Industrial forage or natural food? How many times a day to feed a puppy? And how to understand whether the puppy gorges on? All these questions interest both beginners, and experienced dog breeders.
Basic rules of feeding of a puppy
Healthy nutrition − guarantee of health of a puppy. That the kid grew healthy and strong, it is necessary to follow the following rules of food:
- To try to feed a puppy at the same time;
- Duration of one feeding −10-15 minutes. If the puppy did not eat up, then the remains of food need to be removed in the fridge;
- The puppy always has to have an access to a bowl with water;
- If the puppy ate not enough food, then it is not recommended to give in the following feeding more: the serving size always has to be identical;
- It is impossible to mix in one step some food a dry feed and natural products;
- It is recommended to feed a puppy with food of room temperature.
What to choose: industrial forage or natural food?
It is impossible to answer unambiguously a question, what is better: industrial forage or natural food. Each owner of a dog makes the choice for any given power supply system, proceeding from an economic possibility, existence or lack of time for preparation of special food, a physical condition and health of a dog.
Some owners prefer the mixed food type when, for example, in the morning to a puppy the dry feed, and in the afternoon and in the evening − natural food is given.
When the natural type of food is convenient?
- There is an opportunity to buy meat and an offal from reliable suppliers;
- There is free time to be processed meat and an offal, to cut them for the portion, to slice vegetables, to do preparations, etc.;
- There is an opportunity to store stocks of products for a puppy in the fridge;
- There are desire and time to understand nuances of food, to study various sources on a vetdiyetologiya to improve a food allowance of a puppy;
- There is no opportunity to buy or order a qualitative industrial forage.
When the industrial forage is convenient?
- There are no reliable suppliers;
- There is no time for cooking for a puppy;
- There is no place to store stocks of meat, an offal, etc.;
- There is a choice of qualitative industrial forages.
How many times a day to feed a puppy?
The number of feedings directly depends on age of a puppy. The kid, the age up to 2 months, recommends to feed 5-6 times a day. The puppy with age is fed 3-4 months 4-5 cut a day. At the age of 5-6 months of dogs feed 3-4 times a day. After achievement by a puppy of age of 6 months it is transferred to three meals a day, and after 10 months − to two times.
It is important to observe the recommended number of meals as long intervals between meals can negatively affect a stomach of the kid.
How to define serving size?
If the puppy eats an industrial forage, then calculation of serving size is simple: the standard daily rate recommended by the producer is divided into the number of feedings. For example, if the standard daily rate for a three-months puppy of a Yorkshire terrier is 125 grams, then the kid will eat 5 times a day 25 grams. It is important that portions were equal. You should not give in one step some food to a puppy of 10 grams, and in another − 50. In the first case, it will remain hungry, and in the second will feel nausea from the dry feed which is bulking up in a stomach.
If the puppy, age up to 6 months, eats natural products, then the standard daily rate is equal to 6-7% of body weight. At puppies 6 months standard daily rate are more senior makes 3-4% of body weight. Further the standard daily rate is divided into the number of meals corresponding to age of a puppy.
Whether is enough for a puppy of food?
Both the underfeeding, and reforage are hazardous to health of a puppy. To define whether is enough for the kid of food, it is possible on behavior of a puppy.
If he eats everything to the last crumb, absolutely licks a bowl, and then runs around, sniffing up food, then most likely the puppy does not gorge on. The lack of set of weight will be confirmation of a guess also. In that case it is worth increasing a portion a little.
If the puppy does not eat up, digs in a bowl in search of more tasty pieces or too quickly gains weight, then he overeats. It is necessary to reduce a portion.
Health of a dog is in hands of its owner. It is important to feed a puppy with quality food and to follow the recommended rules of food and also to constantly update and expand the knowledge.