Dogs consumes many time of it own weight in food during a year. When dogs are sick and especially when there is a rise of body temperature, appetite may fall partially or completely.
Food is required to maintain a mature, resting dog at a definite weight. Food should not be provided in excess so that the dog does not become obese.
Weight of Dog (kg)
Daily Requirement of Foods (g)
2.5
250
5.0
450
10
650
15
900
20
1.1kg
30 above
1.5kg
FEEDING AT PREGNANCY STAGE
Nourished feeding is very important during pregnancy stage. Malnourished bitch may produce underdeveloped, diseased or dead pup. The cause of premature death of pups may be directly linked up to the health of the bitch.
Pregnant bitch should be fed with food containing a balance diet. Abnormal foetus may be born due to improper and inadequate nutrition. From two (2) weeks onward the food of pregnant bitch should be gradually increased in protein such as meat should be the major component of the diet but not in excess.
The food should be appetizing, nutritious, none bulking and easily digestible. A bitch may be off fed in the last few days of pregnancy. In such case, liquid food and water should be made available.
Iron and Calcium (not in excess) are to be supplemented along with Vitamin B to minimize the stress of gestation.
FEEDING AT LACTATION STAGE
The bitch may remain off fed for sometime after whelping. During this period frequent small meals and liquid diets are to be provided, few bitches may consume little food during the first 24 to 48 hours after whelping, and in about 3weeks after whelping their appetite to all nutrients increase sharply.
The bitch should be provided with at least three times it maintenance ration while the sucking pup attains 3 weeks of age. During this entire period adequate Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamin D must be fed. It is a good practice to offer evaporated milk or meat daily during the period of lactation.
When pups have a normal locomotion at 3-4weeks, they should be encouraged to eat food other than the bitch’s milk.
As weaning progress starting limiting the food intake of the bitch so to less problem that might develops at the time of complete weaning.
Any sudden decrease in appetite during early lactation may be due to certain metabolic or infection disease. Hypocalcaemia, eclampsia and mastitis and she should be taken to a Vet for as quick medical attention.
FEEDING PUPS
Immediately after opening their eyes at 12-14days of life pups crawls towards their mother’s food.
At 3 weeks, pups start to lick their mother’s solid food, in this period of life, pup derive their nutrition from the milk of their mother. By 6th week, they are weaned by their mother and the tendency to eat solid foods develops gradually.
Young pups grow firstly by increasing the size of the bones and secondly by development of the organs and muscles at age of 10-12 weeks. The first food offered to pups should be finely minced and should contain good sources of calcium and phosphorus together with Vitamin D.
The following foods are useful; Milk, Cheese, cooked meat or fish. Cod liver oil should also be given; boiled egg shell along with egg can be fed as this supplies additional calcium.
Warm foods are delicious in taste and this helps in the release of aroma of food which increases it palatability.
5(five) daily feeds may be given to the pups of as much as can be cleared up in about 5 minutes, uneaten food should be removed each time. The first 8 weeks of such feeding are very important and should see substantial growth of the puppies by observing the height of the dog at the shoulder, as well as regular weighing.
FEEDING OF ORPHAN PUPS
Dog breeders or Dog owners frequently face the problem of hand rearing of orphan or premature/weak puppies from litter in which bitch’s milk is insufficient for adequate growth. Motherless pups’ needs careful nursing and feeding without there may be colossal death rate. The pups should be kept in cage from draft and as conform table as possible. The difficulties of rearing orphas pups depend upon the age at which the dam has been loss. The pups should be placed on a warm clothes absorbent cotton or on Turkish towel. Daily feeds of milk substitute, using evaporated cow’s milk or goat’s milk, modified by the addition of lime water, dibasic calcium phosphate, egg yolk. e.t.c or the following ingredients may be made available to pups.
MILK SUBSTITUTE -Cow Milk 800ml
Cream200ml
Egg yolk 1
Steammed Bonemeal 6g
Vitamin A2000 I.U
Vitamin D500 units
Citric Acid4g
The above food should be made warm to the level of body temperature. For Pups, up to 3 weeks of age should be fed 6 times a day then up to 5 times a day until the pups start eating solids.
This should be given from a clean eye dropper or small feeding bottle at 2-3, or 4 hours interval.
FEEDING OF BREEDING STOCK
Stud dogs need better food and care, foods such as liver which are useful source of iron, copper and the Vitamin B complex as well as protein should be given regularly, this also applies to the bitch.
It should never be fed to attain maximal weight for its age but rather for ideal size for its age, for the particular breeding. When first signs of heat noted, the bitch’s total daily feed intake should be increased to 5-10% above maintenance level.
Ref: Dogs Their Care and Treatment (Chakrabarti, Amalendu)
Ref: All about Dogs (Dr. Y.G Yaba)
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