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Your puppy will grow the fastest during the first six months of his life, so you’ll want to take special care to plan a healthy diet from the start. “Growing puppies have a lot more energy than adult dogs,” says Madan Khare, DVM. “They require more nutrients in each bite because they can’t eat in large quantities.” Here’s everything you need to know about feeding your puppy, including what food to choose, how often to feed him and how to handle treats and teething.
Look for a premium puppy food with key ingredients such as animal-based proteins (chicken, beef or lamb) for strong bones, and energy-rich fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3 are two) for a healthy skin and coat. When perusing the products at your grocery store, don’t be tempted by the low-cost brands in the huge bags. They may contain lower-quality ingredients and artificial preservatives and may not provide your dog the with optimal nutrition he needs.
Premium puppy food, such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Smart Puppy, is more easily digested and has additional nutritional value, containing nutrients such as DHA that are naturally found in milk from the puppy’s mother. Discuss with your vet and read package labels to determine an appropriate formula for your dog’s breed and size.
Create a clean, quiet spot for your puppy to eat, preferably in the kitchen. Additionally, provide your pup with fresh water in a clean bowl at all times, even outdoors. You may want to place a mat beneath both bowls to easily clean up spills or crumbs and keep the area tidy.
Develop a consistent eating schedule that coordinates with yours. At first, feed your puppy three times a day (consult your vet about proper quantities). After four months, twice daily should be fine.
'Feed your puppy while you eat your breakfast, lunch and dinner,' Khare suggests. Your puppy will learn that you eat at the table and he eats from his bowl. This will deter any tendency to beg. “He'll appreciate the bonding time, too,” Khare adds.
Premium dry food, such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™, is your best bet for balanced nutrition, value and convenience. When stored properly, it’ll stay fresh longer than moist food — and it requires fewer cleanups.
For a teething puppy, you may want to mix dry food into moist food.
Use vet-recommended treats when training your dog, but with moderation. Don't offer human food, though — it may do more harm than good because it won’t have the important nutrients your pet needs.
Most humans recognise a hug as a sign of affection and close friendship. That is exactly why we feel this strong urge to hug dogs out of love. After all, they are the best type of best friends. As pet parents, we love greeting our pawsome pals with dog hugs. However, do dogs like hugs? In an IAMS™ survey*, 83% of dog parents say their dog likes hugs too. Is this true? We’re going to try and get an answer to this question.
The short answer is no. Dogs do not like hugs. Now, let’s look at a bit of an explanation to this.
Some dogs enjoy canine cuddles, but usually only with their owner or household members. Otherwise, they don’t care about it. “Hugging is too much and overwhelming for many dogs and should be discouraged if the dog doesn’t know the individual very well”, advises James Serpell, B.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of Humane Ethics & Animal Welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
So, why don’t dogs like hugs? To understand this, we may need to look at what a dog really feels when you try to hug it.
Here is what your pooch probably experiences when you try to engulf it in an embrace:
Hugging is human behaviour and not dog behaviour. These animals are just not physically built for that kind of interaction. We stand upright, so we face people. Dogs are on all fours, making hugging an unnatural act for them. Hence, they prefer a friendly sniff.
As humans, hugging your dog might seem like the purest way of expressing love, however, to dogs, a hug comes off as dominating behaviour. It feels like someone is trying to assert control over them. It can be stressful, especially if done by a stranger.
Since ancient times, a canine’s first instinctive defense has been to run away from danger. And hugging makes them feel trapped and confined. As humans, we too feel awkward when a person we barely know gives us a long and tight hug, right? Dogs somewhat feel the same. To some extent, they would also want to escape.
Sniffing is a dog’s way of expressing love. However, we humans definitely don’t regard sniffing the same way. And no matter how much we love our canine companion, we do feel a little uncomfortable with this gesture. Similarly, your pet might find hugs discomforting. Don’t worry. A dog’s body language will give you all the signs you need to know about their comfort level. But in order to understand these signs, you must learn to read them. So, let us understand some signs that indicate your dog is uneasy.
Dogs try to avoid anything that stresses them out. So, if your dog looks away when you enfold them in your arms, they don't like hugs. Your furry friend might also open their eyes wide while looking away and this allows you to notice their whale eyes. Whale eyes are when you see the whites of a dog’s eyes. Now, that is another indication of stress and discomfort.
Dogs are generally flexible when relaxed. If your dog gets stiff when you wrap your hands around them, you should probably set them free. Your dog might also lower or tuck their tail under the belly out of stress. Moreover, you must also pay attention to your pet’s ears. Lowered ears are a sign of a stressed dog.
It’s no news that we yawn when exhausted. However, if your pooch yawns during dog hugs, they are getting stressed out. It is their way of conveying that they don’t like something.
Every dog is unique. While most of them feel uncomfortable with hugs, some might like being embraced. Here’s how you can confirm if your furball doesn’t feel suffocated when you hug them:
Tail wagging can mean several things. However, you know your dog is happy when they give you a full-body tail wag. Slow, relaxed wags mean that your dog feels composed and at ease.
Placing the paws on the hugger signifies that your dog welcomes this form of attention. A dog’s paws can do more than just walk and dig holes. It is one of the most effective modes of communication for them.
Don’t worry if your dog doesn’t want to hug it out. There are plenty of healthier ways you can show them you are still their best friend:
