Puppy Nutrition

Any new puppy owner will want their puppy to develop to a fully grown adult as well as being fit and healthy. In order to ensure development to an adult properly, a correct nutritional guide is required. For the majority of breeds, a puppy will become an adult in just 12 months and in some breeds it is 24 months. This means that the body of a puppy must be able to develop very quickly.

New puppy owners should investigate what a puppy requires in regards to exercise and also nutrition. For example, a surprising statistic is that some healthy puppies can burn more calories by around two to three times than an adult dog. The more calories which a puppy will burn, the more calories will need to be replaced in order for the dog to grow and develop.

Any food which is provided to a puppy should contain a high amount of protein; this will help with tissue and organ development. A puppy will also need high levels of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and iron in order to grow properly. One vitamin which is also required for healthy growth is Vitamin D; this will help with the development of strong bones and teeth. Food should be provided in smaller pieces than fully grown dogs, this due to a puppy’s mouth being smaller and also due to their teeth not being as strong.

The ideal first food for a puppy is it mother’s milk, this is rich in all the necessary nutrients for healthy growth. After three to four weeks, are maybe longer, a puppy will show signs that they are ready for solid foods, they will be romping against their mother’s bowel and licking the food from their paws. Do not switch a puppy on to solid foods too early, it is important to see the signs from the puppy. Switching too early may damage the stomachs of the puppy.

When you do switch to solid foods, it is advised that food is broken in to small pieces. Although the puppy will have a small stomach, they have a large apetitite; this means that small portions of food should be provided on a regular basis. When a puppy is aged 2-3 months they should be given four meals a day, aged 4-6 months then two to three meals should be adequate and when a puppy is over 6 months then two meals a day should be suitable. As the puppy grows bigger, so will their appetite and therefore their food portions should be changed accordingly.

More energy will be required by the dog to support fast bursts of growth and the build up of muscle mass. Avoiding feeding a puppy scraps of food left over from meals, chocolate and raw meat. It is important to realise that feeding foods such as chocolate and raw meats can lead to often serious consequences.