You are bringing your new bundle of joy home finally. You have done your research, know you have the right breed and you have complete faith in the breeder of your new pup. You have visited the litter each week to watch the pups develop, bought all the toys and the crate the breeder recommended and you already have her signed up for puppy kindergarten. Now for the most difficult decision - what do you feed her? Puppies need special diets to grow strong and healthy and thankfully, there are many varieties to choose from that are designed to fit the needs of our furry bundles of joy! There is small dog puppy food, regular puppy food and foods for large and giant breed pups. Each is formulated a little differently - small breed puppy food is calorie dense with a physical size that matches their diminutive mouths. Large and giant breed dog food is designed to allow for slow, steady growth which helps build strong and healthy bones and joints. Added nutrient are also designed to regulate joint health since so many of these breeds are plagued by hip dysplasia as well as back, elbow and knee issues.

The first person to ask for a recommendation on what to feed your new puppy is the breeder. They know their breed best and usually have the best intentions for the health and happiness of both their puppies and their new owners. However, do not take their word as gospel - sometimes they are forced to buy a lesser quality food then what would normally be recommended because of the sheer cost of feeding a litter of pups as well as possibly a full kennel of adult dogs. No matter what, however, have a small bag of the same food waiting at home for the day the pup arrives - you do not want to make a sudden switch of food ever with a dog but it can be catastrophic for a new pup! Housetraining is almost impossible to start if you are also dealing with a bad case of diarrhea. A change in food should always be done gradually over a number of days with each day decreasing the amount of the old food while simultaneously increasing the quantity of new food. After five to seven days, the pup should be on the new food entirely with little to no adverse affect on their bowels.

All dogs thrive on routine and your new pup is no exception! Young pups should be fed at least three times a day but preferably four if possible, at least for the first couple of weeks they are home with you. Make sure you feed them at the same time each day and once they are finished eating, put them outside for a poop - within fifteen minutes of eating, you will be rewarded with a step towards a perfectly housetrained puppy!

How much to feed the pup is the most common question asked a veterinarian. Double check with your breeder before you bring the puppy home and also check the recommendations listed on the dog food bag. Usually it is weight based so make sure you have an overall idea of what your pup weighs now as well as what they will weigh as an adult.

A rule of thumb is to watch your puppy’s waistline and growth spurts. A skinny puppy is a healthy puppy because it puts less stress on the still forming skeletal system. You do not want to see all the ribs but there is no harm in seeing the last one or at least a hint that there could be ribs under a thin layer of pudge and the thick puppy coat. Like human children, pups grow in spurts and stops. Usually they will sleep more and eat ravenously when they are in a growth spurt and our inclination is to feed them until they stop eating. Don’t! Pups, especially large and giant breeds, are healthiest if they grow at a slow and steady pace and by marginally restricting their food, you are making sure the growth spurts do not get out of hand. Large and giant breed puppy food helps keep the growth spurts to a minimum as well.

The biggest mistake new owners make is leaving the food down until the puppy has cleaned his plate and/or add tasty morsels to the dish until the pup concedes to eat the kibble. This actually teaches them bad puppy manners and no one wants that! Give yourself a break - never add tidbits to the dish and only leave the food on the ground for twenty minutes. If they have not finished their plate after that time, pick it up and do not put it on the floor again until the next scheduled feeding. They soon learn to finish their plate quickly and that they are not going to get something tastier if they ‘hold out’ for better! No puppy will starve themselves to death and they will eventually eat their entire meal as long as you are strong and not give in to those adorable puppy eyes!

Feeding a puppy is not difficult but it does take a bit of knowledge and some diligence on your part. Keep your puppy at a healthy weight, have them dewormed regularly and make sure you have fun with your new ball of fur - puppyhood lasts only a short time and it will be over before you know it!