We begin teaching your new puppy how to eat solid food starting at age 4 weeks. Here is some of the ingredients that we place inside of our meals for our new pups. We always feed with PUPPY PEDIGREE, both soft and dry. Our puppies enjoy both the Chicken and beef. We have found that the Lamb and rice, while delicious for the pups, is too gooey. It isn't that they love Puppy Pedigree so much as what it is we place inside the Pedigree meals:
Puppy Pedigree (canned)
Gerber's or Beech-Nut Baby Food (various desserts as well as country chicken/beef with vegetables)
Gerber's Rice Cereal (Dry in the box)
Evaporated Milk blended with warm water or you can substitute on occasion:
*Apple Juice (Or other Baby Fruit Juices...make sure it is 100% real juice and stay away from orange juices) *
When using pureed Baby food, our puppies enjoy those with fruit. We use "Fruit Medley", "Hawaiian Delight", "Pears", "Mixed Fruit", (nothing mixed with cinnamon),
"Oatmeal with Apples/Bananas", "Rice cereal with Pears", "Ham & Apples", "Chicken & Apples" and other baby foods with fruits. They also enjoy anything with vegetables such as the country chicken or beef. The baby food has alot of additional vitamins that puppies need when going through the deworming stage. Best baby foods to use is Gerber's and Beech-nut. We always mix one tablespoon of vanilla yogurt and cottage cheese (small curd) as well as evaporated milk blended with warm water. If you like, you can occasionally mix a can of vanilla ensure.
Ensure has alot of vitamins to help growing muscles and bones. It's also full of protein. Feeding weaning puppies with just dry puppy food or canned food actually does not provide them with all of the essentials they need at a time when they are going through rapid growth spurts. Not only is using baby foods with fruits healthy for growing puppies, it also allows your puppy to acquire a taste for fruits which actually makes for healthy snacks when they become an adult. All of our puppies are fed every three to four hours and placed on a "feeding schedule". They are fed 5 times a day with a sixth time being like a snack. Once the puppy goes to its new home, it is important that the new owner continue with our feeding schedule, but at the same time, slowly weaning your puppy to just dry puppy food mixed with soft puppy food. Puppies can be weaned slowly from six feedings....down to five....down to four and then kept at three meals per day for the rest of their lives to have a well balanced diet. Any changes in a dogs' diet should be done slowly, gradually and never over-night. While 5-6 meals per day sounds like alot, you have to remember that puppies do not have a large stomach and can not hold that much food. Sometimes, in the beginning, they just nibble their food and so, they tend to get hungry quickly. We recommend allowing your pup to eat as much as he/she wants for 20 minutes and if any food remains, pick up and give to him/her an hour or so later. Never allow your puppy to continually eat as he/she can become ill from eating too much. As they age, the amount of feedings is reduced.
Each and every puppy that is born in us is fed in the same exact way. Our puppies, even when nursing, are fed up to six times within a 24 hr period. Young puppies eliminate their food within 5- 15 minutes after eating, therefore they feel hungry sooner than an older dog who has more control over their bowels. The sphincter muscle is under-developed and this is why a puppy can not physically control how long it takes to eliminate their food after eating. Since the food does not stay in their system very long, their hunger level is much higher than when they are older .
Our puppies continue to be fed up to six times a day until they leave our home at the age of 8 weeks of age. It is just that their portions are rationed so that they never over-eat. Our puppies never leave here skinny!
We recommend that you gradually taper the puppy's feeding schedule over a period of time. By the time they are six months of age, you want to have them eating three meals a day and they should be on dry/soft food. By the time they are a year old, they should be on solid dry food with occasional soft food. Since we "free feed" our adult dogs, our dogs eat as much as they want and when they want . A dog will need to go out more often with this kind of feeding so we don't recommend "free-feeding" unless someone is home most of the time with the dog to let him or her out more often. In an inactive dog, this can lead to obesity.........so you have to keep your dog active if you decide to "free feed". We recommend that you allow your puppy to eat as much as he or she wants for up to 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take up any food that is remaining. If all of the food is gone prior to 20 minutes, give more food. A puppy can fill up with enough food in a 20 minute session what he or she needs for a balanced diet. Any more than that will cause the puppy to gain weight too rapidly or become ill from too much food. If you have any food remaining, you can then always give the remainder food to him or her at a later time when they are ready to eat again. Never feed your puppy cold food. This will upset the stomach. I can not give you "amounts" to feed a single dog as we usually feed an entire litter at one time. But I think you can safely look at a can of puppy pedigree and your other ingredients as though they were "thirds". Always add a bit of warm water to each meal. This allows your puppy to get plenty of water. Puppies will want to drink water right after eating, so always have a fresh bowl of cold water available. I always refrigerate water for my pups. They do like their water cold and they enjoy nibbling on small cut ice. When teething, a frozen wash cloth works wonders! You can eventually stop mixing the added features into your canine's meal once he or she starts getting a little older. If you decide to take your puppy off of Puppy Pedigree, you must do so gradually. Not just overnight. We do recommend staying away from PUPPY CHOW. This food is mostly corn meal and has no true value to your pup's nutrition. It also will give your new puppy very loose stools. We have never liked Puppy Chow for those reasons. Eukanuba, Iams and Science diet is a good food and highly digestible, but in order to get those fewer stools, this food has a way of causing a young puppy to become constipated. You will have to look for a good balance if you decide to change the food. When you do change the food, please add small portions of your new food to what the pup is use to eating over a period of a week so that his or her system can get use to it. **sometimes a puppy will suddenly develop an allergy to food...even if they have eaten it for awhile with no previous problems. When this occurs, we do recommend that you feed your puppy "LOW RESIDUE PUPPY" by Eukanuba. This is easily digestible and great for sensitive tummies. Feed it dry.
Dogs have fewer taste buds than humans do (about 2,000 compared with the humans 12,000) which also gives them relatively insensitive palates. Dogs can taste sweetness, sourness, bitterness and saltiness. A dog's sense of taste is pleasant, unpleasant and indifferent. Dogs can show a preference for certain dog foods....like that of cats. In comparison, 80% of dogs showed definite likes and dislikes in their food. The more expensive foods did not make much of a difference in their likes or dislikes and neither were more expensive foods any tastier.
Pet food manufactures have made feeding your dog quite a simple task. The owner only needs to decide which brand to buy, how much to feed and whether their dog enjoys the food. The cost is the final consideration. Federal law requires that all pet food manufacturers provide a list of ingredients on the package. The list itself gives only a rough idea of the quality of the food. Protein in a dog food is derived of soybean meal and cereal grains such as corn and wheat. Many dogs have sensitivities to corn and most of your "cheaper" dog foods can cause loose stools when alot of corn is present in the food. Various protein sources are not all of the same quality and digestibility. The mere fact that beef or some other protein is mentioned on the package is no guarantee of quality......it may indicate levels as low as 3%. If the product's name contains the words "beef", "chicken", "lamb", "fish" and so on.....95% of the dry weight of the product must be derived from that protein source. This could mean that the word "Protein source" means the source is an entire chicken (beak and all) cut up and added to the food, etc.
A high quality diet should furnish a proper balance of essential amino acids. Ten amino acids cannot be manufactured by the dog, and are considered dietary essentials. The quality of the protein depends on the right combination of essential amino acids. A good balance of amino acids is accomplished by using a combination of protein from plant and animal sources because the amino acids deficient in one source are usually present in the other.
Symptoms of amino acid deficiency include depressed appetite, impaired growth, gray hair coat, low hemoglobin levels, immune deficiency an lowered reproductive performances.
Brands of commercial dog foods can be classified as generic, popular and premium. Generic foods are less expensive than popular ones and premium foods are the most expensive. Generic dog foods DO NOT carry a brand name. Closely related to generics are the "private-label" pet foods that carry names of the stores in which they are sold. These foods provide a list of ingredients as required by law, but cannot make claims that the food is nutritionally balanced or complete. Generic products are less expensive than popular and premium brands because the food is manufactured using low-cost ingredients. The ingredients vary from package to package, depending on which nutrient sources are available at the time the food was manufactured. In feed tests many of the generic products were found to have lower digestibility (hence the loose stools from corn) due to the addition of indigestible fibers.
Popular dog foods are the recognizable brands from major food manufacturers. They are available at most supermarkets and grocery stores. These companies spend a good deal of time and energy testing and advertising their products. To show that their foods contain all the protein, fat, vitamin and mineral requirements needed for dogs to grow and thrive, popular dog food makers cite one of two established standards on the label. Both standards are set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)...a nonprofit association of federal and state officials that develops guidelines for the production, labeling and sale of animal feeds. One standard requires that the food meet an AAFCO profile that is based on a calculation of all the nutrients dogs are theoretically known to require to maintain health and fitness. The other standard involves feeding tests that show dogs can live and thrive on the product. The calculation approach is limited in its usefulness because current knowledge is not firm for all nutrients dogs require. There is no guarantee that the dog can digest and absorb all the nutrients in a specific food.
Premium dog foods are available only through veterinarians, pet supply stores and feed stores. At times, you may find Iams or Eukanuba in your local grocery store. In general, the ingredients used by these products are highly digestible and have good to excellent nutrient availability. In contrast to popular brands, premium foods are produced using fixed formulas. The ingredients used do not fluctuate in response to availability or market price. Manufacturers of these foods validate their claims through AAFCO feeding studies (not calculations). Because these products contain high-quality food sources that are easily digested, smaller amounts can be fed. Even though a big bag may cost more, the cost per serving may be comparable to many popular brands. Dog foods can be found in bags, cans....semi-moist and kibble. It makes little difference from a nutritional point of view which of these you choose. Most dogs find the canned food more palatable because it generally has a higher percentage of moisture and fat. Dry kibble is the least expensive and has the advantage of maintaining the health of teeth and gums. You can leave dry food out all day for free-choice (free-feeding) consumption. Canned food should be left out only for short durations only because it can spoil rather quickly. Any unused portion should be refrigerated.
While most dog foods contain instructions on feeding on their labels based on the weight of the dog...Lake Ridge Kennel recommends that you also take your dog's eating habits and other factors into consideration. Your dog may require more food than what is labeled on the dog food package. Remember that what is placed on the label of your dog food is ONLY a recommendation. You should monitor your dog's weight. Feed more if your dog starts to lose weight and feed less if you dog is gaining weight or continually leaves food in his or her dish.
When your puppy reaches 1 year of age, their diet should be changed to one that is appropriate for maintaining an adult dog. Adult foods are less expensive than puppy foods because they have less protein. Too much protein in an adult dog's food can allow the dog to gain too much weight. Obese dogs have more health problems than those who maintain the proper weight for the breed and height. Hip problems can also be brought on by feeding too much protein. Although feeding once a day is fine for most dogs....dividing daily ration into two or three equal servings is most likely healthier and more satisfying for your dog. If you are feeding dry dog food, you can leave the food out for "free-feeding". A dog will usually only eat when he is hungry and never more than he or she needs.
Caloric requirements differ from dog to dog, but generally the older the dog gets, the fewer calories they require.
They also need less food in the summer and more in the winter. If your dog is inactive, you should feed less than you would an active dog. Hard working dogs require a highly digestible diet with increased fat content to maintain stamina and body condition. This is one area that premium food formulated for working dogs is very beneficial.
Feeding table scraps or extra food can lead to obesity in your dog. Attacks of pancreatitis have occurred following the feeding of table scraps. This also leads to unwanted behavior problems such as begging or even stealing food from the table. Meat, fish and poultry should be well cooked and all bones removed. Chicken bones are the most dangerous to your dog and can cause death! Chicken bones splinter very easily and should NEVER be fed to your dog for any reason! Feeding cheese can give a dog diarrhea. These foods should be strictly avoided.
Like people, more and more dogs are becoming obese from over feeding.... ......particularly snacks and treats between meals as well as failing to reduce the caloric intake of puppies when they reach adulthood. Adding table scraps to a nutritionally balanced diet is another cause of weight gain. Obese dogs have an increased risk to diabetes, hypertension, heat disease, arthritis and other musculoskeletal problems....much like people. It also shortens your pet's life and the quality of life. While many people want to "spoil" their dog.....using food or treats to "spoil" your dog is never a good idea. Providing that your dog is getting plenty of exercise to burn off any excess calories, treats can be given in reasonable amounts. If your dog is a couch potato, treats and table scraps should be avoided. Inactive dogs tend to gain more weight than that of their counterparts. Taking your puppy or dog for a nice walk several times a week is a great way to keep them fit and trim.
What you don't know about "kibble" and other Dog foods could hurt your pet!!
It is very important that you actually read the label on your pets' food. Your DOG OR CAT could be eating other people's pets!!! When a label says "Animal Protein", it really means euthanized animals are included in the dog or cat food ingredients. It is currently legal for clinics and shelters to sell dead animals that they euthanize to the pet food industry. The entire animal...including its fur, coat, collar, tags insecticides sprayed upon the coat, and even the garbags bags they are placed in all go into the vats that belong to the pet food industy. It's disgusting, but a fact.
Did you know that low quality "kibble" contains chicken eyeballs, feathers, guts, beak and all??? Pet food companies are NOT required by law to label exactly what is inside of your pets' food. When a dog or cat food states that it contains "Chicken by-products"....it actually means that all parts of the chicken are included inside of the food. Such foods are zapped with high heat which then destroys all of the actual nutrients. The food is then sprayed with grease so that it will be appealing to your pet. Low quality pet foods also contain DANGEROUS preservatives that can cause many health problems for your pet!
**ETHOXYQUIN: This preservative is suspected of causing bladder cancer and stomach tumors.
**BHA: This promotes stomach and bladder cancer as well as liver and kidney dysfunction.
**BHT: This preservative, used in the United States, has actually been banned in European countries because it is suspected of causing thyroid cancer in your pet.
When feeding your pet, it is very important that your pet eat as much FRESH FOOD as possible to includes fruits and vegetables. While some feel that feeding your pet raw foods...... where meat is concerned this is not good for your pet. Dogs and cats can get E. COLI infections as well as other dangerous bacterial infections from eating raw meat. You should look for pet foods with HIGH protein and foods that say "CHICKEN" or "BEEF" products...not "BY-PRODUCTS". The more specific the label, the better. Foods that say "Poultry Meal" is a poor choice for pet food. Look for a whole meat source instead. Commercial dog foods contain 60 percent carbohydrates because kibble can not be manufactured without it. Unless your dog is nursing puppies, he or she does not need carbohydrates in its diet. When feeding dry foods every single day with nothing else being fed, your pet is being fed too much food containing carbohydrates that is very bad for your pet.
Some of the best pet foods out there are Eukanuba, Science Diet, Pedigree, Iams and Flint River Ranch. These brands have higher nutrition and digest better. They are also more appealing to your pet. Pedigree also now has a new food that has many anti-oxidants included. In the end, it is worth it to feed your pet quality food rather than the lowest priced foods on the market to "save a buck".....it could cost you more in the long run and place your pet at high risk for health problems as he or she ages. More and more vets and breeders are trying to encourage owners to give their animals home-cooked or raw foods....such as steamed vegetables or raw fruits and vegetables....not raw meat.
If your pet is experiencing diabetes, dry/scruffy coat, obesity or kidney failure, it could mean that the foods they are eating have caused these health problems. Vets and dog owners don't always look into the possibilities that the foods a dog eats can cause issues, but here we are into 2007 and seeing issues with certains foods causing deaths and kidney failure and other problems in our pets! Food plays a huge role in the over-all health of pets and humans alike!
IN OTHER NEWS:
Already scientists know that many dog genetic conditions closely resemble human genetic disorders and are not likely to be caused by mutations in the same genes. Researchers studying canine cancer have indicated that humans and dogs have similar genes causing cancer. Presently researchers are working on a genetic map to closely study canine health conditions and are trying to find out what causes certain health conditions to come about. The dog breeder community welcomes the study to have the genome sequenced because it may bring a better understanding of genetic flaws that cause health conditions The canine genome map, constructed largely by the laboratories of Ostander, Breen, and Francis Galibert at the University of Rennes in France since 1995, has involved collaboration among more than 50 scientists worldwide. In its latest studies, the map contains markers at about every million base pairs of DNA. Markers highlight regions of the canine genome likely to contain disease genes. Although the integrated genome map is a low-resolution quality, it is robust and will provide a tool for the geneticists sequencing the dog genome to compare findings. Ultimately, gene therapies, new treatments and genetic testing will progress much faster once the dog genome sequence is mapped out. The sequence will generate tremendous information about dog and human conditions. Presently studies are being carried out at the North Carolina State University.
