Puppies

Good Nutrition is Absolutely Critical

Good nutrition is essential at every stage of a dog’s life, but during puppyhood it is absolutely critical. A poor diet in the early weeks and months can lead to malnutrition at one extreme, or obesity on the other, not to mention other health problems down the road. Fortunately, learning how and what to feed a puppy is not difficult — unlike other household pets (aka cats), canines are not super-picky about what goes into their mouths. Only a human’s influence will turn a puppy into a finicky eater. And while dogs are natural carnivores, they don’t need meat to survive (cats, on the other hand, cannot live without it), so vegetarians can feel free to serve their new puppy a veggie diet, too. Just make sure the pet food you choose, meat or no meat, has the right amount of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, as recommended by your veterinarian for your particular breed. All of these nutrients are essential for complete nutrition. Be sure to feed your pup a special puppy growth formula, and look for food approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, the pet food equivalent of the FDA. Many veterinarians also advise trying to start puppies off on dry food if they’ll eat it, in part because they aid in keeping teeth clean. Also, since canned foods contain more water, puppies-in-training might have a more difficult time waiting to be let out if they are on a steady diet of canned food. Your veterinarian can help determine how much and when to feed your new puppy, but as a general rule, for every 10 pounds of weight, they will need about 8 ounces of food per day (divided into either three or four feedings). Clean, fresh water is vital as well, so keep a dish out at all times.