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Establishing a regular
feeding schedule makes it easier to housebreak a puppy,
since he can be taken out after every meal. However,
it’s essential that a puppy have access to clean, fresh
water at all times.
Put your small breed
puppies on a 3 times a day feeding schedule until the
age of six months, then 2 times a day from 6-12 months,
and once or twice a day after one year. Large breeds
should be fed less often to control their rate of
growth. (Growing too fast can cause skeletal problems in
large breeds.) As a general rule, feed large breeds 3
times a day until 3 months, 2 times a day from 3-6
months and once a day after that period.
A puppy should be given
special puppy formula food that’s appropriate for his
size. After 6 months, large breed puppies attain about
60% of their adult size, while small breed puppies reach
80%. Different puppy food formulas have been modified to
account for this difference in growth rate, so it’s
absolutely necessary to ensure that a puppy is matched
to the right food.
All puppy foods contain
high-quality proteins that are very digestible, so they
can be absorbed efficiently by the puppy’s shorter
digestive tract. Read manufacturers’ directions for
portion size on their bags of food carefully and follow
these instructions. However, the directions on the
package are only a starting point, based on an average
puppy. Some puppies will require less and some more,
based on their activity level and growth rate. Do not
force the puppy to eat more to match the recommended
portion on the bag if they don’t want this much food. On
the other hand, a puppy that seems a little extra hungry
can be given extra food. Don’t mistake the willingness
to always eat a treat as hunger. Excessive feeding of
treats will result in obesity and an unbalanced diet.
Treats should not exceed 10% of the total daily
consumption of dog food. You will be visiting the
veterinarian every 3-4 weeks for vaccinations. Talk to
your vet about the amount of food your puppy is eating,
and if the weight gain is appropriate.
Pet Supplies “Plus”
carries a wide variety of puppy foods.
For more information on
Feeding Schedules, see the
Dog Feeding Schedule
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