Puppies are a lot of work to take care of. This is why you should never go into this without reading a manual first. Before bringing your puppy home research their eating habits. Understand how you need to feed them. In this article, we will tell you everything that you need to know about the timeline for puppies to move to eat dry food without drinking water.
When Do Puppies Start Eating Food and Drinking Water?
Before puppies are ready to start eating on their own they get their nutrition from their mother’s milk. The milk from their mother provides puppies with the necessary nutrients and antibodies that are necessary for their growth. If you’re wondering when they should drink water it is not when they are two weeks old.
It is not until a puppy is 3-4 weeks when they can start drinking water and eating. They also start to wean slowly giving up nursing from their mother. Eventually, they won’t have their mothers as they are being adopted by another owner. Don’t adopt a puppy the second after birth. Puppies are very fragile and need some time to transition. They don’t start eating and drinking food as soon as they are born.
However, don’t give your puppy water too quickly. House training your puppy is another exciting and difficult route. And there are also dangerous complications to it. Don’t give puppies water before the weaning period so that they can adjust to digesting food. Their digestive systems are still underdeveloped.
How To Get Your Puppy to Drink Their Water
After 4 weeks, introduce your puppies to water. Puppies need to drink a 1/2 cup of water every two hours. Depending on how active the puppy is. It’s best not to force water on puppies when they refuse. Training a puppy takes time. Fill a bowl with water.
It may take a while but eventually, your curious pup with come around to it and take a drink. It’s okay if they are afraid. Seeing their own reflection for the first time is a little scary. If you need to, add a little flavor to the water. After some time, puppies will instinctually get a drink of water whenever they are thirsty.
It’s okay to leave the bowl of water out so your puppy can take a drink. However, you should monitor the bowl of water at all times. Make sure that your curious puppy doesn’t decide to take a swim and then run throughout the house drenching the carpets.
What Should I Feed My Puppy?
Puppies have a lot of growing up to do in a short amount of time. Figuring out a diet for them is ideal. Introduce a healthy diet and that will give them a lot of energy. Puppies burn up to twice as many calories per day.
Feed Your Puppy:
- High-Calorie Food: In contrast to adult dog food, puppy food is higher in calories.
- Extra Protein: Puppies need all the extra protein that they can get for the healthy development of their organs.
- Essential Nutrients: Puppies need calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and Vitamin D
- Small Kibble Sizes: Because puppies like to gobble their food up, buy smaller kibble sizes to avoid choking hazards
How Many Times a Day Should I Feed Them?
You should not be overfeeding your dog. The right amount of food to feed your puppy every day is 2-3 meals. The correct amount of food depends on their age. First, try with a tablespoon of food then gradually transition into more rations. Overfeeding your puppy is tempting, but look at it this way. With the right amount of food, you won’t have to clean up excrements every day.
How To Transition from Wet to Dry Food
Here is where being a puppy parent takes patience. Just like getting them to drink water, the transition of having your puppy switch to dry food takes time. Want our advice? Don’t rush it. And don’t force them to eat dry food.
The change is gradual. Eventually, your puppy will switch to eating dry food. It’s all about the way you present it to them. You could go all out and perform your very own dog commercial in front of them. Dogs like entertainment.
You are going to have to coax them. Put half of the wet food into a bowl and then place their dry food into it. Mix it up well. Seeing their dry food influences the dog’s curiosity to try it out. Don’t worry if the puppy doesn’t eat every morsel of wet food. At least they gave it a try.
What Happens if you Switch a Dog’s Food Too Fast
It will not serve well to their stomach. Watch your dog closely for vomiting during this transition. If they vomit, feed it the 75/25 percent mixture for an additional day or two past the third day, for a total of four days.
The consequences of switching your dog’s food abruptly cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you determine to change your dog’s food, you should transition to the new diet regularly in line to give your dog’s system time to conform to the change.
Transitioning your puppy to wet food should happen over a 5-7 day course. During this development, you will gradually consolidate more and more of the new food by mixing wet food with dry food with your dog’s current diet.
Some dogs who have sensitive stomachs may require a longer transition period. Monitor all of your dog’s responses. Take notice of any unusual changes in behavior such as loss of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea. Consult with your vet if your dog is having a strange transition period.
Can I Give My Dog Wet and Dry Food?
Yes, you can give your dog wet and dry food during the transition period. Dogs benefit a lot from eating dog food that is wet and dry. For one example, wet food keeps them hydrated. But that does not mean you shouldn’t supply them with a bowl of water.
It’s best to talk to your vet about the transition. Most dog foods are formulated for different life stages. Do not assume that every pet food is the same. Make sure that you are using high-quality food for weight management.
Before you combine wet and dry food, get advice from your vet. Make sure that you are giving your dog the right amount of food for their age, especially puppies. Once you get your very own puppy, start with those vet visits immediately so you can identify any health issues. Health issues decipher the food that dogs eat too.
Slowly Make the Change
Gradually make the change. Just like how you transitioned your dog to drink water, start slow by mixing wet and dry food together. Don’t let those puppy eyes fool them. A dog’s eyes are bigger than their stomach.
Let their stomachs have time to adjust to the change. Mix in a very small amount of the new food on the first day. Then gradually adjust the balance of new to old over a week’s time until the final balance is served with mixed food on day seven.
Another tip to include is that you don’t need to serve the dry and wet food in the same bowl. That’s right, they don’t need to be served at the same time. Dry food doesn’t spoil easily or a strong odor. That way, you can leave it out during the day so your dog can have a little snack. Then serve the wet food in the evenings.
The Right Portion to Give
Portion sizes matter when it comes to the bodyweight of the dog. Since wet food contains fewer calories than dry food, substitute one type of diet as you are transition to mixed feeding. Be aware that mixed feeding is not as simple. Include portion control. Read the guidelines to make sure that your pet maintains healthy body weight.
Never Forget Water
Rule #1 for not just dog. All living creatures need water to survive. Just because their wet food has water, it is not enough. Regularly make sure that your dog has a bowl of fresh water. Don’t keep it out in the sun. And make sure that the dog does not tip it over. Messes in the kitchen are not fun.
Benefits of Mixing Wet and Dry Food
There are more benefits than you think when mixing wet and dry food. Here are a few of the benefits. Moisture content is the main distinction between wet and dry pet foods. Dry diets compromise only about 10% of water while wet formulations are generally between 68% and 78% of percent water.
Increases Dog’s Palatability
Mixing wet food into dry food makes the overall diet more palatable for pets. On some occasions, pets find wet food tastier than wet food.
Cost-Effective
All pet owners worry over the cost. Wet food is commonly more expensive than dry food. By mixing the two together, pets reap benefits out of them. It will not break the bank if that is what you are thinking. You can feed wet food and dry food mixed together in comparison to feeding just wet food alone.
Helps Manage Weight
Adding wet food to your pet’s diet helps with weight loss. Because the extra water allows pets to feel full they are more satisfied with their meals. The addition of dry food provides extra calories for dogs who struggle with eating enough wet food to meet their energy requirements. Dry food is more nutrient-dense since it is less diluted with moisture.
How Long Will My Puppy Have Diarrhea After Switching Food?
Not every day is going to be a nightmare. Patience is vital. Having a puppy is one of the best learning experiences. The consequences of switching your puppy too fast could end up with awful diarrhea.
When the intestines come in contact with new food suddenly, it secretes water into the intestines. Water mixed in with foreign ingredients makes its way through the dog’s intestines quickly towards the dog’s rear end.
Symptoms to Watch Out For:
- The urgency to go to the bathroom
- Going more frequently than usual
- Softer or liquid stool
- Blood in the stool
What Should I Do?
If your puppy has diarrhea go with a different diet. Go with a more bland diet. Bland diets consist of white rice and seasonless chicken or turkey. Rice helps absorb moisture in the intestines making it easier to digest. Also, give the dog a probiotic for at least five days. A probiotic acts as an antibiotic. In the end, your dog will have an easier time digesting food than before.
What if My Dog is Vomiting?
Dogs have different setbacks when it comes to a diet switch. In the case that your dog does not have diarrhea and is instead vomiting, here is what you should do. Vomiting is not as common but all pet owners should be prepared in the long-run.
As some of the abnormal food ingredients are absorbed into the body, the brain initiates a reflex. Therefore, the stomach pushes food up towards the mouth. We can estimate that the aftermath is not pleasant.
Your dog could vomit several times in one day. It all depends on how sensitive their stomachs are. Give your dogs water when they vomit. Keep them hydrated. Avoid giving them any food for a few hours.
After 2-4 hours, give your dog a small amount of food. Mix in their current food and the food that is giving them an upset stomach. Experiment and see if your dog likes it. Pay close attention to their behavior. If they like it, give them the remainder of the food.