Puppy feeding

Irishmummyof2

We brought our pup home last week and he is 8 weeks old now.
He's a lab crossed with a terrier, and we have been told to feed him on Beta 4 times a day.
We're first time dog owners so afraid of doing anything wrong but so far we have been feeding him 4 times a day, taking him outside every hour/ after every meal/ playtime.
He has been getting the odd few dog choc treats, is this ok?
At the minute he gets 4 small meals of Beta puppy food which we soak for 15 mins or so in water before we give it to him, he gets it at 8am, noon, 4pm, 8pm.
When do we stop soaking it?
Is there anywhere we could change/ improve?
Thanks

DanceInThe_Dark

All my pups leave us and stay on 4 meals until they are 12 weeks, then it gets reduced to three, about 6 months they either have two meals or one depending on how well they are looking.

Keep soaking the Beta (thats what we recommend) until about 12 weeks. Have you thought about adding anything else to his diet?
Our pups leave us on Beta, Pedigree chum, raw mince, raw eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, sardines and a milk meal twice a day (rice pudding).

If you decide to introduce new food types do it gradually otherwise you might get sloppy poos!

Raksha

I find puppies who come to class on Beta or Pedigree Chum often are described by their owners as 'hyper' - it's not a food I would suggest.

Beta and Pedigree (and all the other commerical 'complete' foods) are just that - complete, and don't need anything else added to them, especially if you're feeding a puppy variety or a large breed pup (too much protein can affect the growth patterns which can lead to lameness)

Soaked food can usually be stopped once the puppy has finished teething (around 6-7 months)

quidsin

I'd keep away from feeding Pedigree Chum, it's meat content is really low. If you feed a complete meal then there should be no need to feed raw mince, raw eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, sardines and a milk meal twice a day (rice pudding) unless your vet thinks he's underweight. Feeding 4 times a day is great, i'd only give treats as rewards when they do something i.e sit stay etc. We used to feed our dogs James Wellbeloved but after talking to John Burns at crufts we've changed over to his food. Thre's plenty of advice on his site http://www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk/

poppy_f1

we were advised not to give any dioggy treats to our pup til he was at least 3 months old and over 5kg (actually says this on some of the packaging for the treats as well)
of course we though oh half a smacko would do any harm til he threw it up

the only thing we gave him which he loved was quavers for some reason he cant get enough of these

but now hes nearly 6 months and fine with puppy treats

as for food we feed him asdas puppy food as well as pets at home puppy complete (we want to give him the dry food so his stomach is used to it so we can switch over full time)
also he loves scrambled eggs but his poo's were really stinky when he was younger so we stopped but ok now

Kimitatsu

Irishmummyof2 wrote: »

We brought our pup home last week and he is 8 weeks old now.
He's a lab crossed with a terrier, and we have been told to feed him on Beta 4 times a day.
We're first time dog owners so afraid of doing anything wrong but so far we have been feeding him 4 times a day, taking him outside every hour/ after every meal/ playtime.
He has been getting the odd few dog choc treats, is this ok?
At the minute he gets 4 small meals of Beta puppy food which we soak for 15 mins or so in water before we give it to him, he gets it at 8am, noon, 4pm, 8pm.
When do we stop soaking it?
Is there anywhere we could change/ improve?
Thanks

Hi

Firstly congratulations on your newest member of the family - you sound like you will do just fine with him! Trust your instinct to begin with, he is just like a baby in that respect and only you ultimately will know what is best for him

The toilet training is absolutely spot on! Take him out after every meal and he will soon realise that he only goes outside to do his business and he will tell you if he needs to go out in between.

I do agree with Beta and Pedigree comments though! To be honest go for something that is a proprietary puppy mix but without additives or colourants. You can also add some variety to his meals with any leftover veg and gravy (but not potatoes) and scraps of meat. Dogs tend to self regulate themselves and he will have growth spurts so dont worry of sometimes he appears ravenous and others just picks at his food. Fresh water at all times is very important becuase he is on dried food (and its hot at the moment)

He will go through another chewy phase after his first set of teeth have come through at about 5-7 months, this will happens at about 18months old when the teeth "settle" into the jaw, so try to ensure he has lots of things to chew on. Its cheaper than a new set of chairs.

Most of all enjoy him, he will be a part of your family for the next 10+ years, so lay the ground rules down now that you wnat him to stick to.

Raksha

The use of treats/rewards can be quite contentious. If you are concerned, take a small piece of cooked chicken and remove a tiny portion of your puppies daily ration of food, so the balance doesn't get upset too much. For some dogs you can give their ordinary daily complete food as a training reward and they will still be keen to learn - but think hard about the effort you're asking your dog to make and the reward you are offering - is it worth him making that effort?

Using rewards is a highly effecient training technique, and you don't have to maintain the initial high level of reward (after every success) as your dog learns - 'random rewards' are a very effective way of instilling a behaviour in a dog.

Irishmummyof2

Thanks for all the advice, my poor wee man has been hiding in the shade all day and drinking loads so we have just filled a casserole bowl of water for him instead of his dish, cause he keeps knocking the dish over.

fabianne

Hi
I have 2 young gun dogs-9 months and 6 months who are both on Purina Pro Plan 3 times a day at present.
They get treats on top of this and I give them sardines and mackerel as training treats to keep their coats in tip top condition.They shine,shine,shine and their behaviour is great too!So a 2 way treat for dog and dogmum.

I have been told that the Costco complete food is good when they are old enough to swap over.Much cheaper-but not right for them at the moment.
Good luck with your pup
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