Puppy Diet

Your puppy is in need of a complete and balanced diet for optimal nutrition during its early rapid growth and development. The first six months are particularly important as your puppy will require high amounts of energy and high levels of nutrition to develop into a strong and healthy dog.  For the first month, your puppy should be satisfied from the nutrients purely of its mother’s milk. From four weeks onwards your puppy will require the quality nutrients that are found in solid food supplements. To make the transition to solid food easier, it is recommended to gradually shift to solid foods over a several day period to avoid diarrhoea or an upset stomach.

How much food?

The amount of dog feed for your puppy should depend upon the age, breed and size. Until 3 months of age your puppy should be provided with 3 or 4 portioned meals throughout the day, after six months should be reduced to 2 times a day. Small dogs may finish growing by 9 months of age, while larger breeds may take as long as 18 – 24 months. Once your dog has reached adulthood, it is ideal to maintain 2 meal servings a day.

During the growing stages of your puppy, you should adjust the amount fed to maintain your puppy at the optimal weight for its breed type. Your veterinarian can help you in determining the proper feed amounts. You should always have water readily available and accessible immediately following a meal.

Best all round diet?

Premium dog biscuits offer your puppy the best all round diet with the right nutrients for good muscular development and growth. These premium products help improve your dog’s immune system and vital organs, skin and coat health as well the skeletal system.

The best method of introducing solid foods into your puppies diet is by supplementing with small kibble that is soaked before feeding which makes it easier for weaning. Dry food is always recommended over wet or semi-moist foods as it is more nutritionally balanced, and is also important in dental care as the food scrapes the plaque and tartar build up off the teeth and gums while the dog is chewing. Canned or semi-moist foods must be fed in very high quantities to match the nutritional needs of dry feed but then this would cause digestive problems such as diarrhoea and allergic reactions to the preservatives.

Depending on the breed and size of your puppy, a puppy growth formula should be incorporated as part of the diet in assisting with their high protein and energy needs.

Can you use treats for your puppy?

Dog treats should not consist of more than 10% of the diet as they do not support the nutritional needs of a rapidly growing puppy. Treats, however, can be used during training to reward good behaviour. Hard chew treats also keep your puppy entertained whilst improving the dental health by exercising the gums and scraping the teeth. It can also satisfy  your teething puppy’s need to chew.