SO YOU HAVE A PUPPY, CONGRATS!
Puppies bring life to your home; they’re adorable, playful and will love you unconditionally. However, with great cuteness, comes great responsibility.
PUPPY POINTERS
CHOOSING THE RIGHT FOOD FOR YOUR FURBABY
There’s a lot of puppy food available and in a variety of forms, it can be hard to know what is best! You want to choose one that fits your needs, the needs of your dog, and your budget.
Dry food is the most popular for a number of reasons.
It’s tasty
-
It’s easy to store and prepare
-
It has more of the good stuff (nutrition) per kilogram than other types of dog food, and
-
It helps clean teeth.
HOW DOES FOOD CLEAN TEETH?
Hard food reduces tartar build up. If you have a small dog, be aware they are more prone to dental problems than larger dogs. This might be due to the size and shape of their mouths, so feeding hard food daily from puppyhood will help reduce the possibility of dental issues in the future.
A BIT ABOUT AUSSIE DOG FOOD
Our Original Recipe All Natural Australian Dog Food is suited to all life stages. It is full of 9 digestive enhancing pre and probiotics that work together to build healthy digestive enzymes and inner gut health for your puppy.
A healthy gut is more important that you may realise. Beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract stimulates the production of antibodies and improves the function of the immune system.
Enzymes also help breakdown and absorb nutrients more effectively, which means your pup has more energy to play and grow.
HOW MUCH FOOD DOES MY PUPPY NEED?
Every puppy is different, how much they need and how often depends on age, size, level of activity, what you’re feeding them, and whether your pup is underweight or overweight.
Puppies need three meals a day. Smaller, more frequent feeds means your puppy’s energy levels will be more consistent, so they won’t peak and fall as much.
There’s no ‘one size fits all’ for meal sizes but you can use the following as a guide for small, medium and large dogs and gauge how your puppy goes.
HOW LONG DOES MY PUPPY NEED THREE MEALS A DAY?
You can use the following as a general rule of thumb but don’t be afraid to ask your vet if you need more guidance.
FEED YOUR PUPPY 3 MEALS A DAY UNTIL IT REACHES...
-
Small breed: up to 4 months old
-
Medium Breed: up to 6 months old
-
Large & Giant Breed: up to 6 months old
Aussie Dog Food is suitable for all life stages, which means you don’t have to worry about switching foods.
SETTLING TUMMIES
A change in diet can cause an upset tummy and you may find your puppy gets diarrhoea or soft to runny poos. To avoid this, introduce new food slowly so it doesn’t cause digestive stress (see our feeding guide below). You must also make sure there is plenty of fresh, clean water available to your puppy.
A 'bland diet' may be supplemented until your puppy’s stool returns to normal but always consult your vet if diarrhoea is persistent.
FEEDING GUIDE
Feed 25% Aussie Dog Food and 75% from their previous diet
Feed 50% Aussie Dog Food and 50% from their previous diet
Feed 75% Aussie Dog Food and 25% from their previous diet
Your dog is an Aussie Dog! We recommend feeding them 100% Aussie Dog Food *
Remember, always give your dog plenty of clean water. Hydration is essential for your dog to maintain inner gut health and gain the full benefits of the Aussie Dog Food formula.
PUPPY POINTERS
TOYS, TEETHING AND TEMPTATIONS
-
Before you brought your puppy home, it was used to being surrounded by all its brothers and sisters often sleeping on top of one another. Stock up on fluffy toys your puppy can play with and snuggle up to at bed time.
-
Nothing is safe when your puppy is teething so training is key. Buy good quality toys that are designed to be chewed and praise your puppy when it chews on the toys. When it chews on the wrong things, give a firm ‘no’ and redirect its behaviour by offering the right thing.
-
Never allow your puppy to chew on anything old, like socks or blankets, just because you don’t want it anymore. Remember, it can’t tell the difference between a rag and your favourite item of clothing! So don’t give it the temptation.
FEEDING ROUTINE
-
Try develop good eating habits by using the same bowl, in the same spot, at the same time.
-
Water helps with digestion and the absorption of nutrients so be sure to make sure your puppy is well hydrated.
-
If your puppy isn't eating try moistening food with a bit of water to make it easier to eat.
