When you have a pitbull puppy, of course you want to give him the best nutrition so that he can grow well. There are several things that you need to know about how to feed a pitbull puppy for maximum growth. Those things will be explained here.
Feeding a Pitbull Puppy in the First Six Weeks
In the first six weeks of your pitbull puppy life, your puppy needs to feed on his mother so that he can get the nutrition and antibodies that he needs. Mother's milk contains high protein, fat and sugar and those are needed by a puppy for his growth. These nutrients are needed by puppies for having healthy bone and muscle development.
If the mom of your puppy is nor around, you can replace the mother's milk with puppy milk replacement formula. It can be bought at your local pet supply store.
Feeding a Pitbull Puppy in the Six to Twelve Weeks
When your puppy is five to six weeks old, you have to wean your puppy onto solid food. You can choose wet or dry puppy food for him to eat and make sure that he can grow into a happy and healthy adult. The food for this age is usually richer in fat and calories than the food for adult dogs because it will give him the nutrients that he needs for his growing body.
You have to make sure that you choose the food that follows the nutritional standards recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. You can mix the puppy food with warm water or puppy formula so that it forms a mush that can be eaten by your puppy. You can start with a mix of 75% liquid to 25% wet or dry puppy food. During the course of four to six weeks, you can increase the amount of food slowly by 25% and then decrease the liquid by a similar amount. Feed your puppy four times a day where it is recommended by Cesar's Way.
Feeding a Pitbull Puppy in the Twelve Weeks to Twelve Months
Usually, pitbull breeds and mixes weigh under 50 pounds. Most of them are fully grown between 8 to 12 months old. During this period, you can feed your pitbull puppy with puppy specific food and you have to follow the package directions for his size.
You have to make sure that you do not under or over feed your growing puppy until your puppy reaches maturity. It is because if you give him too little food, it will prevent him from reaching his maximum potential, but if you give him too much food, it can cause him to develop too rapidly. Rapid development must be avoided particularly for large pitbull mixes because it can lead to bone and joint issues later in life for larger dogs.
You have to make sure that your pitbull does not eat all his food at once. You can do that by considering feeding him in two meals or get him a slow-feeding bowl. By using these types of bowls, it can prevent your dog from eating all of the food at once.
The Consideration of Feeding Your Pitbull Puppy towards His Growth
Pitbulls are active dogs so that you have to feed them accordingly as puppies and as adults. They may need more calories than your average medium-sized dog. However, if you find that your puppy is packing on the pounds, you have to cut back on what you are feeding.
As you know, pitbulls are stocky and muscular, but they should not be round. If they have too much weight, it can give their joints pressure and it is not healthy for them. When you feed your pitbull puppy, it is important for you to remember that big-chested bully breeds are prone to a serious condition named gastric dilation volvulus known as bloat. So, you have to make sure that you do not let them eat too rapidly or feed them an hour before or after exercise.
Feeding Your Pitbull Puppy Kibble
The most convenient dog food is kibble because it is easy to store and can be used as treats or fed on the go. It also has different flavors. If you want to feed your pitbull puppy with kibble, you can spend a bit more for an all-natural brand with premium ingredients. According to studies, more expensive kibble is often more easily digestible. However, you have to make sure that you can avoid ingredients such as soy, corn, wheat and fructose or glucose syrups.
If you want to make sure that your puppy gets all the nutrients that he needs to grow healthily, you can choose kibble which is designed specifically for medium-sized puppies to large breeds.
Why My Pitbull Puppy Does Not Want to Eat
If you find that your pitbull puppy does not want to eat, you may be worried. However, sometimes it can happen. The reason why it can happen may be because your pitbull puppy may be too overwhelmed from learning, playing and all the experiences to get hungry.
You do not have to be worried if your pitbull puppy skips meals once. However, if you find that your pitbull puppy skips meals more than twice or he does not eat for more than 12 hour, then there may be a serious problem.
If you find that your pitbull puppy does not want to eat more than twice, you have to check whether your puppy has the other symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, unusual tiredness, and salvation. If you find one or some of these symptoms, then you are able to visit your vet to check the condition of your pitbull puppy.
What To Do If My Pitbull Puppy Is Still Hungry
If you find that your pitbull puppy is still hungry after you give him meals, you have to make sure that your puppy is not underweight and get the right amount of calories. If everything is okay, but he is still hungry, you can try distributing the total daily food portion onto more feedings throughout the day.
If it cannot help, then try some treats in between meals, but make your pitbull puppy work for them. It is not recommended for you to give your puppy treats whenever he is begging.
