Puppyhood is a time when a dog’s physical foundations are built for life – the formation and growth of the skeleton, teeth, internal organs, immune system and the brain, along with cognitive and nerve function all happen in a relatively short time. Nutritional mistakes made now may not always be fully reversible later on.
On the other hand, there is much we can do to strengthen and positively influence the building of this foundation during puppyhood by making the right choices.
Most importantly, steer clear of poor quality foods and harmful ingredients.
Pay attention to your puppy’s body size and expected adult weight. The smaller the dog, the more energy and nutrients are required per pound of body weight to keep the dog healthy. Nutrient requirements do not increase in a linear fashion, meaning that a 20-pound dog does not need twice as much food as a 10-pound dog.
Due to their initially rapid growth and the long time it takes them to fully mature, large-breed puppies have vastly different nutritional needs than smaller breeds. Feeding them a food too high in calcium and phosphorus, as well as overfeeding in general, can lead to serious orthopedic problems.
The stomachs and digestive tracts of small-breed puppies are tiny and do not have the capacity to utilize large amounts of food. Feeding smaller meals more frequently will have better results than giving fewer, larger meals. Hypoglycemia may be an issue in especially tiny puppies.
Do not free feed or let your puppy eat as much as he wants, no matter how often this old, outdated method may be recommended. The more calories the diet provides, the faster your puppy will grow, and growth rates near or at the maximum potential are unhealthy, especially in large-breed puppies. Slow, even growth without any "spurts" is much more beneficial. Contrary to all the old wives’ tales circulating on the Internet, excessive feeding of your large-breed puppy while he is still growing will not result in a larger, stronger animal. No dog will grow larger than its predetermined genetic potential allows.
Do not let your puppy become overweight. A "roly-poly" little doggie may look cute, but all that extra weight isn’t healthy. Cornell University’s December 2002 issue of the "Cornell Chronicle" mentions the results of a 14-year study, which found that eating less results in healthier, longer lives and that dogs forced to eat 25 percent less of the same balanced diet than their littermates lived significantly longer and suffered fewer canine diseases.
