Puppy Nutrition Basics
This article will focus on the basics of puppy nutrition.
Protein
It should be borne in mind that in the growth phase, puppies need 2 times more protein than an adult dogs. The approximate daily dose is 9 g per 1 kg of body weight.
Protein sources include meat, fish, dairy products, and boiled eggs. As for the latter, the daily norm is 1 egg per day for puppies up to 3 months and 2 eggs per week for puppies up to a year.
An important point regarding meat: it should be given only minced, or cut into small pieces that the puppy can easily chew.
If you want to enrich your pet's diet with fish, you should remember that its nutritional value is lower than that of meat, so the portion should be doubled. In addition, fish can only be added to the diet when the puppy reaches 3 months of age. It should be served without the head, fins, and bones. To avoid situations when the puppy gets infected with helminths and other parasites, river fish should be boiled.
Unlike adult dogs, puppies are ok with dairy products, either fresh or fermented.
Carbohydrates
The main source of carbohydrates for a puppy are cereals such as buckwheat and rice. Before you start feeding your dog with cereals, check out the list of prohibited foods, which includes pearl barley, semolina, and millet.
Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for the healthy growth of a puppy. In addition to dog-safe vegetables, fruits, and herbs that can be served raw, it is also worthy of adding to the diet daily mineral supplements. From 4-5 months, you should also add vitamins of groups A and D.
Dog food
Dry dog food can be gradually added into the diet after the puppy reaches the age of 2 months.
Other nutrition rules
Puppies up to 2 months should eat 5-6 times a day
Puppy after 3 months - 4 times a day.
At the age of 6 months - 3 times a day.
By 1 year - 2 times a day.
You can know if the nutrition is correct by controlling the increase in body weight. Small breeds should gain a mass of 15-20 g per day, medium - 50 g, large - 150-175 g.
Check more useful tips and hints, video lessons and training plans on how to grow health and well-behaved puppy from dog experts on the App Store or Google Play. Walk tracking, family sharing, and reminder features included.
