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Giving your dog the right nutrients and a complete, balanced diet does not have to be a head-scratcher. All you need to know is what can a dog eat, how much to feed your dog or puppy, how to feed dogs, how many times to feed a dog, how to handle treats and supplements, etc. And this article tries to answer commonly asked questions on dog feeding.
When deciding which dog food is right for your pet, consider these three factors:
Puppies should be fed three times a day from weaning (3 to 6 weeks) to 4 months of age. After 4 months, they should be fed twice a day. Most dogs should continue to be fed twice a day throughout their life, although some pets do well with one feeding.
The answer to this question depends on your dog’s age, size, and activity level. Feeding guidelines, which list the daily-recommended portion, are included on all IAMS™ packages. Start feeding your dog with this amount and adjust according to its needs. Remember to divide the portion accordingly if you feed more than once a day.
The amount of food you need to feed your puppy depends on 3 main factors — breed, weight, and age. However, you can look at this puppy feeding table that we recommend for puppies:
Puppy | Adult target weight (kg) | Recommended daily feeding (g/day) | ||||
| <3 months | 3-6 months | 6-9 months | 9-12 months | 12-18 months | ||
Toy breed | 1-3 | 15-72 | 32-83 | 37-83 |
| |
| 3-5 | 33-106 | 72-121 | 83-121 | |||
Small breed | 5-8 | 48-151 | 106-172 | 111-172 | 111-170 | Transition to IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Adult Dog Food |
| 8-10 | 69-178 | 151-204 | 170-204 | 170-201 | ||
Medium breed | 10-20 | 82-299 | 178-343 | 201-343 | 201-339 | |
| 20-25 | 137-346 | 299-404 | 339-404 | 339-404 | ||
Large breed | 25-40 | 136-492 | 346-575 | 404-575 | 396-575 | 396-563 |
| 40-50 | 191-509 | 493-675 | 575-681 | 563-681 | 553-676 |
This diet contains 390 kilocalories of metabolizable energy (ME) per 100 gms. Remember to have clean, fresh water available for your dog always.
You should not change your puppy’s food to adult abruptly. Giving your pet time to acclimatise to the new taste of adult food is very important. Also, if you suddenly switch your pup’s food, it can cause digestive problems. Go through this schedule that will help you understand how much to feed your dog and transition your dog’s diet from puppy food to adult food:
If you are wondering how much to feed your puppy by weight and age, check out the weight and age-wise breakdown on when to transition your puppy’s diet to adult food:
Weight range | Age to begin transition |
Small breeds that weigh < 9.07 kgs | 9 and 12 months of age |
Medium breeds that weigh between 9.07 and 22.6 kgs | 12 to 14months of age |
Large breeds that weigh more than 22.6 kgs | 12 to 24 months of age |
While transitioning from adult dog food to senior dog food, it is important to factor in your dog’s weight. Look at this weight table to know when to transition your dog’s food from adult to senior:
Weight range | Age to begin transition |
More than 40.8 kgs | 5 years |
23.1 to 40.8 kgs | 6 years |
9.5 to 23.1 kgs | 7 years |
Up to 9.07 kgs | 7 years |
When changing your dog’s food diet, it’s important to slowly introduce new food. Start by offering your dog’s daily portion in a ratio of 25% new food to 75% current food. During the next three days, gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of the old food.
If your dog has gained unhealthy weight, make sure to cut down on fats along with increasing regular exercise. We recommend you browse through IAMS™ products and choose dog foods that are low on fat. How much food to feed your dog if they are overweight, is another major concern. You can consult your vet to understand the right amount of food your furry friend needs for each meal.
It’s important to understand that your dog’s nutritional needs change during pregnancy and ensure you feed her nutrition-rich food. For pregnant dogs, we recommend IAMS™ Puppy food as it’s full of proteins that can help your pregnant dog during the gestation period and improve the quality of milk to nourish her puppies post-delivery.
Wet food is an excellent treat that can be fed alone or mixed with dry food. Although IAMS wet dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, it is not necessary to offer wet food at every feeding. Our dry foods are formulated with high-quality protein sources such as chicken and contain all the essential nutrients pets need. The crunchy texture of dry food also promotes healthy teeth and gums, and aids in overall good oral hygiene. In addition, some of our dry dog foods contain a dental enhancement to help block tartar buildup on teeth during and after meals.
No. Unlike humans, dogs have fewer taste receptors. Hence, they won’t feel the urge to eat something different every day. In fact, if you find something that suits your dog’s overall health and preferences, stick to that food.
Soaking dry food will ease up the initial job of the digestive enzymes. While water will not change its nutritional value, the food should be eaten relatively soon. Moreover, ensure that the leftover portion is discarded to avoid spoilage. We recommend providing your dog with IAMS™ dry food because it is beneficial to your dog’s dental health as well.
No. Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements. Moreover, cat foods are made with higher fat levels, which can be harmful to a dog. While it is okay for dogs and cats to sniff and lick some food from each other’s bowl, you shouldn’t let dogs eat cat food.
We recommend feeding your dog approximately two to four small biscuits per cup of food. Keep in mind that when you add biscuits to your dog’s daily diet, this increases its daily calorie intake, so you should reduce the amount of food you feed. Check the calorie content of the biscuit since biscuits vary in size and formulation.
Since IAMS™ dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced, adding more vitamins, minerals or oils can disrupt the balance our dog food provides. The reason why you provide your dog with a high-quality product is that it has been developed to offer nourishment in proper ratios and ensure optimal nutrition. Hence, nothing needs to be added.
Protein is one of the essential elements that should be a part of your dog’s diet. Including protein in your dog’s diet will strengthen its muscles, ligaments, and cartilages. A protein-rich food also brings about a healthy shine to your dog’s coat!
It is important to maintain a feeding schedule for dogs so that they are conditioned to expect food at that time and avoid irregular snacking in between.
You should never feed your dog home-baked goods, candy, gum, chocolate, limes, onion, and grapes. They can harm your dog’s digestive tract and cause infections as well.
IAMS™ dog food is full of key nutrients that your dog needs for its healthy growth. The basic ingredients in our food include chicken, fish oil, beet pulp, wholesome grains, and natural prebiotic.
Follow our blogs to know more about pet nutrition and dog food diet. Feel free to contact us here in case of any queries.
Rabies is one of the most serious health risks every pet parent must be aware of. In puppies primarily, this disease can manifest itself in particularly severe forms and often goes undiagnosed until it has already progressed to its later stages. Understanding the signs and symptoms of rabies in puppies can help you act as quickly as possible if your beloved pup ever becomes infected with this potentially fatal virus. Please continue reading to learn more about what rabies is, how it presents itself on a physical level, and which treatments may help save the lives of affected puppies.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of animals, including humans. It is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle spasms, and paralysis. If left untreated, it can lead to coma and death. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent rabies.
Puppies can contract rabies just like any other animal, but they are generally not at high risk for it unless they are exposed to a rabid animal or live in an area where rabies is prevalent.
It is important to be aware of the signs of rabies in puppies so that you can take the necessary steps to protect your furry friend from this lethal virus. Some of the most common symptoms of rabies in puppies include:
These behavioural changes are often the first sign that rabies may be present in a puppy. Caregivers should watch for any aggressive behaviours or if their normally outgoing puppy appears withdrawn or unusually timid.
Suppose a puppy begins to lose its appetite or has trouble drinking water. In that case, this can indicate that it is infected with rabies.
Rabies can make a puppy appear disoriented and cause them to stumble when they walk.
A puppy infected with rabies may have difficulty controlling its muscles and suffer from paralysis in some areas of the body.
This is one of the more noticeable signs of rabies in puppies and is caused by the virus paralyzing the muscles controlling swallowing.
Puppies infected with rabies may make different sounds when barking or growling, such as a higher-pitched tone or a more strained voice quality.
Puppies with rabies may be overly fearful of water, even if they usually enjoy swimming or walking by the river.
Rabies can cause violent tremors and seizures, which can indicate the virus.
A puppy infected with rabies may have difficulty breathing as well as experience a choking sensation.
Rabies is a fatal virus that can cause the nervous system's deterioration, leading to death in some cases.
Pet owners must be aware of these signs of rabies in puppies, so they can seek immediate medical attention if their pet shows any of the symptoms listed above.
Several factors can contribute to rabies in puppies, such as:
Rabies is a viral infection that can be transmitted through the bite of an infected animal such as a bat, raccoon, skunk, or fox. Scratches from an infected animal too can cause rabies.
Rabies can also be transmitted through contact with an infected animal's saliva such as through a lick from an infected animal.
Occasionally, rabies can be transmitted from an infected mother to her puppies before or during birth.
Puppies that have not been vaccinated against rabies are at higher risk of contracting the disease.
Poorly maintained or unsanitary living conditions can increase the risk of puppies contracting rabies.
It is essential to get your puppy vaccinated against rabies as soon as possible. This disease can be fatal if not treated promptly and can also be transmitted to humans.
To prevent rabies, your puppy should receive a series of vaccinations at the following ages:
It is also important to keep your puppy up to date on all other vaccinations, including those for distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis.
Before vaccinating your puppy, check with your veterinarian to determine the best vaccination schedule. Your veterinarian will also be able to provide you with more information on the risks and benefits of vaccination.
While vaccination is the ultimate prevention for your puppy, here are a few additional steps you can take to keep rabies at bay:
Rabies can be transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals. Therefore, it is important to keep puppies away from wild animals, especially stray dogs and cats.
This will help prevent them from coming into contact with wild animals and other dogs infected with rabies.
Symptoms of rabies in puppies include lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, and changes in behaviour. If any of these symptoms are observed, it is crucial to contact a veterinarian immediately for further evaluation and treatment.
This will prevent them from coming into contact with wild animals and other dogs infected with rabies. If you must take puppies outside, supervise them closely and keep them on a leash.
Although rare, the possibility is real. To protect against this potentially fatal virus and quell any worries you may have, get your furry friend vaccinated with a rabies shot as soon as possible! If you are still concerned about their health after the vaccine, don't hesitate to consult a trusted veterinarian for advice.
