The puppy's diet
We must keep in mind that the dog is an omnivorous animal; in general, its diet consists of approximately 40% proteins, another 40% carbohydrates and 20% fats. A quality puppy food offers all of this perfectly dosed. This is a consideration to take into account if we are going to offer our puppy a completely homemade diet. Remember that not all foods that people consume are valid for dogs and that it must be carried out by an expert veterinary nutritionist.If you have any questions about how to feed a puppy, consult your veterinarian.
Regarding commercial dog food, it would be good to make a clarification. There are some people who declare themselves completely against this type of dog food. These people argue that there is little certainty about the origin of the raw materials that make up dog food. At this point a certain type of reasoning must be done. It is true that there are many brands of dog food and that there are many with very low prices that do not have quality, in these dog food it is likely that some of the raw materials from which they are composed are of low quality and do not meet the nutritional needs of dogs. If we choose these options we may be saving a little money, but our dog will not be fed in the best way. However, as with everything in life, there are very high quality dog food and puppy food brands that ensure the origin of all their raw materials and provide the dog with healthy and balanced nutrition. Many of the people who ban dry or canned dog food or dog food do so with leftover human food, such as dinner leftovers or other supermarket products that are no longer suitable for human consumption. Without a doubt, this is much more harmful to our dog's health. From here we believe that offering your puppy quality dog food is the most appropriate and practical option .weaning
During the first 3 or 4 weeks of life the puppy feeds on its mother's milk. Sometimes, the mother cannot offer all the breast milk to her puppies, this can happen for various reasons (a litter that is too large, stress...) In these cases, special powdered milk should be integrated into the food for one-month-old puppies. dog puppies and is administered during the first 2 weeks throughout the day every 3 hours. This should be supervised by a veterinarian. Another option is a vaccine, but this can cause problems such as diarrhea. Powdered dog milk is more expensive, however it is a better option, as it is rich in protein, fat, calcium and phosphorus. Naturally, at 3 weeks the puppy will become interested in its mother's food. At first it is normal for him to put himself fully into the food container, which is a very funny and tender action. Little by little, by observing its mother, the puppy will begin to eat solid food . Often in the weaning phase, soft foods are introduced into the puppy's diet to artificially breastfeed. Once again following the suggestions of a veterinarian. This is an important stage in our puppy's life , so we must inform the veterinarian of any changes that we may observe in the puppy, if he is not growing, if he is not very active, if he cries all the time or any other behavior that alerts us. attracts attention, it is likely that it requires analysis by the veterinarian. Remember that the transition from liquid to solid diet should always be done gradually. If the puppy does not begin to try solid food, you can bring him a little food so that he becomes familiar with it, sometimes it is just a matter of distrust.Puppy food
At 6 weeks of age, the puppy should have been completely weaned, which means that it should be fed solids and no longer needs milk, it needs specific puppy food . Many people mistakenly believe that a puppy needs to drink milk until it is 6 months old. From weaning onwards, mother's milk has already fulfilled its function in the puppy's life by giving it the necessary antibodies. Continuing to give our puppy milk can cause intestinal problems. In this way, milk should never be considered a substitute for water. Giving milk instead of water would increase the food ration too much, since milk is a complete food, and the puppy must always have fresh water available. Many times this decision is made when the owner observes that his puppy drinks little water and that is when they decide to replace it with milk, this is a serious mistake, this would not be the correct way to feed a puppy . It is normal for dog puppies not to drink a lot of water since they have the ability to absorb a large amount of water from food. When we give our friend puppy food, he is likely to drink more water since it is dry food. To choose what type of puppy food we want to give our dog, we must first make the decision whether to give it homemade or commercial food. Let's remember that homemade food must be supervised by a veterinary nutritionist. Veterinarians usually recommend a diet based on quality puppy food , for the simple fact that they are correctly balanced and have healthy, strong nutrition. When it comes to puppies that need to grow a lot in a short period of time, it is very easy to make mistakes regarding the food we provide them, hence the confidence of a veterinarian in offering a complete diet through a puppy food with guarantee. Another consideration to take into account is that the most expensive dog food is still cheaper than correct, quality homemade food for a puppy , as well as much more practical. However, although a puppy food offers a balanced and correct diet , sometimes growth disorders may appear in puppies, so in the first months of our puppy's life it is important to take him to the vet with some frequency to check his correctness. development. If we realize that its development is very rapid, it is likely that it needs less food or a change in diet. The opposite is true, if it takes a while to grow and develop, it is possible that it needs more food or a change in diet. The veterinarian will be the one to help us diagnose how to feed a puppy. Generally, these problems of how to feed a puppy do not occur in small dogs, but even in this case, if the puppy is not fed correctly it will develop health problems, which is why good nutrition is important. with quality puppy food and never feed it with leftover food.How many times should a puppy eat
As for the number of meals, for a puppy it is recommended that they be small and frequent, around 4 or 5 times a day. As the puppy grows, we must reduce the number of daily meals until it reaches 3 and then 2 like an adult dog. If in the process of feeding a puppy we decide to give it homemade food instead of puppy food, we have to take into account a series of considerations:- Choose good quality meat. It is expensive, but if problems arise in the puppy's growth, its treatment will be much more expensive.
- Avoid connective tissue, fats and tendons. Select quality cuts of meat, preferably beef or chicken.
- If intolerance or allergy problems arise, consult with your veterinarian for another protein source.
- The meat should be boiled or grilled and without condiments or sauces.
- Boiled vegetables such as carrots or zucchini should also be added without seasonings or sauces.