General rules about feeding
As a general rule, dogs should only eat dry fodder. If we get the puppy used to "homemade treats", these will increase and on the long run, our dog will be poorly fed. Dogs don't possess the same metabolism as we do. We can actually provoke a rise in glucose, an excess of calcium deposited where it shouldn't, or any other complications. The most common problem (an one quickly seen by owners) is plaque in their teeth.
This image of a dog begging for food is very common everywhere. We need to know we cause more harm than good with these habits in the long run.
Our dog should eat following a schedule, as routine like as possible and always with the same quantity of food. It doesn't matter if it didn't eat the previous time, we always need to use the same amount. We need to remove its food if we see a clear sign of loss of interest. If we let this food sitting all day long, our pet gets the impression it can eat at any time during the day and it will be just taking small bites of it without any rest. This might lead to stomach and intestinal problems.
Another reason for removing it is the quality of the fodder itself. It actually looses quality as it sits on the plate uneaten due to the contact with sunlight. At the end of the day, the vitamins which supplement the fodder are lost (in the same way as fresh, natural orange juice would if it sits in the kitchen all day). If there is any food left, the next should be the SAME quantity, not a new quantity with the previous leftover.
The quantity is usually given by the manufacturer. Every type of fodder has a side label which shows us how much food our pet needs daily based on its size and age. This represents a total quantity, which should be divided by three at first, then into 2 after it is 5 months old.
This is an example table showing us their weight in relation to the amount of fodder they need. It is important to notice the amount they show per day and divide that quantity into the times we feed our puppy each day.
It is normal for them to eat puppy fodder up to 1 year old. It has a higher level of proteins and complex vitamins. However, if we feed our puppy with adult fodder, it might gain too much weight. Since it is not fully grown, it needs less proteins. Their metabolism changes as they become adults. They become more calm and thus spending less energy. An adult dog can eat once a day regardless of their size, but it is always advisable for them to be fed twice a day.
