Puppy Diet

[Rusty's Dad]

I'm feeding my 5 month old Aussie Terrier premium dry puppy food in the morning and then home made mix at night. The mix is 50% pet mince, 25% cooked veg (mainly left overs and scraps), and 25% cooked rice. Just wondering if I'm getting the balance right?

[Guest Tess32]

I think you should add some edible bones to the diet so the pup can get a nice jaw work out and clean teeth.

Rice is just a filler and you could do without it.

[~*Shell*~]

I would suggest a chicken neck instead of the rice - it'll help his teeth stay clean but i would ckeck with your vet first to see if they can eat one (i'm not used to smaller dogs!) at that age!

[Dogsfevr]

What diet did your breeder suggest ??

[DeerhoundLover]

I'm feeding my 5 month old Aussie Terrier premium dry puppy food in the morning and then home made mix at night. The mix is 50% pet mince, 25% cooked veg (mainly left overs and scraps), and 25% cooked rice. Just wondering if I'm getting the balance right?

I think maybe it's a bit much rice but otherwise it sounds great, he is a lucky puppy. Maybe substitute the dry puppy food for the rice so he gets a bit more protein.

[puggy_puggy]

I wouldn't feed the rice. It's not a natural part of a dogs diet.

I am presuming that the pet mince is minced chicken frames? If the mince does not have bones in it then I would be feeding chicken necks, I chop mine up into approx thirds.

You could also add in once a week some fish, I feed tinned sardines.

Also a bone at least twice a week would be a good idea.

[Rusty's Dad]

Thanks everyone. What I'm feeding him isn't too far from the breeder's suggestion. I forgot that bones are considered part of the diet and he does get one every other day, at least. I'll lose some of the rice, I guess, and look for some chook necks or something. I don't know if we can get them locally as we don't have a specialist butcher, just a supermarket, but maybe if I remember when I'm further afield.

[persephone]

he doesn't need ANY rice :D Dogs don't need starchy stuff :D

Some supermarket deli sections stock chicken frames (for soup). Your pup will LOVE one )

Chicken wings are also excellent...give them whole..don't be tempted to cut it up!!! he has very effective puppy/adult teeth!

[Gayle.]

My 5 month old Australian Shepherd puppy gets a similar diet but in the mince mix I add eggs, cheese, sardines or tuna (sometimes one or sometimes all ) and don't add any rice, although sometimes I throw in some rolled oats for a change of texture. I also add flaxseed or cod liver oil and granulated kelp.

But she also gets chicken frames, wings, necks and lamb offcuts and brisket bones as a regular part of her diet. Tonight she has a chicken maryland which took her ages to eat, gave her whole body a workout and cleaned her teeth nicely. It also gave her brain some exercise while she figured out the best way to tackle it because I didn't cut it up and she had to figure out for herself which end to start on.

[puggy_puggy]

Most supermarkets sell chicken necks in the deli section. They also usually have chicken wings.

Lots of butchers also sell chicken necks, frames, livers & ground frames (pet mince)

Chicken shops like Lenards also sell the necks, frames and pet mince. You might have to ask them about it as they usually have it out the back and not on display.

[Rusty's Dad]

I was in another suburb today and found a chicken and fish monger selling chicken necks and frames. Ummm, what do I do with the frames? Just chop them up? Blend them (will that kill my food processor?)

Definitely be adding them to the diet, though - so cheap!

[Guest Tess32]

I was in another suburb today and found a chicken and fish monger selling chicken necks and frames. Ummm, what do I do with the frames? Just chop them up? Blend them (will that kill my food processor?)

Definitely be adding them to the diet, though - so cheap!

Just hand them the frame!

Edited May 21, 2008 by Tess32

[Gayle.]

Yep, agree wholeheartedly with Tess! My dogs LOVE having a chicken frame for dinner, it's a whole body experience for them, figuring out the best way to tackle it, where to start chewing etc. And it's hilarious to watch them tackle a BIG one because they have to think about it. It takes them ages to eat which is much better for them than bolting down their dinner.

Your pup with have healthy jaws, clean teeth and have learned something vitally important to them......food has to be worked for, even eating it is "working" for it when they have a chicken frame for their meal.