Current Food
After years of trying the most popular puppy formulas and meeting with the range from diarrhea to constipation, the breeder has finally found a dry kibble food that is both palatable and produces a good form of stool for the puppies.
Current Kibble: Purina Pro-Plan Puppy
The resulting coats and overall health have improved with this food and it meets all the growth requirements for a puppy's high developmental needs, as dry foods go.
Available at: Chewy.com, Tractor Supply
How It's Fed at the Breeder
- Purina Pro-Plan Puppy is left out continuously for puppies and nursing mothers as a snack backup
- When puppies wean, they also get meat and yogurt
- The dry kibble is really just a staple for snacking because the breeder feeds RAW MEAT to all of their dogs
- Dogs also get a Doc Roy's Daily Extra Canine vitamin every day
Transitioning Diet
When you adopt a new puppy, he'll be used to eating whatever food he was being fed at the shelter, most likely some form of kibble.
Important: Gradual Transition
At first, keep feeding him this but gradually transition to a meticulously balanced species-appropriate diet.
Feeding Frequency Guidelines
Puppies eat much more for their weight than adult dogs. A general guideline is that young puppies should be fed three to four times a day, while older puppies can be fed twice a day.
You can also try letting your pup eat at her own pace for about 10 minutes three times a day. Generally, puppies can be moved to adult foods between 6 and 10 months of age, depending on their breed, size and current physical development.
Recommended Diet Approach
After about a week, you can graduate them to a food of their/your choice. The breeder highly recommends feeding a fresh meat diet and daily vitamins or a Raw Meat diet of your choice from the dog food company list.
Breeder's Strong Recommendation
The breeder urges you to watch videos from Dr. Becker on YouTube.com or visit DOGFOODEXPOSE.COM about raw meat diets and your dog's health.
The breeder highly recommends switching your dog to a diet of one of the following natural diets of your choice for optimum health:
- WeFeedRaw.com
- DarwinsPet.com
- Or a similar natural meat diet instead of dry kibble
Some good articles on this can be found on DINOVITE.com under "Articles" as well as the DarwinsPet.com and WeFeedRaw.com sites, but THE BEST EXPLANATION IS THE VIDEO IN THE UPPER RIGHT OF THIS SITE: DOGFOODEXPOSE.COM
Daily Supplements
Recommended Vitamins
Doc Roy's Daily Extra Canine Vitamin
The adults get this vitamin every day. Start your baby on this or a vitamin of your choosing.
Available at: Revivalanimal.com, Item # 60314-522
Note: If you begin feeding a complete raw diet, additional vitamins may not be needed.
Coconut Oil
Dosage: 1 teaspoon per day
This is great for internal health as well as a soft supple coat. The benefits are extensive (Google it). This is an excellent supplement to add to your dog's diet.
Salmon Oil
Provides the omega 3's/6's necessary for optimal coat and skin.
Available at: Amazon.com
Healthy Treats
The breeder recommends as close to natural treats as possible:
Excellent Treat Options
| Treat | Benefits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken or Raw Stew Beef | Natural protein source | Cube and freeze for convenience |
| Baby Carrots | Low calorie, crunchy | Good for teeth |
| Blueberries | Antioxidants | Small portions |
| Cheese Cubes | High value reward | Use moderately |
| Raw Bones | Dental health, enrichment | See attached article from breeder |
| Plain or Vanilla Yogurt | Provides healthy gut probiotics | About 1 tablespoon a day |
| Raw Eggs | Complete nutrition, many benefits | Lots of info on Google about benefits |
CRITICAL WARNING
BE SURE TO AVOID ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS; THESE ARE DEADLY TO DOGS!
When buying yogurt, ensure it does NOT contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol.
Special Teething Treats
TIP: Soft frozen meat helps soothe sore puppy gums that are teething.
Additional Recommended Products
Dinotive LICK-O-CHOPS
Dogs LOVE this drizzle of Omegas and it's healthy!
Coconut Oil Serving
1 teaspoon a day drizzled over food or alone.
Important Feeding Resources
For comprehensive information about nutrition and feeding, visit: