Are you Feeding your Puppy the Proper Food? Head into a supermarket or pet shop and you will see rows of dog food both in cans and bags. You would think it would be easy to choose which food to feed your dog and for adult dogs there are many choices, but puppies require different nutrients than adult dogs and, therefore, should be fed a different diet and food. You should not feed your new puppy an adult food, so you must choose a food specially formulated for puppies and you dogs specific needs. At first try to use the food that he was being fed before you brought him home. The reason being puppies digestive systems are very sensitive and changing the food abruptly can cause digestive problems and stress. If you are not happy with the brand of dog food your puppy was being fed, you can gradually change to the brand of you choice. Remember your dog is a part of your family and you get what you pay for so don’t go with the most inexpensive brand. To be healthy growing puppy needs lots of important nutrients and good proteinsaE” feeding a puppy poor quality food can result sickness later in life. Also, good quality food is more nutritious so your dog will actually eat less and he will have fewer stools and they will be less smelly so even though you are paying more for the food to begin with, you will have to buy less of it.

When feeding your dog the proper nutrients, there are 6 components to keep in mind. These are proteins, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and of course, water. If you provide your pet with these in the appropriate amounts, then your dog will have the best chance of living a long and healthy life. When changing your puppy to a new food do it slowly. Replace only about 15% of his old food with new for the first couple of days. Then move to 25% for the next few days, then 35% and so on. If your dog get ill or has loose stools, then back down on the percentage of new food until his stomach adjusts. Having a feeding schedule is important. Younger dogs will need to eat more often, but probably by the time your pup is old enough for you to take him home, you should be able to feed 3 times a day. After your puppy reaches 6 months, you can taper off to twice a day. Your puppy can switch to eating adult food when he reaches his full growth which is about one year. Again, you want to gradually switch the foods so that there are no digestive or bowel problems. Feeding your puppy good nutrition will help him grow properly and help him look healthy and feel great. Proper nutrition in the beginning of his life will help live a happy and healthy life.