How to Make Your Puppy Eat

When you are ready to bring your puppy home, one of the best things that you can do is find out what kind of food the puppy was eating before you got him. This however is not always possible. A lot of times, the puppy comes from a place that doesn't keep records of such things. Most puppies will adapt to whatever food their new owners decide to give them. There are always a few though that will turn their nose up to the new and cry for the old. If you were blessed with a picky puppy, there are a few things that you can do to help your puppy make the transition from what they were use to eating to what they will be eating from now on.

The very first thing that you should try is putting warm milk over the dog food. A lot of the food on the market, even if it is marked "puppy" is still rather hard. Maybe the puppy is not taking to the food because it is hurting his or her teeth. The milk will soften the food and make it easier on the puppy's teeth.

If the milk doesn't work, try hand feeding our puppy. Make a game out of it. Try just giving them one piece at a time, while saying something like "who is a hungry puppy? I bet you are a hungry puppy." use the same voice that you do when you are praising them for something. This will get them excited, and make them want to do something to earn them more praise. This is a good time to teach a new trick too. You are feeding the puppy one piece of food at a time so why not make them think that it is a treat for a skill well learned. You will want to try this method with only dry puppy food however, since doing it with moist food would cause nothing but a big mess.

If the two prior attempts fail, there is one last thing to try before you may need to consider a trip to the puppy's vet. Try putting the puppy on a schedule. Feeding it two or three times a day depending on the age of the pup. What you will need to do is figure out how often you are going to feed them in one day. Once you do this and decide on the times that will work best for you, it is important that you stick with the schedule for at least three days before you give up. Ok, you have a time so what you need to do now is get the puppy's dish. Fill it with the food that you are trying to train him or her to eat. Now go get your puppy and place it beside the bowl. Walk away. Return in about twenty minutes, pick up the bowl (even if it has not been touched), and put it out of the puppy's reach.

Go about your day until it is the next assigned time on the schedule and began the twenty-minute process all over again. It is important to not give the puppy anything in between the feedings, making sure they are hungry when it is time to eat. Give these three days if your puppy isn't on a schedule and eating the food, it is time to make an appointment with the vet to make sure there is not a more serious problem than just a picky pup.

Do not raise your voice at the puppy when you are trying to get it to eat. If you are yelling, the puppy is going to associate the bowl of food in front of him with your voice. He will see the food as something bad and will not eat it in fear of the punishment.

Mr. Johnson specializes in pet insurance and helping pet owners save money on their pet expenses. Whether you are a cat owner or a dog owner, Mr. Johnson will have valuable tips on how you can not only save money but also how you can buy better pet products for less. Choosing quality pet products will benefit your pet in a way that you can hardly imagine. For more information and help to save money on pet items, please visithttp://www.petinsurancepro.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Johnsen

Feeding Your New Puppy

WHAT DO I FEED MY PUPPY?

Trying to figure out what and how to feed your puppy can be a challenge.
There are so many brands and so many varieties available. One thing to keep in mind is that no matter which you choose, introduce it slowly along with whatever the puppy is used to eating. Start mixing in a small amount of what you would like her to eat into her diet, over the next week or two increase your choice of food while decreasing the other until you have made a complete transition.

While she is young, it is best to offer a combination of canned and dry food to encourage her to eat when it is meal time. Very young puppies will probably have some trouble with the dry food unless it is softened a little with canned food. Baby puppy teeth were not meant to do real hard work when it comes to eating. Make sure what you feed is easy to eat. You can always phase out the canned food as she grows if you want to.

You will help her system adjust to the new food and probably avoid problems with an upset digestive tract. If you switch too suddenly you may encourage vomiting and diarrhea.

Your better foods will be available at pet stores. Try to avoid the grocery store aisle. In order to sell foods at cheap prices the grocery varieties have limited nutritional value. There are many sources of animal protein that can look good on a label but are not very digestible.

Science Diet, Nature's Recipe, and Nutra Max are some popular high quality foods. It is best to pick a flavor and stick to it. Do not change her diet regularly, it may upset her system. No matter what brand or flavor you choose, make sure it is for growing puppies. Puppies need more now than they will when they are grown.

What you feed her will influence her immune system and her proper growth. Make sure it is a good quality. Compare labels but remember, percentages of ingredient mean less than the quality of the ingredients.

HOW MUCH DO YOU FEED?

Your puppy is probably the best guide for this. There are usually guides on the bags of food but they tend to be generous. Keep in mind it is in the company's best interest to encourage you to feed freely in order to sell more food.

The best guide you can follow is her lead. Offer her roughly what the bag indicates for her weight. Watch her. She should have as much as she wants in about 10-15 minutes each feeding. If she eats all you gave her in a couple of minutes, give her more inside that time table. If she leaves any, throw it away and give her a little less next feeding. If she is just a gulper, you may have to feed her less, but more often. Puppies can get into trouble if they gorge themselves by eating too much at one time.

Don't 'free feed'. Don't leave food down all the time. There are several potential problems with it.

1. If she starts to get sick, the first thing to go will be her appetite. That will be hard to notice if you are used to seeing food in her dish at all times.

2. Food will attract ants, stray cats, squirrels, and other animals to your yard, all of which can create a variety of problems for your puppy. Many other animals carry puppy viruses that you don't want him exposed to.

3. Food spoils, even dry food turns rancid and can make her sick if she eats it when it has turned.

HOW OFTEN DO I FEED ?

Puppies that are very young, 6 to 12 weeks old, should be fed about four times a day. Puppies 13 weeks to six months should still eat three times a day and it is quite safe to feed her twice a day for the rest of her life. Smaller meals are easier to digest and will balance her system well.

SPECIAL CONCERNS AND CONSIDERATIONS

LARGE OR GIANT BREEDS

If you have a large breed puppy look for varieties made specific for them. They have different needs than do small or medium breeds. Adding calcium or other nutrients is NOT a good idea. Let the manufacturers with the staff of veterinarians do the guess work in the proper balance of nutrition and vitamins and minerals. Some breeds go through bone growth too fast with added supplements, this can cause severe problems with the tendons and ligaments as they don't grow as fast.

TOY OR TINY BREEDS

If you have a tiny breed, like a Chihuahua, Maltese, Poodle, or any toy breed you should be very careful to make sure they are fed frequently. Four or more feedings a day may be necessary when they are very young. Tiny breeds do not have good food reserves and can become hypoglycemic very quickly. This condition can lead to coma and death if not treated immediately.

If you have a tiny breed it is advisable to keep Karo syrup on hand in case of hypoglycemic attacks which may look like listlessness, malaise, or exhaustion. Jars of lamb baby food is also good to keep on hand in the case of a picky or sickly eater, but only while you are nursing them to their regular diet. If you notice symptoms like these rub a small amount of Karo syrup on her gums. If she perks up a bit, try to get her to take her regular food, or baby food if she won't eat regularly yet. If she doesn't perk up, get her to the vet right away.

To find out more about feeding and other critical forms of puppy care click here http://www.puppys-place.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Anderson

Feeding a Bichon: A Guide on When and How to Feed

The bichon is notoriously finicky when it comes to their eating habits. It will take time and effort on your part to figure out what food they will eat, but talking with your breeder or vet will help solve this problem. Another important process is determining when and how much food to give. Although they will generally need the same amount of food in a given day, bichon puppies will need to eat more frequently than adults. In this article we will look at the best practices for feeding a bichon.

The first step in establishing an eating routine is finding a good spot in the home to put the dog bowl. This place should be out of the way of human traffic and preferably a little quieter. This will prevent your bichon from becoming distracted while eating. Once this location is established it should not be changed. Once the puppy is in the habit of finding their food in the same place for every meal they will be much more comfortable.

Whether they are a young puppy of a full-grown adult, bichons need about two cups of dry dog food each day. The main difference between puppies and adults is the number of meals per day and the spacing between each meal. Dry dog food is best because it is also able to clean their teeth as they eat, and clean teeth are a major issue for bichons. Also, avoid generic dog food brands. Bichons have sensitive stomachs and can have allergic reactions to some ingredients in generic brands.

Puppies under three months of age should be fed about four times a day, starting with an early breakfast around 6am. It is important that each meal is equally portioned, so if you are feeding four times a day with a total of two cups, each meal should be half a cup. From there, space each meal about four hours apart for the rest of the day.

From three to six months you can reduce the number of meals to three. Again, begin with an early breakfast at 6am, but this time space the meals about six hours apart. It is still important for each meal to be as equal as possible, so each meal should be about two-thirds of a cup.

Finally, from six months on, further reduce the frequency of meals to twice a day. At this point your bichon should be eating a full cup at breakfast and a full cup at dinner.

One thing to keep in mind is that your bichon may not always be hungry when you feed him/her. Do not force them to eat. Leave the food out for them to eat for about fifteen minutes. If after fifteen minutes they still show no interest in eating then remove the bowl of food and save it for the next meal. In this case you should still stick to the schedule. If you are feeding every four hours, but your puppy does not eat one meal you should still wait four hours before the next meal. Changing the meal frequency will only confuse the puppy and make it more difficult for them to eat when it is time.

If you are willing to put in a little time and effort, you will be able to find the right food and develop good eating habits for your bichon. Feeding your bichon is an important step in training and will help you along the way to having a healthy, happy puppy.

Kyle Lambert is a writer and bichon owner. After years of raising bichons, he decided to create a website dedicated to the breed. Focusing on all bichon related issues, Kyle hopes to educated people interested in the breed. Find his full website dedicated to Feeding a Bichon [http://www.bichontrainingtips.com/bichon_food.html] by following the link.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kyle_R_Lambert

Tips For Feeding Your Puppy

A puppy owner will be told when a puppy is hungry by its whining, it also lets him know when it has had to much or to little food. This is the most recognized, but it is the least likely to be accurate. Even though a pup does whine when its, hungry or full, so does puppies that are cold, hot puppies, and puppies that get woke up from their nap, this also includes lost puppies, and sad puppies, etc. Whining is simply the puppy's way of telling their master that he is not very happy.

It doesn't take much to make a puppy unhappy, a puppy will whine when his tummy is too full. So, to say that your puppy is whining because it is hungry is miss leading on the owner's part. We can't think as a puppy does, so we need to judge a puppy by his reactions to determine if it is getting enough food to eat.

When your feeding a puppy there should be two things you need to watch for. The first thing that should happen is, he should immediately have a bowel movement then he should urinate. This part is going to sound a little gross, but your puppy might need your help to go to the bathroom by rubbing his anal area. If everything is working right he should perform both after eating his meal. Also, you should check the makeup and amount of his feces and urine, this gives you clues to how well your properly feeding your dog.

Your puppy's stool should naturally be formed as it is expelled, and its consistency should be semi soft and pasty. Its color should be a pale tan to a light mahogany brown, but this is not to be consistent. Stools that are green, clear orbluish-white in color signal trouble. If a stool is hard, watery, or lumpy could mean something isn't right. Whenever this occurs you should skip the next meal to see if it will fix the problem.

Begin the puppy's next meal with the puppy's food diluted one-half in boiling water. Make sure to feed the puppy the same quantity of food as you did before. If this doesn't create an improvement in your puppy's stool, you should reduce the quantity that you are feeding him by at least 25 % at every feeding. If there is still no change, consult your vet.

One way to tell your puppy's water balance is from his urination. It should be a little pale yellow, to pretty much clear, and the amount should be the same each time the pup urinates. A puppy's urination should never be a deep yellow or orange. It should never be like syrup, but should smell like urine, and always be similar to water.

If your puppy's urine is scanty, dark in color, or syrupy, this is indication that your puppy is not getting the right quantity of water. If this occurs you should add more water to the puppy's formula, or it should be given to the pup separately. If your puppy's urine seems to be a lot, or thin, the water amount should be checked to make absolute sure that the puppy is not getting too much. You should take the pup to his vet as quickly as possible if he stops urinating for longer than three feedings.

Visit Dani's blog and discover more great information about puppy care, dog training, dog grooming, dog food and much more. You also can download his ebook "The Secrets to Raising a Happier Dog: Common Questions & Answers!" for free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dani_Waser

Mini Dachshund Diet - Healthy Tips For Happy Mini Dachshund Puppies

When it comes to a Mini Dachshund's development, feeding is one of the most important keys to a healthy dog. This process starts very early when the puppy is weaned and it continues throughout the dog's life. Muscle and bone development depend on the Mini Dachshund's food. Be sure to ask the previous owner/breeder what type and kind of food they fed the puppy because sudden food changes will most definitely causedigestive problems. When changing your Miniature Dachshund's food, be sure to change it gradually. It is best to mix small portions of the new food with the old food until the switching process is completed. This process should be done over 7-10 days with your Mini Dachshund.

Mini Dachshund Changing Diet Needs:

As the Miniature Dachshund grows, the amount of food and the frequency of feedings changes. At first, the puppy should be fed frequently with small amounts. It is important to feed the puppy frequently because it is usually very active at this age and you want to make sure it is eating enough. It is best to feed your Mini Dachshund about four times a day until the age of 3 months, and then change the feeding to 3 meals a day with slightly larger portions from 3-6 months of age. When the Mini Dachshund reaches 6 months of age, you should feed it two meals and then one meal a day when it reaches 1 year of age. Once the dog reaches 1 year of age and is only eating one meal a day, it is good to feed it dry biscuits in the morning and evening as well.

Keep in mind that when your Miniature Dachshund puppy reaches adulthood it does not need to be fed as much food. You want to make sure that your dog does not become obese, as this can lead to many health problems. You can either divide your Mini Dachshund's meal into two small meals or one normal size meal. For example, one small meal in the morning and then one in the evening, or you can feed your dog in the evening when it's your meal time. Just be sure to never over feed your Miniature Dachshund. It is your responsibility to keep your dog healthy. Always have a fresh bowl of water for your dog as well.

Mini Dachshund Feeding Habits:

It is important to make sure your Miniature Dachshund develops good eating habits. To do this, make sure your dog has its own eating area and that it's fed at the same time in the same place everyday. Never feed your dog table food, especially snack foods like cake, chocolate, and other junk foods and fatty foods. Pork, fish, and chicken bones are very dangerous for your Mini Dachshund. If eaten it can cause severe intestinal damage and even tear the stomach lining. There are many nutritional foods on the market that you can feed your Miniature Dachshund. Make sure to give your dog a balanced diet, so be sure to read the food labels. Your Mini Dachshund should always get the daily requirements of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fat, and water from its diet.

Mini Dachshund puppies require a balanced diet and exercise schedule. Be sure to change the feeding habits for your dog as it grows and matures in age. Following these helpful tips will ensure that your Mini Dachshund has a healthy and happy life.

If you are thinking of adding a new puppy to your family then we like to offer you some free tips and tools for training, just click here: Dachshund Training

Enjoy the new puppy and be sure to get more tips, tools and training at http://www.PuppiesDachshunds.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elijah_Martin

What Should I Feed My New Puppy?

Age Specific

Choose food specifically made for puppies. As a general rule, it's better to buy brand name puppy food rather than generic or low-priced food. You can't really tell from the ingredient whether or not a particular food is good or bad.

Many things that you would look for on the labels of food you buy for yourself -- extra protein or vitamins -- may actually harm your pet rather. Over supplementing can be factors in major health issues for your dog, including contributing to hip dysplasia or other orthopedic problems.

Size Specific

Look for large breed puppy food if you have a large breed puppy (Great Dane, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, etc.) It isn't just the kibble size that's different,large breed food is actually formulated differently than regular puppy food. It is specially made for very rapidly growing puppies.

How Often Should I Feed My Puppy?

Very young puppies do better when offered food three times a day. As they grow, they will require fewer feedings, but will eat more at each feeding. If your puppy doesn't seem to be hungry that often, cut the feedings down to twice a day.

After ten or twelve weeks of age, you should just offer food twice a day -- once in the morning, and once in the evening. Even adult dogs should eat two times a day. If you are currently feeding your grown dog two cups of food once a day, try feeding one cup twice a day instead.

Dogs who are only feed once a day often become overly hungry and then overeat when they are fed.

How Much Should I Feed My Puppy?

Let your puppy eat as much as she wants in fifteen minutes and then pick up the food dish. Again, this holds true for adult dogs as well.

Having food continually available encourages overeating. Pet obesity is on the rise, and many people don't realize that the affects on your dog are just as deadly as they are to people.

Often free-fed puppies never get very hungry, so they become finicky eaters -- which leads to feeding treats. Treats are OK, but don't let them become an important part of the diet.

Remember, those cute little chubby puppies will grow up to be fat adult dogs with orthopedic issues such as hip dysplasia, torn cruciate ligaments, luxating patellas, etc., as well as the same cardiac issues humans suffer.

Canned food vs. dry food.

We used to think that canned food was bad for your puppies teeth. But, research has shown that's not the case. The myth of dry food being better for your dog's teeth has turned out to be just that -- a myth.

In fact, for young dogs, canned food is probably the better choice overall because of the extra moisture content. Although I will be the first to admit dry food is cheaper and easier to use.

To Recap:

• Feed age specific food
• Feed name brand rather than generic
• Feed size specific food
• Feed very young puppies 3 times a day, then cut back to 2 times a day
• Canned or dry food is a personal preference, not a health issue

CD Miller is the founder of Mill Creek Animal Rescue. You can view pets available for adoption at Petfinder.com
Also, be sure to visit The New Pet Zone for the latest news and product reviews for a healthier happier pet!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CD_Miller

5 Food Groups to Feed Your Dog

MEAT - (Beef, Chicken, Mutton, and Fish) do not feed only one type of meat to your dog. On different days alternate the meat type.

Meat alone is not enough for any animal, even in the wild; dogs will eat the fur, bones and the stomach and contents. Meat contains NO calcium and very little Vitamins and minerals. The minerals are in the bones.

The Vitamins are in organs and stomach contents (vegetables).

Cooking the meat with rice / pasta and vegetables improves taste and kills worms if the offal you use has not been inspected.

Cooking the meat also destroys the nutritional value, to the extent you have to feed twice as much.

Feed good fresh raw meat. It is o.k. Providing it is palatable to the dog (i.e. some dogs get upset stomachs if the meat is raw).

Feed any type of meat: beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish (sardines, tuna) and rabbit.

It is best to VARY the meat type as they differ in fat content and the type of essential fatty acids.

Commercial tinned foods are convenient but expensive and can contain up to 70% water.

Although canned food for dogs is well balanced with vitamins and minerals it can affect some dogs with flatulence and diarrhea. Offal should only be added to the meat in small amounts.

Vary the type of offal and don't give it to your dog too often, because it is rich in vitamins which should not be over fed. e.g. the liver is high in vitamin-A.

Offal is a good appetite stimulant for convalescing dogs and fussy dogs as it is very strong in flavor, added to their meal.

CEREALS - (Puppy or dog biscuits, human cereal biscuits).

These supply a crunchy texture to the dog's meal that the dog enjoys.

It also adds a new flavour to it's meal. Biscuits are a concentrated balanced food source, which can be the entire meal if nothing else is available or when physical demands require it. But remember it is concentrated so it is very fattening to under-active dogs. If kept airtight it will last, stay fresh, is readily available and is a reasonably cheap dog food for large breeds.

Make sure the dry food that you buy is of a reputable name and has been researched. Some brands are just full of bulking rubbish. Added to your dogs diet of meat, vegetables, rice and raw bones. 'Biscuits' are a well-balanced tasty treat for your dog.

PUPPIES

At 4-5 months of age a pup is losing its puppy teeth and getting its adult teeth, it's gums may be too tender to crunch up the dog biscuits. 

It helps if you soak some of the puppy biscuits to soften them while it is teething.

EGGS

Egg Improves the coat and is a good source of protein, biotin, vitamins D and B12, iron, chlorine and sulphur.

Eggs can be fed whole and raw.

Eggs can also be fed with the white removed. i.e. yolks only!

One or two eggs mixed with the meal once a week is good for your dog's coat and a very good protein and vitamin source.

(Raw egg white contains an enzyme that destroys the biotin in the yolk, cooking the egg destroys the enzyme!)

Biotin is needed for strong healthy bones and cartilage.

Eggs contain an excess of biotin in the yolk. This is said to compensate the biotin loss from then enzyme in the white.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

These are required if feeding meat only.

Or dogs, which have high-energy needs and may not be getting all it needs from the main diet.

i.e.: working farm dogs, breeding / lactating bitches and puppies-especially large breeds.

Most dry foods contain a well-balanced meal with all the necessary vitamins and minerals but have a higher caloric value than tinned foods. Dry food should be avoided or severely limited for obese dogs.

Vitamins can be added to the diet in the form of drops or powder.

They are available from vets, pet shops and stock feeders.

If you are feeding a diet containing meat, vegetables, rice, raw bones and dry dog biscuits then an average dog will not require any additional vitamins.

Vegetables add vitamin A and most of the B group vitamins.

Eggs improve the coat and are a good source of protein, vitamins D and B12, Iron, chlorine and sulphur.

Water-soluble vitamins will simply pass through the dog if they are not needed.

These are: (B Group vitamins, Vitamin C (Ester C not Ascorbic C).

Fat-soluble vitamins can cause illnesses if too much is given. These are: (A, D, E and K).

Mineral supplements can also do more harm than good if not given in a balanced amount. If you regularly feed raw bones you don't need a mineral supplement for your dog.

VEGETABLES

Green vegetables such as peas, spinach, broccoli, beans, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower. Allow one / or more extra person(s) at your table and add to the meal.

These add Vitamin A and most of the B group vitamins.

You can use any vegetable except onions! Onions cause ANAEMIA. Green vegetables such as peas, beans, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, squash, cauliflower and potatoes ANYTHING!

But, be cautious of the amount of vegetables you use that are high in carbohydrates, like potatoes, because your animal may gain excessive weight if it cannot burn it off.

Also too much cabbage does cause flatulence.

The easiest way to arrange the vegetables for you dog, is when you prepare your own vegetables add an extra persons portion to your table for every dog you own. Adjust the amount according to the dog's size.

Then just mix it in to his / her dinner. Vegetables can be given raw as long as they are blended up into small bits.(pulped, minced or pureed).

Cooking vegetables softens them up and makes them more palatable, but over cooking destroys the vitamin content in them.

Vegetables are cheap and also a good bulking food for large and overweight dogs.

There are 3 other food groups that are vital for your dog. Go to http://here-is-your.info/dog-training/ to find out these and other nutrition tips for your dog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_McPherson