# Help! Feeding new pup



## janet6567 (Mar 11, 2014)

Does the food package have guidelines on how much to feed a dog based on age and weight? If not, might you be able to find the information on the manufacturer's webpage? Another thought: does a young puppy have different nutritional needs than your Scotties whom I assume are adult dogs. Could he possibly need a different food for a while? I really have no answers as I've never had a Spoo. But with my Tpoos I followed the guidelines on the food package along with recommendations from the breeder and my vet. How is your "baby dog" settling in and getting along with the Scotties?


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Is it possible to get the same kibble as your breeder to gradually transition him? Sudden feed changed caused Buck to have diarrhea. I used the package guidelines. My breeder said the puppy should feel solid after eating and not light which sounds so vague, but was true. It may take him some time to feel comfortable enough in his new home to finish his portions.


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

I used the breeder's food (Fromms) and feed mostly with food balls & puzzles. I also use kibble to crate train and as treats throughout the day. I recently started feeding a half cup in the evening with my other dog, to get them used to eating together, on advice from a couple trainers. No problems and they both have a nice 'stay' while I set the bowls down and respect the others' food dishes. My spoo is now 5 months old.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Mfmst said:


> Is it possible to get the same kibble as your breeder to gradually transition him? Sudden feed changed caused Buck to have diarrhea. I used the package guidelines. My breeder said the puppy should feel solid after eating and not light which sounds so vague, but was true. It may take him some time to feel comfortable enough in his new home to finish his portions.


Take the advise about changing food. I had 4 toys and changed their food years ago, and you cannot believe how much poop 4 toy poodles can do in one week with the poopies. Before I knew better


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

We switched Hans to a kibble approved for all life stages as soon as we finished up the food that came home with him from the breeder. His breeder recommend feeding all life stages food rather than puppy food. 

I think he ate something like 2/3 cup 2x a day, and then gradually that went to 1 cup 2x a day. I've never been able to get him to eat more than 2 cups of kibble a day. I'd say start with the amount the bag suggests and go up or down from there....Hans won't really over eat so if he seems hungry when he's done I give him more and if he stops finishing his food I cut back. Right now, at almost 3 years old he eats about 1 cup of kibble and 10oz raw a day.


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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

I used to always transfer a new dog gradually to my food, but this time I just didn't have room in my carry-on for the bag of the breeder's food (purina yuk). So, Mackey has been switched to the TOTW cold turkey. His stools have been perfect! I even gave him a chicken wing yesterday without any effect on his poop this AM. I am thrilled with this pup! Nothing seems to faze him! Happy happy boy. I called the breeder yesterday to ask her about how much to feed, but since she free-feeds she was not much help.  

She was sure that he'd have a hard time eating an entire portion the way I'll be feeding him, 4 meals a day, since all her dogs graze all day. He has whomped down everything I give him as fast as he can! I've been feeding 1/2 cup of TOTW salmon 4 times a day, with a chicken wing in there somewhere as a snack. This is only our second full day together, so I can change this if someone has a better idea for me! 

The Scotties are all about 20 lbs, Mackey is 11 1/2 lb, and he's a little thin. The Scots get about 3/4 cup a day, Mackey's getting 2c. Is that too much? He seems to be able to eat it all!


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## seminolewind (Mar 11, 2016)

As for amount, I would see how much the puppy eats in a day and go from there. At the same time do weekly weights if possible. My Spoo seems to do great on 2 cups for the last few months and gaining great weight without wolfing it down.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

sidewinder, I meant to reply to this yesterday, sorry, but I think I was feeding Maizie 1/2 cup 4 times/day when I first brought her home. I just kind of kept feeling her for her condition to see if it was giving her the right amount. Free feeding wouldn't work with all of our gluttons either! Only Maizie would have appropriate control


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Wow! A no nonsense eater with such solid digestion is fantastic. If you can get Mackey to work for kibble instead of treats, home run! Most Poodles seem to do a good job of self-regulating their intake unlike some other breeds.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Poppy is a bit older than Mackey, 16 weeks today, but is also eating an all life stages food....EVO, it is what I fed Iris for nearly 14 years.

I started like you did with 4 meals of 1/2 cup each and she would wolf them down. Sometimes in the evening I would give her a little extra as she kept acting hungry and was sprouting up fast. She has gained a pound a week for 3 weeks and is really lean under her puppy fluff.

Now Poppy eats differently. In the morning I put down 1 cup of food, she eats about half of it, slowly, bit by bit, over about an hour then munches, free feeds, over the rest of the day. It is usually gone by 3 PM. Then about 4:30-5 I put down the other cup and she free feeds on it until mid evening when it is finally all gone. She is gradually switching herself to a free feed dog, which I like.

Both Iris and Rose were free feed dogs and never overweight. Iris was 35-37 lbs her whole adult life and would eat 1 1/2 to 2 cups per day, depending on how much she flet like eating. So I like that Poppy is headed in that direction too. 

When I first got her she seemed ravenous all the time, she also had been on Purina Pro Plan puppy and I think either she had to compete with others for food or the Purina just did not satisfy her growing needs.

Now, if I could get her to quit playing in her water bowl and pouring it all over the floor SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, I will be really happy.

Enjoy your new boy, Mackey, I am having a blast with Poppy!

Viking Queen


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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

Believe me, I know how lucky I am (so far, keeping fingers crossed). I could never get Rita to eat all her food...I had to lock her in the bathroom so the Scotties wouldn't steal her dinner, and she never ate it all. 

So far, he is good with kibble for treats, but he's just learning that sometimes there's food in my hand. I think this dog would work for "good boy"s as well. The breeder really started these pups off well! He is just a honey. I'm waiting for him to present me with a bad OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE moment.  

My sis-in-law has always free-fed her Collies. I'd love to do that, but it won't work here!



Mfmst said:


> Wow! A no nonsense eater with such solid digestion is fantastic. If you can get Mackey to work for kibble instead of treats, home run! Most Poodles seem to do a good job of self-regulating their intake unlike some other breeds.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Dolly is 14 weeks today, I feed her "Now Puppy large breed" and home cooked. She has 3 meals a day;
1 cup kibble w/fruit & yogurt
1/2 cup kibble, 1/2 cup meat & vegies
Last meal same as second one
She gobbles up every meal and has treats throughout the day for training. I mix an oil, kelp and eggshell into the veggies. It's hard to know if they are getting too much or not enough, but I just kind of go on how she feels (ribs) and acts.


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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

Zooeysmom and VQ, thanks so much for letting me know that I'm feeding an appropriate ammount. Seminolewind, your advice is good. I think he could eat alittle more than I am feeding him right now. Today, he seems heavier than yesterday...maybe it's my imagination. He is a little ribby, but super healthy, mentally and physically.

Caddy, I like your routine! A goal for me. Right now, I'll keep with 4x a day to transition from free feeding. Then I'll move to 3x. I need to start adding yogurt and some other things soon, too. I was amazed how well the chicken wing went down. Eventually I'd like to move him to raw, but I feel more confident that he will get the right balance of nutrition from kibble thru his heaviest growth stage. Rita bloated twice the year she turned 15, then never again after I started feeding her raw. She also gained weight and didn't look like a skeleton for the first time in her life. This pup doesn't seem like one with a delicate stomach like she was, but still...the danger of bloat is there with any spoo.

VQ, I feel your pain on the playing in the water bowl issue! Scottie puppies all seem to go thru this faze..I used to attach a rabbit water bottle to the side of the x-pen for a couple of weeks. That seemed to fix the problem, they'd forget about it after awhile of not having the opportunity to play in the water. 

For the last 20 years, my dogs have had water bowls with a lid that restricts the size of the pool of water they can drink from. I recently replaced the old plastic ones with new safe bowls, no bad chemicals. I'd rather have metal, but these are really good, made from the same material as you house's water pipes. 

I started this to keep the Scotties from dripping water all over the floor from wet beards, but I think it will work to keep long poodle ears out of the water, too. And may eliminate water play as well. 
Hope this link works:
Search results for: 'Buddy bowl'


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