12 Week Old Puppy Diet

[Libby99]

Hi everyone,

I am sure this has been posted 100 times before, but I tried to search and couldn't come up with what I was looking for.

Our little boy is approx 12 weeks and a Kelpie X (we think, he was a stray from the pound).

I have been told 2 different things by 2 different vets at the same clinic. 1st vet said to give him some puppy dry food in the morning, then chicken mince and rice for dinner (I just assumed he meant raw chicken, he didn't specify cooked) for a few weeks so his tummy has time to adjust from the pound food.

The 2nd vet I saw on Monday, said not to feed raw chicken. I have never heard this before, I always thought raw meat was better than cooked for dogs? He said raw beef was ok, but not chicken. He also said his diet wasn't balanced enough and he would be better off on either all dry puppy food, or some tinned puppy food too. I would prefer to feed him fresh ingredients, but really just want to do what is best for our dog.

He also has a chicken neck or wing most days (is this too much?). I bought a bag of bones from the butcher too and was going to give him 1-2 per week, does this sound ok?

So for about the past week he has been having Hills Science dry puppy food for breakfast (have since read Hills Science isn't that great, but will finish the packet and then might try Royal Canine?), then for dinner raw chicken mince with some dry food mixed in and tonight he had some vegies which he loved. Does this sound ok?

Sorry, last question. What is the go with onions? Everything I read says not to feed onions to dogs, but then on the other hand my Mum has had dogs all her life and has always fed them leftover spag bol etc with onions in it and they have all been fine. Such a shame to waste all those leftovers, but almost everything we cook has onions in it. What is your opinion?

Thanks

[gareth]

Chicken mince should be raw minced frames with the bone included. I would not feed raw beef as it does not have calcium. feeding raw meat on the bone means the calcium to phosphorous ratio is balanced.

Onions should never be fed though I am sure there are dogs who have guts as tough as old boots who become immune to them, but they can cause blood disorders.

Most people here don't seem to think much of Hills but there are hundreds of threads to read here on different dry foods available. As long as is good quality puppy food, that's fine.

[Cockerlover]

When changing from one dry food to another ,do it gradually or you will create a tummy upset .

Onions are a no no, as are many other things ,try google for info or look back through many posts similar to yours

Chicken frames ,wings & necks r fine ,but supervise bones with youngens

[Sandra777]

I wouldn't use Hills but if you have some don't throw it out, just do some research so next time you can buy something better. Biscuits in the morning and other food at night seems fine to me - IMO you should give a puppy as much variety as possible to cover all the bases so to speak.

If the pup is being fed only dry food then change it to a new one slowly but as your pup is getting variety I wouldn't worry too much - I've always fed pups and adults a different thing every day (twice a day) so if their tums are used to variety you can chop and change as much as you want, it's only when they're only used to one specific thing that you'll have major issues... Of course every dog's different so watch your pup's reaction to change before taking that advice

A bit of beef mince won't hurt but as already said, meat on it's own is not the right food for any dog and most of all a growing puppy. Plain minced meat occasionally with biscuits is fine, but minced chicken bodies or whole lamb rib or flap or anything else with bone (bone that he can actually eat) is better.

Onion - depends on the dog. I had a dog who would steal raw onions out of the pantry and would eat three or four in one sitting if you didn't catch him. He was fine but this certainly isn't something I'd recommend encouraging!!!! A small amount of onion in scraps is not going to hurt most dogs, but give him a VERY small amount one day and wait three or four days to see if it's a problem. If he's fine certainly don't overload him with onion, if you can pull most of it out that's better, but a couple of pieces is not going to hurt most dogs. I know someone who would give their dogs vege scraps including onion skins and offcuts and those dogs must have been eating 4 or 5 whole onions each a week - all three lived to over 16. Again, not something I'd recommend! Read up on the effects of onion on dogs and make sure you understand what to look for in cases when they are causing a problem.

[BaileyWei]

My vet said not to give onions but if we had some leftovers with onion in it that was fine

[borzoimom]

I feed 3 times a day kibble ( hold on the meat for a second) until I get potty training going in the right direction. Then my young dogs are allowed feed kibble. Twice a day I give ( totally seperate- not in the kibble so they do not over eat as that can cause stomach upset) their meat. With kibble I do not give bones with it. At 16 weeks my pups start working on total raw. Or kibble but the meat is always seperated if I am feeding kibble with it. Kibble digests slower than meat, so it is a seperate "snack".

I do not know if this food is available over there, but I am impressed with " Wellness" basic 5. They have several types, - good digestability and caloric good qualities, but also balenced in calcium and phosphorus etc.

As far as changing foods, I have always had success with a method that in theory should not work. In going from raw diet to kibble ( like showing or traveling etc) but it works the same. I do not mix two different kibble diets for the transistion. One big reason is that different foods can have different formulations and the puppy is not getting enough of either type to help. What I do is feed half what I would feed at night of the old food at night. Then following am only half what I would feed of the new food. This gives enough food to absorb any stomach acids but not enough to over load the gut. That night I give 3/4 of what I would feed of the new food. Next morning its up to total amount I would feed.

The less amount of food helps with preventing colitus, gives them a balenced diet of how the maker of the food intended without mixing or making new formulas by mixing.

** note- if you have a food that is high in chemicals or grains- this is longer to process through the bowel. If you pups stool has a greenish tinge to it, that is " detoxing"- meaning they are passing chemicals or preservatives from the previous food. The stool turns greenish because it is passing through the liver.

Edited April 1, 2009 by borzoimom

[luvsdogs]

I've read onions have a cumulitive effect. A little one off would be ok but a little often is when they have a problem. Other foods they should not have are chocolate, nuts, avocado.

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryT...fm?Story_No=257

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

When we feed leftovers we take out onions, mushrooms etc. :rolleyes:

[gareth]

My vet said not to give onions but if we had some leftovers with onion in it that was fine

Strange vet you have, as he/she is contradicting themselves. Why would you risk it?

[BaileyWei]

My vet said not to give onions but if we had some leftovers with onion in it that was fine

Strange vet you have, as he/she is contradicting themselves. Why would you risk it?

I dont risk it as I dont feed my puppy leftovers of any kind. What he actually said was "dont feed her a plate full of onion but if you have left overs that contain a small amount of onion that is ok to feed".

[Starkehre]

Our left overs go in the bin at our house.

I would never feed our human left overs to our dogs, just as I would not eat my dog's left overs, (not that there are any, as our dogs eat what is given to them).

Dogs' and humans' digestive systems are different and not digest the same types of foods in the same manner.

Things like onions, chocolate, macadamia nuts, grapes and other listed toxic foods for dogs I would never risk, in large or small quantities.

The possibility of loose stools, sick or dead pets and high vet bills to achieve a positive feeling I may get when food has not been wasted is not even worth risking, IMO.

I find cooking smaller quantities of food is a more affective way to save food, rather than giving left overs to my dogs. I have more respect for my dogs than to feed them our excess food that I may have inadvertently cooked or ordered too much of. Particularly if it has added salt, spices etc that are not normally part of a dog's balanced diet.

I understand that we all have different ideas, and in no way do I expect other owners to have the same opinion as I do... but if I was to ever feed my dogs left overs, I would feel as though I was treating my dogs as though they were a rubbish bin.

I am not at all judgemental towards others that like to feed left overs to their dogs. Nor do I believe my way is more correct. It is simply my way.