How to Take Care of a Beagle Puppy - Feeding Your Beagle Puppy

1. Ask the breeder for 4 - 5 days worth of the food the puppy has been eating. This is so it can eat something familiar that its tummy is used to digesting. Make a gradual change over to the food you select, once the puppy has had one or two days to get used to its new home.[7]
- To make this change add in a little of the new food (say ¼) and cut down on its previous diet (to ¾). Over 2 - 3 days further increase the amount of new food as you wean the puppy off the original diet. This gives the bugs in its tummy a chance to change over so that it doesn't get diarrhea because of a sudden change of food.

2. Choose a food labelled as "Growth" or "Puppy" so that the youngster gets the right balance of calcium and protein for growth. Examine the label on the food packaging and check that a named meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, heads the list. This means the main ingredient is that named meat and is an indication of quality. Avoid foods which list cereals as the main ingredient and also "meat-by-products," since these are the less nutritional parts.
- Once puppy is a year old switch it onto adult food.

3. Feed your puppy on a consistent schedule. For a puppy under 12 weeks of age feed the recommended quantity of food (as per the pack instructions) divided into 4 meals spaced over the day. For a puppy aged 3 - 6 months divide his daily allowance into 3 meals. For six months or over feed 2 meals a day.
- Once the puppy is one year old you have the option of feeding it just once a day.

4. Don't give the puppy lots of extra treats or food. Remember that beagles are exceptionally greedy. The beagle has no concept of when it is full, so don't give into that appealing expression and give it extra food. Also, make sure all food is kept out of reach and in a sealed container, because your puppy will relish the challenge of finding a way to break into a food bin.[8]
- However, the good news is that beagles are highly motivated by food which gives you an excellent training tool.

5. Take your puppy outside after eating. Be aware that after puppy has eaten, approximately 10 - 20 minutes later, it will get the urge to toilet. Put the puppy outside after a meal and remember to stay with it so that you are there to praise it when it goes.

6. Wash your puppy's food bowls daily with warm water and a little dish soap. Or, just throw them in the dishwasher. Washing food bowls prevents illness, bacteria from growing, and it makes each mealtime more enjoyable.