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ANSC 1403 Lecture Outline 2/19

Feeding Puppies

Nursing period:First seven to ten days of life the newborn puppys eyes will remain closed yetduring this time puppies double their birth weight and become increasingly moreactive

Rule of thumb during nursing period each puppy in a litter should gainapproximately its birth weight each week (the first week may be slightly less andthe final weeks may be more

Nursing puppies after birth

A. first milk (colostrum)

- will be high in antibodies and growth hormones

- It is critical that he newborn puppy consume this colostrum in the first 24-72hours after birth

- Antibodies provide passive immunity and are necessary to temporarilyprotect the puppy from common canine diseases

B. special attention

- Nervous or inattentive dams may require attention to calm them and accepttheir new offspring

- placing pups near nipples at feed time

C. meeting the nutrient needs of the young puppy

- Milk will meet all the nutrient needs

- Until weaning, the mothers diet and milk from nursing is adequate for thepuppy

D. supplementation of milk

- No other supplements are needed unless the female is not producingsufficient milk for the number of pups or the pups are orphaned

- High calcium supplementation has been linked with osteochonrosis(inflammation of bone and cartilage) resulting in structural defects of bone

Weaning of Puppies:

Six weeks of age

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- not unusual for puppies to begin to wean themselves at 3-5 weeks of age

- by 6 weeks of age, the puppies should be eating dog food almost exclusively

Between seven and eight weeks of age- puppies should be ready to be placed into their new home

- ideal time within primary socialization (5-12 weeks)

Proper feeding and nutrition are essential are essential during this time periodbecause puppies experience rapid growth and development during the first 6months of life:

The rate at which dogs grow and age that they reach maturity is dependent onbreed and size

Large and giant breeds attain mature size between 12-18 months

Small and toy breeds, between 7-12 months

Growth and development require high energy and quality protein during the first 6months

By the time a dog reaches maturity, birth weight has increased 40-50 folds

After the puppies are completely weaned

A. change from mothers diet to a commercial puppy diet

- Mothers lactation diet helps alleviate some of the stress from weaning

- Switching to a high quality commercial puppy diet should be gradual over a5-7 day period to prevent gastrointestinal distress

B. palatable and well-balanced

- Palatability is important to ensure high consumption

- Homemade recipe can be expensive, time consuming and often deficient in

nutrients

- A commercial well balanced diet needs no supplements

C. feeding the puppy -

- Establish routine eating habits feed the puppy in the same place at thesame time each day

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- offering human foods from the table is not recommended, may encouragebegging; and creates a finicky eater

The Growing Puppy

Pet food should be guaranteed to be nutritionally adequate for growth or for allstages of life as tested by the AAFCO protocol.

Meeting the growing dogs nutrient needs

- nutrient needs are supplied by an increase in the quantity of the food theanimal consumes

Important considerations

- because growing dogs need to consume greater quantities of food, the dietsdigestibility and energy density are important

Concerns with puppies and growing dogs:

Have less digestive capacity

Have smaller mouths

Have smaller and fewer teeth than adults

Limited food consumption

- if the diet is poorly digestible or has low energy and nutrient density, a largerquantity must be consumed

- the limits of the dogs stomach may be reached before adequate nutrientsand energy have been consumed

Long-term result -

Impaired growth

Impaired muscle and skeletal development

Feeding Growing Dogs

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Feed amounts of diet that will support:

Normal and skeletal development

A typical rate of growth for the dogs particular breed

Feeding for maximal growth rate can lead to:

Increased number of fat cells

Obesity later in life

Feeding moderately restricted levels of a well-balanced diet:

Does not affect final body size and

Will positively impact skeletal and muscular development

Growing dogs should have an ideal body condition (use Purina Body ConditionSystem as a guideline) where the animal would be lean and well-muscled with theirribs easily felt but not seen.

A properly balanced diet that is formulated for growth should not requiresupplementation and use of supplements that are provided in excess amounts tothe puppy can have serious deleterious effects.

For example, calcium and phosphorus, both important to bone development, should

not be supplemented to commercial well- balanced diets because excess levels canlead to skeletal deformities, especially in large and giant breeds.

Feeding Strategy

5 to 6 months - three to four pre-measured meals per day

6 to 12 months two meals per day

1 year dogs can be fed one or two meals per day; however most dogs,especially large breeds adapt best to two meals

Smaller breeds discontinuation of puppy food is recommended at 1 yearwhen they are physiologically mature

Larger breeds pet food manufacturers recommend puppy food to largebreeds until 2 years of age when they are physiologically mature. Large orgiant dog breeders feel that feeding a puppy diet past the first year can leadto structural deformities