About puppy food: What should you feed them? When should you feed them? Popular dog foods also introduced!
The puppy stage is very short, lasting just one year. Even in that short time, a puppy grows significantly.
During this puppyhood period, when should you feed your puppy and what should you feed them? Especially for those who have just started raising a puppy, you may not know what to feed them and how.
In this article, we will explain puppy feeding tips so that even beginner owners can feel at ease!
Please read to the end! !
1. Daily Puppy Feeding
Meal content and times vary greatly depending on the season and breed.
First, feed puppies small portions at a time and frequently.
This is because it takes time for a puppy's digestive system to develop.
The calorie needs of a dog vary greatly depending on the season and living environment.
In summer, dogs are less active, expending less energy, and therefore consuming fewer calories.
On the other hand, cold winter weather requires a lot of energy.
Long walks and active days also consume a lot of energy.
It's also important to monitor your dog's stool condition and adjust the amount of food it eats accordingly.
When your dog's stool is soft, try reducing the amount of food it eats and the frequency of its bowel movements. When your dog's stool is heavy or excessive, try reducing the amount of food it eats.
Here, we'll introduce the number of meals, times, and amounts for each stage of your puppy's life.
Adjust the amount and frequency of your puppy's meals as you monitor their behavior.
・Until 3 months of age3-5 times(baby food)
At 3 months of age, feed your puppy the same baby food 3-5 times a day.
In other words, excluding sleeping time, this means feeding every 3-4 hours.
The reasons for frequent feedings during this period include:
- Because they are eating softened food and watery baby food, they cannot eat large amounts at once.
- Because they are high in water content and digest quickly, they become hungry if they do not eat frequently, which can lead to vomiting.
These are two points to consider.
Also, if your dog gets hungry in the middle of the night, adjust the feeding time accordingly.
Also, when feeding your dog solid food, steam the dog food in cold or lukewarm water before giving it to him.
When doing this, be careful not to use boiling water, which can destroy nutrients, or mineral water, to avoid ingesting minerals that dogs do not need as much as humans do.
Example of feeding times~
08:00 11:00 14:00 17:00 20:00
・From 3 to 6 months old,feed3 to 4 times(dry food)
From 3 to 6 months of age, it's time to switch to dry food.
As the moisture content of food decreases and your dog's digestive system develops, the amount of food they can eat at one time increases.
There's no longer any need to steam dog food.
The important thing during this period is to feed your puppy the portions they crave.
Also, for very small breeds like Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles, even at 3-4 months of age, it's best to feed them four meals a day.
Recently, dog food has become more nutritious, and many dogs are kept indoors, leading to concerns about obesity. However, for puppies, it's more important to feed them the amount of food they crave so they can grow properly, rather than worrying about obesity.
This is also the time to train your puppy. (Socialization Period)
This is an important time for your puppy to learn cooperation and social skills, so it's important to train it using puppy treats and dry food.
Example of feeding times~
08:00 14:00 20:00
・From 6 months to 1 year of age2-3 times a day
From 6 months to 1 year of age, babies should be fed about 2-3 times a day.
At this stage, your puppy will be switched to dry puppy food, allowing them to eat a substantial portion at each meal.
This is also a time when the burden on you as the owner will be significantly reduced.
Example of feeding times~
08:00 20:00
2. How to Choose Dog Food for a Puppy
First of all, the cheaper the commercially available dog food, the more likely it is to contain ingredients that may be hard on the digestive system and additives that are far from safe.
Feeding this type of dog food from a puppy's age is not recommended, and there's a good chance it will make them more prone to problems in the future.
Avoid choosing a dog food that's bad for your puppy.
- Nutritious and well-balanced
- Free of ingredients that are difficult to digest
- Free of ingredients that require caution
- Choose a food labeled "complete and nutritious."
Keep these four points in mind.
Also, puppies grow rapidly during this stage, which is when they need the most calories of their lives.
It's not a good idea to limit your puppy's food intake to a small amount.
Until about one year of age, it's most important to support the healthy development of bones, muscles, and body tissues, so make sure to provide a sufficient amount of food.
If it's difficult for you to feed your puppy at regular times, consider using an automatic feeder or other device.
Summary
What did you think?
Puppies require the most calories of their lives.
Puppies can be difficult to care for, and can be a significant burden on owners.
However, after a year, puppies will grow and become adults.
Feed them a well-balanced diet and watch over their growth with compassion.
Also, the information introduced here will vary from individual to individual, so please use it as a guide only.
Regularly consult with a veterinarian or specialist about your pet's weight and physical condition, and make sure to provide a healthy diet to help your pet grow up healthy.
