When do feed puppies food

What they eat at the beginning has a big say in things like the growth of muscles, teeth and bones. The issue is, a lot of dog owners do things differently. Some recommend wet dog food , others dry. Ultimately, this causes a lot of confusion. Or, when can a puppy eat adult food? The major question that owners want to know, however, is this: when can puppies start eating dry dog food.

Weaning takes place when your puppy is 4 to 5 weeks old. It is the gradual transition from milk to solid food — a vital stage in their development. If a puppy stays on milk for too long, the transition will become increasingly challenging. As for the mother, they need their own rest and a break from the kids.

Puppies become mobile at this age and will begin to explore their environment. Pour two cups of high-quality puppy food in a shallow feeding dish. Add one cup of hot water to the kibble, and let the mixture soak for 15 minutes. Line the feeding area with disposable housebreaking pads, and place the dish of softened food on the pads. Call the puppies to the dish, and allow them to sniff and explore the food.

Most pet parents feed two half-portions of adult food when their dogs are over a year old. Eyes on your furry friend. Not his food. Switch slowly The recipe for successful food transitioning is to do it gradually.

Want to join Buddies? At around six months you may start feeding twice a day for convenience but because your dog is a mixed large breed dog I would recommend sticking with a times a day feeding schedule if possible to minimize the risk of gastric dilatation volvulus. Puppy food is very high in calories and nutritional supplements so you want to switch to adult food once your puppy begins to approach maturity.

There is no set age when the switch should be made because it will vary with the breed and individual dog. In general, the smaller the dog the faster they reach maturity.

Small breeds up to 30 pounds mature around ten to twelve months of age although some toy breeds reach maturity even sooner. Medium breed dogs up to 80 pounds will reach maturity between twelve to sixteen months and I believe your puppy may fall into this category.

It really depends how much Great Pyrenees she has in her. Large breed dogs weighing more than 80 pounds can take up to two years to reach maturity.

When making the switch to adult food, do it slowly over the course of one to two weeks by gradually mixing in increasing amounts of the adult food with decreasing amounts of her puppy food to minimize gastric upset. Try to avoid foods that list corn or meat by-products as the first ingredient because meat should be the first ingredient.

Avoid feeding your dog puppy food longer than you have to. Feeding puppy food too long can result in obesity and orthopedic problems. You will know when it is time to make the switch when you notice your dog eating less of the puppy food or if she starts to put on too much weight.

The recommendations on the labels are guidelines only and will not apply to every dog. Ideally you should be able to feel but not see the ribs and by looking straight down at your dog while she is standing there should be a recognizable waist.