They are tiny and precious but, often times, they can be a mystery when it comes to nutrition. Here are some tips that just may help you feed your puppy easier:
Generally, around the age of three or four weeks, they should be introduced to small amounts of meat, vegetables or puppy food. At first, they may play in it but will learn soon enough what to do with it. By the time they’re weaned (about seven to eight weeks), they should be able to get complete nutrition from natural foods and dog food.
Puppies of small breeds (under 20 pounds as an adult) will reach full maturity by nine to 12 months, while large breeds (over 50 pounds) may not reach full maturity until the age of two. Unless you have other pets, your small-breed puppy is generally best fed with the free-feeding method. Most of them will develop good eating habits with food available to them at all times. If you are feeding your dog natural foods, or cooking for your pup, prepare lots of foods and offer frequent snacks.
Now that you have your puppy on dog food full time keep an eye out on them. Do they look healthy? Are they getting fat? Are they too thin? Does anything seem off? Are there adjustments that need to be made?
Just don’t forget that puppies should be fed a portion-controlled diet specifically formulated for their height and weight class, large or small. This is a plus for optimal skeletal development and good health.
To read more on the feeding of puppies go over to DogTime.
