How to Start Your Puppy on a Raw Diet

At Paleo Ridge, we have purposely decided not to produce or market a "puppy food". All our complete meals are perfectly fine for weaned pups from 6-8 weeks onwards. Some companies produce a specific puppy food and recommend feeding only that for 6-9 months. Once weaned, all pups should start to experience the wonders of variety, just like in the wild.

We believe puppies should be fed a good variety of proteins as soon as they are able (6-8 weeks) especially large breed dogs. Puppy Weaning Paste is usually offered between weeks 3 and 6. Usually from 6 weeks they are very enthusiastic to get their tiny teeth into some chunky meat!

Firstly, congratulations on your four legged family member!

If you are welcoming a pup that has been weaned onto raw, you are very lucky indeed! For pups who are being fed another brand, the change to Paleo Ridge should be a very easy one. We recommend mixing our food with what your pup is currently fed at a 50:50 ratio. Over the course of a week, reduce the old brand and increase Paleo Ridge.

If your pup is kibble fed and you want to switch to raw, you are making the best choice. We are often asked 'how long should I wait before making the switch to raw?' There isn't one answer to this question. Most pups, positively embrace the huge change of moving away from mum and litter mates. If your pup is less confident and needs a bit of time to adjust to their new family that is ok too. Either way it is perfectly ok to switch your pup to raw as soon as they arrive, it is also perfectly ok to wait a few days and then make the switch.

New pups are usually bundles of energy while they are awake, they will also sleep loads! It is important to allow them time to do this without interruption. A tired pup, is a pup who is much less likely to listen and learn.

To switch your puppy to a raw diet please follow our Switch to Raw Guide. To minimise the risk of upsets, we do advise starting with this plan. We would not recommend feeding some of the richer meals like Fish, Surf & Turf, Pork or Venison & Duck for the first 3-4 weeks. Wait until your pup is fully transitioned. We have a huge variety of complete meals that are suitable for those first weeks, your pup will definitely not be missing out!

• Puppies do not need extra calcium, but they do need the right amount of calcium. Overfeeding calcium can cause as many issues as underfeeding calcium in growing pups.

• For pups we always recommend feeding a variety from our complete ranges: Classic Range 80-10-10 complete feed and Paleo Plus complete feed, contain all the right ingredients, in the right quantities to ensure your pups grow into healthy adults.
  
  
• Pups are the perfect candidates for trying new things! They love to explore their surroundings i.e. new sights, sounds and textures. They are just as curious about raw food. From 6-8 weeks most pups are more than capable of chewing a chicken wing or neck. They may not eat much but they love to have a go!

Puppies should be fed smaller meals more often. Puppies grow at an alarming rate but have limited stomach capacity, hence the smaller, more frequent meals. This mimics the natural rearing cycle of wild dogs. Multiple meals are necessary to compensate for the smaller stomach of pups. While this can vary, younger pups need more meals than older pups.

As a rough guide, pups should be fed as per the following:

• 4 meals per day for pups up to 4 -5 months

• 3 meals per day for pups from 4-9 months

• 2 meals per day for pups from 9 months to 1 year

• 1 - 2 meals per day from 1 year onwards

It is important to remember that all pups will experience rapid growth spurts. During these periods they will be more hungry. Keep a close eye on body condition and growth. A lean pup is a healthy pup!

Don't allow them to become too 'well covered'. You should be able to see a rib or two when they are standing. During rapid growth spurts your pup may become more ribby or more leggy. It's ok to feed more during these growth spurts. Feeding guidelines do not have to be rigidly adhered too. They serve as a guide. You have eyes on your dog, make sure you adjust feeding amounts to maintain a healthy body weight.

If you have any concerns or need any further help, please contact us at:

info@paleoridge.co.uk

02394 210800