Mary Allen
There is a lot to think about when the long-awaited puppy has come home to his new family – the food he eats, for example, is a big and important part. During the first months, puppies undergo intensive growth and development. Royal Canin’s veterinarian advises new owners on what is important to think about for the puppy to get a healthy start in life.
– Small breeds grow quickly and already at the age of ten months they may have increased their birth weight by 20 times and reached adult weight. Very large breeds, on the other hand, grow for a longer period of time. It may take up to two years of age before they reach full maturity, but during this period these breeds can increase their birth weight by 100 times. Puppies of large breeds thus have an extremely intensive growth, therefore this is a very sensitive period in the puppy’s life, says Karin Eliasson, a veterinarian at Royal Canin.
The vet’s tips for new dog owners:
Introduce feeding routines
Dogs are calmed by predictable routines, so feed at certain times right from the start. As a guideline, the puppy needs food four times a day until it is about four months old, after which three meals a day are suitable. From the age of six months, two meals usually work well, but of course, there are differences between individuals and the puppy’s expected adult size. Ask your veterinarian if you feel unsure.
Growth curves
Nearly half of all dogs in the Nordic countries suffer from obesity and the foundation for this is often laid already during the puppy’s upbringing. At the same time, many dog owners find it difficult to determine if their dog is overweight. All puppies, but especially puppies of large and very large breeds should be weighed once a week during the period 3-10 months of age when the growth rate is very intense. In order to better monitor your puppy’s growth, you can, in collaboration with the veterinarian, use growth curves, adapted for size category and gender.
Be careful with sweets
Sweets should always be included in the puppy’s total amount of food to avoid it eating too much. As a guideline, no more than 10 percent of the daily caloric intake should consist of anything other than the dog’s food. Offer sweets at the right time for the right reason. When the puppy is trained, sweets are often used as a reward, but there you can instead use part of the feed as rewards. There are also low-calorie alternatives to regular dog treats.
Avoid human food
Dogs have different nutritional needs than humans and what is good for us can cause stomach problems or even be toxic to dogs, such as onions and grapes. It can also lead to negative behaviors such as begging if the puppy gets leftover food or is fed out of hand.
Encourage curiosity through feed enrichment
Instead of pouring the feed into a bowl, you can use feed enrichment. Hide pieces in different parts of the home and let the puppy use his nose. In this way, it gets an outlet for its natural instincts.
Give puppy food until the dog is fully grown
A common mistake is that the transition from puppy food to adult food takes place too early. To ensure that the puppy ingests an optimal composition throughout the growth period, you should continue with a puppy food adapted for growth until the dog grows up. If you change the new feed, it should be phased in for one to two weeks so as not to expose the stomach to unnecessary stress.