We all know that puppies like to eat and they need food more than you may believe. Some of you will say that feeding them 3 times per day is great. Should you feed puppies 3 times per day? The actual answer is yes and no. As a matter of fact, this claim is something you should do but for a specific period of time. We will explain everything in detail below and keep in mind that your vet will tell you the same thing.
Understanding Puppy Nutritional Needs
Proper nutrition is crucial for puppies as it lays the foundation for their overall health and development. Understanding the unique nutritional needs of puppies is the first step in ensuring they grow up healthy and strong.
Rapid Growth and Development
- High Energy Requirements: Puppies grow rapidly, which means they require more calories and nutrients per pound of body weight compared to adult dogs. This high energy demand supports their development, including bone growth, muscle development, and organ and immune system maturation.
- Balanced Nutritional Needs: Puppies need a balanced diet rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Proteins and fats are particularly important for energy and growth.
Importance of Protein and Fat
- Protein: It’s essential for building muscle and other tissues. Puppies require high-quality protein sources for their growth. The protein content in puppy food is typically higher than in adult dog food.
- Fat: Fat is a concentrated energy source. It’s important for the development of the brain and nervous system and also helps in nutrient absorption.
Vitamins and Minerals
- Essential for Development: Vitamins and minerals are vital for bone growth, teeth development, and overall health. Calcium and phosphorus, for example, must be in the correct ratio to ensure proper bone development.
- Avoiding Imbalances: An excess or deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals can lead to health issues. For example, too much calcium can cause skeletal problems in large breed puppies.
Frequent Feeding and Digestion
- Small, Frequent Meals: Puppies have small stomachs but high energy needs. Feeding them small, frequent meals helps to ensure they are getting enough nutrition without overburdening their digestive system.
- Digestive Health: Proper nutrition also supports digestive health, which is crucial for the absorption of nutrients. Puppies’ digestive systems are still developing, so they benefit from easily digestible food.
How Many Meal Puppies Have Depends On Their Age
Let’s start with the basics. Should you feed puppies 3 times per day? Yes, you should if your puppy is 3-6 months old. But this is not a suitable number of meals for older or smaller puppies. In simple terms, you need to know about the feeding timeline, and here is one below.
Puppies Between 6 And 12 Weeks
At this age, puppies need four meals per day. Keep in mind that they need special food for puppies. Food that is made for adult dogs is not great in this scenario. That food doesn’t have all the nutrients puppies need; hence, they can develop poorly or have some issues.
Unmoistened dry food is the best choice and if you have a puppy of a large dog breed, he will need to eat it up to 12 weeks of age. A small dog-breed puppy will eat it by 13 weeks of age.
Puppies Between 3 And 6 Months
Yes, this is the time frame during which a puppy will eat 3 times per day. This is also the time when he will start losing potbelly and start to look like a small dog and not a puppy. By 12 weeks, this will happen. But if your puppy is still a puppy, it looks like someone keeps feeding him smaller portions four times per day. Once his body matures, you can decrease the number of meals.
Puppies Between 6 And 12 Months
Now you will have to decrease the number of meals to 2. This is also the time frame when you can spay or neuter your pet. If you do, he will have less energy, so he will eat less. Also, make sure to switch to the food for adult dogs.
If you have a small breed dog you can make the transition at 7-9 months of age. Bigger dogs will need more time; hence, you can make the transition at 12–14 months of age. It is always better to use puppy food longer than to stop feeding your puppies sooner. Puppy food is ideal for proper development and can make a massive difference.
Puppies Older Than 12 Months
After age 1, you can and should feed your dog twice per day but feed him half a portion each time. This is a sufficient number of meals and it is something that even a vet will recommend to you.
Ideal Amount Of Food For Your Puppy
There is no simple answer here. As a matter of fact, there is not just one amount of food you should give your puppy. Ideally, you will have to adjust the size of a meal to your puppy. Some puppies have more energy and they are bigger; hence, they will at least. Others are smaller and don’t have that much energy; hence, they will eat less.
All we can add is that you should monitor his behavior and adjust the portion size. If your puppy leaves some food in a bowl, it means that you give him too much. Decrease the amount and continue feeding him.
On the other hand, if your puppy is looking for more food or he looks anxious and wants to eat, give him a bigger portion. Always adjust the size of the portions. This is an important thing and one that will have a lot of positive sides for your puppy.
Expensive Puppy Food Is Better
Well, it is obvious. But you may want to know why this is an obvious fact. Expensive food for puppies will have more nutrients, meaning your puppy will eat less but still get all the nutrients he needs. At the same time, this food has a stable composition. What this means is that each batch will have the same amount of nutrients in the same ratio so a puppy will grow equally and adjust to the diet better.
Expensive foods are better because companies that make them will always try to make better and more appealing ones. They invest heavily in research and you can see that.
More affordable food is not bad but if you want the best outcome and want to provide the healthiest diet to your puppies, expensive options are better. It is better to opt for one type of food made by one company and stick to it.
Which Type Of Food Is Better For Puppies?
You can see that puppy food is available as dry food and wet food. Which one is better for puppies or maybe both are mandatory to use? Well, let’s find out.
- Canned food: This is the most expensive option and the one that some owners will prefer. All meat options are common but not great. Your dog needs versatile food.
- Kibble: This is the most common option and the one you may prefer. It is easy to use and store and your dog can eat it straight from the box. This is also well-balanced food.
- Semi-moist food: You will find these easily and they come in portions that look like hamburgers.
For most of you, Kibble will be the best option. It cleans the puppy’s teeth and offers a well-balanced diet easily.
The Final Word
Now you know the answer. Should you feed puppies 3 times per day? Yes, but only during a specific time frame. Then you need to adjust the number of meals per day and you will need to make sure your puppy and later your dog get all the nutrients they need from the food. A proper diet will keep your dog healthy and happy.
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