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Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs to keep their bodies strong. The most noticeable time is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth (you might find a tooth near his dish or on the floor; this is normal).
During this phase, his mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause him to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There's nothing you can do except to wait it out, even if his appetite is low for a couple of days.
Helpful Hints
Don't switch to a new formula to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:
Your new puppy's first meals at home are very important. Find out what formula your puppy has been eating, and continue feeding this food for a day or two after you bring him home. If you want to change his diet to a premium food such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Smart Puppy Original , gradually move him to the new formula and help avoid intestinal upsets by using the following steps:
Day 1: Fill your dog's bowl with 75% of his old food and 25% of IAMS ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original.
Day 2: Mix his former food and IAMS ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original in a 50/50 ratio.
Day 3: Feed your dog a mixture that's 75% IAMS ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original and 25% former food.
Day 4: Feed 100% of IAMS ProActive Health Smart Puppy Original.
To feed a puppy from weaning to 4 months of age, offer a 100% complete and balanced premium puppy formula. To determine each serving size, start with the daily amount recommended by the feeding guidelines on the pet food label, and divide that number by the number of times a day (usually three times) you plan to feed your puppy.
Serve the food at room temperature and remove the bowl within 30 minutes after he's done eating. After four months, you can feed a puppy twice daily on a regular schedule.
Don't add nutritional supplements to your dog's diet. Adding commercial dietary supplements or 'people food' such as hamburger, eggs, cottage cheese, or cow's milk is unnecessary and might even do more harm than good.
