Take time to transition puppies to homemade food.
Transitioning puppies from nursing to solids takes time and care. You must take extra precaution when using homemade puppy food. The food must meet the nutritional requirements and needs of a growing dog. Take care to find out exactly what your puppy needs to grow strong and healthy before making any homemade puppy food.
Instructions
1. Wean the puppy off of the mother's milk around three to four weeks old. Wean puppies slowly. Nursing puppies get more than just nutrition from the nursing process. They also learn about dominance from their litter mates as well as biting behavior. The slow weaning process helps the mother dog gradually reduce milk flow, as well.
2. Add extra calcium and phosphorus to the homemade dog food. Puppies need these minerals to ensure healthy growth. Use bone meal and dog vitamins that contain these minerals in the food. Cooking and freezing destroys nutrients in homemade dog food.
3. Space out the homemade food slowly over seven to ten days. This helps the puppy's digestive system adapt to the new food. Be sure the puppy continues to get all the nutrients it needs as you're transitioning to homemade dog food.
4. Choose easily digestible foods for the puppy. Commercial puppy foods take into account the maturing digestive system of the puppy. Do not give your puppy food from your table. Puppies find digesting this type of food difficult.
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