The digestive system of small puppies is different from that of adult dogs, so owners have to be much more careful when choosing food for growing animals. What exactly and how to feed a two-month-old pet, and what kind of food is best to avoid in the diet – you need to figure it out as carefully as possible.
The better to feed your puppy
Before compiling a daily diet for your dog, you need to decide what kind of food you are going to give your pet. There are only 2 options: ready-made dry food or natural food, represented by meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits. Each of these cases has its own characteristics of feeding products.
Dry food
Among the dry feed mixtures for dogs on the market, there are both economy class products and more expensive premium and holistic food. Given the high need of a growing body for vitamins and minerals, it is better for the owner to pay attention to the latest options, which are distinguished by a higher quality of the composition. A veterinarian will help you decide on the brand of food, taking into account the characteristics of the animal’s health and its breed characteristics. If you rely only on consumer reviews, then for puppies of small breeds (for example, Yorkshire Terrier or Spitz), the following products will be a good solution for regular feeding:
- Guabi Natural for puppies;
- Acana Heritage;
- Applaws with chicken.
It is better for babies of larger breeds (Alabai or Shepherd Dogs) to choose puppy food from one of the following companies:
- Acana Heritage
- Orijen;
- Savarra with Lamb and Rice;
- Applaws.
If the owner does not have the opportunity to purchase dry food for puppies of a particular breed, you can always buy a universal food suitable for babies of any breed. Popular products in this direction are:
- grain-free food Orijen;
- hypoallergenic formula with lamb and rice for puppies prone to allergic reactions (for example, pugs, bulldogs, sharpei, Pekingese)
- with salmon and turkey Carnilove;
- with potatoes and salmon Optima Nova Sensitive
- with trout and salmon Barking Heads Puppy Days.
It is not necessary to soften the dry granules before serving to the puppy. Two-month-old kitties can already chew them on their own, but if the baby does not like the smell or consistency of such food, at first you can soak it in warm boiled water, leaving it covered for 30–40 minutes.
Did you know? If a puppy does not interact with people in the first three months after birth, it will remain wild for life. Scientists consider the Australian dingo to be a separate species of such feral domestic dogs.
homemade food
Homemade food may well become an alternative to complete ready-made food, but only if the dog’s owner can accurately calculate the amount of certain products required for puppies. A natural menu for 2-month-old pets usually consists of:
- low-fat meats (chicken, beef, veal, turkey, rabbit), which must be frozen in the refrigerator for at least three days before serving it raw, and then cut into not very small pieces
- meat offal (beef tripe, liver, heart and udder), the volume of which should exceed the amount of pure meat by one and a half times and be given to the dog no more than 1-2 times in 7 days
- cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat and rice);
- dairy products (kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt), which are introduced into the diet of puppies every other day;
- vegetables (most often small puppies and adult animals are given pumpkin crops, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower, but you should also focus on the personal preferences of the kitten.
Before giving vegetables to the puppy, they are boiled or steamed, adding a small amount of vegetable oil, but in the intervals between main feedings, you can give the pet raw foods to improve the performance of the stomach and strengthen the jaw.
Boneless sea fish scalded with boiling water, fruits, berries and eggs, boiled in the usual way or raw, will help to diversify the diet of a two-month-old kitten. Once or twice a week, fish can be substituted for meat, but due to its lower calorie content, it will need 2 times more than beef or rabbit meat, so the owners are not always ready to change their usual routine.
Important! Meat should not be combined with dairy products, since different intestinal enzymes are needed to digest these products. It is advisable to give meat food to the pet in combination with vegetables, and cook porridge in water or broth, with the introduction of vegetable components.
How many times a day to feed a two-month-old puppy
Like a month-old or one and a half-month-old baby, a two-month-old kitten is fed at least 5-6 times a day, with an interval of three hours. That is, a suitable daily feed rate must be divided into 5-6 equal parts, even if they seem very small to the owner. If the puppy does not finish the offered portion, the bowl is still removed to add the remaining food to the next portion.
For convenience, the daily ration of dry food can be weighed every morning by pouring it into a tightly closed container with marks on the wall. They will be much easier to navigate in the required amount of food at each daily feeding and you will not have to fear exceeding the maximum possible daily feed rate.
How to calculate serving size
The easiest way to calculate the optimal daily food intake for a two-month-old puppy is if the owner decides to use dry food. Most manufacturers of such products think about this in advance, placing on the boxes with food a detailed table with the dosage of pellets for puppies, taking into account their weight. On average, for small breeds (up to 2-3 kg of an adult), 50-65 g of feed per day is required, and for large babies with an adult weight of 26-29 kg – at least 245 g. At the same time, for the health of joints and everything musculoskeletal system of large animals, it is better to slightly underfeed the puppy, thereby preventing obesity and excessive weight gain. At least 260-270 kcal, that is, about 6-7% of the total weight of the animal, should fall on 1 kg of the pet’s weight.
Normally, the puppy eats the given portion in just 10-15 minutes, leaving an empty bowl. If the pet swallows the proposed food in just 2-5 minutes and licks the dishes for a long time, the puppy definitely does not have enough food and it is worth increasing the portion
An interesting way to calculate the optimal amount of natural food for a two-month-old puppy is to give a deliberately large amount of food. As soon as the last ribs are heard from the dog during eating, the bowl is taken away in order to slightly underfeed the pet. Usually, this method is used when keeping lean hunting breeds: Kurzhars, Dratkhars, Russian hunting dogs and spaniels.
What else can you give
In addition to natural products or ready-made dry food, separate vitamin and mineral supplements and treats are often introduced into the diet of two-month-old puppies. They not only make the animal’s menu more varied, but also have a positive effect on its health, although for maximum benefit it is worth knowing about some of the features of the dispensing of each supplement.
Vitamins and other supplements
When using high-quality premium food or holistic in feeding puppies, individual vitamin and mineral formulations do not need to be purchased, since the animal already receives all the nutrients it needs. Excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals in the diet will lead to hypervitaminosis, so it is better to include nutritional supplements only with natural nutrition of puppies, which is much more difficult to balance.
There are two main types of vitamin and mineral complexes:
- finished mixed products, the best among which are the compositions “Excel Multi Vit 8 in 1”, “Beaphar for puppy”, “Canvit Junior”, “Biorhythm” and “Doctor Zoo” products
- natural – fodder sulfur, brewer’s yeast, bone meal, calcined cottage cheese, fish oil.
Two-month-old puppies of large breeds with significant body weight additionally include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus in the menu, ensuring the correct formation of the skeleton, to prevent rickets. Fish oil, vitamins A and D, given to dogs in the cold season, will be especially useful for prevention.
Treats for dogs
A treat is the easiest way to encourage the correct behavior of a puppy, especially if the baby has just begun to get acquainted with the rules in the house. If possible, it is better to give preference to completely natural treats in the form of dried and dried meat, antlers. An alternative solution would be ready-made pellets and sinewy bones from a pet store. Good examples of such products are deservedly considered products from the companies “Acana” and “Orijen”, but do not overuse them. Like food, a treat contains a significant supply of calories, so the treat should take no more than 10% of the total daily food intake. A budget option for homemade delicacies will be bread croutons and oven-dried cheese.
Important! When preparing any kind of treats for a two-month-old puppy, do not use salt, pepper or any other spices.
What shouldn’t be given to 2-month-old puppies
Not all food from the master’s table benefits the body of an adult dog, what can we say about a puppy. The smaller the breed, the more dangerous a small piece of smoked sausage or a tiny slice of chocolate will be for the animal. It is quite difficult to predict the reaction of the pet’s body to prohibited foods, but in order to prevent serious health problems of the animal, it is better to avoid the components of the following list:
- salty, smoked, fatty and fried foods from the human table;
- sausages, canned meat and vegetables in all its types;
- semi-finished products and food from fast food establishments;
- citrus fruits, grapes and raisins from it;
- garlic and onions;
- confectionery and bakery products, sweets (especially chocolate);
- mushrooms and nuts;
- alcoholic, carbonated and sweet drinks.
In addition to this dangerous food, there is a group of “conditionally dangerous” products, the dangers of which the owners constantly argue with each other. First of all, these are:
- fatty, thermally unprocessed pork, which may well contain eggs and larvae of worms;
- boiled potatoes contain a lot of starch (you can pamper an adult pet with a few slices of a tuber, but it is better not to give it to puppies);
- tomatoes – well eliminate dental plaque, but with excessive consumption they can provoke serious poisoning in a dog;
- honey is an allergenic product, but at the same time it is a storehouse of useful substances, therefore, occasionally it is still included in the diet in small quantities;
- pearl barley and semolina – they contain a lot of carbohydrates, the excessive accumulation of which leads to bloating and excess weight, however, for actively growing two-month-old carousing, semolina in milk will be useful with insufficient body weight gain;
- legumes – always cause flatulence and associated restless behavior in the puppy, but if an adult dog loves peas or beans, then a few grains will not be harmful.
Whatever you start to feed a small puppy, always carefully monitor the reaction of his body to a new product. If vomiting, diarrhea or any allergy symptoms appear, it must be excluded from the diet.
Nutritional features of puppies of different breeds
Representatives of different breeds of dogs differ from each other in terms of appearance, character and temperament, which in some cases affects the increased activity of the pet and, as a result, high energy consumption. This feature must be taken into account when drawing up the diet of small, medium and large animals.
Small
Decorative dogs are very popular in the city, because they do not take up much space and may well do without long walks. The most common breeds today are considered to be the Miniature Pinscher, Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Mini Poodle, Toy Terrier, Pekingese and other dogs, whose weight does not exceed 10 kg. At first glance, they eat little and are generally not demanding in the choice of food, but this is not at all the case.
Two-month-old dwarf and small breed puppies spend a lot of energy on maintaining their body temperature, not to mention the increased energy expenditure due to their high natural activity. To replenish the loss, the body needs a very high-calorie, protein-rich and carbohydrate-rich food that is outstanding to animals in small portions. Natural products are crushed, and dry food pellets are soaked in water so as not to damage the dogs’ weak teeth.
A sample menu for two-month-old small breed puppies might be as follows:
- 7:00 – porridge with milk and a small piece of chicken egg (for example, 1/4);
- 10:00 – grated carrot or apple, with a small addition of vegetable oil;
- 13:00 – cottage cheese mixed in kefir;
- 15:00 – meat or fish with grated vegetables, seasoned with broth;
- 18:00 – vegetables stewed in olive oil;
- 21:00 – meat offal or meat, previously finely chopped and heat-treated
Meat in the daily diet of a two-month-old small breed puppy should be at least 40% of the total daily food intake.
Medium
Among the representatives of medium breeds of domestic dogs, the most common are Jack Russell Terriers, Labradors, Cocker Spaniels, Staffordshire Terriers, German Pinschers and Medium Spitz. Already at the age of two months, the sizes of animals of medium breeds are very different from the parameters of the relatives of dwarf ones, although they spend slightly less energy.
Meat, kefirs and yoghurts in the diet of these animals should occupy at least 50-60% of the daily food volume, and the remaining 40% usually falls on vegetables, fruits and cereals.
Did you know? The oldest officially registered dog in the world is a mestizo terrier named Max. He died in 2013, just before his 30th birthday.
An approximate daily menu for such dogs might look like this:
- 7:00 – cottage cheese with sour cream;
- 10:00 – meat or fish scalded with boiling water, with prepared grated vegetables;
- 13:00 – milk porridge (semolina is possible) and half a boiled egg;
- 15:00 – porridge with zucchini, carrots or broccoli, drenched in broth;
- 18:00 – porridge with milk;
- 21:00 – finely chopped raw meat.
You can change the “dishes” at your discretion, the main thing is that the pet’s diet is varied and maximally balanced in terms of vitamin and mineral composition.
Large and giant
Raising strong and healthy puppies of large or giant breeds is much more difficult than raising small and medium-sized babies. Alabai, Dobermans, Rottweilers, St. Bernards, East European Shepherds, Great Danes and Newfoundlands are already quite large at 2 months, while continuing to grow rapidly. The skeleton does not always have time to get stronger, therefore, deformation and curvature of the paws may be observed. To prevent this from happening, it is very important to take a responsible approach to the composition of the animal’s diet, paying special attention to the calcium content in the food.
The menu for a large breed puppy should consist of the following foods:
- meat, fish, offal and dairy products rich in protein of animal origin (at least 60% of the total amount of food per day);
- cereals and cereals, providing replenishment of carbohydrate reserves of the body (20-30% of the total daily intake);
- vegetables and fruits rich in fiber (10-15% of the total daily food intake);
- chondroprotectors – special additives necessary for the proper formation and strengthening of cartilage, joints and ligaments.
The daily menu for two-month-old puppies of large and giant breeds looks like this:
- 7:00 – cottage cheese drenched in yogurt or milk;
- 10:00 – finely chopped meat, with boiled vegetables and a teaspoon of olive oil;
- 13:00 – buckwheat porridge cooked in meat broth;
- 15:00 – rolled oats or rice with milk;
- 18:00 – chopped vegetables and fruits;
- 21:00 – minced offal, fish or meat, cooked with the addition of oil.
Some dogs don’t like pure fruits and vegetables. You shouldn’t force feed them to the pet, but in order not to deprive the dog’s body of nutrients, you can slightly boil carrots or broccoli and add them to the meat in this form, as if hiding behind it.
How much water is needed?
Water is an indispensable component of the successful digestion of any animal, but how exactly it enters the body is no longer so important. A significant part of the moisture, dogs receive along with juicy feed, but if we are talking about eating dry ready-made feed, the animal will have to organize free access to water, the consumption of which will be much higher than with natural feeding. On average, after 500 grams of dry food eaten, the pet drinks at least 1 liter of water. The owner’s task is to change the water in the bowl in a timely manner so that it does not stagnate or become contaminated with food or saliva remnants. In this form, the liquid is not so attractive to a puppy or an adult dog, and often they are even ready to endure thirst, just not to touch the bowl of drinking.
Why is it important to feed your 2-month-old puppy properly?
Every day in the life of a two-month-old dog is one of the important stages of its development, and when any violations appear, it is far from always possible to return to the concept of the norm. Complete feeds and balanced natural nutrition are designed to provide the dog’s body with a full supply of vitamins and minerals, strengthening bones and improving the functioning of internal organs. A healthy, normally developing two-month-old kitten of any breed will always be well-fed, with well-developed pectoral muscles and a broad chest that stands out against the background of the waist. During the period of illness, the growth of the baby slows down, but good nutrition always helps him return to normal, fully recovering from the experienced disorder.
If you decide to accustom your dog to natural food, it is not recommended to use ready-made industrial food, otherwise there is every chance of disrupting the digestive processes, provoking constipation or diarrhea. The transition from one type of feed to another should always be smooth and systematic, and joint feeding will only hurt. Adult dogs accept such mistakes much easier, but small puppies are much more sensitive to any changes in the diet. Reckless adjustment of the menu threatens with persistent eating disorders and possible allergic reactions.
In general, two-month-old puppies are no longer helpless, but still very vulnerable creatures that need the attention and care of the owner. Choosing the right food directly affects their health and wellness, which means that every effort should be made not to make mistakes in this aspect of care.
