Puppy Kibble
and more!
Puppy kibble is a relatively new invention. It used to be that the family dogs ate left-overs from the dinner table or went hungry. Today it seems that we've almost come full circle, but the result is a win-win situation for your puppy - and you. When it comes to feeding their new baby, there are more options than ever for new puppy owners. Really this is good news, but for those that are new to dog-ownership it's just something else to worry about. Well, we're going to take that worry off your shoulders! By the time you've read this page and checked out our comprehensive dog food guides you'll know exactly what puppy kibble you're going to feed Fifi............plus the answers to all the usual questions such as - How often should I feed my puppy?
- How much food do puppies need?
- Can I feed my puppy adult dog food?
- Does my puppy need supplements as well?
- Are there options to feeding commercial puppy kibble
What you feed your puppy now has a direct effect on her lifelong health so choose wisely. So, are you ready? Then let's begin.
Commercial Puppy Food
First I'd like to answer one of the above questions -
"No, you can't feed little Fifi adult dog food"Why not? Well, would you feed a tiny baby a T-bone steak? Of course not. The same principle applies to puppies. Yes, I know that Fifi has the physical ability to chew and swallow adult dog food (while a toothless infant would have trouble with steak) but that's not what's important. It's a matter of meeting her nutritional needs. Commercially prepared puppy kibble
has been specially formulated to fulfill the dietary requirements of puppies. Since Fifi will be growing at a pretty rapid rate for the first year (or even up to 2 years and beyond if she's a large breed puppy) she needs much higher levels of protein, vitamins and minerals than is found in adult dog food.
Look at the puppy kibble in any large store and you'll notice that it comes in all varieties - large breed puppy; small breed puppy; organic; natural and so on. The quality and price will vary quite a bit too. See our guide to commercial puppy foods for more information on ingredients, quality etc., that way you'll be able to make the best choice for you and your puppy. Depending on whether your puppy is a large breed or small, there is a difference in the age at which you should begin to replace puppy kibble with adult dog food. Small breed dogs mature at a significantly faster rate than their larger cousins. For a little dog, begin a gradual change over at about one year old, for the large breed puppy you need to wait until they are approx. 18 months to 2 years of age. For a medium breed puppy (adult size between 20 and 50lbs) go somewhere in the middle range. Start the change over to adult food at around 12 - 16 months.
How much and how often?
That's a good question, and there can be quite a few variables involved!
Puppies between approx. 7 and 16 weeks old should be fed their puppy kibble three times per day - once first thing in the morning, once around noon, and finally at around 6pm
This allows time for the food to make it's way through Fifi's digestive system and be deposited in your yard before bedtime!.
Leave the dish of puppy kibble down for approx. 10 mins. each time then pick it up, do not 'free-feed' as it gets the puppy into bad habits. It's best to look at the individual manufacturers guidelines for the amount of puppy kibble you should give your pup. Notice whether it's on a daily total or 'per meal' basis and adjust accordingly. Fresh water should be available all day, but it's a good idea to pick it up at around 7pm so that your puppy will not need to make quite as many potty trips overnight. From 4 months onwards two meals a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, is just fine. Growing puppies need to eat almost twice as much kibble per pound of body weight than adult dogs do. They also go through periodic growth spurts when their appetite seems to increase and decrease without warning. This is normal (again, parents will not be surprised by this as young children go through exactly the same thing). See our
dog food page
for more information on ingredients, quality etc., that way you'll be able to make the best choice for you and your puppy. Depending on whether your puppy is a large breed or small, there is a difference in the age at which you should begin to replace puppy kibble with adult dog food. Small breed dogs mature at a significantly faster rate than their larger cousins. For a little dog, begin a gradual change over at about one year old, for the large breed puppy you need to wait until they are approx. 18 months to 2 years of age. For a medium breed puppy (adult size between 20 and 50lbs) go somewhere in the middle range. Start the change over to adult food at around 12 - 16 months.
It's a good idea to keep Fifi on the same puppy kibble she was getting at the breeders, at least to begin with. If you want to feed her a different brand, that's fine - just make the change gradually by mixing the two foods together and gradually decreasing the old one while increasing the new. This helps to prevent her an upset tummy. You can find out more about commercial kibble by reading our
guide to commercial dog food
and for an in-depth look at some of the most popular puppy kibble and dog food products you'll find our
dog food comparison
page very interesting. Dog food allergies are on the rise these days. If you'd like to know more about the symptoms of food allergies in dogs, as well as how to deal with the problem, check out our
Dog Food Allergies page
Home-made dog food
With all the controversy over the ingredients in commercially prepared puppy kibble, as well as the recent poisoning scares, there's been an increasing interest in homemade dog food.You can find up-to-date information on the foods that have been recalled here. You can feed your puppy or dog a home-made diet if you're prepared to work at it! All their nutritional requirements need to be met, especially in the case of puppies, and throwing Fifi the occasional meaty bone along with the kids left over PB&J doesn't count!! Dogs need a diet that is approx 50% meat; 25% vegetable and 25% starch. These ingredients can all be used, mix and match to give Fifi variety. Ground turkey - ground beef - organ meat (liver, kidneys etc.) - eggs - brown rice - carrots - potatoes - pasta - rice- cottage cheese - natural yogurt. You can add brewers yeast, or ground eggshells to the mixture, they're all good for your dog.
Points to remember: - Always cook meat before giving it to your dog.
- Keep unused food in the refrigerator
- Never feed your dog chocolate, cookies or sugary foods
When changing your puppy or dog over from puppy kibble to a homemade diet, make the transition gradual by mixing the new food in with what he's used to, then gradually decrease the old while increasing the new. This helps to prevent tummy upset. Stick to the same 3 meals per day up until 4 months, and 2 meals per day from then on. Leave the food down for 15 minutes and then remove the bowl. If Fifi cleans her plate within 5 mins each time increase the amount until there's a little bit left when she's full. It's rare that a puppy will eat way more than it needs.If feeding Fifi home-made food appeals to you but you really would rather not spend so much time in the kitchen there is another way. With Sojos products you can give your puppy all the benefits of homemade food with minimum effort. Sojourner Farms offer high quality pet food mixes that are packed with top quality, healthy, human-grade ingredients and naturally occuring vitamins, minerals and enzymes. No artificial preservatives whatsoever. All you need to do is add fresh meat and veggies and Fifi has a super-healthy, safe and tasty meal. It's truly the best of both worlds.
Snacks and Treats
There's a huge range of treats available for Fifi to snack on, but be warned, they're not all good for her (hmm...sounds kind of like that powdered donut I had earlier!)Firstly, puppy treats should never include candy, chocolate (very poisonous to dogs), cake, chips, pizza etc. If you want to give Fifi a wholesome home made treat try carrots, popcorn, a small piece of cheese or cooked meat, thinly sliced hot dog (raw or crisped in the microwave - a favorite with our dogs), the occasional pretzel. Dog biscuits, home-made or store-bought, are a nice crunchy alternative and if you're feeling extravagant you can buy freeze-dried liver chunks which are irresistible to even the pickiest of puppies (at least in my personal experience, and I've had some picky puppies).
Bear in mind that Fifi is getting all her nutritional needs met by her puppy kibble or home-made dishes so the treats are optional extras. Do not overfeed as it could make her a little on the chubby side and gaining too much weight too early can increase the chances of bone and joint problems later in life (especially in some larger breeds). If you're interested in feeding your puppy an all-natural puppy kibble, check out our Natural Dog Food and Products page.
and.....
There is another method of feeding dogs which involves not only using fresh ingredients but also feeding those ingredients raw rather than cooked. This is another alternative to feeding your puppy a commercial puppy kibble or home-made food.
As an introduction to feeding a raw diet, the ebook 'Real Dogs Don't Eat Kibble!'
written by Sandra G. Bailey makes an excellent starting point. It's a really well written book that contains an unbelievable amount of easy to read information. It covers the benefits of a natural, raw diet to your dogs health and longevity, and also discusses a holistic approach to the prevention of canine illness and as a means to helping your precious pup lead a longer and significantly healthier life.
Additional useful topics include a list of some of the best ready made dog foods available today and an interesting section on why it's important to keep a health journal for your dog.
Well worth the read and a book you'll turn to over and over again. Click Here to check out the value for yourself!
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