Species-appropriate nutrition for puppies:

How often should you feed your puppy?

Die bedarfsgerechte Ernährung eines Welpen ist für ein optimales Wachstum von essenzieller Bedeutung. Hierbei kommt es vor allem auf die Qualität und Menge des Welpenfutters, sowie die Häufigkeit des Fütterns an. Nach dem Absetzen der Muttermilch sind mindestens vier Mahlzeiten am Tag zu empfehlen. Welche Rationsmenge in welcher Wachstumsphase die Richtige ist und wie viele Mahlzeiten dein Welpe bekommen sollte liest du im nachfolgenden Artikel:

Mother's milk is enough in the beginning

In the first three weeks, breeders do not normally have to worry about feeding their puppies. As long as the puppies are able to help themselves from the milk bar and are steadily gaining weight. They are fed exclusively on their mother's milk, which provides them with plenty of energy, nutrients and antibodies to strengthen their immune system. Initially, puppies grow very quickly. Depending on the size of the litter and the amount of milk available, the mother may find it increasingly difficult to feed them all from around the 4th week of life. During this phase, the puppies begin to take an interest in the bitch's food from time to time.

Slowly feed the puppies

As soon as puppies show an interest in solid food, you should start supplementary feeding. This is usually the case from the end of the 3rd week. For example, you can soften a high-quality dry food especially for puppies (e.g. FIETE Junior) with a little water. This is easier for puppies than starting with dry food straight away, as their teeth are only just beginning to emerge. In the beginning, it is sufficient to give puppies a bowl of diluted puppy food once a day between two milk rations. Over the next one to two weeks, you can slowly increase the number and quantity of supplementary food rations to four.

Übergang zu fester Nahrung

Die Milchproduktion der Mutterhündin reicht nach einigen Wochen nicht mehr aus, um den Bedarf der wachsenden Welpen zu decken. Dementsprechend erfolgt im Alter von sechs bis spätestens zehn Wochen die endgültige Entwöhnung der Welpen von der Muttermilch. Wenn Welpen also im Alter von 8 bis 10 Wochen abgegeben werden, sind sie vollständig abgesetzt.

Welpe – wie oft Futter pro Tag?

Mit dem Übergang von der Muttermilch zu einem hochwertigen Welpenfutter sollte die Anzahl der Fütterungen pro Tag bei vier liegen. Idealerweise hat der Züchter die Rationen gut über den Tag verteilt, sodass die Welpen regelmäßig mit Energie versorgt werden. Für zukünftige Besitzerinnen oder Besitzer von Welpen ist es wichtig, die Fütterungszeiten, die Rationsmenge und die bisher dargereichte Futtersorte zu erfahren. Denn für den Welpen ist die Trennung von seiner Mutter, den Geschwistern und seinen Menschen bereits viel Stress und deshalb sollten die Ernährungsgewohnheiten in der ersten Zeit möglichst unverändert bleiben.

Futter für Welpen pro Tag:

4 x Futter pro Tag (von der Entwöhnung bis zum Einzug ins neue Heim)
3 x Futter pro Tag (ab ca. 2 - 7 Monate)
2 x Futter pro Tag (gilt für erwachsene Hunde)

From around 6 weeks, puppies are weaned from their mother's milk and switch to solid food (©deuka companion).

The amount depends on the number of feedings

A feeding recommendation is shown on your puppy food. This is a recommendation based on your dog's final weight. You should not exceed or fall short of this ration so that your dog does not grow too quickly or too slowly. Divide the daily ration by the number of feedings and stick to this plan if possible. If you are unsure, you can ask the breeder or your vet if they can provide you with a growth curve for your puppy's breed . This will serve as a guide to how much your puppy should gain during the growth phase. If you recognise any deviations, you can reduce or increase the food ration.

If you feed your puppy too much food, it will not get fat but will grow too quickly. Possible consequences can be that the bones do not ossify sufficiently. In addition, the joints and muscles can become overloaded, leading to postural and locomotor problems. This can have a significant impact on your puppy's health and well-being.

The right amount of ration is crucial for the species- and age-appropriate development of your puppy (©deuka companion).

Changing your puppy's food

When the puppy moves in with you, you should feed him as often as he has been used to. You should also have a certain supply of his previous puppy food in stock. If you want to change this, for example because you want to switch to a particularly high-quality puppy food, then wait two or three weeks before doing so. A change is only recommended once the puppy has settled in well. This should be done slowly. Only add a few spoonfuls of the new food at first. Over the course of a week, change the mixing ratio more and more until the transition is complete.

How often can I give my puppy treats and snacks?

Treats can be a practical tool when training a puppy. They serve as positive reinforcement for desired behaviour. They therefore play an important role in puppy training. The same applies to chews, which provide activity and satisfy a dog's natural urge to chew. However, don't forget that these rewards can be relatively high in calories. You should therefore use them with caution or reduce the food ration a little. Don't forget that snacks should not make up more than 10 per cent of a dog's daily energy intake.

Conclusion: How often should you feed your puppy?

During weaning from mother's milk, there should be a slow transition to solid food.
Between 6 and 10 weeks of age, four meals a day are recommended.
Over the next few months, puppies should initially be fed three times a day and eventually two rations.
Any changes in food for puppies should be made with a transition period of several days.
Treats and snacks should not make up more than 10 per cent of the daily ration.

FAQs:

: Small dogs are fully grown earlier than large dogs. For them, it is sufficient to feed them puppy food until they are 12 months old. For medium-sized breeds, 14 months is recommended, and 16 to 18 months for large breeds.
: At best, you should stick to the feeding times for puppies. Puppies love routines and adapt to them internally.
: No, no change is necessary
: There are no precisely defined times in the specialist literature. It is important to ensure that your puppy's daily energy requirements are met. It is advisable to spread this over several meals throughout the day.