Use common sense when feeding puppy

jkoch

By Dr. John Koch

Question: I recently got a new puppy. This little guy has a tremendous appetite. When he eats, his little sides protrude so much I am afraid he is going to pop. Is there a general rule governing how much to feed a new puppy?

Answer: Growing puppies often do have enormous appetites. Since they are growing quickly, they require more nourishment for their size than an adult animal. However, too much of anything could be harmful, so a little common sense needs to be used.

There is not a certain amount of food that a puppy should be fed. It is better to feed smaller amounts of food three to four times each day.

A general rule is to give what will be eaten in 10 to 15 minutes, then gradually increase the amount over a period of several weeks. Do not leave food out all the time. It gets stale and can spoil. Also, leaving food out for your pet creates a terrible eating habit.

You must remember the eating habits your puppy forms while young are the habits he will have throughout life.

If there is food left out all the time, your pet is likely to become finicky and not eat well.

Conversely, should your puppy learn to be a glutton, he will likely retain this habit and become an obese adult. It will not hurt a chubby little puppy to be a little hungry when he leaves the food bowl.

A lean and slightly hungry pet is much more likely to lead a long healthy life than his stuffed counterpart.

Dr. Koch is a Cape Girardeau-area veterinarian.