My
recommendations for puppy food are Eukanuba's small breed puppy food
or Pro Plan Chicken/Rice puppy food. I do NOT recommend the other
flavor or formula puppy foods made by these companies. The two foods
I've listed are the ones that I feel provide my Cockers with the
correct balance of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.
If you keep your
puppy on one of these quality foods, it's unlikely that she will need
any additional supplements. If, for some reason, you feel the need to
add a supplement of some kind, I recommend "The Missing Link" or Solid
Gold "Seameal with Flaxseed Meal". These are both good for skin and
coat. You should not add supplements without careful thought,
consideration and research. Vitamins and minerals must be correctly
balanced in your puppy’s diet or you could actually cause her serious
harm.
For treats I
recommend you use Iams Puppy Biscuits or Bil-Jac Liver Treats. Keep in
mind that treats are a part of your dog's diet and you must pick these
products with the same care and caution you choose her dog food.
Young puppies
(8-16 weeks) should generally be fed as much as they like at 3
scheduled feedings a day - morning, afternoon and evening. Yes, I do
mean as much as the puppy will eat. Guidelines on a bag of dog food
are just.....guidelines. They are not rules. At this age, your puppy
will be the best judge of how much food she needs.
All puppies’
nutritional needs are different, even if they are the same breed, sex
and age. Like people, dogs can have different metabolic rates and this
will influence the amount of food needed to sustain the animal. Some
dogs may need as much as 50% more food than others, so don't deprive
your dog of the nutrition she needs because the bag of food said to
feed a certain amount.
In the first few days after
getting your puppy home, you will get an idea of how much food you
need to put down for each feeding. Put down just enough that the puppy
finishes almost all of the food. As your puppy grows, she will start
to finish everything you put down. When she does, increase the amount
of food until she is leaving a small amount again. This will ensure
that she is always getting the correct amount.
Unless your puppy is a light
eater or very finicky (in other words if you have a serious concern
about keeping sufficient weight on the puppy), you should not just
leave food available for a puppy all of the time. By making the
puppy eat on a schedule, you will be able to regulate the puppy's need
to go outside and relieve itself and this will make crate and
house-training much easier and quicker.
Remember, at this stage you
don't need to worry about limiting how much the puppy eats, even if
she seems roly-poly. A pudgy body shape is normal for young puppies
and will gradually fade to a thinner, more adult look as the puppy
matures. Give the puppy access to the food for 10-15 minutes and then
pick up the bowl. Remember to time your morning and evening feeding
schedule with enough time after eating for the puppy to go outside and
eliminate before you have to leave for the day or go to bed.
Be sure when you
establish your feeding schedule that you don't build your puppy's
feeding times based on family departures and arrivals. While your work
schedule may dictate certain feeding times, try to be sure that you
leave enough time for some petting and playing after you feed in the
morning and before you feed in the afternoon. If feeding is too
closely associated with your puppy being left alone, it could
encourage separation anxiety.
When your puppy
is about 6 months of age, you will want to wean her down to 2 feedings
a day. This will be her daily feeding schedule from now on. You will
also want to begin watching your puppy's food intake at about 6-8
months to be sure she isn't getting excessively fat. By the time your
puppy is 6 months old she should be starting to have a more adult look
and should no longer have quite the round, pudgy appearance of a young
puppy.
You may need to begin
portion feeding your puppy at this stage to keep her at a healthy
weight. To determine the correct amount to feed your puppy, you must
first determine her current body condition. Is she too thin, just
right or on the heavy side? If at any time you think your puppy is
thin or you don't see her gaining weight regularly, you should consult
your veterinarian as this could be a sign of worms or another health
problem.
The correct way to judge
your dog's body condition is to look at the dog from above and from
the side. When looking at the dog from above, the dog should have a
"waist" between where the ribs end and in front of the hips. When
viewed from the side, the tummy should "tuck up" into the groin area.
This is the ideal body condition for the rest of your dog's life. You
should evaluate your dog on a weekly basis, using these guidelines,
and adjust her diet accordingly. New research has shown that keeping
your dog at the correct weight can add as much as 2 YEARS to her
life!!! That should be enough incentive to keep everyone watching
their dog's weight.
If you evaluate
your puppy and decide she looks like a sausage with legs, not a svelte
athlete, don't do anything drastic. Instead of putting her on a diet
(cutting her food or calorie intake), just don't increase her portions
until she has grown into a more acceptable body condition. Once she is
in the correct body condition, continue to monitor her weight and
adjust her portions as needed.
At about 12
months of age, you will want to switch your puppy to an adult dog food
formula. For active adult dogs, I recommend Eukanuba Adult Premium
Performance Formula or Pro Plan Performance Formula. These will both
provide the necessary nutrients for a normal or highly active adult
dog.
If your dog is not very active,
you can use Eukanuba Adult Maintenance or Adult Maintenance Small Bite
Formula. If you prefer the Pro Plan foods, you can use Pro Plan Adult
Chicken/Rice Formula or Pro Plan Adult Small Breed Formula. Continue
to monitor your dog's weight and increase or decrease her food intake
as necessary.
Remember that you have to
count all calories in your dog's diet when considering making changes
in her daily food intake. If you need to make adjustments in your
dog's diet, don't forget to take all calories from treats and cookies
into account and adjust her intake of these products as well. You must
balance her diet by coordinating all of her food intake.
Don't feed table food or
fast food as many human foods contain unhealthy additives or
ingredients that are not suitable for canines. If you think your dog
needs "people" food to be happy, try giving her fresh fruits or
vegetables. These will be much healthier and less likely to cause
problems for your dog.
The two most important
things to remember about feeding your puppy are to consistently feed a
high quality food and to feed for body condition. Don't worry about
"guidelines" or watching the food dish. Watch the dog and let her body
condition determine her food intake.
