Choosing the right food and feeding schedule for your Beagle puppy is crucial for their healthy growth and development. With so many options available, navigating the world of puppy food can be overwhelming, especially for first-time owners. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Beagle puppy nutrition, covering everything from selecting the right food to establishing a proper feeding schedule.
Understanding Puppy Nutritional Needs
Growing puppies, especially Beagles, have specific nutritional needs that must be met to ensure normal development. Puppy food is specially formulated to provide the necessary nutrients, and feeding your puppy adult dog food can deprive them of these essential elements.
Key Nutritional Requirements for Beagle Puppies
The ideal dietary composition for beagle puppies includes about 25% protein. Additionally, five to 10% of their diet should consist of fats. These macronutrients support rapid growth and energy needs.
The Importance of High-Quality Ingredients
Higher quality ingredients with better sourcing and specialized formulas can lead to overall better health for growing puppies. Major dog food companies invest heavily in product development and research, constantly upgrading dog food formulas to keep up with competitors. A well-formulated, so-called “premium” or “super premium” puppy food should have high nutritional density. While it may be more costly per pound than another food, you should be able to feed your puppy less to achieve the same results as a lower-cost brand.
Choosing the Right Puppy Food
Walk down the dog food aisle of any large pet-supply store, or peruse the shelves at your local pet food shop, and you can quickly become overwhelmed. This is especially true for new puppy owners, and probably even more so for first-time puppy owners. When did it get so complicated? In years past, dog food options were far more limited, and even the most responsible dog owners didn’t worry too much about what went into their dog’s dish. Choosing your puppy’s first food may seem more involved today, but that’s a good thing.
Read also: Benefits of Science Diet for Puppies with Sensitive Stomachs
Types of Puppy Food
Several types of puppy food are available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:
- Dry Puppy Food (Kibble): This is the most economical option, and major brands offer complete and balanced diets for puppies of all sizes and ages. Kibble can be fed as is or moistened with warm water or unsalted broth.
- Canned Puppy Food: Puppies often find this option most palatable, but it is the most expensive.
- Other Options: Freeze-dried, dehydrated, fresh, and raw puppy food are also available, each with unique characteristics.
Breed-Specific Considerations
Small-breed dogs and large-breed dogs have some different nutritional needs, and that’s especially true while they are puppies. Adult dogs who weigh less than 20 pounds are considered small-breed dogs. These puppies grow quickly and may reach adulthood by 9 months.
Recommended Puppy Food Brands
Taking all of the aforementioned information into account, our picks for the top 3 best foods are:
- Orijen: Orijen is a 5-star food with varieties for puppies, seniors, and adults (original, tundra, six fish, regional red).
- Whole Earth Farms: Whole Earth Farms is a good 4.5-star food, which several varieties, including grain-free.
- Wellness Core: Wellness Core is a top 5-star food, and is now our #1 pick. Dog food cannot get much better than this. There are varieties to meet every stage and need, including for puppies, a reduced fat formula, and a grain-free. There is the orignal formula with turkey, chicken, broccoli, carrots, spinach, apples, blueberries, kale, and sweet potatoes. Along with healthy ingredients such as flaxseed oil, salmon oil, chicory root, yucca extract, rosemary, green tea extract, and spearmint extract. The wild game variety has wholesome real duck and lamb.
In addition, American Natural Premium contains essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that adult beagles require.
Establishing a Feeding Schedule
Like human babies, puppies start out needing many small meals a day, made from a food that’s been formulated for their special nutritional requirements. Four feedings per day is a common guideline. Most, but not all, puppies will finish meals quickly.
Read also: Hill's Science Diet Puppy Canned Food: Ingredients, Benefits, and More
Feeding Schedule by Age
- 6-12 weeks: Growing puppies should be fed puppy food, a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of puppies for normal development. Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands.
- 3-6 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day. A puppy should be losing their potbelly and pudginess by 12 weeks.
- 6-12 months: Begin feeding your puppy twice daily. If your puppy is spayed or neutered during this timeframe, it’s important to note that altering lowers your puppy’s energy requirements slightly. If they’ve had this procedure, switch from nutrient-rich puppy food to adult maintenance dog food. Small breed puppies can make the switch to adult food at 7 to 9 months; larger breeds at 12, 13, even 14 months.
Feeding Portions
Feeding portions for a beagle puppy should range from a minimum of 0.3 cups to a maximum of 1.75 cups daily. The appropriate daily food intake for an adult beagle ranges from 0.75 to 2.75 cups.
Transitioning to Adult Food
Ideally, the shift from puppy to adult food for your beagle should occur when they are about 10 to 12 months of age. When switching from puppy food to adult food, you should make the switch gradually over a period of a few days. A sudden change in your puppy’s diet may cause stomach upset and the dreaded puppy diarrhea. It’s best to transition slowly over seven to 10 days. First, introduce a small amount of the new adult-formulated food to the puppy kibble.
Monitoring Your Puppy's Growth
As your puppy grows, you can track their progress in a simple notebook or a more sophisticated spreadsheet. Weigh the puppy weekly and record their progress, comparing them to breed-appropriate weight charts. Weighing a dog, even a squirming puppy, is an important tool to track their growth. An easy way to weigh a squirmy puppy who hasn’t learned to stay still for a weigh-in yet is to first weigh yourself, then weigh yourself while you’re holding the puppy. A young dog carrying too much weight has an increased risk of orthopedic problems, due to stress on immature joints.
Addressing Common Feeding Challenges
There’s a saying among dog people: Watch the dog, not the dish. Body condition, not the amount of food your puppy has eaten or left in the bowl, should determine your puppy’s portion sizes. Portion sizes depend on individual metabolism and body type, and nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. If your puppy occasionally skips a meal or picks at food, don’t worry. Also, if you are using treats to work on training with your puppy, adjust the amount you feed at mealtime accordingly.
Begging and Table Scraps
Your puppy will no doubt quickly learn just how effective their puppy dog eyes can be. One little French fry will invariably lead to another, and another. Before long, too many French fries leads you to an overweight dog crowding you off the couch. Also, a steady diet of table scraps can create a nutritional imbalance, and certain ingredients in your favorite dishes can cause upset stomach, or worse, toxicity, in dogs. The pleading gaze of a begging dog can be irresistible. This is no accident. During dogs’ long partnership with people, they have perfected cunning methods of exploiting the human habit of associating food with affection. In prehistoric times semi-domesticated canines first cultivated human beings as a food provider. As the two species grew closer, dogs modified begging behaviors to maximize results: The more pathetic a dog seemed, the more scraps were tossed his way. Dogs have since refined this approach into a low-risk, high-reward hunting technique. But don’t be fooled: Begging is not an emotional crisis or a test of your love. It’s what scientists might call an evolutionary survival strategy, or what the rest of us might call a scam. Allowing your dog to guilt you into overfeeding them, or serving them a steady diet of table scraps in a misguided show of affection, can harmful results in modern times.
Read also: Science Diet for Small Paws
Overfeeding and Obesity
Primarily, overfeeding can lead to obesity, a growing concern among beagles due to their propensity for weight gain. We can be good about measuring out their kibble and limiting the number of soft toppings, but we all fail at those little bites of food throughout the day. Monitor your beagle’s weight vigilantly and adjust their food portions accordingly is imperative. Beagles are prone to weight gain, which can lead to health issues. As such, regular weigh-ins ensure that your pet maintains a healthy weight. Moreover, if you notice a weight change, modify the food intake to align with their dietary needs.
Picky Eaters
For those who refuse kibble add a little to the soft food until they are eating more kibble than soft.
Separation Anxiety
Feeding your pup the moment you get home may encourage puppy separation anxiety.
Additional Considerations
Nutritional Supplements
On the one hand, beagles having a commercial diet tailored to their breed’s needs typically won’t require additional supplements. Some vitamin or mineral supplements, when utilized incorrectly can do more harm than good. Before making a major change in your puppy’s diet, consult with your veterinarian and, when possible, your breeder.
Veterinary Prescription Diets
When medically necessary, and in puppies, usually for gastrointestinal or digestive concerns, you can purchase veterinary prescription diets. Prescription dog food diets are often used for dogs with kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious conditions.
Fresh Water
Fresh water should be available at all times. During the summer months, consider setting up multiple indoor/outdoor water stations.
Consistency
Once your puppy’s food formula is chosen, stick with it. Similarly, inconsistent feeding times can disrupt a puppy’s digestion and eating habits.
Special Considerations for Beagles
Beagles have an exceptional sense of smell. As such, these dogs often let their noses easily steer them straight to their next meal. Unfortunately, this skill sometimes means disregarding their own health and nutrition. To keep your pet’s diet on track, you need the best dog food for beagle dogs. Beagles were initially bred for pack hunting, so these dogs have a hunting prowess that not all dogs possess. However, beagles also embody the essence of a companionable spirit. Generally, this breed comes in two sizes. Regardless of their size, beagles are robust, well-built, and lovable.
Protein, Fat, and Fiber Requirements
The ideal dietary composition for beagle puppies includes about 25% protein. Additionally, five to 10% of their diet should consist of fats.
Hunting Beagles
Hunting beagles need specialized diets and regular exercise to maintain their energy levels.
Senior Beagles
First, your senior beagle’s diet should include 18% protein, a reduced fat content of around 5%, and adequate fiber. Second, provide a daily diet portion ranging from 0.5 to 2 cups. This amount equates to an energy intake of approximately 1050 to 1470 kilocalories. Further, senior beagles typically benefit from a twice-daily feeding schedule.
Allergies
Beagles are often at risk of health issues such as obesity and allergies. Firstly, the real, natural ingredients keep allergies at bay and help prevent skin irritations. Secondly, the nutrients ensure adequate weight control for beagle dogs.
Homemade Dog Food
On the one hand, homemade dog food offers pet owners control over the ingredients. However, achieving the precise nutritional balance that dogs require can be complex and time-consuming. Specifically, premium brands like American Natural Premium stand out by providing a superior blend of high-quality, natural ingredients. Providing the best dog food for beagle dogs is paramount. A nutritionally balanced diet is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle for these energetic companions. American Natural Premium offers a solution that prioritizes both health maintenance and palatability.