How Many Treats Can I Give My Puppy
Treats are fun to give and useful for training, but we have to tread carefully and not give too many. Treats typically dont provide the balanced nutrition that a puppy needs for healthy growth, unlike their puppy food. So, as a rule, puppies shouldnt get more than 10% of their daily calories from treats.
One of the best daily treats that our puppies look forward to is their NuVet supplements, so I often use them during training or as a special reward.
Puppy Nutrition : How Often Should I Feed My Puppy
Puppies grow FAST, so its perfectly natural to wonder if theyre getting all the nutrition they need to become happy and healthy adult dogs. Figuring out how much and how often to feed a puppy are key parts of the equation, but those numbers depend on a lot of factors, including:
- Age
- Pet food theyre eating
- Medical issues
- Body condition score
- Activity level
- Whether the puppy has been spayed or neutered
With that said, figuring out how often to feed a puppy who is healthy and living a typical puppy life isnt all that hard. Were helping you figure out the right numbers with some simple puppy feeding charts. First, lets take a look at some questions.
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 High Protein Dry Puppy Food, Chicken and Rice Formula
- Formulated to support an appropriate growth rate for large breed puppies
- Glucosamine supports developing joints and cartilage
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Feeding Your Puppymonths 3
At this stage, you will start to reduce your puppys feedings by one, so if you gave your puppy four feedings, you will reduce to three. By week 12, your puppy will start to lose some of his baby pudge.The goal of properly feeding a puppy is to avoid excess weight as that will create health problems. If you are training your puppy using treats, you will need to factor that into your feeding plan in terms of the amount of food you give your puppy.
What Does Normal Growth And Development Look Like
Puppies grow quickly, maturing to adulthood by the time they are 10-12 months of age for small and medium sized breeds and18-24 months for large and giant breeds.
Growth rates for puppies vary by breed and involve a complex process of interactions among genetics, nutrition, and the environment. Proper nutrition is critical to the health and development of puppies, regardless of breed, and it directly influences their immune system and body composition. The nutrient density of food and the amount of food fed can mean the difference between optimal growth and maximal growth.
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Whats The Best Way To Feed My Puppy
The best way you can feed your puppy is to create a routine and stick to it. Feed them at the same times, in the same place, using the same bowl, so they understand exactly when and where mealtimes are. They dont need variety in their diet in the same way humans do, so stick to the same food each time.
When you do transition to a different food for example, when they move from being a puppy to an adult dog do it over a week or so, by mixing the new and old foods together and gradually increasing the percentage of new food.
Once youve put your puppys bowl down, theyll smell and nose the food to test its temperature. When theyve started eating make sure to keep an eye on them to ensure their safety, but dont fuss over them while theyre eating as it could cause protective, aggressive behaviour.
Leave the bowl down for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove it, even if there is food still uneaten this will help them learn they must eat when you decide. You should also feed your puppy after youve eaten or at a different time completely to demonstrate the hierarchy of the household. Always make sure there is plenty of water available, and change it regularly.
Giving your puppy scraps or leftovers can result in bad behaviour as it confuses their routine. Similarly, try and avoid offering food as a reward too frequently and do not offer treat food as a way to entice them to eat their main food its too confusing for your puppy and may result in them not eating.
When Should You Start Feeding Your Puppy A Raw Diet
Its best to start feeding your puppy a raw diet as soon as possible. You can avoid many common gastrointestinal issues by starting them off on raw food.
Usually, youd have to follow a transition plan if youre making the switch to a raw diet. However, if you have a puppy thats never consumed dry kibble, you can skip this step entirely.
Most puppies start to wean off their mothers milk at about 3 to 4 weeks of age.
Because raw food is naturally soft and easy to digest, you wont have to worry about any additional preparation steps. Your puppys soft palate will have no problem chewing up the food immediately.
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What Kind Of Puppy Treats Should I Give
Many pet owners like to reward their dogs with treats, but itâs best to limit them. Because puppies need so many nutrients to grow, itâs important to give them food that provides complete and balanced nutrition. A puppy should get most of their calories from puppy food rather than from treats, which typically donât provide complete nutrition.
Aim for no more than 5% of calories from treats, say nutrition experts at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Choose treats that are the right size for your puppy. A Yorkshire terrier, for instance, doesnât need an extra-large dog biscuit. And avoid table scraps, which teach your puppy at a young age to beg for treats at the table and can cause digestive upset and pancreatitis, a serious illness.
Consider giving other types of treats to deepen the bond with your puppy. Healthy snacks like bits of carrot, green beans, or bell peppers give your puppy something to crunch without many calories. And remember, in your puppyâs mind, spending time with you is the best treat of all.
âPlay is a treat, training is a treat, learning tricks is a treat,â Buffington says. âDogs are a pack species, and they want to be a member of the pack. Anything a member of the pack does with them is positive reinforcement.â
What If Your Puppy Is Too Thin
If you are worried about your puppys growth rate it is a good idea to take him along to your vet for check up. Sometimes, it is just a matter of increasing the amount of food or changing the brand to a more nutritious option with fewer fillers.
Importantly, dont just double her food overnight, because a sudden increase in quantity can upset her tummy and make matters worse.
If you can see your puppys ribs, or she weighs a lot less than the weights on the chart above for her age, get your vet to have a look at her.
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What Is Mixed Feeding For Puppies
Mixed feeding is when you give your puppy a combination of wet and dry food either at the same time or at separate meals. You can try adding the wet as a topper to the kibble or feed in a separate bowl. They both offer important benefits such as wet food helping with hydration and appealing to picky eaters. While dry food can slow down fast eaters.
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.
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What To Feed A Puppy At 8 Weeks
- May 29, 2018
- Fact Checked
8 weeks is the magic number where puppies are often adopted and brought together with their new human family. It is a time of puppy playfulness and rapid growth. Puppies at 8 weeks are learning important social behaviors that will define how they interact with the world throughout their life. During this important period of growth and development, it is essential to ensure that your 8-week old puppy is provided with proper nutrition.
It is also important that you as the owner have a puppy checklist that you can follow which covers all the basics of caring for a new puppy. Proper nutrition will not only help support a balanced and healthy physical development but also provide the nutrients necessary for cognitive and neurological development.
For new owners, figuring out what to feed a puppy at 8 weeks can be a daunting process. The truth is, there is a large body of information out there regarding what you should feed your puppy. Much of this information conflicts with other sources, leading to difficulty discerning the ideal food source for your puppy.
The single most important resource for new puppy owners is their veterinarian. It is strongly recommended to develop a close relationship with a trusted local veterinarian, as they can provide guidance about your puppies nutrition, exercise needs, and track their healthy development.
What About Bones And Treats
Caution is needed when giving your puppy a bone to chew one. Poultry, pork and cooked bones of any kind, are off limits and hazardous to your puppy. They splinter into shards that can cause choking and serious damage to your puppy’s mouth, throat, and insides.
In fact, any bone can be chewed into small pieces and block the intestines, leading to a bout of constipation and lacerations of the mouth and internal organs. They can even lodge in the throat with fatal results. It is important to note that bones have little if any nutritional value.
Bones actually provide zero nutritional value. Not to mention the thousands of other ways to satisfy your puppy’s urge to chew, like chew toys and fake bones.
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Calculating The Adult Weight Of A Small Breed Puppy
If your dogs weight or age isnt on the puppy growth chart you can simply find the average. For example, you need to find the average of the two, if your puppy is in between two weights for his age.
To determine his adult weight another thing you can do is to find your puppys growth rate and times that by 52. That is if you dont mind a bit of math.
You know his growth rate by finding out how much weight he gains in one week. This is found by calculating his current weight and dividing this by his age in weeks.
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.
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What Can A Puppy Eat
Most pet food should be formulated to be a complete diet, meeting all the nutritional and calorific needs of your pet. Puppy food is no different and so you should keep your new family member on a diet of their food only.
However, we understand that training your puppy is an important part of helping them to become a model citizen and increasing your bond together. Traditional dog treats are a great way of encouraging your puppy to learn, but these should be given sparingly in order not to disrupt their balanced diet. Always make sure you are using treats that are suitable for puppies. Portioning off some of your puppys daily diet to use as treats is one way of ensuring they dont over-eat. As a general rule, traditional dog treats should not make up more than of their daily calorie intake.
Better still, you can use healthy alternatives to treat your dog. While some fruits and vegetables are unsafe for dogs to eat, many can be consumed safely and make great substitutes for traditional treats. They are delicious, effective training snacks and dont upset your puppys diet to the same extent. However, be advised that while some fruit and veg are healthy alternatives, they can be quite hard on young teeth and could even be choking hazards for puppies, so should be given with caution. Although these treats are healthy alternatives, they should still make up no more than 10% of your puppys daily intake, due to the sugar content.
Eat : Setting Your Pup Up For Success At Mealtime
Feeding your puppy might seem like a simple, straightforward part of owning a dog. However, most people dont realize how big of an impact food can have on various aspects of your puppies training.
I recommend setting up a designated mealtime area. Always make sure to change your puppys water so its fresh and clean and serve his/her breakfast in a designated dog bowl.
You can help your puppy remain calm around food by asking them to sit and wait until theyve been given the command to go ahead and eat. Of course, this is more difficult with an 8-week-old puppy, but its not impossible to set boundaries so your pup isnt jumping all over you.
Once youve given your pup their food, you can practice gently giving your pup a pet while they eat or even picking up the food bowl once in the middle of their meal time. Of course, you dont want to be a pest to your pup. But, interacting with a puppy while they eat can help negate aggressive food behaviors down the road while gently reminding your pup that you are the provider.
Like I said, dont be an annoyance as its not fair to pester your puppy while they enjoy a meal. But a little interaction is very helpful when it comes to teaching your puppy to be gentle with food.
Moses is 5 months old in this video. However, the principals are the same regardless of whether your puppy is 8 weeks or 8 months.
Watch the video now
Taking Food Treats Gently
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How Many Calories Does A Lab Puppy Need
The smaller and younger your Labrador is, the more often they need to eat. They need to eat three to four times per day.
If puppies go longer without eating, their blood sugar level can drop which leads to a dangerous condition known as hypoglycemia. The number of calories your puppy needs changes as they grow heavier and older.
The daily calorie requirement of your puppy is calculated basing on their current body weight. Therefore, it is essential to weigh your puppy regularly to adjust their food portions accordingly.
To know how much food your puppy needs, find their RER and multiply it by 2. The formula of RER is 703/4
For instance, if your Labrador weighs 10kg their RER = 703/4 which is 400. Therefore, their daily intake should be 800 calories.
Why Is My Puppy Always Hungry
Your puppy might always be hungry because they need more daily calories. They may also have adopted bad habits caused through eating human food. Some dogs and puppies will naturally be more prone to food obsession. Its imperative to fulfill your puppys daily needs and stick to a mealtime schedule.
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