FEEDING YOUR PUPPY

FEEDING SCHEDULE

Your puppy should be feed four times a day until he/she is ten weeks old, three times a day until he/she is sixteen weeks old, and  twice a day thereafter.  Try to space meals as equally as possible.  Adult dogs should be fed two meals a day throughout their  lives.  Blood sugar levels remain more constant and you minimize the chances of bloat by avoiding mass consumption of food at one  meal.

FEEDING SUGGESTIONS

Your puppy has been weaned on ProPlan Chicken & Rice food.  He/she is eating approximately 1-1/3 cups of dry kibble with a ½ cup of warm water.  Mix together and let stand for ten to fifteen minutes to allow the dry kibble to expand. Quantities of food can be adjusted as your puppy grows by feeling ribs and  hipbones.  It is best to keep your puppy on the thin side to avoid stress on developing joints.

TREATS

Treats should be a highlight of a dog’s life and not the bulk of his/her diet.  If chosen and used carefully, they can be  wonderful.  Treats should be limited to natural manufactured dog treats, cheese, carrots, fruits or vegetables.  It is a good  idea to accustom your puppy to these foods, as they will not add calories but natural roughage.

BLOAT

Bloat is an ever-present danger for all large, deep-chested dogs. Although its causes are not completely understood, here are  things you can do to minimize the risk.

1.No heavy exercise two hours before or after feeding.

2.Do not allow your dog to drink heavily before or after feeding.

3.Feed a quality food that expands little when mixed with water.

4.Use fresh fruit and vegetables for roughage.

5.Never feed pork of any kind.  It is a gas-producing agent.

6.Feed at times when you will be around to observe your dogs behavior for several hours after eating.

7.Do not leave uneaten food in your dog’s bowl longer than thirty minutes.  It may spoil and ferment.

NEVER

1.NEVER feed generic food.

2.NEVER feed bones of any kind.  Bouviers have tremendously strong jaws that can splinter most bones.

3.NEVER feed popcorn, corn or nuts.  Dogs do not digest these well.

4.NEVER feed candy or chocolates.  Toxic reactions will occur from chocolate.  Sugars are processed through a dog’s  digestive system much slower than a man’s and may be harbored in the body for days.