How to Feed Your Puppy the Best Puppy Food

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Well you’ve just bought a new puppy and you’ve been watching “The Dog Whisperer.” You know you need to be the leader of the pack so that cute little puppy will grow up to be an obedient, affectionate dog. Of course, you’ve already scheduled an appointment with the vet to get that lovable little fur-ball his shots and have him de-wormed. You have done your homework, you are ready to give that new puppy his forever home, but did you think about what you’re going to feed him? If you want to have a healthy puppy grow up to be a happy healthy adult dog, you need to think about nutrition.

Standards

The same way that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) sets standards for human nutrition and food labeling, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFC) in association with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) creates standards for pet nutrition and labeling. The regulations for pet food aren’t as strict as the ones for human food, but there are some important things to look for. Read more about AAFC.

The first thing to know is that the label “veterinarian recommended” is really meaningless; if one veterinarian recommended it then it is “veterinarian recommended.” The phrase to look for on the label is “complete and balanced.” If a pet food has that label then it has to meet the requirements set out by the AAFC. To make sure the manufacturers meet these regulations the AAFC regularly conducts tests on randomly selected samples, so you can be assured that puppy food is nutritious.

Don't Change the Food Right Away

Another important thing to remember is to ask the breeder, pet store, or animal shelter where you found your new friend what type of pet food and how much your puppy has been eating. Then buy a bag of that same brand on your way home. Even if you plan to change to a different puppy food, you still should stick with the food he is accustomed to for at least a week. After a week, you can introduce new kinds of food by starting with a ratio of 25 percent of the new food and 75 percent of the old kind of food then increasing the ratio of new food by 25 percent every two days until you’ve completely switched to the new brand.

How Much To Feed a Puppy

A young puppy should eat an equal portion of food three times a day at regular intervals until he is six months old. Regular feeding, instead of letting your new pup nibble all day long, also makes house training easier. Since eating stimulates bowel movements in dogs, regular feeding also leads to regular trips to the bathroom, which makes potty training much easier. You should feed him enough calories and nutrition to support the rapid growth of young puppies. Of course, as your puppy grows he will require larger portions of food, but be careful not to increase it too much because that can cause gas and diarrhea in your new little buddy and neither of you want to deal with that.

The guidelines on the side of a pet food bag are a good way to figure out how much to feed your dog, however, there shouldn’t be any ribs showing nor should you have a fat pup. If he starts to get chunky or seems a bit skinny, adjust your food portions accordingly. Your puppy should finish his food in 10 to 15 minutes. If he’s finishing in less time and still seems hungry, gradually increase his portions. If there’s food left after 15 minutes then refrigerate it until the next feeding.

When your puppy turns six months old, you should reduce his feedings to two times a day, once again being careful that he doesn’t get too fat or too skinny. Continue feeding your dog twice a day until he turns one year old, after that, you should only feed him once a day. If you want to continue feeding your dog twice a day, simply divide the daily portion in half and feed him once in the morning and again in the evening. Whatever feeding schedule you decide on, make it a regular schedule. This will help your dog with his digestion, which will make you, your dog, and your floors much happier.

Don't Forget the Water

Although you should regulate your dog’s eating, you should be sure there is fresh water available for your dog at all times, except in his crate if you are crate training your dog. Unlike with food, dogs are good at regulating their water intake and will only drink as much as they need to stay hydrated and digest their food.

Feeding a dog isn’t difficult, just be sure that you maintain a regular feeding schedule, watch for signs that your dog is gaining or losing weight, and be sure that there’s always fresh water available. There is more to making a dog happy of course, but no dog can be happy unless you feed him properly and a happy dog will be easier to train, more confident, and make a better companion.