Monitoring Food Intake
4 Month old Ultra Tiny Teacup Chihuahua from ExquisiChi.
That one can be a tricky one. Wee tiny puppies eat wee tiny meals.
A pup that has dry puppy food available free choice, may only eat 5-10 kibbles at a time – but will go eat [snack] as many as 10-15 times each day, depending on the size of the bites, the palatability of the brand and what else other than dry food you'll put into the bowl.
If you are going the commercial dog food route, you want to eventually be able to feed dry food only [not canned], but with teacups or tiny pups you may have to gradually work your way up to that.
Pups that are less than enthusiastic eaters also require a high calorie nutritional supplement such as Nutrical, Nutristat or Dyne.
A powdered vitamin supplement is also recommended in addition to the high calorie supplements, but is not necessarily required if you feed a high end dry puppy food. That said - it can't hurt for optimum development and covers any nutritional deficiencies your puppy food may not address.
Once your furchild develops a healthy appetite and establishes a good feeding schedule and better eating habits for you, you will only need to give canned food or nutritional supplements in cases of high excitement or high stress days, or when the pup had a bit too much exercise or play time. It is however always recommended to keep Nutrical or Nutristat on hand, even after your pup matures a bit more. It is the perfect medium to head of potential low blood sugar episodes and invaluable in any level of hypoglycemic attack. See here for more detailed information about high calorie supplements.
Once your pup has established a good meal routine and you are satisfied that it is eating well – then simply top up his/her bowl every day, and be done with the feeding part. You will still need to daily monitor the pup to make sure it is eating – but you do no longer have to count kibbles...
A pup that has dry puppy food available free choice, may only eat 5-10 kibbles at a time – but will go eat [snack] as many as 10-15 times each day, depending on the size of the bites, the palatability of the brand and what else other than dry food you'll put into the bowl.
If you are going the commercial dog food route, you want to eventually be able to feed dry food only [not canned], but with teacups or tiny pups you may have to gradually work your way up to that.
Pups that are less than enthusiastic eaters also require a high calorie nutritional supplement such as Nutrical, Nutristat or Dyne.
A powdered vitamin supplement is also recommended in addition to the high calorie supplements, but is not necessarily required if you feed a high end dry puppy food. That said - it can't hurt for optimum development and covers any nutritional deficiencies your puppy food may not address.
Once your furchild develops a healthy appetite and establishes a good feeding schedule and better eating habits for you, you will only need to give canned food or nutritional supplements in cases of high excitement or high stress days, or when the pup had a bit too much exercise or play time. It is however always recommended to keep Nutrical or Nutristat on hand, even after your pup matures a bit more. It is the perfect medium to head of potential low blood sugar episodes and invaluable in any level of hypoglycemic attack. See here for more detailed information about high calorie supplements.
Once your pup has established a good meal routine and you are satisfied that it is eating well – then simply top up his/her bowl every day, and be done with the feeding part. You will still need to daily monitor the pup to make sure it is eating – but you do no longer have to count kibbles...
Use the smallest bowl you have...
Suggestion: For starters – use the smallest bowl you can find. Select a bowl with a straight or slanted rim, not a saucer type plate. That means the food generally stays in the bowl, unless the puppy plays with it, and does not get shoved out during eating and wasted. That way you are also not thinking your puppy is eating, when it is in fact not!
To see how much your puppy actually eats, only cover the bottom of the bowl with one layer of kibbles, do not fill up the bowl [I've been know to count the individual kibbles in order to get an idea how much a pup is really eating ;o].
Very young or extremely tiny puppies may eat as few as 5 kibbles and call it a meal. For these puppies you should offer something in addition to just dry puppy food 2-3 times each day – either canned food, a bit home cooked food for the pup [plain - no herbs or spices], or raw hamburger [Yes raw! Visit my Picky Eater Page and generate excitement at mealtimes for your pup!]
To see how much your puppy actually eats, only cover the bottom of the bowl with one layer of kibbles, do not fill up the bowl [I've been know to count the individual kibbles in order to get an idea how much a pup is really eating ;o].
Very young or extremely tiny puppies may eat as few as 5 kibbles and call it a meal. For these puppies you should offer something in addition to just dry puppy food 2-3 times each day – either canned food, a bit home cooked food for the pup [plain - no herbs or spices], or raw hamburger [Yes raw! Visit my Picky Eater Page and generate excitement at mealtimes for your pup!]
How to tell if your puppy eats enough...
Turn it onto its back and look at the tummy. A well fed pup should be chubby with good fat reserves, and has a full, rounded belly area. When your pup is standing on all fours, look down from above [not the side]. Where in people you would observe the waist area - the tummy should swell beyond the sides instead of being in a straight line.
If you have a “model type” waist – slightly concave looking from above, or wrinkles and a sunken in tummy when you turn the pup upside down – your puppy is not eating enough.
Please come back and visit here again [page in progress] to see what you can do to generate more interest in eating and get some enthusiasm going when it comes to topping off the food bowl. If you have a skinny pup that otherwise eats well, you also need to reduce the pups activity level or curb/limit most “bounce and play time” to the playpen. In the case of a pup that eats well, but looks skinny, raggedy or poorly, you first want to make sure there are no internal parasites [get a fecal done at your vet!]. If you can exclude internal parasites, then reconsider the brand of puppy food you are offering, and if possibly - upgrade to a better version and offer more high calorie supplements and canned food! Repeat with me – no hypoglycemic episodes!!!
Needless to say, that eating all day long also equates to frequent potty trips, but that is a given with the smallest of puppyhood anyhow. This is one of the main reasons I feel so strongly about using a puppy playpen to raise your tiny puppies! The puppy playpen effortlessly allows for these wee pups' needs and care requirements without trashing your entire home and the mobility & convenience of it, permits you to keep your furchild with you wherever you are in the home.
If you have a “model type” waist – slightly concave looking from above, or wrinkles and a sunken in tummy when you turn the pup upside down – your puppy is not eating enough.
Please come back and visit here again [page in progress] to see what you can do to generate more interest in eating and get some enthusiasm going when it comes to topping off the food bowl. If you have a skinny pup that otherwise eats well, you also need to reduce the pups activity level or curb/limit most “bounce and play time” to the playpen. In the case of a pup that eats well, but looks skinny, raggedy or poorly, you first want to make sure there are no internal parasites [get a fecal done at your vet!]. If you can exclude internal parasites, then reconsider the brand of puppy food you are offering, and if possibly - upgrade to a better version and offer more high calorie supplements and canned food! Repeat with me – no hypoglycemic episodes!!!
Needless to say, that eating all day long also equates to frequent potty trips, but that is a given with the smallest of puppyhood anyhow. This is one of the main reasons I feel so strongly about using a puppy playpen to raise your tiny puppies! The puppy playpen effortlessly allows for these wee pups' needs and care requirements without trashing your entire home and the mobility & convenience of it, permits you to keep your furchild with you wherever you are in the home.