What kind of food should I give to puppies?

Question

I got two puppies from somebody for the first time, and I don't really know anything about feeding pets. I think they are Dachshunds. One of them is 0-1 year old but I have know idea how old the other one is. They are not big but not too small. I'm a total beginner so please answer some questions for me!

1) I don't even know what kind of dog food I should buy. Could you give me some basic ideas on what I can give them?

2) Do they also eat breakfast, lunch & dinner, like humans? Or do they only eat once a day?

3) I saw a lot of biscuits at Petco. Are biscuits enough as a meal?

4) Is it okay to give them fries or a small piece of burger?
any other tips?
Thanks!

Answer 1

IAMS and Science Diet for puppies is great food. If they are real young you can add water to the food. Otherwise feed the dogs the food dry. Have a bowl of clean water for the dogs to drink. The back of the package will tell you how much the dogs should eat by weight. Give them half the amount in the morning and the other half at night. So if it says each dog should get 2/3 cup a day give each dog in its own separate bowl 1/3 cup of dog food in the morning and 1/3 in the evening. You will want to take them for a walk as soon as they have finished eating. Have fun. Dachshunds are great pets. They make good loyal friends. Don't give them too many table scrapes or treats because they can get too fat and that can be bad for their health and shorten their lives.

Answer 2

OK, Get a puppy food, it will say "puppy formula" you can get any brand really, but make sure it is FOR PUPPIES ONLY until they are over 1 year old. They should make one for small breed dogs even, there are recommended feeding amount on the back of the bag, dogs only need to eat 1-2 times/day Follow the instructions and feed the dogs with 2 seperate bowls. Feed them 1 time (like in the am) and see how they do. If they dont eat all the food or they are hungry later then split up the meals, if the bag says 2 cups of food per day give them 1 cup for breakfast and 1 cup for dinner. Always feed your dog around the same time EVERYDAY... Biscuits are dog treats. only give them a a few per day. Biscuits and other treats are not meant to replace meals. ESPECIALLY not for puppies- they lack so many vitamins and nutrients your dogs need. Avoid giving your dogs "human food" or "table scraps" at this point in their life. A couple fries or a small piece of burger is ok ON occasion, but avoid getting into this habit as it will give your dogs gas more than likely.

Answer 3

Ok, first off, I have to ask..why did you get puppies before you were better acquainted with the basics? Puppies necessities include a water & food bowl (they will grow as the puppies grow) got to be separate. You will need a collar, leash, and toys. You need to introduce them to the toys, teach them that its ok to chew on these things (show them this by keeping the toys away from your shoes, especially). You need to decide on where they will sleep (crate/kennel vs. dog bed). As for what to feed them, puppies need puppy food and I highly recommend Purina Puppy Chow. My dog and my cat eat nothing but Purina and you know what? They are both 10 years old and act like they are still youngsters! . And I highly recommend you make an appointment with a veterinarian because you will have vacinations and booster shots (about the only thing that is similar to kids). Plus, your vet can tell you what type of dog, etc.

And biscuits should never be considered a meal. Biscuits, or cookies as my dog knows them as, are treats. Maybe as you are house breaking them, praise them when they let you know they need to go outside, ok? If they come when they are called, stuff like that. Then, once they get older, there is nothing that says an older dog can't have a treat or two, either. My dog gets 3 cookies maybe 3 times a week. I give her other treats which include vitamins for her pretty much every night (2 of them).

Answer 4

I have a suggestion: You can get all of you information from the library. Check a couple of books out. One on puppies and the other on Dachshunds..They should not eat people food..they can get an upset stomach like diarrhea. Don't get a cheap brand of food it has to many fillers. Go to a pet store and talk to a person that works there...Right now they need Puppy food in crunchy form. Your puppies are so cute, and give them all the love you can.

Answer 5

First of all, congrats on being proud owners of not just one but two puppies:)

-I would highly recommend food from any health pet store. It's a homeopathy type of store. They have food that are healthy for your pets during their growing stages. And trust me, they're super healthy. All the ingredients are organic & they are things that you would want to eat plus they have added nutrients for your pets.

check out this link...They contain some of the better brands in dog food. http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab

- You can feed your puppies 2 times a day: morning and dinner. In between, you can give them a snack - like a cookie. But no raw hide or pig's ears as they are seriously harmful to dogs when ingesting them. And pretty much, they're like junk food.

- No biscuits aren't enough as a meal. They're only treats...it's like when you have a snack, do you think you can eat that as a meal on its own? No, right.

-No, I wouldn't recommend giving them fries or a piece of your burger. However, you can give them healthy snacks such as apples (keep the skin), banana, carrot stick..pretty much any fruits & vegetables (except, mushrooms, onions, raisins, grapes, nuts). And if you're concerned about giving people food like apples etc...Don't be as people food are pretty healthy as you know what you're giving your dogs unlike your typical mystery dog snacks or dog food.

If you want the best for these puppies, I really would suggest that you take a visit to the health pet store. Do not buy any dog food such as Puppy Chow, IAMS etc. that are normally found at Petco, Walmart or any big chain stores. They contain ingredients that would make your stomach turn. The ingredients on the back sounds good but they are, in fact, misleading. If you wouldn't eat that stuff, would you want to feed these adorable puppies? I would hope not. I would hope that they deserve the best.

If you have any further info or queries, feel free to message me.

Good luck & have fun with your cute puppies!

Answer 6

Yes, they should be started on solid foods by this age. Innova puppy, Orijen puppy, Wellness Just For Puppy, Solid Gold, Canidae, all good brands. Avoid Iams, Science Diet, Eukanuba, Nutro, or anything else with corn, wheat, or soy in it. The first ingredient should be a meat product, not a grain or starch, and there should be a number of meat ingredients in the first part of the list. You can use kibble and canned foods. Soften the kibble in warm water while they are young, and mix in canned food.

Answer 7

Consult your vet first!!!!!!! Always feed a premium puppy food like HILLS SCIENCE DIET for puppies.You will not regret using this product. Puppies will need to eat a few times a day but only in moderation. The packaging will help you according to their weight. Don't ever give a dog wet food as their teeth need the crunchy kibble to scrub off the tarter from their teeth. The odd crunchy biscuit is ok but not too many.
Remember consult your vet.

Answer 8

1) You can buy canned puppy food. I used both Nutro and Pedigree brand puppy food. Nutro also has a lamb and rice dry food that is in "small bite" size
2) Depends on their age. I feed mine twice a day. Same amount.
3) Biscuits are a treat - good for training.
4) I would not give a puppy fries. A small piece of burger is OK - you can also buy chopped burger and boil it, adding rice to it for mealtime.

Answer 9

1) puppy chow is a good one, purina one puppy is also very good
2) you can give them a small meal in the morning, and a small meal at night.
3) Biscuits are treats not for meals
4) I don't give my dogs table scraps, but a small bite here and there will not hurt them.
Hope this helps Good luck

Answer 10

Do not just buy anything. make sure the first ingredient of the food is lamb or chicken for beef. Not by products any crap. It has to have the meat listed first. Or not corn . Use Iams for puppies or Science Diet or better yet call a Vet, You will need one anyway. Your dogs need shots. Etc. Good food is not cheap but it is worth it. I buy the best for my cats.