Our site has a complete guide on everything you need to know about dog training. The best place to start is to visit the dog training summary page found at the top of the menu, this summary page is where you can find out more about different dog training subjects in detail. The complete guides will help you pick out the supplies and the exactly dog training methods. Here are some of the topics covered in this guide.
In terms of foodstuff to be avoided while fixing best diabetic dog food at home are concerned, there are several essential factors to keep in mind. To start with, steer clear of sugars and its forms like fructose, sucrose and sweet syrups if you are using them. Get rid of all traces of baked foods including dog treats and biscuits. It’s also wise to avoid an all meat diet or all carb diet, which is the most detrimental thing for a diabetic dog. Soft wet dog food, canned wet dog food and dry dog foods also need special attention. For anyone who is incapable to determine, then its safer to talk to the vet. Finally and most importantly, be sure that you are using skinless and reduced fat meat sources and are avoiding meat sources of high saturated fats, like beef and pork. If you have to include high fats, go with fish oils that are healthy fats.
Can’t get enough of home-made recipes for your dogs but has less time to prepare? Here, try these!
Nice Rrrrice – 40 minutes
Ingredients
2/3 cup meat, cubed
¾ cup carrot and sweet potato, cubed
¾ cup instant brown rice
1 cup water
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- Add all ingredients except rice to a large pot to boil
- When tender, add rice, cook until done
- Add more water as needed
Ingredients
1 can salmon, deboned
1 beaten egg
3 tbsp cornmeal
1 potato
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
Cottage cheese or plain yoghurt
Directions
- Combine salmon, egg and cornmeal
- Form into patties and press into cornmeal
- Sauté until cooked through
- Chop and steam vegetables
- Cut salmon patties into bites and mix with vegetables
- If a bit dry, add yoghurt or cottage cheese
Ready with your aprons over that executive suit. Do the rush and happy cooking, fellas!
Last year, my dog suffered awfully from dog skin problems. He had dry skin, dandruff and hair loss. It was horrible watching him in such distress. He frequently could be seen biting his own skin. He was scratching and itching almost all the time. His hairs could be seen all across our front room, on the chairs, the carpets, the cushions. Areas of his skin were open to the extreme cold we were suffering at the time. I felt so sorry for him.
I am more than sure that as a dog owner you have noticed the same symptoms and dog hair loss, but not known what could be causing it. And I’m sure, like me, you have watched you dog suffer and just wished you could do something about it but not known what. Well wonder no more.
Your dog may be suffering from an endocrine disorder. And endocrine disorder in a dog can see his skin becoming darker, cracked and inflamed. His skin may lose its smoothness and instead was rough and sore. You may even see the occasional weeping sore. It really is one of the worst skin conditions in dogs. The most common endocrine disorder in dogs is autoimmune destruction, or lymphocytic thyroiditis. The symptoms of this are not only found in damaged skin and hair loss, but also drop in temperature, lack of appetite, weight gain and even lethargy. If you suspect your dog is suffering from an endocrine disorder, it is imperative that you book your dog in for an appointment at the vets. It turned out that this was the cause of our dogs’ problems, and he was prescribed an ointment to sort it out, as well as medicine which helped to cure his thyroid problem.
However that’s not to say an endocrine disorder is the cause of your dog’s dandruff, dry skin or hair loss. It could be one of many things. It could simply be a poor diet. This is more likely. If your dog’s diet is lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, its skin can dry up and its hair can fall out. A simple addition of such products as Yumega dog to your dog’s diet can clear up these issues in no time.
Have you been having holes in your lawn lately? Muddy paw prints around the house? Then I suspect your buddy must have digging problems. They because of some reasons and we have to identify these reasons and deal with them, clearly communicate with them that digging is unacceptable (most especially when you just had a new landscape). So here are a few common reasons to help you determine which one is it:
- He likes to dig — simple!
- He wants attention
- Boredom — he needs to have some physical and mental stimulation
- Trying to search for a mate (if he keeps digging under the fence)
- They simply love to dig in freshly-turned dirt
- They are attracted to fertilized dirt — they love the smell of it
- They dig themselves a den (like in the wild)
- for shelter — to cool down or warm up themselves
- they are bred to do so (as in Labradors and Terriers)
- To store food
- Hunting
Have you identified which one is it? Let’s move on then.
What are the two main things we need to know in training? Fairness and Consistency. After we have identified the reason why he does such act, we can now go over a solution. Got none? Try these:
ü Give him lots of physical and mental stimulation — he’ll get tired, he won’t dig
ü If he digs to hide bones, then don’t give him anything to bury
ü If you can’t look after him, confine him. Do this unless you’re done with the problem
ü Have some balloons and bury them on your dog’s favorite digging spot. When he digs and blows a balloon, it’ll pop and irritate him. This gives him a negative association.
ü When he starts to dig and you caught him, reprimand him, associate an act like spraying on him water. He associates the act negatively — he digs, he gets sprayed at or reprimanded
ü Fill up the holes with his poop, he won’t like it (but make sure that you put pineapples first with his food — he might feel like eating the poop you buried)
ü Provide a digging area — he’ll figure out there’s a designated area for digging, not just anywhere
ü If he’s digging under the fence, fill in all the holes under the fence
Training dogs is a job with a wide coverage. Depending on how you you’re your dog to be, how you want him to act, what you want him to do, your buddy gets into different types of training. There are multiple meanings to the term “training.” It would be helpful to us where to enroll him, or what tips to look into since there are a number of trainings for dogs, so here are some features:
Behavior training. This training is simply geared towards making your dog to be a “good canine citizen”. The course includes housetraining, good behavior around other people and dogs, reasonable leash manners and other small things which can make your dog a more of a pleasant companion than a threat.
Obedience training. This is teaching the dog how to do specific activities. This can include traditional “obedience” exercises such as heeling. Here in this training, we consider the most, prompt and precise performance — simply training, not behavioral modification.
Activity training. This includes hunting, herding, search and rescue, lure coursing — any activities designed to strengthen the dog’s abilities and of his handler. Common activities also include sports and agility performances.
Know what your dog needs. And always remember that in every training, there should be a display of fairness and consistency from you.
You are walking on a sunny afternoon at the park, humming along with the music played at your iPod, when suddenly you get tugged by the leash that you’ve been pulling, and you can no longer hear the sound of your iPod because of the barks and growls of your dog at another dog. On-leash Dog aggressions are one of the problems we encounter especially at these situations: having walks at the park. It not only threatens us and the other dog, but it threatens other people as well. To deal with, let’s look at some tips, and see if these might work for our little buddy.
ü At the first sign of aggressiveness, call your dog, yell out an obedience command, to divert his attention. This way, he performs another behavior and loses focus on the other dog, making him passive and not threatening.
ü In eradicating the leash aggression, while in the process, do your best to avoid possible confrontations. Hold on to that muzzle.
ü Dogs are sensitive animals, he surely can pick up your energies, emotions, breathing and feelings, so if you grab his leash tightly as he attacks another dog, he becomes anxious and stressed.
ü Try practicing the Focused Attention Exercise:
- Free the environment from any distractions
- Prepare treats
- With your dog’s leash, call him by name, and say “look”
- As he displays eye contact, give him a treat. Keep the sequence the same always
- Now, strengthen it. Add some variables, get on with the sequence then move to one side. If he follows you and looks at you in the eye, give him a treat
- Repeat the exercise 5-6 times then start again to another side
- Take it to different locations and gradually add distractions — take it real slow
ü Try playing “Find it”. The same with the Focus Attention Exercise. Redirect his attention. Practice throwing a treat to the ground and say “find it!”. This breaks the eye contact and makes your dog non-threatening
ü Always reward your dog when he politely and calmly greets unfamiliar dogs. Show him that you’re happy with what he’s doing
Start training your dog and try them on the next time you go for a walk at the park.
Puppies, fragile as they are, they need to be given utmost attention, most especially when it comes to their nutrition. These little ones have immature systems and need to be given extra care, their intake should be able to supply enough their dietary needs to meet growth and development demands.
Put in mind that these puppies are not be fed with canned foods, pre-moistened foods, and table scraps. We recommend dry dog food for this matter. The dry texture of the food creates an abrasive action to the dog’s teeth and gums, which means lesser chances of plaque build-up and tartar, abscesses, tooth loss, bad breath and gum disease.
There are three forms of commercially produced dog foods: dry kibble, semi-moist (sealed packages) and moist (canned). Dry kibble is mostly recommended since it has meat protein sources. In addition to the prevention of oral problems, and that these are easy to chew, dry food is easy to store, less expensive than alternatives, more conveniently served, palatable and has less odor.
Barney is, in almost every way, a healthy and loving canine. He enjoys walks in the park, just as much he enjoys curling up in front of the TV. His muscles and joints are well-managed, and he is never aggressive or confrontational. However, despite this outward display of normalcy, Barney’s coat is getting him down; he scratches constantly and the itching and irritation that hides underneath his long fur is contributing to a certain lethargy that is both frustrating and worrying.
Barney’s problem is one that will be recognisable to many dog-owners, and it’s all- too-easy to jump to the conclusion that Barney is suffering from the dreaded ‘F’ word. Sure, a healthy dose of flea treatment cannot hurt matters, but it is worth considering that the problem may lie elsewhere.
Firstly, Barney would benefit greatly from adopting a healthy and wholesome new diet, and premium dog food can prove remarkably beneficial when it comes to promoting and maintaining a healthy coat. A product such as James Wellbeloved, with its hypo-allergenic formula, is great at calming itchy and irritated skin; the presence of seaweed, alfalfa and yucca is effective at calming itchy and irritated skin. Barney’s problem may not be a result of his diet, but by improving the quality of what your canine eats, you can certainly ease matters considerably.
Another potential factor that can lead to difficulties such as Barney’s, may lie with the presence of dust mites and other such irritants. The frantic nature of modern life means that many households simply lack the time to adequately fight against household allergens, and Barney’s symptoms may be a result of this. A product such as Atopica is an effective treatment for dogs who suffer with atopic dermatitis (or atopy); a diagnosed condition caused by inhalation of house dust, dust mites, and pollen grains. This treatment comes in the form of a capsule that should be given on an empty stomach, and has proven remarkably valuable in treating dogs who suffer from such allergies.
Barney’s problem is not a unique one. Many dog-owners will recognise the signs of excessive scratching, and many will see this contribute to a noticeable lack of energy. It’s worth remembering that fleas are not always the problem, and with the right knowledge, it’s not too difficult to hand Barney the solution he so desperately craves.
Training puppies is a hard task, they are too playful, and it’s just so hard for you to resist them. But as a responsible pet owner, you have to keep in mind that the earlier you train these cute ones, the better. The earlier you teach them, the lesser you have problems with their behavior. Potty training is one of the usual and most challenging courses you have to go through. But don’t you worry because we’ll you get through it.
First you’ll need a crate. Make sure that it’s comfortable, safe and just the right size for your puppy, or you may have a small pen area with comfortable dog bed, fresh water and a couple of chew toys.
Now you’re ready to start the potty training:
- Choose the spot outside where you would like your puppy to go to potty
- Keep your puppy in his crate, pen area or even tethered to a chair where you are at. Confine him. Every 60 minutes take your puppy straight to the designated toilet area outside. Carry him or walk out on leash.
- When you reach the toilet area, walk back and forth or circle around. At the same time say and repeat a cue word you would like to attach to the act of your dog eliminating. This helps them associate the word to the act.
- If your pup does eliminate, continue to repeat your cue word and the instant your dog finishes potty, praise and reward him with a small tasty treat. If after 3-4 minutes of circling around your puppy shows no signs of needing to eliminate take him back inside (put in crate or pen), and try again after twenty minutes.
- Immediately after a successful toilet trip outside, you can allow your puppy some free play time (under supervision) in the house, then place him back in his crate or pen area.
- Continue with this 60-minute puppy house training schedule this prevents any mistakes, at the same time establishing good habits in your little buddy.
- At night, don’t feed him close to bedtime and take away his water before you go to bed
- After each meal (15 minutes after) , take your puppy outside to go potty. They feel like eliminating 15 minutes after meals.
Dog foods come in a variety nowadays and we sometimes get confused on what these foods are, what they are for, and how they differ from the other. To knock off the confusion, let’s define the different dog food categories:
Commercial Dog Food
Whatever these foods look like, feel like or come up like, they are all fine for healthy mutts. Combined or taken solo, whatever your preferences are, there’s no problem with it.
- Dry Food. This type is considered to be the most popular commercial food. It has 90% dry matter and 10% water, the most digestible form of dog food with ingredients such as grains, meat, vitamins, fats, minerals and by-products combined and cooked. Much preferred, too, due to its lower cost, digestibility, and fewer adverse effects on the oral cavity.
- Canned Dog Food. Canned dog foods have ingredients similar to those of dry food, but with a different processing method. It contains 68% water and 32% dry matter. And with high amounts of frozen or fresh meat. Considered to be more expensive than dry food, but with long shelf life, very much palatable, and stored in durable containers.
- Semi–Moist Dog Food. This type has 25 – 40% water and 60 – 75% dry matter. These are mainly composed of simple sugars and salts plus necessary components, and preserved using humectants. These are convenient and digestible, but are expensive and may cause digestive problems in some dogs, due to the acidification of components.
Home-Cooked Dog Food
Home-cooked food contains fresh, reliable and quality ingredients, especially when nutritional ratios are followed in the course of the preparation. It is common in home-made foods that deficiencies or excesses may occur in terms of vitamins, minerals or food group composition, creating problems in digestion and weight.
When we go for grocery on weekends, we get fond of checking food labels of products new to us and often advertised on TV. We find it confusing already even if we are familiar with the contents. How much more when we go over those of our dog’s? To aid you in looking into food labels, and differentiating them, here are some terms you might want to be familiar with:
Named ingredients. When these appear next to the name of the food, it must give you an idea that this comprises at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the product by weight. For example, the word “Beef” was listed next to the words “Dinner”, “Entre”, “Formula”, “Nuggets”, “Platter”, and “Recipe”. Then it implies that Beef is making up at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the product.
With. If a label says “with”, such as “with beef”, then the ingredient must be three percent (3%) or more of the named ingredient. For example “Gourmet Fillets with Beef” — the product must be three percent (3%) beef.
Flavor. If a dog food indicates a specific flavor in its label, then the food must have that flavor well represented. With this matter, no specific criterion indicated here.
Getting too conscious on your doggy’s diet? Throw those problems out and start checking these brands:
1. Karma Organic
This brand is considered ninety-five (95) percent organic. Its main source of protein is organic, free-range chicken, not “poultry by-products.” Secondary source of protein is organic brown rice, plus vitamins E and C as preservatives.
2. Newman’s Own Organics
Newman’s Own is 95 percent organic as well. The formula contains chicken and chicken meal as its first two protein sources, with chicken liver as part of the ingredient list. Vitamins C and E are used as preservatives.
3. Orijen
The first five ingredients in their adult dog formula are fresh boneless chicken, chicken meal, fresh boneless salmon, turkey meal, and herring meal. A combination of vitamin E and airtight is utilized for packaging to preserve its freshness.
4. Blue Buffalo
Blue’s Adult Chicken and Rice formula contains deboned chicken and chicken meal as the main sources of protein.
5. Fromm Adult Gold
Duck, chicken meal, chicken and brown rice are the first four ingredients and protein sources. Whole egg is also included. This brand preserves their product with the use of mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
6. Wellness
Lamb is the number one ingredient and protein source in this mix, followed by Menhaden fish meal. Salmon meal weighs in at number nine. This formula is free of artificial preservatives, flavors or dyes.
7. Timberwolf
This formula contains chicken meal, chicken and turkey meal as the first three ingredients and protein sources. This also contains brown rice, whitefish meal and dried chicken liver. Mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E, are used as preservatives.
8. California Natural
This has one of the simplest ingredient lists, making it suitable for dogs suffering from food allergies. Lamb meal is listed as its only meat source, with additional protein provided by a combination of brown and white rice respectively. No preservatives are added to their formula.
9. Innova
Turkey, chicken and chicken meal are the first three protein sources plus brown rice and eggs. This formula does not contain any chemical or artificial preservatives.
Getting annoyed of being jumped at and getting pawmarks on your clothes? Break the jumping mania before somebody gets knocked off.
In treating the jumping behavior of dogs, you have to first know why they are into such behavior. Below are the following reasons to explain such:
- They’re simply excited — it just shows that they’re happy to see you
- Your dogs are seeking attention
- To assert dominance over you and your guests — rare but it happens
Dogs couldn’t get the idea that jumping is not acceptable, or inappropriate at some point. It becomes a challenge to the owner to relay the message that it is
Correct the behavior before it’s too late. How? Try some of these tips:
- Start as early as possible — better prevent behavior problems as early as possible
- Communicate with your dog clearly, implying that the behavior is unaccepted, and always remember to be consistent
- Never reward the dog that jumps on people by giving them the attention they want. This sticks to them the idea that rewarded behavior is reinforced behavior
Always be consistent with your actions, and you’ll see results soon.
When starting off training sessions with your buddy, make sure that you are fully equipped with the knowledge you need to understand your dog’s behavior. By knowing their behavior through principles, it would be easier for you to train your dog, as methods and techniques are grounded on these. Whatever method you use, it all falls on the same principles. Ready to start your training? Let’s get started then.
- Most behavioral problems are due to separation anxiety
- Behavioral problems are a result of lack of communication, or miscommunication between you and your dog
- Obedience training at an early stage the most effective technique to correct any behavior problems, and prevent future problems
- Let him know what is acceptable and unacceptable for your dogs, and be consistent with it
- Be clear that you are always the alpha dog or leader in your owner-dog relationship
- Know the cause of such behavior. There are factors that may trigger the behavior, before you modify the act, know why he is doing this, and deal with it first.
- Be careful you are not inadvertently rewarding the behavior you are trying to eliminate. Be clear on how you want your dog to act.
As long as you are guided with these principles, you will keep yourself on the right track… and your dog, too!
For us, owners, we always find ways to get the right brand for our dogs, yet it makes it hard for us to see a long line of advertisements claiming to be the right one. In going over brands, here are some things to consider in selecting and comparing them:
- Price
Dog foods can range from 0.38 cents per day to $3 per day for gourmet organic foods. If your dog is healthy, then a cheap dog selection is fine as long as it is AAFCO certified
- Ingredients
Check the label for AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) certification. It must be “complete and balanced”, equivalent to the highest level of certification
- Organic Dog Foods and other Features
Special or specific diets are created per preference of your pets or as required by his health condition such as intolerances, food allergies or diabetes mellitus
- Age Specific
Dog food varies as well, catering to different age group since they have different nutritional demands, as in puppies and pregnant dogs
- AAFCO Certification
AAFCO or the Association of American Feed Control Officials is the organization which certifies all dog foods based on manufacturing and labeling standards. Make sure you read the labels indicating what AAFCO has to say.
Be guided and good luck in choosing the right one for your little buddy.
Can’t get enough of home-made dog foods? Well, here are more recipes that you can try to get his little tummy running and his tail wagging.
BUFFALOAF
Ingredients
- 3 cups ground buffalo (lean) or ground turkey, chicken or beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup grated mixed vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, carrots, sweet potato)
- ½ cup cottage cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Hand-mix all ingredients and press into loaf pan
- Bake for 40 minutes
- Refrigerate
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw ground meat
- 2 cups ground or pureed vegetables
- 2-4 oz raw organ meat (gizzard, liver, etc)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 T ground kelp
- ½ cup plain yoghurt
- 3 eggs with shells
- A palmful of parsley
Directions
- Mix all ingredients
- Refrigerate
Dogs, like us, have behavioral problems and here are the top five problems we usually encounter living with these mutts.
1. Barking
Barking is part of the canine nature but an excessive display of it makes it a problem. Before you act on the problem, know why your dog barks too much. He may be alerting you, feeling all excited, seeking attention, anxious, bored, or simply responding to his same kind.
You can learn to control the behavior — just be consistent, and most especially, be patience. Teaching them takes a lot of time and effort, but soon, they’ll get things right, just be patient.
Chewing is normal for them. However, chewing it can become a problem when he starts chewing your slippers and other furniture at home. Here are some common reasons why they do such: puppy teething, boredom / excess energy, anxiety, or curiosity (especially for puppies).
To stop this, encourage your dog to chew on the right things by providing plenty of chew toys. Keep personal items away from your dog. Crate him when you are not home. And, if you catch your dog chewing the wrong thing, quickly correct him, startle him, then, and replace the item with a chew toy. Tiring him works, too!
3. Digging
Having holes at your lawn certainly is a problem. To correct this habit, know the reasons behind it first: boredom or excess energy, anxiety or fear, hunting instinct, comfort-seeking (such as nesting or cooling off), hiding possessions (like bones or toys), or to escape or gain access.
Deal with this by spending more time with your dog, give him more exercise, and work on extra training. If it is really unavoidable, set aside an area where your dog can do the act, as in a sand box.
4. Separation Anxiety
This may be characterized by vocalization, chewing, inappropriate urination and defecation, and other forms of destruction happening when he is separated from his owner. But for some, the dog displays anxiety when owner prepares to leave, misbehavior occurs in the first 15-45 minutes after owner leaves, he follows the around constantly, and tries to be touching his owner whenever possible.
True separation anxiety needs training, behavior modification and desensitization exercises to be properly dealt with. For extreme cases, medications are utilized already.
5. Inappropriate Elimination
Frustrating as it may seem but yeah, it’s part of them. This may be due to medical problems or just behavioral.
Inappropriate elimination is unavoidable especially in puppies, usually before 12 weeks of age. For older dogs, they may need serious behavior modification with this problem.
In choosing your dog foods for your buddies, always and always consider the following: their energy level, their body weight, their age and their health (some dogs have special conditions such as diabetes and intolerance to some food components). It is our responsibility as dog owners that they are ensured of their physiological needs with regards to intake. Below are the components of canine food, components that would keep your dogs healthy and kicking (But not all brands have this so be sure to read the labels at the back).
ü Water – it should be fresh and clean. Mammals require 44 – 66 mL/Kg body weight of water daily, therefore you offer your dog water 2 – 3 times a day with dry dog food, while making water continually available throughout the day.
ü Carbohydrates – Beet pulp is most suitable source of carbohydrates for dogs. It contains both soluble and non soluble forms of carbohydrates.
ü Proteins – these are sources of amino acids, essential components to increase nitrogenous compounds in a dog’s body. Adult dogs usually require almost 2g/Kg body weight of protein daily. 22 – 25% protein is required for growing puppies, and 11 – 14% of proteins in dry matter for adult dogs.
ü Fats – these are condensed source of energy in canine food, and are also needed to help digest some essential fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E & K. to keep it balanced, food should contain 5 – 15% fat.
ü Vitamins & Minerals – Vitamins, both water- and fat-soluble. Dietary minerals in food are macro minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium & phosphorus) & trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, iodine etc.). Whether it’s a deficiency or an excess, it may cause problems, therefore amounts should be related with the energy level of a selected food.
Dogs are always into biting, it’s simply part of their nature, their mentality. Even as puppies, they are already fond of biting and nipping on other dogs and people to explore their environment and their place in the pack. For us, owners, we should be mindful of teaching our dogs, especially when they are still puppies, that mouthing and biting are not acceptable acts. Common causes of biting, aside from the usual behavior are the following:
- Fear or Defensiveness
- Predatory Instinct
- Pain or Sickness
- Protection of Property
- Dominance Assertion
But we can help them decrease their tendencies to bite with proper training, socialization and breeding practices.
Here are some tips to help you deal with it:
ü Redirect the biting from your flesh to a toy or chew bone
ü Use a command and associate it with a specific act such as to stop biting.
ü In bad biting cases, as soon as he bites you, say NO and quickly put your thumb inside his mouth and under his tongue, and your other finger under his chin to make him uncomfortable.
ü Startle your dog with your voice, pull away and stop playing with him. This gives him an idea that when he bites, you’ll be gone.
Puppies, as they grow, require a lot of food, that is why they eat a lot and often. He eats two to four times as much as his mommy or daddy to grow big like them. So here, we answer your common queries in feeding your pups.
What kind of food do I feed them?
Puppy food should generally be high in protein and with lots of vitamins, minerals and fat essentials to support his growing body. For bigger puppies, large-breed puppy formulas are also available. This helps to grow at a rate gradual enough for them to develop strong bones and joints. Small-breed formulas provide concentrated nutrition in small, bite-size kibbles enough to meet a smaller puppy’s needs. But if you’re in the middle, we also have medium-breed formulas. Confused on where your buds belong? It’s not a problem at all.
How much do I feed them?
Puppies, with their small body frame, do not require a bulk of food to be served for them, or else they’ll look like walking balloons. When feeding them, take note that you should be able to feel but not see their ribs, and they should have a visible waist when you look down at them. This applies to all breeds. Adjust amount served depending on your puppy’s appetite and condition.
When should I feed them?
At eight to twelve weeks, he’ll be eating three to four times a day, or only twice a day, still observing the amount that should be fed in the rate of three to four times a day. After six months, he can be fed twice a day. If it’s too much, he’ll leave some behind in his bowl.
To monitor his growth, take note of this: When his weight doubles from his birth weight, a puppy should gain one to two grams per pound of anticipated adult weight each day. This means that if your German Shepherd puppy weighs 75 pounds as an adult, he should gain three to five ounces per day as a puppy.






