new puppy

soccermom

It's taken a long time to get to this point, but finally i'm getting a puppy. I'm 43 now and have been waiting since I was 12 :eek:

We pick him up in 2 weeks he's a jack russell x whippet and we have named him casper.

After all my research I have decided that we will feed him wainwright's dry, but what I want to know is if I buy a couple of different flavours is it ok to swap them round daily or should I stick to just one flavour or change week to week.

I was thinking of adding a little spoon of wet as that's what I see my family do with theirs. Is that ok at a young age or best to wait til older.

I know it may seem like a simple question, but it's only easy if you know the answer.

I don't want to give him a bad tummy.

Thanks

Caroline_a

Congratulations on your new puppy! As far as feeding goes, Wainwrights is not bad at all. However, it's a complete food so you shouldn't need to add anything else to it. When I fed my dogs complete dry I would put a bowl down in the morning and let them graze on it during the day - it always worked well.

However, I would beware of changing the pup's food immediately you get him. Whatever he has been having, take about a week or so to mix them with the new dry food until you are feeding all of the new food, otherwise that will cause tummy problems. As far as the flavours go, it makes no difference though, you can mix them as required. However, please don't fall into the trap of thinking that your dog needs variety in his diet - he doesnt, and will be happy as long as it doesnt upset his tummy to be on the same food every day forever! A lot of upset tums are caused by people thinking that their dog needs a different food (because us humans like different foods!), when in fact food is simply fuel to dogs.

lisawood78

Best to feed him on whatever the current owners/breeders do to start with and then swap him over slowly and gradually to avoid tummy upsets.

Sorry, in a rush, hope more people have advice for you.
Oh, and pictures, this thread is no good without puppy pics ;-)

Croatoan

soccermom wrote: »

It's taken a long time to get to this point, but finally i'm getting a puppy. I'm 43 now and have been waiting since I was 12 :eek:

We pick him up in 2 weeks he's a jack russell x whippet and we have named him casper.

After all my research I have decided that we will feed him wainwright's dry, but what I want to know is if I buy a couple of different flavours is it ok to swap them round daily or should I stick to just one flavour or change week to week.

I was thinking of adding a little spoon of wet as that's what I see my family do with theirs. Is that ok at a young age or best to wait til older.

I know it may seem like a simple question, but it's only easy if you know the answer.

I don't want to give him a bad tummy.

Thanks

I'd start him off on the blandest first - normally chicken or turkey. Keep him on this until you're happy he's ok, stools are firm etc. Then add a percentage of something stronger tasting (beef/fish/lamb whatever flavour) and increase until it's wholly beef or whatever. If he's ok on that then there's no problems swapping as often as you, and he, wants. Just make sure you take it easy when introducing new foods/flavours. It's usual for some dogs to have sloppy poos for a short while on a change of diet.
Some will advise against adding wet, others do it all the time. I'd be tempted to play it by ear and see how he does. If he takes the dry happily, then I'd personally stick with dry. If you think he's struggling a bit, or not enjoying it, then add some wet and see how it goes.
Getting the right diet is trial and error. What you decide may be best might not suit him, so be prepared to try other brands if the Wainwrights doesn't appeal to him.

soccermom

Thanks for the advice, will definitely keep him on the stuff they are giving him initially and swap him over gradually.

This is the only pic I have at the minute He looks a bit like a lab in real life same colour etc but he's definitely not.

soccermom

Croatoan wrote: »

I'd start him off on the blandest first - normally chicken or turkey. Keep him on this until you're happy he's ok, stools are firm etc. Then add a percentage of something stronger tasting (beef/fish/lamb whatever flavour) and increase until it's wholly beef or whatever. .

That's great advice thank you

Caroline_a

He's very cute, how old is he?

soccermom

he will be just over 7 weeks when we pick him up would have preferred 8 but not to be, its only a few days.

Tulip

aw hes adorable SoccerMom

Sagz_2

Nothing to add to the excellent advice already given, just wanted to say he's REALLY cute!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Aww what a cute pic.

I could be in the same boat in the near future. I am hoping to find a Bedlington Terrier puppy. It will be my first dog as I have always been a cat owner until I had to have my cat put to sleep, she was 19 years old.

Anyway, best of luck.