How to Take Care of Puppies - Feeding Your Puppy

1. Choose the right dog food. While it's tempting to go for the cheap stuff, this is not the best choice for your dog. Look for foods that incorporate high quality proteins from fish, chicken, lamb, beef, and/or eggs. Talk to your veterinarian about diet choices. If you plan to change his food, do so gradually to reduce the chance of an upset stomach.

2. Feed your puppy properly. Give him small amounts of food formulated for puppies several times a day. The amount of food for each meal depends on the breed and size; look up the recommended amounts for your breed. Feed your puppy only the smallest amount recommended for his breed, age, and size. Increase the amount if the puppy seems too thin, or as directed by your veterinarian. The number of daily feedings depends on the puppy's age:
- 6-12 weeks: 3 to 4 times daily
- 12-20 weeks: 3 times daily
- 20+ weeks: 2 times daily

3. Follow the special feeding guidelines for small or toy breed dogs. Very small breeds (Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, etc.) may be prone to low blood sugar. These puppies often need access to food all day long (or every 2-3 hours) until about 6 months of age. This prevents their blood sugar from dipping too low, which can lead to weakness, confusion, and even seizures.[3]

4. Avoid buffet-style feeding. Meal feeding will help with housebreaking and prevent your dog from gorging on food. Furthermore, your puppy will bond with you by associating good things like food with the humans in the household. The puppy should have a limited time, probably 20 minutes, to finish its food.[4]

5. Watch your puppy eat. Watching your puppy eat is a good way to gauge his health. If he seems uninterested in his food all of a sudden, take note of it. The behavior may be due to a simple food preference issue, but it could also be a medical concern.
- It's your job to notice any change in his behavior. Follow through with a call to your veterinarian, and take the proper steps to uncover the cause of the change.

6. Do not feed your dog table scraps. It may be tempting, but remember that human food can make your dog unhealthily obese. Alongside the serious health risk, feeding your dogs table scraps can train them to beg — one of the hardest habits to break.
- To ensure good health, feed your dog food specifically designed for him.
- Ignore him completely while you're eating at the table.
- Check with your veterinarian about “people” foods that are safe for dogs. These might include roasted chicken breast or fresh green beans.
- Foods high in fats can cause problems like pancreatitis in dogs.

7. Protect your dog from toxic foods. Your puppy’s body is very different from yours. Some of the foods you are able to digest are dangerously toxic to him. A partial list of foods of such foods includes:
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Tea
- Alcohol
- Garlic
- Onions
- Avocados
- Salt
- Chocolate.
- If your dog eats one of these things, call the Animal Poison Control Center ((888) 426-4435 in the US) and your veterinarian.

8. Provide adequate fresh water. Unlike food, you should leave a full bowl of fresh water out for your pets at all times. Be aware that your puppy will have to urinate shortly after drinking a large amount of water. Take him to your fenced backyard on leash so he doesn't have accidents in your house.