Wie oft soll ich meinen Welpen am Tag füttern?

Die Intervalle der Fütterung richten sich nach dem Alter der Welpen. Wenn Du junge Welpen zufütterst, um die Mutterhündin zu unterstützen, solltest du 4-6 Fütterungen pro Tag einplanen. Fällt die Hündin - aus gesundheitlichen Gründen oder weil sie nicht genug Milch hat - aus, musst Du bis zur 4. Lebenswoche alle 3h mit Welpenmilch zufüttern. Anschließend kannst Du die Intervalle verlängern und eingeweichtes Trockenfutter oder Nassfutter 4x am Tag geben. Achte immer darauf, dass die Portionen nicht zu klein und auch nicht zu groß sind.

Futter für Welpen: Besser Nass- oder Trockenfutter?

Wenn Du die Zufütterung startest, beginnst Du am besten mit einem Nassfutter für Welpen. Du kannst auch Trockenfutter geben, welches Du aber in lauwarmem Wasser oder in Welpenmilch einweichst. Wichtig ist, dass Du ein hochwertiges und für das jeweilige Alter der Welpen geeignetes Futter wählst. Auch die Hunderasse ist ein entscheidendes Kriterium, denn es gibt Welpennahrung für große, für mittlere und für kleine Hunde. Bei Nassfutter spielt die Größe Deiner Welpen eine untergeordnete Rolle. Bei Trockenfutter ist sie aufgrund der Pelletgröße unbedingt zu beachten.

Welches Futter für Welpen - worauf kommt es bei der Fütterung an?

Neben der Frage: "Wie oft Welpen füttern?" stellt sich vor allem die Frage, welches Futter für die heranwachsenden Hundekinder am besten ist. Ob Du nass oder trocken fütterst, spielt im Bezug auf den Nährstoffgehalt eine untergeordnete Rolle, wenn Du Dich für gutes Futter entscheidest. Welches Futter für Welpen optimal ist, hängt in erster Linie von ihrem Alter und von ihrem Entwicklungsstand ab. Solange die Milchzähne noch wachsen, muss das Futter weich sein. Andernfalls schlingen Welpen, was wiederum zu Darmbeschwerden und Schluckauf führt. Hier bietet sich Nassfutter an. Alternativ kannst Du gesundes Trockenfutter einweichen und es Deinen Welpen anbieten. Der Vorteil bei einem Wechsel zwischen Nass- und Trockenfutter beruht auf der später hohen Akzeptanz beider Futtersorten.

Welpe kaut auf Kauknochen auf Teppichboden, Nahaufnahme mit Fokus auf Gesicht, erstellt für Liebesgut Tiernahrung.

Feeding puppies properly: what you need to consider when feeding puppies

Puppies need special food and must be fed several times a day in small portions. To relieve your dog after the birth, you can feed the puppies with high-quality puppy food. It is important that you pay attention to the quality and bear in mind that puppies that are still suckling with their little milk teeth should not be given hard or unsoftened dry food. Either give wet food or soak the dry food in water until the chunks become soft and edible for the puppies. The intervals between feedings, which you should give 4-5 times a day, should not be too long during the day. Always make sure that all puppies get enough food.

What should I feed the puppy immediately after birth?

In the first few weeks after birth, mother's milk is your puppies' sole and main food. If your bitch is suckling, you do not need to worry about supplementary feeding for the first 3 weeks. If the bitch has too little milk or is unable to suckle for other reasons, give her a high-quality substitute milk. After a period of around 3 weeks, during which you feed the puppies and give them a lukewarm bottle every 2 hours, they will take the replacement milk from a shallow bowl and drink on their own. Immediately after birth, wet and dry food is unsuitable for your puppies. They will need replacement milk every 3-4 hours - even at night.

When can I start giving my puppy dry food or wet food?

If you see how often bitches feed their offspring, you will have an indication of how often you should feed them. From the 3rd - 4th week of life, depending on the development of the little ones, you can feed softened dry food or high-quality wet food for puppies. This will not only take the strain off the mother dog, but will also acclimatise the puppies to different foods at an early stage. Which food is suitable for puppies? As a general rule, you should only feed puppy food, as it is finer and richer in nutrients than food for adult dogs. Under the 3rd week of life, mother's milk or formula milk is the only correct food for puppies.

How often should I feed puppies?

Up to the 4th week of life you should feed puppies every 3 hours. From this point until they are 6 months old, we recommend feeding them four times a day, preferably at equal intervals. After six months, the puppies will have grown into young dogs and feeding them two to three times a day will be sufficient. How often you feed your puppies depends primarily on their age. The following tips from vets and breeders can help:

Supplementary food every 3 hours if necessary up to the 3rd week of life
from the 4th to the 6th week of life supplementary food, wet food and softened dry food 4 times a day
from the 6th week of life, dry and wet food 4 times a day
give high-quality puppy food 4 times a day up to 6 months of age
from 6 months of age, feed high-quality food 2-3 times a day

Overfeeding is just as harmful as feeding too little or the wrong food. When it comes to your puppies, you should only feed them food that is rich in protein and nutrients. The right intervals play a major role in the healthy development of the little ones. For further help, we have a guide on"Calculating the amount of food for your puppy".

Feeding puppies correctly: training them to eat properly

Most puppies are open-minded and curious about their new food. However, they tend to gulp and choke or stand with their front paws in the bowl. So-called ring bowls are recommended to prevent this and to train puppies to eat calmly. In these, you place the food in the recessed rim, while the elevation in the centre remains free. Training with a lump of food in your closed hand has also proved successful. This method is particularly suitable for puppies from the 8th week of life who want to pounce directly on the bowl. A clear "no" can be used to condition puppies and show them that it is worth waiting and not rushing.

What you should not feed your puppy

Your puppy should never eat chocolate, grapes or aubergines. They contain substances that are toxic to dogs and can quickly lead to kidney failure in puppies and young dogs. Bones are also taboo for puppies. If larger splinters are swallowed, they can injure the oesophagus, stomach and intestines. Emergency treatment in a veterinary clinic is sometimes necessary. Adult food is unsuitable for puppies due to the reduced amount of energy. Puppy food, on the other hand, contains exactly the right ingredients for the healthy development of growing dogs.

Suitable products for your puppy:

Puppy food

Frequently asked questions on the subject of "Feeding puppies"

How often should I feed my puppy each day?

The feeding intervals depend on the age of the puppies. If you are feeding young puppies to support the mother dog, you should plan 4-6 feedings per day. If the bitch fails - for health reasons or because she does not have enough milk - you will need to feed puppy milk every 3 hours until the puppies are 4 weeks old. After that you can extend the intervals and give soaked dry food or wet food 4 times a day. Always make sure that the portions are not too small or too large.

Food for puppies: better wet or dry food?

When you start feeding your puppy, it's best to start with wet puppy food. You can also give dry food, but soak it in lukewarm water or puppy milk. It is important that you choose a high-quality food that is suitable for the puppy's age. The breed of dog is also a decisive criterion, as there is puppy food for large, medium and small dogs. For wet food, the size of your puppy plays a subordinate role. With dry food, it is important to consider the size of the pellets.

Which food for puppies - what is important when feeding?

In addition to the question of "How often to feed puppies?", the main question is which food is best for growing puppies. Whether you feed wet or dry food plays a subordinate role in terms of nutritional content if you decide in favour of good food. Which food is best for puppies depends primarily on their age and stage of development. As long as the milk teeth are still growing, the food must be soft. Otherwise puppies will gorge, which in turn leads to intestinal problems and hiccups. Wet food is ideal here. Alternatively, you can soak healthy dry food and offer it to your puppy. The advantage of switching between wet and dry food is that both types of food are more acceptable later on.