A new puppy that you bring into your home as a family pet will require special attention with a puppy feeding schedule for the first year of his life. A growing puppy needs approximately double the quantity of nutrients per pound of food than do older dogs. Because of these special requirements, your puppy should only be fed puppy food for the first year of his life.
When you first get your puppy you should transition him to the puppy feeding schedule and puppy food of your choosing over the period of one week. You should feed him the same old food he has been fed at a 75% mixture with a 25% mixture of his new food for a couple days. Then a 50%-50% mixture for a couple days, 25%-75% mixture for a few more days and finally 100% of the new food.
This transition is important so that a puppy gets used to his new food without having any major gastrointestinal upset. If at any stage of the food transition the puppy begins vomiting has loose stools or has constipation, back off the transition to an earlier ratio for a few more days.
Most veterinarians agree that a puppy should be fed on some sort of time schedule that fits in with your daily routine. It is best not to leave food out for the puppy to eat at his own timing because you need to be present to get the puppy and his entire body on a set schedule. This is best accomplished by having a puppy feeding schedule that adheres to specific feeding times regimented daily.
The standard advice from most veterinarians is that a puppy under six months of age should be fed 3 times a day. Puppies between six months of age and twelve months of age should be fed 2 times a day. Puppies over one year of age should be fed once a day. Puppies should have fresh water available to them at all times during puppyhood and adulthood. If you feed your pup dried puppy food, water is especially important because it rehydrates the dried food in the puppy's stomach.
For more specific information on a puppy's feeding schedule and learn things related to training puppies and dogs, including behavior problems, from an expert in the field, please visit: Large Dog Crate. For additional information visit: http://www.dogcratesforsale.org/largedogcrate.html.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Pace
No comments:
Post a Comment