7 Tips for Feeding Your Puppy a Raw Diet
A raw diet has tons of benefits for dogs, both adults and puppies. Many people are surprised to learn that it is perfectly safe and healthy to feed puppies a completely raw diet. Dogs are naturally built to digest raw food and starting when they are young is actually better than switching later on. Here are a few helpful tips for starting your puppy on a raw diet!
Tip 1: Stick to One Diet
It’s not a good idea to mix your puppy’s raw food with kibble. Dog’s digest raw food and processed kibble at different rates. Mixing the two can cause digestive issues, especially in young puppies. If you’re going to feed raw commit to it from the start.
Tip 2: Start with One Protein
We offer multiple protein options for our Just Raw meals. When starting out though, especially with a puppy, it’s best to stick with one protein source. If your puppy’s stomach is fine after a week or two with that protein you can add a second one. Always give them time to adjust to a new food before adding more as puppy’s stomachs can be delicate. We recommend starting with gentler protein such as chicken or turkey.
Tip 3: Feed Three Times a Day
Puppies need to be fed more regularly than adult dogs. While most adult dogs are fine eating twice a day, puppies should be fed three small meals a day until they’re about six months old. This is especially important for smaller breeds as they can get low blood sugar If they go too long between meals.
Tip 4: Use Appropriate Portions
Figuring out how much raw food to feed your dog isn’t as difficult as people think. Puppies actually need more food than most people realize. They’re exerting a lot of energy growing after all! Feed your puppy 2-3% of what their adult weight will be. If you’re not sure what that will be it’s around 10% of their current weight. Keep a close eye on their portions as they grow and make adjustments as needed. If you need help with portions you can use our raw feeding calculator!
Tip 5: Keep an Eye on Digestion
Your puppy’s poop will give you good insights on their health so it’s important to keep an eye on it, especially when first starting a raw diet. It’s not uncommon for a dog’s bowels to be a bit looser when trying new foods, but it should adjust after a few days. Make sure your dog’s digestion is back to normal before introducing new protein. If your puppy is still experiencing loose stool or vomiting after a few days of feeding a raw diet you should consult your vet.
Tip 6: Use Raw Treats for Training
As we said, mixing raw food and kibble can really mess with your puppy’s digestion. That goes for using kibble like treats as well. To keep your puppy’s diet consistent, it’s recommended to use non-processed treats for training as well. Just Raw offers a number of dehydrated single ingredient treats that are perfect for training!
Tip 7: Remember Other Puppy Needs
Diet is only one important aspect of a puppy’s health and growth. They should also have plenty of fresh, clean water and exercise. Try to keep walks and play trips short so that you don’t over exhaust your pup.