Feeding Your Puppy

Not only does your puppy need healthy food, it needs plenty of it. Your puppy will need a balanced diet in order to nurture the growth of bones, teeth, organs and muscle and also to maintain a healthy coat.  Their diet will also ensure that they have enough energy to play throughout the day.

At about 2 1/2 weeks of age, your puppy may begin to eat solid food three or more times a day. Start them on dry puppy food mixed with warm water.  When they reaches seven weeks of age or so, start slowly decreasing the amount of water you add. When they are about 3 months old, you can switch the puppy to twice-a-day feedings of puppy food.  Between 6 and 8 months it recommended that you gradually mix the puppy food into an adult formula over several weeks time.

During his first few weeks, your puppy should be slightly chubby. If he continues to look chubby between 10 and 13 weeks old, restrict his diet slightly. Monitor his weight and, once he reaches three and a half to four months, restrict his diet – not to make him lean, just to make sure he doesn't get too fat. If you're not sure what his proper weight is, check with your vet.

At the 5 to 6 month period, depending on his breed, your puppy may have a dramatic growth spurt. He may get long, lean and a little thin. By the time he's about one-and-a-half to two years of age, his body will catch up.

Commercial puppy food is best. This kind of a diet provides all the nutrients he needs, especially his energy and protein requirements. A diet labelled for "all life stages" will also provide sufficient nutrients, but because it is closer to a maintenance level, your puppy will have to eat more "All Stages" than puppy formula.

From three weeks of age up to 20 weeks, your puppy's growth rate is astronomical, and his food intake must keep up. During this period, medium-sized dogs, such as pointers and setters, require approximately 3 1/2 lbs. of dry food to put on one pound of body weight. Large breeds require slightly less, smaller breeds a little more. If you are using canned food, use approximately one-third this amount, as these diets are more nutrient-dense.

Note: For puppies of large or giant breeds, look for special foods of lower nutrient density. With these dogs, rapid growth can exacerbate degenerative hip problems or joint disease. Although hip dysplasia is a genetic problem, overfeeding at a young age can contribute to it.

Remember: There are plenty of puppy foods out there. Once you find one your dog likes, stick to it.

Preparing the House

Are you ready to bring home your new puppy? It’s time to start preparing a spot for your puppy. If the puppy you are bringing home will grow larger later on, you may want to buy a crate that has an adjustable wall, so that you don’t have to buy a second one later. Be sure to always have water lying around for the puppy, as they can easily become dehydrated. Also, be sure to start housebreaking your puppy day one by having an exit outside for the puppy in case they need to go.

Here are some easy steps to follow to get your home ready for the new puppy:

1.       Puppy Space. Create an area just for the puppy. This can be in the kitchen, laundry room, etc. You don’t want your puppy to have too much room to explore, and to have a place to feel safe. This also allows you to control where you will be cleaning up after the puppy.

2.       Puppy-Proofing. Be sure your designated area is clean. Remove any wire or other items you don’t want the puppy chewing on, soiling, scratching, or bumping into (they’re still a little clumsy).

3.       Don’t Bite This! Use non-biting fluid on anything the puppy can hurt themselves on, or that you don’t want them to bite. You can easily find this fluid at any pet store.

4.       Chew This! Puppies will chew. It’s in their nature. What’s important is teaching them what they CAN chew. So instead of grabbing your new pair of stilettos, the puppy will grab this toy. I find that squeaky chew toys and rope toys are great for keeping puppies entertained.

5.       Collar and Leash. You need to buy a collar and leash that are the correct size for your puppy. Collars come in various sizes from x-small to x-large. When choosing the collar, make sure it isn’t secured with Velcro. Because snap together collars are stronger, they are best for larger breeds. You will also want a leash that is 2-4 feet long for training. You don’t want to give them too much room or you won’t be able to control them.

6.       Nice and Clean. You need to buy the correct shampoo for your puppy. If you have a white dog, you can buy a shampoo for whitening, if your dog has dry skin, there is one for that too. Be sure to buy a shampoo to suit your puppy’s needs.

7.       Brushes. You’re going to want both a soft brush for shine, and a wired brush to get rid of any knots and mats in the puppy’s fur.

8.       Crates. Be sure to buy a crate to suit your puppy’s growing needs. Crate training is very important to start early, as you want to train your puppy where to eliminate. If you need to leave the dog alone during the day (for work, etc.) and don’t want the house to be a mess, crate training is for you. Wire crates are most often used so the dog can see everything around them and not feel as though they are being punished. The crate should be kept clean. This is the puppy’s home (or den) and should not be occupied by anyone when they want to be alone.

9.       Hungry for Food. There are many brands claiming to be the best for your dog, however don’t be fooled by the packaging. Just because it says chicken, doesn’t mean you know what part of the chicken is used. Talk to your vet or pet food supplier about what they would recommend for your breed. Also, don’t be afraid to check the internet for what people are talking about. Finally, if you have time, you can make your own food. There are many recipes you can find on the Food Network website. This is my dog’s favourite: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/rawwholewildregionalseasonal-dog-food-recipe-recipe/index.html

10.   Bowls. You will want to have at least two bowls that are below the dogs knee level. The puppy needs to be able to easily reach it’s food. One is for food, the other is for water. The bowls do not need to be the same size. If you have a puppy that will grow to be a large dog, you may need to buy a larger bowl later on.

11.   Comfy Cosey. You will need to purchase bedding and some other supplies for your dog to sleep on. Dogs sleep most of the day away need somewhere comfy to sleep.

12.   Stressing. The first day you bring home the puppy, he will be stressed and scared. Put an old t-shirt in the crate to give him something familiar to smell and get comfortable with. This will help you bond better.