Feeding Your New Puppy
Posted on Aug 13, 2009 under Best Tomatoes | 14 Comments
The basic principle to be understood in the feeding of dogs is that, with only minor variations, they have the same nutritive requirements as man. A dog apparently has less need for starches, and its digestive juices do not handle fatty foods well. Thus, the dog’s meat should always be quite lean, otherwise it will commonly cause a stomach upset with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
The best foods for the dog are milk, meat, and vegetables. Most dogs will enjoy milk and digest it readily. Some breeds, however, such as the Boston Terrier, often do not seem to be able to handle milk and will vomit it. Where this occurs, milk should naturally be avoided.
But with most breeds this difficulty will not be encountered. With a little experience the individual dog owner can determine what the situation is with his particular animal.
In regard to meat: beef, lamb, or horsemeat are generally considered best, while pork is usually not recommended. Lamb or horsemeat are best served cooked, while beef may be fed either cooked or raw.
Whether meat is fed cooked or raw depends both on convenience to the owner and on the preference of the animal. It will make no difference, however, to the health of the dog which way the food is fed.
As far as vegetables are concerned, most dogs generally handle them quite well. However, as with milk, the owner will have to determine on the basis of actual experience which vegetables the animal prefers or which it can properly digest.
In most cases, diced lettuce and tomatoes will be found to be the most readily accepted.
Dog owners often raise the question of the egg requirements for their dogs, mentioning that they have heard somewhere that the feeding of eggs will encourage a glossy coat.
This belief is incorrect. Vigorous dogs that are properly cleaned and groomed will have glossy coats whether or not they have ever been fed eggs. Unhealthy dogs, or those that are improperly cleaned or groomed, will not have a good, shiny coat no matter how often eggs are fed.
Eggs, however, are a perfectly wholesome food for dogs and are an excellent source of protein. But, since meat and milk are equally rich in this nutrient and are generally cheaper, eggs are usually considered to be a good, though uneconomical, supplementary food for dogs.
As for the tremendous variety of dry or canned commercial dog foods, most animals will get along perfectly well on them, though it is often suggested by the most competent authorities that the best results will be obtained if dog foods are fed only in combination with fresh foods.
Great strides have been made in the improvement of commercial dog foods in recent years. Their formulae are specially prepared by trained scientists to meet all of the dog’s needs, and all nationally known brands are guaranteed by the federal government, on the basis of careful experiment, to furnish normal maintenance diets.
This means that the dog can live its entire life without eating anything but dog food. For those owners within the low income brackets, or those with the very large breeds, the feeding of dog food exclusively would certainly be the most economical method and, as far as the dog is concerned, such a diet is quite adequate.
Jimmy Cox
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/feeding-your-new-puppy-120629.html
August 13th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
when do you stop feeding your puppy, puppy food?
my puppies will be 1 year old august 1st… so when do you stop feeding puppy food and change to adult food?
i have toy poodles…
a small breed
August 14th, 2009 at 2:23 am
1yr
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:25 am
normally right after they are spayed/neutered, thats what we did. so you should have them on adult food by now.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:27 am
When it’s not a puppy.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:29 am
I never fed puppy food, it’s often too high in protein, and can encourage too fast growth, which is hard on bones and joints.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:31 am
when your puppy is 2 years old
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:33 am
about a year, but it depends on the breed and size, and appetite, its got teeth so it can handle adult food now!!! get a good quality one!!
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:35 am
I hear many conflicting opinions on this, but most agree that a puppy formula should be fed until a year old. Anytime you change a dog’s food, even if it changing from a puppy formula to an adult formula of the same brand, you want to do it gradually, over the period of a couple weeks. Dog’s have very sensitive digestive tracts, and abrupt diet changes can cause diarrhea and stomach upset.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:37 am
A dog is considered a puppy untill it’s 1 years old.At which time you give it it’s rabies booster.
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dog mom
August 14th, 2009 at 2:39 am
i believe u stop feeding them puppy food when they reach the year mark. Im not extremely sure but u can read the food cans or ask ur vet
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:41 am
When you feel your dog is old enough for adult food leave two or three days of puppy food then go buy adult food and mix adult food in with the puppy food bit by bit till your feeding straight dog food ^-^ Cuz if you ask ppl on here your gonna get a lot of different answers read the bag it depends on weight size and age.
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Long time pet owner
August 14th, 2009 at 2:43 am
well depending on the breed it is different for large breeds..but most can be switched to an adult formula at 1 year old.
EDIT- yes if they are small breeds they can be switched at a year. Small breeds mature quicker than large breeds.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:45 am
Your puppy will no longer be a puppy when he is a year old. When the puppy turns a year old you gradually start feeding him adult food. Start by mixing the puppy food with the adult food. That way he doesn’t get stomach aches or the the poops. it should only take a week before your dog is completely off puppy food. All you have to do is when you feed your dog give him more adult food and less puppy food. Colors don’t matter, dogs see black & white talk to your vet or pet smart, pet co or other pet store people.
Vets try to get you to buy stuff that is suppose to be good for the dog but cost a bunch more then the food you get in a pet store & the bags you get at the vet is normally much smaller.
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August 14th, 2009 at 2:47 am
After they turn a year is when they usually consider your puppy and adult.
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I have a dog that just turned a year and was told to switch him to adult dog food.