Feeding

DO NOT FEED YOUR PUPPY A LAMB BASED FEED.  Lamb is high in calcium and can cause bone growth deformities, as well as kidney stones in smaller breeds.  I feed Purina Puppy Chow Complete Nutrition Formula; not the Large Breed Formula or the Healthy Morsels Formula (soft bites). 

By the time the pups are ready to go to their new homes they are used to being fed by 8am, and 4pm. When you are initially figuring their feeding schedule you may want to wait until after you just walk in the door to feed your pup so that they do not confuse you coming home to getting fed.

By 12 weeks your pup should be loosing that puppy pot belly and assuming a more adult profile. Overfeeding your pup can cause problems later on, so adjust your pups food accordingly.  

Until pups are 7 or 8 weeks old they pretty much free feed, and when they loose interest, or after about 15 minutes I take the dry food away.   Pull food 4-6 hours before bed so their bowels will not be full before bedtime.  At about 12 weeks I cut down to once a day morning feedings.  Remember regular feeding leads to regular elimination.  

I feed Purina puppy chow the first 6 months, then I feed Purina Dog Chow.  As with any feed change, it is gradual.  I only feed dry.  They do not need any more than 3/4 - 1 1/4 cup a day, getting moderate exercise. Puppy food generally has less calcium than adult food.  Lamb meal is high in calcium - it is better suited for a larger breed because of too rapid bone growth in a smaller breed like Dachshunds.  

You want to see a waist but not ribs - these are guidelines - if your dog is more active you will want to feed more if needed.

Cottage Cheese is good for a bland item to supplement calcium when nursing pups, getting them to eat, and even helping a tummy upset.  

Tomato sauce in any form, (I add water to the used up jar of  tomato sauce, and add to their food as a treat) is wonderful for their kidneys.  You can also get V-8 low sodium extra vitamins and top their dry food with that, if you are trying to stimulate appetite, or have something palatable for them to get needed nourishment. 

I also give my guys lots of veggies!!!  They love carrots, apples, melon, Green Beans, Banana, and most other RAW veggies.  (Cats, Parrots, Horses, and Dogs).  Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and they cannot digest egg whites. Do not feed any bird avocado.  Also if you cook with Teflon, if it gets to hot it releases a FATAL gas to birds.