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For the first seven to ten days of life, the newborn
puppy's eyes remain closed. Yet during that time, puppies
double their birth weight and become increasingly more
active. As a rule of thumb, each puppy in a litter should
gain approximately its birth weight each week during
the lactation or nursing period (the first week may
be slightly less than that and the final weeks may be
more than that).
While most females are excellent mothers, some nervous
or inattentive dams may require special attention to
help them calm down and accept their new offspring.
This may involve working with both the dam and/or puppies,
and placing pups near nipples at feeding time. Poorly
nursing puppies may be smaller in size, cooler in body
temperature, and weigh less. Routinely handling the
pups will allow for an opportunity to check their condition
and progress, although excessive handling may be stressful
for the dam and pups and should be avoided.
The typical introduction of a puppy to solid food
(around 3 to 4 weeks of age) usually amounts to the
pup romping around and through the dam's food bowl,
and licking moistened dry food from its paws. Puppy
traffic will tend to compact the food, so stirring the
compacted diet or offering fresh amounts periodically
should be considered. By six weeks of age, most puppies
are ready to be weaned. If they have started to eat
solid foods from the dam's dish, it is not unusual for
puppies to begin to wean themselves at about four to
five weeks of age.
The nutrient requirements to support normal growth
and development of puppies are greater than those for
an adult dog. For this reason, nutritionally complete
and balanced diets designed for growth and reproduction
or all life stages are recommended. No additional supplementation
in the form of vitamins, minerals, meat, or other additives
is needed.
A puppy's stomach capacity is not large enough to
hold sufficient food in one feeding to provide its daily
requirement of needed nutrients. Young puppies should
be fed at least three times a day until their food requirements,
per pound of body weight, begin to level off as they
mature. Feeding schedules can be reduced to twice a
day when pups are four to five months old, and once
a day when they are eight months or older. Fresh water
in a clean bowl should be available at all times.
As with pregnant females, dry food can be moistened
with warm water to encourage food intake. Milk may also
be used to moisten dry food, however, too much milk
can act as a laxative and cause digestive problems for
some puppies and adult dogs. One hour should be allowed
for a puppy to eat, after which the uneaten portion
should be discarded. Moistened dry food or canned food
left at room temperature can become unpalatable and
may even spoil if left out for several hours.
Establishing routine eating habits by feeding a puppy
in the same place and at the same time each day is recommended
and can help in housebreaking. Offering human foods
from the table is not recommended because it encourages
begging and may create a finicky eater. Puppies consuming
a complete and balanced diet do not need supplemental
vitamins, minerals, or meat. In fact, oversupplementation
has been shown to be detrimental to proper development
of young, growing pups.
The amount of food offered to a puppy will vary depending
upon its size, activity, metabolism, and environment.
Puppies should not be allowed to become overweight.
An overweight puppy not only presents a poor appearance,
but the excess weight can cause bone abnormalities.
If a puppy appears to be gaining too much weight, its
food intake should be reduced. If a puppy appears to
be too thin and there are no health problems, its food
intake should be increased. Anytime owners have questions
or concerns about their animal's body condition, they
should consult their own veterinarian.
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Reprinted with permission by Ralston Purina Canada
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