Do you remember when you had your first baby? Or if you can’t relate to that, how about when you had a baby brother or sister for the first time? That baby had no teeth, right? And all he or she had to consume was milk, milk and just milk!

You see, dogs are like that, too. They require various dietary and nutritional needs at different ages. That means, your pet does not have to be fed with vegetables and a lot of meat or fish the moment he was born in the world. Like humans, your dog needs more of a certain nutrient than anything else, and as he grows, his nutritional needs progress and go a lot higher.

Puppies

To explain this further, let’s take a look at a puppy first. A young puppy that has yet to learn habits, traits and other ‘rules’ at home is at a young, development stage, where everything about him has yet to grow and develop – in terms of his physical traits, emotions, intelligence and physiological functions. In this stage, a puppy needs to consume lots of milk, because he is still growing. In fact, your pup needs lots of protein, fat and carbohydrates for his body and its organs to develop further and also because they move a lot more than adult dogs. Moreover, puppies have to be fed more frequently because they are at a stage where their bodies require more and more nutrients in order to grow. Remember your baby? Babies and pups are not that different from each other at this stage.

Adult Dogs

Adult dogs, on the other hand, need some amounts of nutrients, too. Of course, they do. It’s just that, they are less demanding than those puppies since they are already grown. But it does not mean you can relax. Elder dogs can be fed with boiled eggs, some protein-based source like meat or fish, and some veggies to supply their bodies with nutrients they need every day. However, excess amounts of protein are not advisable because it might harm his renal structure and eventually, his kidneys.

Likewise, nutrients like the water-soluble variety, thiamine, zinc, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids should be in his meals each day. To ensure that he has the right amounts of these nutrients daily, it is advised that you feed him organic dog food.

Commercially-made dog food has ingredients which may be harmful to your pet, has artificial colorings and preservatives, trans fat, salt and other ingredients which are not only useless, but may cause your dog to have food allergies and other serious health consequences. And besides, homemade dog food are easy to make and much more delicious than canned ones.

Your Dog’s Feeding Times

How often you should feed your pet depends on age. A puppy that is just one to six weeks old needs to be provided with milk five to seven times a day. When he turns six weeks old, you can feed him less often.

He might also begin feeding on solid food.  Hence, mix the solid food with water in majority and feed your puppy once or twice in the beginning and if the dog develops some diarrhea, then delay the feeding.

There is no fixed amount or number of times you must feed your pet. It is basically trial and error. However, you are advised to change the feeding frequency two or three times after the pet turns eight weeks old. If you see him hungry, though, you’re free to feed him more than usual.

When the dog turns three to six months old, he will begin teething. Limit the feeding times to two while balancing the nutrition and prevent any deficiency.

In addition, when your pet becomes anywhere between six months and one year old, you can provide him with canned food. Onwards, the feeding times can be less frequent. This is true with elder dogs that need to be given food less often because of their restricted movements. Pregnant and nursing dogs, on the other hand, must be given proper attention by feeding her often.

This is only some helpful advice to remember when feeding your dog. Remember to visit your vet for additional advice when you have questions about feeding your pet, and be sure to always feed your dog meals with the right nutrients.

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