What should I feed my Beagle puppy?
Getting a puppy your first time could be a little bit daunting. They need special care and handling that when you don’t get right, could break them. Perhaps one of the most difficult things dog owners face is not knowing what they should feed their little pups. This is most especially since the overall health and well-being of their baby doggos is dependent on the nutrition they take in.
If you have a beagle pup then you’ll find that tiny as they are, they can have a big appetite. They are amenable to almost every food so you must ensure that you only give them a nutritious one. Otherwise, you’ll find that they’ll grow up overweight which is not at all beneficial to them. As young as they are, it is important to set feeding guidelines or diets because this will be a huge factor in their growth and development as they mature.
For the first four weeks, ideally, the diet of your pup should be their mother’s milk. However, there are instances when it doesn’t get access to this. If this is the case, then your pup’s vet would likely recommend a milk replacer together with advice on how you can proceed with it – feeding frequency, temperature, and even how you go about feeding your newborn pup. Just make sure to follow the instructions and be watchful that your pup doesn’t get dehydrated. After the four weeks mark, you can already mix in a little bit of solid food with the milk or milk replacer. Look for high-protein sources and food that are rich in vitamins and minerals. This could help in the development of their bones and muscles. You could feed your pup up to 6 to 8 times in little amounts. When they reach their 6th week, you’ll find that they are already capable of eating purely solid food although there are owners who still prefer this food accompanied by milk.
You’d want to expose your little beagle to different types of food. This is just understandable given the variety of options out there, but this doesn’t need to be rushed. If your pup is already used to a certain brand, then the change should be gradual because this could lead to an upset stomach. What should be done when introducing new food is to mix some of it in the old food in increasing amounts until the transition is complete. By 12 months, you can start treating your little beagle as a normal adult and establish a fitting diet.
There are many puppy foods that you could choose from for your furbaby. There are dry foods or kibbles and wet puppy food that are usually in cans. Also, you could opt for a home-cooked meal if you prefer to be more hand-on on the food your pet eats. All of these have their pros and cons but with the right balance, you could have the assurance that your beagle would grow up healthy and strong.
