First off, realize that your puppy is not just a miniature version of an adult dog. He has his own nutritional requirements that go into puppy feeding. Pound for pound a puppy needs about twice the nutrition of the adult dog. What the requirements are for feeding an adult dog varies with breed, size, activity level, etc.
And although you may have thought dogs were carnivores, understand that they are really omnivores just like us. This means they can and will eat more than just meat. In fact to have a balanced diet, they require more than just meat. So, first off, don't begin your puppy feeding with just meat. (Have I repeated that enough?)
Dogs, like humans to some extent, require protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. Studies have shown that dogs seem to have no need for carbohydrates although many prepared dog foods and puppy foods may be up to 50% or more carbohydrates. This is why it is very important to read puppy food and dog food labels.
When feeding puppy, realize he usually requires about 28 - 30% protein in his diet. Protein can, and should, come from more sources than just meat. Include milk, eggs and cheese along with meat when feeding your puppy.
When considering feeding fat to your dog, the amount you feed varies by the requirements of the dog. An inactive dog may only need 5% fat. A very active working dog may need up to 20% fat. Going with puppies needing generally twice what adults need, you can see you need quite a bit of fat when feeding your puppy but it does vary. Best thing to do when adding fat to your puppy food is to keep an eye on your puppy. Don't let him start getting fat.
Just like with humans, too many carbohydrates can be bad for your puppy. Usually carbs are used to bulk up a prepared dog food with 50% or more of the food coming from inexpensive carbohydrate, and especially starchy, sources. This is not necessary for dogs and studies have found that dogs do not need carbs as an essential part of their diets.
Reading puppy and dog food labels you may find carbohydrate sources such as grains, potatoes, rice, milk and even sugar in some form. As these usually have been cooked, a dog can digest them somewhat. Give a dog a raw potato or whole grains and you will find a dog that will not be able to handle these. In other words, you will have a dog with an upset digestive system. Some uncooked starches cause diarrhea and some, such as whole grains, pass right through untouched by his digestive system. Not a good thing when puppy feeding.
So read your dog food labels and make sure the puppy food or dog food you buy has these elements within it. Don't buy anything with too much carbohydates in it as dogs just don't need it. But do buy puppy food and dog food with protein sources, fat and vitamins and minerals. Some green vegetables in the mix won't hurt at all.
copyright 2005. Sandra Dinkins-Wilson
Proper nutrition is very important for new puppies. It is important, because puppies will go through an accelerated growth phase during the first 15 months of their lives, and having a diet that can provide the optimum base for stable growth without exceeding or the depleting of necessary elements is very, very important.
Compared to adult dogs, puppies need more proteins in order to have strong and rigid bones, joints and muscles. Furthermore, puppies need to consume more energy-rich dog foods as well. Thus, having a great nutrition diet that is also rich in calorie is very important for your puppy.
Since different breeds of puppies require different types of diets, there are a wide variety of puppy foods available out there. Each breed needs different nutritional compositions for their diets. For instance, little breed puppies are typically high in metabolism, whereas bigger dogs usually have lower metabolism. These little puppies need to have dog foods that are high in calorie.
When feeding, try to feed according to your veterinarian's suggested guidelines, or those set out on the label of the dog food bag.
Usually, puppies are fed three times per day, dropping to two daily feedings after the pup is four months of age.
If you do not feed your puppy properly it can come up with all kinds of health problems. If you find that your dog has less energy, check its dog food. If your dog has diarrhea, check into how many feedings would be best for your dog.
By giving your puppy the proper dog food, he will be healthy. When he is healthy, he is going to be playful too. When you see that he is healthy and playful, you as a puppy owner will no doubt be very happy as well.
Your dog's breed and the size of his body will ultimately determine how you feed your dog. You should also discuss with your veterinarian and ask him to recommend a feeding program that is suitable for your dog. When you have a particular dog food you like, make sure you read the feeding instructions on the label.
Finally, if the feeding program you have undertaken did not go well, you can start a totally new feeding program or you can consult with a veterinarian. It is always better if you can start a good feeding program for your puppy while he is still at a young age. This will ensure that he grows into a healthy and happy adult dog.
Both Sandra Dinkins-wilson & Joshua Hacken are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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