One of the most frequently asked questions to the veterinarian is how to feed a puppy . It seems like a simple thing that we can take for granted, but how to feed a puppy is not that easy. Adequate nutrition, carried out from puppyhood, ensures optimal physical development for the dog, safeguarding its health in the future. First of all, when we know that a puppy is coming home we must make sure that we have the right puppy food for him in order to avoid not having anything to give him at the time of his arrival, this is something that usually happens Quite often. It is advisable to make a visit to the veterinarian to establish the best diet for your puppy; a high-quality puppy food is usually the right option. Knowing how to feed a puppy is essential for its correct development. 
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.
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.
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:
We must keep in mind that many of the products that people consume daily are harmful to dogs, which is why if we choose to feed our puppy with homemade food, it must be supervised by a veterinarian who is an expert in canine nutrition. Choosing a quality puppy food is simply more practical , cheaper and prevents us from making serious mistakes when feeding our puppy.
The most appropriate thing is to leave the bowl with the food within reach of the puppy for about 10 or 15 minutes, then return and remove it, regardless of whether the dog has finished the puppy food or not. This is done so that the dog understands that this is the time to eat, if it is done this way, our puppy will immediately understand it and will quickly learn what the meal times are. We should not worry if the first few times they have not emptied the food bowl, if we follow this process they will always get used to it very quickly. The most appropriate time to feed our puppy is usually after we eat, so the dog associates that the leader of the pack (the owner) is always the first to eat. This behavior is appropriate for dogs because they are gregarious animals and must fulfill a role in their pack. If our puppy resists completely eating the food we provide, we should never give him something substitute like a cookie. You may end up using this behavior to only eat foods that are not recommended at all. And finally, we must remember that it is not good to habitually change our dog's diet . If we choose to give him a puppy food and he does well, it is not advisable to constantly change the brand and, if you do, it is important to do it gradually so that he assimilates little by little the new arrangement of nutrients and thus avoids the development of problems. gastrointestinal. If you follow this simple routine on how to feed a puppy, he will grow up healthy and happy.
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.
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.
We must keep in mind that many of the products that people consume daily are harmful to dogs, which is why if we choose to feed our puppy with homemade food, it must be supervised by a veterinarian who is an expert in canine nutrition. Choosing a quality puppy food is simply more practical , cheaper and prevents us from making serious mistakes when feeding our puppy.
How a puppy should eat
We will give you some tips on how to feed a puppy to provide it with a good education. We must choose a place to install the water bowl and the food bowl, this place will always be the same and our puppy must be able to access it without problems. Remember that a dog must always have fresh water at its disposal. It is highly recommended to always give our puppy meals at the same times, thus following a routine. Frequent changes can destabilize the dog and make it nervous, they are animals of habit. When we prepare food for puppies, we should offer it when the dog is calm and sitting, we should not give it food while it is upset, jumping and fluttering around happily because it is time to eat. We must wait without talking to him (if we do, we increase his emotion) and maintain a neutral expression until he calms down. That is the moment when we should give him the bowl of puppy food and walk away. We should never stay with the puppy until he finishes eating, if he gets used to it, he will not eat if we are not close to him. As we already mentioned, the water container must always be available to the puppy with clean, fresh water. Unlike food. The dog should not have unlimited access to the food bowl, this is an important factor in training how to feed a puppy. It is important to control one hundred percent the food our puppy eats, the quantity and frequency. The most appropriate thing is to leave the bowl with the food within reach of the puppy for about 10 or 15 minutes, then return and remove it, regardless of whether the dog has finished the puppy food or not. This is done so that the dog understands that this is the time to eat, if it is done this way, our puppy will immediately understand it and will quickly learn what the meal times are. We should not worry if the first few times they have not emptied the food bowl, if we follow this process they will always get used to it very quickly. The most appropriate time to feed our puppy is usually after we eat, so the dog associates that the leader of the pack (the owner) is always the first to eat. This behavior is appropriate for dogs because they are gregarious animals and must fulfill a role in their pack. If our puppy resists completely eating the food we provide, we should never give him something substitute like a cookie. You may end up using this behavior to only eat foods that are not recommended at all. And finally, we must remember that it is not good to habitually change our dog's diet . If we choose to give him a puppy food and he does well, it is not advisable to constantly change the brand and, if you do, it is important to do it gradually so that he assimilates little by little the new arrangement of nutrients and thus avoids the development of problems. gastrointestinal. If you follow this simple routine on how to feed a puppy, he will grow up healthy and happy.
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