural sources of glucosamine help support his developing joints and cartilage
Salmon Oil Dog Food Supplement By Grizzly Pet Products
This high-quality salmon oil offers nourishment to theentire body of your pup. It boosts immunity and strengthens the heart toimprove the overall wellbeing of the canine. Similarly, it offers a balancedblend of inherent antioxidants and vitamins.
Other than that, this supplement provides maximum Omega-3 fatty acids because of the natural and nutrient-rich diet of salmons. The combination of all these useful components adds significant nutritional value to any homemade dog food. Simply serve this supplement over your dogs meal to ensure a balanced diet.
Please keep in mind that we may receive a small commission when you click our links and make purchases and as an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
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How Often To Feed Your Labrador
Many dog owners continue to feed their dogs twice a day throughout their lives. Some people feed their dogs once a day after twelve months of age. How much to feed a Lab puppy will be different. We have a section on this next, so keep reading.
We do know that there is an association between bloat and large meals. Though this may only apply to kibble Once daily feeding is probably fine if you decide to feed raw meat. But with kibble it may be too much dry food in one go. I recommend that you feed your adult dog morning and evening.
When Can A Puppy Eat Adult Dog Food
When to shift your pup over to adult dog food will depend partly on their size and growth rate. Many toy- and small-breed dogs and mixed breeds reach their full size by 10 to 12 months of age. While a very active small dog may benefit from an extra snack during the day, they can start the change to an adult diet. Large- and giant-breed dogs may not reach full growth until 18 months or older.
Consult your veterinarian for guidance about switching to adult dog food.
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The Pros And Cons Of Feeding Raw
Raw feeding is quite a big topic. It is both complicated and simple. Complicated because we tend to worry about the nutrients our dogs are getting. And we cant see a list of ingredients on a meaty bone. But the truth is, we dont need to.
Raw feeding is not as convenient as kibble feeding, It requires plenty of freezer and refrigeration space, a designated preparation surface*, and good meat preparation hygiene. .
Small puppies are growing fast and are vulnerable to diets with a poor nutrient balance. It is very important you do your research before attempting to raw feed a small puppy.
As a brief summary, the primary well documented benefits of raw feeding are great dental health , small quantities of virtually odourless poop, and a diet free from grains.
Raw feeding also provides a huge amount of pleasure for dogs. Pleasure that is hard to quantify, but youll know it when you see it! You can read more about the pros and cons of raw feeding on our The Happy Puppy site
What About Older Dogs
Also, if you are wondering how much they should be fed once they start hitting their senior years, they should be fed a little less as long only if they are not as active.
As they become less active with age and/or if you start to notice they are gaining weight as they get older, try to limit their calorie intake to 400 to 500 calories per day.
Make sure you still stretch out the meals to 3 to 4 times like when they were puppies because it is not uncommon for their stomachs to weaken with old age.
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How Much Is Canned Dog Food Equals 1 Cup Of Dry Food
If you are feeding your dog cooked food or canned food , do note that as there are more water in the food, you will have to give more canned food to substitute for dry food. Due to the varying nature of cooked or canned food, you may want to check out the can food labels or ask a vet. Usually, a good estimate of canned food is to replace 100 gram of dry food with 120 to 125 grams of canned or wet food.
Reminder: all the estimates below are for dry food. Do estimate appropriately if you are using wet food .
Should I Feed Both Of My Dogs The Same
Nah.While you can find plenty of quality raw dog food calculators online, I dont recommend you use them for one reasonI want you to use your brain.With any new skill, theres a learning curve. Learn how to do this yourself instead of relying on a computer program to tell you what to do. That way, you understand what works for your dog. And you know when and how to tweak their diet.With practice, raw feeding becomes quite simple. Sure, youll experience the trial-and-error thats natural to any new endeavor. But youll never become comfortable unless you put the effort in.Remember, raw feeding is a lifestyle change. Participate in it.
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To 8 Weeks: What To Feed Puppy At 6 Weeks
As time passes, gradually reduce the milk replacer in the puppy food mixture. By the end of the 8 weeks, the puppy should be fully weaned and eating solids entirely. You need to keep a routine and feed puppies that are 6-8 weeks old 3 – 4 X a day.
Dr. Clayton Greenway’s puppy feeding schedule includes putting food out for 20 minutes and taking it away to encourage healthy eating habits. This also helps you monitor if your puppy is eating well.
Dr. Greenway says that you dont want to turn your puppy into a grazer. In the future, you may have to give a supplement or medication, and you want to put that in that single meal.
How Much Food To Feed A Dog Or Puppy By Weight
Many pet owners, new or old are uncertain about how much to feed their dogs. Many pet owners love their dogs and are heart pained to see their dog seemly hungry and asking for more food. Too little food may mean malnourished dogs in vital nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
Dogs are scavengers in nature and tend to overeat as much as they can because they are not sure their next meal. For domestic dogs who have regular feeding daily, this is not an issue, and dogs can overeat and get fat and numerous health issues.
Hence, do feed your dog appropriately and not just give them as much as they desire.
The simple way of how much dog food to feed is by weight of the dog or puppy. A perfect amount of healthy food for your pet with a proper schedule daily helps to keep your furkid happy, content and healthy.
We will discuss on the optimal amount of food to feed your dog.
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Remembering To Regularly Check In On Your Puppys Feeding Regime Ensures Your Pup Develops At A Healthy Rate And Enjoys All The Nutrients They Need
Our in-house nutritionists answer frequently asked questions about feeding puppies up to 6 months below
How many times should I feed my pup every day?
Most puppies will happily dine on 3 meals per day until they are 6 months old. Stick to a timely routine of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
How much food does my pup need?
Make sure youre feeding the right amount. A simple rule of thumb is to feed your puppy 20g per 1kg of body weight per day. So, if you have a puppy weighing 5kg, they will need 100g per day.
Why is it important to get feeding right at this early stage?
Making sure your puppy eats the right amount of healthy, wholesome food from an early age helps protect them against developing common health problems later in life caused by being overweight or eating too much of the wrong ingredients.
Help! My puppy isnt eating enough!
If your puppy temporarily loses their appetite or suffers an upset tummy, try not to panic. This is common as they adapt to their new environment. As they settle in and get used to their surroundings, meal times will improve.
Can I introduce treats and extras to my puppys diet?
Be mindful of treats and extras. Using your puppys food as a treat will be adequate at this early stage.
How can I make mealtimes engaging and fun?
Stuffing a Kong with some of your dogs daily kibble is a perfect way to make meal times more fun. Normal dry kibble can be soaked to make stuffing easier.
How can I tell if my pups poo is normal?