Industrial feed or natural food? How many times a day to feed the puppy? And how do you know if a puppy is eating? All these questions are of interest to both beginners and experienced dog breeders.
Basic rules for feeding a puppy
Proper nutrition is the key to your puppy's health. In order for the baby to grow up healthy and strong, the following nutritional rules must be observed:
- Try to feed the puppy at the same time;
- The duration of one feeding is 10-15 minutes. If the puppy has not finished eating, then the leftover food must be removed to the refrigerator;
- The puppy should always have access to a bowl of water;
- If the puppy has eaten little food, it is not recommended to give more in the next feeding: the portion size should always be the same;
- You can not mix dry food and natural products in one meal;
- It is recommended that you feed your puppy food at room temperature.
Should I choose industrial feed or organic food?
It is impossible to answer unequivocally the question of which is better: industrial feed or natural food. Each dog owner makes a choice in favor of one or another nutritional system, based on the economic opportunity, the availability or lack of time to prepare special food, the physical condition and health of the dog.
Some owners prefer a mixed type of food, when, for example, dry food is provided to the puppy in the morning, and natural food in the afternoon and evening.
When is natural eating convenient?
- There is an opportunity to purchase meat and offal from reliable suppliers;
- There is free time to process meat and offal, cut them into portions, chop vegetables, make preparations, etc.;
- It is possible to keep supplies of food for the puppy in the refrigerator;
- There is a desire and time to understand the nuances of nutrition, to study various sources on veterinary nutrition in order to improve the puppy's diet;
- There is no way to buy or order high-quality industrial feed.
When is industrial feed convenient?
- There are no reliable suppliers;
- No time to prepare food for the puppy;
- There is nowhere to store stocks of meat, offal, etc.;
- There is a selection of quality industrial feeds.
How many times a day to feed the puppy?
The number of feedings depends on the age of the puppy. It is recommended to feed a baby up to 2 months old 5-6 times a day. A puppy 3-4 months old is fed 4-5 cut per day. At the age of 5-6 months, dogs are fed 3-4 times a day. After the puppy reaches the age of 6 months, it is transferred to three meals a day, and after 10 months - to two meals a day.
It is important to follow the recommended number of meals, as long intervals between meals can negatively affect your baby's stomach.
How do I determine the serving size?
If the puppy eats industrial food, then the calculation of the portion size is simple: the manufacturer's recommended daily allowance is divided by the number of feedings. For example, if the daily norm for a three-month-old York puppy is 125 grams, then the baby will eat 25 grams 5 times a day. It is important that the portions are equal. You should not give the puppy 10 grams at one meal, and 50 grams in the other. In the first case, he will remain hungry, and in the second he will feel nauseous from the dry food swelling in the stomach.
If a puppy, up to 6 months old, eats natural products, then the daily rate is 6-7% of the body weight. In puppies over 6 months, the daily rate is 3-4% of body weight. Further, the daily rate is divided by the number of meals corresponding to the age of the puppy.
Is the puppy getting enough food?
Both underfeeding and overfeeding are dangerous for the puppy's health. It is possible to determine if the baby has enough food by the behavior of the puppy.
If he eats every last crumb, licks the bowl clean, and then runs around, sniffing out food, then most likely the puppy is not eating enough. The confirmation of the guess will be the lack of weight gain. In this case, the portion should be slightly increased.
If the puppy doesn’t finish eating, rummages in the bowl for more tasty morsels, or gains weight too quickly, then he overeats. It is necessary to reduce the portion.
The dog's health is in the hands of its owner. It is important to feed your puppy good quality food and follow the recommended nutritional guidelines, as well as constantly update and expand your knowledge.
