Are you puzzled about the proper way to feed your Labrador puppy? If so, do not stress out too much because there are just a few suggestions that could assist you. Firstly, during your lab’s growth stage, it is crucial to not let her get too heavy. Be conscious of how much and how often you are feeding her. Health problems in your lab’s adult life may occur if she gains too much weight at an early stage in her life. She needs to grow gradually. A way to tell if your puppy’s weight is normal is if you could still feel her ribs through a thin layer of fat. Also, it is crucial not to force your puppy into extreme strenuous activity. Exercise is great for labs, however, not when they are under 18 months old. This is due to the fact that before this age their bones are not developed strongly. Therefore, jogging, agility work, field training and other activities that require lots of jumping and running should be avoided until a lab is anatomically ready. Even though Labradors seem large in size even before they are 18 months old, they are still a puppy that needs to be treated delicately. Do not let the fact that labs are a large breed allow you to think that they develop very soon. Also, Moderate exercise is perfectly fine for strong bones to develop. Many suggest that for every month of the lab’s life, she can walk 5 minutes. For example, a 4 month old lab can walk 20 minutes, while a 1 month old can only walk 5 minutes.
Moreover, in regards to feeding your lab, it is wrong to leave her bowl of food on the floor at all times. Many Labradors tend to show their dominance by eating until all the food is gone instead of stopping when they are full. This is unhealthy because your lab can overeat and get sick or become overweight. Furthermore, many lab experts suggest the avoidance of giving supplements such as vitamins or calcium to your lab. As long as your pup is getting enough nutrients from her dog food, there is no necessity for additional supplements unless prescribed by her vet. The fewer chemicals you put in her body, the better. It is important to make sure that you are feeding your lab healthy premium dog food. Also, many dog owners tend to give too many treats to their puppies, especially during training. Get smaller treats that have few calories or else your pup will avoid eating her own food. In addition, when it comes to what you should actually feed your Labrador puppy, it is important that the food contains a moderate amount of protein, fat and calories. Dog food that contains over 15% of fat is definitely a danger zone and could potentially cause health problems for your lab. If you are worried about what type or brand of food to give your lab, it is a good idea to continue giving what the breeder fed until your dog reaches its adult weight. Once it is an adult, you should change her food to adult dog food because her body will require a different amount of protein, fat and calories.