These portions seem so small, shouldn’t I give my dog more? And should the dry food be dipped or not? And how many times a day should I feed my dog? And should I supplement the food by something? When should we switch to adult dog food? This is only a small part of questions which might be going on in your head if you have a brand-puppy at home. One thing is clear – to feed a puppy might be sometimes quite tricky. How to do it?
Do you have a new dog at home and don’t know how to feed it? Don’t worry, you’re not the first nor the last one. You wouldn’t believe how much time it may take to care about a puppy, especially in the beginning and when you have no previous experience. It’s like with a small baby. Changing diapers, feeding, cuddling. And the same over and over. However, while we all somehow know how to wipe a puddle or scratch our dog, it’s not that easy with food.
Firstly, it needs to be mentioned that puppies eat a lot. You may feel like you constantly feed them. It’s logical. A puppy needs to grow up to an adult dog in a few months. And it needs many nutrients for a healthy development. That might cause the first mistake of dog owners – beginners, i.e. overfeeding. Believe me, the little puppy won’t resist in most cases and eats everything from its bowl.
It is worth noting that recommended food portion is different for every breed and it is necessary to adjust it every week and month according to feeding tables or vet’s recommendations. Particularly if you are a dog owner – beginner, feeding with dry food is probably the best way. You should choose the food not only according to the age of the dog but also according to the size of the breed. Even though growing is quite intense for both large and small breeds up to six months, it is better to choose dry food specially made for your dog.
Let a breeder recommend you a brand. It is important to start using the food the bitch used to eat, especially in the first weeks. However, this is not necessarily important. Split a daily food ration into up to four smaller portions a day. Gradually, as the puppy grows, you can give your fewer portions a day but add more food to them. And you can switch to two portions a day in approximately two months of age of the dog.
You can dip dry food into water from the beginning. It’s done for the good of dog’s teeth. You should give your dog food at approximately the same time every day. If you know you won’t be at home on work days, get dispensers which are easily available nowadays. A dog should never eat before a walk, only after a short period of resting after it. That’s mainly for preventive reasons, you’ll avoid gastric torsion by this. Also, be careful about wild games right after a meal. Teach the puppy to rest after feeding. Do not react to its requests for games.
Also, include all treats and other things you give your dog extra to the daily portion. Mainly in your first few weeks together, you’ll want to teach a dog baby various commands. And what is a great training tool? Well, dog treats, of course. If you aren’t sure how many treats you can give to your furry friend a day, you ask for advice again. There are also free nutrition advisory services, e.g. online nutrition advisory service of Brit.
Treats which can be cut into smaller pieces such as dry meat are perfect and you don’t have to worry that you won’t have enough “dog controllers”. Definitely avoid giving too many biscuits to your dog, you could get it into big troubles or even support diabetes. Yes, it is a thing for dogs, too! A healthy alternative are pieces of vegetables and you won’t do anything bad with them. Moreover, the dog will get used to a varied diet.
Last but not least, a puppy should have access to fresh drinking water. Therefore, buy two bowls for it – one for water and one for food. Bowls should be in the appropriate height, so a dog doesn’t have to bend in the back a lot. And once again for the end – be careful about obesity! Introduce your dog to various tastes and smells but do not overfeed it even though it looks hungry and avoid unnecessary sugar and food which are poisonous for dogs.
Allegedly, fast is instinctively practised by both wolfs and wild dogs. This has led many people to that assumption, that our dog on the couch should, once in a while, be fasting as well. A wild animal surely knows what it is doing, nature is wise, you...
In this cycle, we will get to know interesting dog personalities. Dogs play an important role in our life, so let us take a look what they have already achieved during our life together. We should find Hachiko in the dictionary next to the phrase...
Markéta is my long-time friend. We got to know each other through a shelter, from which I took my first dog and where I then started to help out. Under this association, Markéta runs a depository for cats in Prague, where I like to go when I have a bit...
Have you ever wondered how much movement is healthy for your dog and when it can be harmful? Or that not every movement is beneficial? Most dog owners never think about this. It’s said that the more you move, the better. But this is not always true.
As I mentioned in previous articles, I occasionally help out my friend Markéta, who runs a cat shelter. I had the opportunity to take part in several humane trappings for stray cats and would like to share the experience with you today.
Did you know that even your pet dog can suffer from depression? As with people, we shouldn’t underestimate the mental state of our dogs. How to recognize it and what to do about it?
In this cycle, we shall take a look at how cats and dogs are getting along in the world. Where people nurture and spoil them, or on the contrary they suffer and their situation is critical. Today I would like to introduce you to the cats of Greece,...
The approach of warm sunny days will surely entice many people to go for long walks. Many of us take our four-legged companions on vacation. It’s during these times that we should be careful about sunstroke, both for us and our dogs. How can we prevent...
Just like with people, being overweight can have a negative impact on a dog’s health. Preparing the right diet and amount of food to give them can sometimes be, however, like pure alchemy, and so your dog can start to become obese. If this is the case...
There seems to be more and more ticks year after year. Fortunately, the ways to protect our furry friends, whether dogs or cats, against these parasites are growing. Everyone can choose what product fits best for them and their four-legged companions.
Until recently skinny guinea pigs were relatively rare in our country. Word about them is quickly spreading, however, and they have become a sudden hit among breeders. What’s it like having these guinea pigs and what do they like to eat?
The kidneys perform one of the most important functions in the body - cleaning the blood. Due to their small intake of water, cats are more burdened than other animals and therefore suffer quite often from kidney problems the older they get.
