Puppies are typically weaned off of their mother's milk at about 8 weeks of age. The goal of feeding growing puppies is to lay the foundation for a healthy adulthood. Proper nutrition is needed to:
- achieve healthy growth (neither too rapid nor too slow),
- optimize immune function,
- minimize potential for obesity, and
- avoid developmental orthopedic disease.
What does normal growth and development look like?
Puppies grow quickly, maturing to adulthood by the time they are 10-12 months of age for small and medium-sized breeds and up to18-24 months for large and giant breeds.
Growth rates for puppies vary by breed and involve complex interactions among genetics, nutrition, and the environment. Proper nutrition is critical to the health and development of puppies, regardless of breed, and it directly influences their immune system and body composition. The nutrient density of food and the amount of food fed can greatly affect the growth rate.
Should I aim for optimal growth or maximal growth?
An optimal growth rate in puppies is ideal: it is slow and steady growth that allows the puppy to achieve an ideal (optimal) adult body condition while avoiding excessive weight and obesity.
A maximal growth rate means the puppy grows as fast as possible, usually due to high-energy foods, overfeeding, and/or free-choice feeding. A maximal growth rate increases a puppy's risk of skeletal deformities, obesity, and a shortened life expectancy.
Regular weigh-ins and body condition assessments are practical strategies to help keep a growing puppy on track and growing at an optimal rate. Another tool to track your puppy’s growth is the Waltham Puppy Growth Charts. These charts allow you to track your puppy’s weight and age to ensure they stay on their correct percentile curve. Your veterinarian and veterinary healthcare team can explain how to use these tools and assess your puppy at home.
What are the nutritional requirements for growing puppies?
When choosing a diet for your growing puppy, it is important to understand three key nutrients: protein, fat, and calcium.
- Protein: Protein requirements for growing puppies are highest immediately after weaning, but the amount of protein they need will steadily decrease thereafter. Protein is important as a source of energy, but also to provide essential amino acids and to build and maintain lean tissue.
- Fat: Fat is a source of essential fatty acids. It is a concentrated source of energy and it facilitates the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
- Calcium: Puppies require more calcium than adult dogs, because they require calcium for growth and development of their skeletons. Excessive calcium can also be a problem and can contribute to growth abnormalities. Calcium content in growth food formulations for large and giant breed puppies needs to be considered more carefully as these breeds have the highest risk for growth abnormalities. It is important to select a diet that specifies it is designed to meet the nutritional levels established for the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) for large-breed puppies.
These are just three of the several nutrients that are essential for growing puppies. To ensure you are feeding a food that meets the nutritional requirements for your puppy, check the label for a nutritional adequacy statement (AAFCO statement) that specifies the food has been formulated to meet the requirements for growth. A food formulated for all life stages is also appropriate for growth.
Once an appropriate food has been selected, give no additional vitamin or mineral supplements without first checking with your veterinarian. A purpose-formulated puppy food should have everything that your puppy needs.
How can I prevent maximal growth and obesity?
Growing puppies need higher amounts of all nutrients than adult dogs, but excess energy can create serious problems. Consuming more calories than needed to maintain an optimal growth rate can lead to faster growth and accumulation of excess fat tissue. This excess fat can then lead to obesity by the time your puppy has reached adulthood. While obesity can be treated with an appropriate diet, calorie restriction, feeding management, and exercise, weight loss plans are time consuming and come with challenges.
A better approach is to prevent obesity from occurring. In large and giant breeds, excess calories can also lead to abnormal skeletal development and orthopedic disease. Prevention of obesity begins during the weaning stage and continues through to adulthood and the senior years. Being overweight or obese increases the risk for many complications and diseases, including:
- hypertension
- heart disease
- diabetes mellitus
- osteoarthritis
- heat intolerance
- decreased immune function
Free-choice feeding can increase the risk of gaining more body fat, becoming overweight or obese, and developing skeletal abnormalities (in large-breed puppies).
Portion feeding provides the greatest opportunity to prevent puppies from becoming overweight or obese, as a controlled amount of food is offered each day. Portions can be easily adjusted (increased or decreased) based on growth rate. Puppies grow rapidly and should be fed measured amounts at regular feeding times, generally 2–3 times per day, based on their body condition and age. Moderate energy and food restrictions during growth in large-breed dogs can also decrease the risk of hip dysplasia without interfering with their ultimate adult size.
It is important to remember that calories not only come from your puppy’s food, but also from any treats or snacks they eat. In order to ensure your puppy’s overall diet is complete and balanced and to control your puppy’s calorie intake, no more than 10% of their total daily calories should come from treats or snacks. Your veterinarian can help you determine your puppy’s calorie requirement so you can determine what 10% would be. Remember, as your puppy grows, its calorie needs will also change.
Your puppy's weight, body condition, and growth rate should be regularly assessed. With planning and attention to detail, you can lay the foundation for your puppy's optimal health and longevity. Together with your veterinarian and veterinary healthcare team, you can help your puppy grow into a healthy adult dog.
