Puppy Diet
In response to a number of inquiries from people who have our dogs, the following is what we feed our puppies. Once puppies are weaned we feed three times a day.
Young nursing puppies (approximately 2 to 3 weeks of age) are first fed raw ground beef round rolled to approximately the size of your thumb and fed by hand.
When puppies are able to eat from a bowl (3 to 4 weeks) they are fed raw ground beef chuck mixed with water, evaporated milk, and baby rice cereal to thicken. The consistency is like oatmeal.
When puppies are being weaned (approximately 5 to 6 weeks) soaked dry food is substituted for baby rice cereal and the amount is gradually increased to roughly equal the meat portion. Non-fat dry milk is substituted for evaporated milk. A good natural dry food, that is not grain free, is recommended. We currently use 4Health Original Chicken & Rice Formula Adult Dog Food (available from Tractor Supply) made by Diamond. Also available at pet stores are Taste of the Wild, and Premium Edge, both made by Diamond.
At 8 weeks of age our puppy diet (fed three times a day) consists of:
1/2 cup Dry Food - Soaked in warm water to soften
1/4 pound raw ground beef - High in fat content (25%)
Mixed with warm water (after 8 weeks we eliminate the milk)
Morning meal - add 1/2
Centrum
(or equivalent) multi-
vitamin and 500 mg vitamin C
(Ester
C is preferred)
Noon - 1 tbs. Cottage cheese every other day
Evening - every other day 1/2 slice raw beef liver - or - 1 hard boiled egg - or - leftover vegetables (especially beans and carrots)
3 Months of Age - reduce feeding to twice a day
Morning and evening meal add an additional 1/8 lb of raw ground beef (adjust dry food based on appetite).
6 Months of Age - Change to our Adult Dog Diet
Our concerns with most commercial dry foods, include the high amount of filler such as soy, corn, or other grains, and numerous other ingredients (such as by products, sugar, beef tallow, animal digest, etc.), and the preservatives which are added to extend shelf life.
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