Feeding a puppy: 8 common mistakes to avoid
The most common puppy feeding mistakes are an abrupt kibble change on arrival, overfeeding a large-breed puppy, table scraps, cow’s milk and reckless calcium supplementation. Each can have lasting consequences on growth. Here is how to avoid them, with the backing of the dog food section.
Which puppy feeding mistakes compromise growth?
The most serious one concerns large breeds: overfeeding a shepherd or retriever puppy accelerates bone growth beyond what the joints can bear, promoting dysplasia and osteochondrosis. A puppy should stay lean, with palpable ribs. Second major mistake: adding calcium to help the bones on top of an already balanced growth kibble, which disrupts mineralisation. No supplement without veterinary advice.
Why shouldn’t you change kibble overnight?
A puppy’s gut flora is immature: an abrupt change triggers diarrhoea and vomiting, dangerous at an age when dehydration sets in fast. Keep the breeder’s food for the first days, then run a transition over 7 to 10 days by mixing progressively. If you are still weighing up feeding methods, our kibble or home-cooked diet comparison frames the debate for adulthood; for a puppy, growth kibble remains the safest route.
Which foods should be banned from the puppy’s bowl?
- Cow’s milk: a weaned puppy digests lactose poorly, diarrhoea guaranteed.
- Cooked bones: they shatter into perforating splinters.
- Table scraps: too fatty, too salty, and a breeding ground for begging.
- Chocolate, grapes, onion, avocado: toxic, sometimes fatal.
- Low-end adult or all-breed kibble: calcium/phosphorus ratios unsuited to growth.
How many meals a day, and how should the rhythm evolve?
Four meals until 3 months, three from 3 to 6 months, then two meals for life: a puppy’s stomach is small and its blood sugar fragile. Weigh the ration to the gram following the manufacturer’s table, adjusted to actual body condition, and weigh the puppy every month. A growth kibble budget sits between 25 and 70 € per month depending on size. The bowl itself matters too: our guide to first-puppy equipment mistakes will steer you away from bottom-shelf plastic.
Frequently asked questions
When should you switch to adult kibble?
Around 10-12 months for a small dog, 12-15 months for a medium one, 15-24 months for a large build. Your vet will adjust according to the growth curve.
My puppy is always hungry, should I increase the ration?
Not on that criterion alone: go by body condition and weight. A greedy puppy can be kept busy with a puzzle feeder rather than given seconds.
My puppy has had diarrhoea for 24 hours, what should I do?
With a puppy, don’t let it drag on: call the vet after 24 hours of diarrhoea, immediately if there is blood or lethargy. Our other guides are on the dog hub.
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Dogs universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.