One of the most important aspects of care for your Boxer puppy is ensuring that they receive adequate nutrition every day. Since puppies have rapidly developing bodies and grow very quickly, it’s essential to ensure that they’re eating the proper number of meals and snacks per day.
Of course, if you’re new to raising a Boxer puppy, you might feel concerned that you’re potentially feeding them too frequently or not enough. The following tips and best practices will provide you with some general insight into what to expect as you implement the recommendations from your Boxer puppy food chart.Â
Following Boxer Puppy Food Chart Guidelines Â
Depending on how you acquired your Boxer puppy, there may have been some set of guidelines regarding feeding. You might have even received information from a previous owner or breeder regarding what type of food to use.
If not, you may have already selected a dog food on your own and might even be relying on the food chart provided on the packaging as a general guideline for how much you should feed your puppy each day. Neither method is wrong, although there are some considerations to keep in mind as your puppy continues to grow.Â
Generally speaking, if your puppy has already become accustomed to a specific feeding schedule and number of meals from its previous owner or a breeder, it’s alright to continue using these methods. If you feel comfortable with how often your puppy is being fed and the overall quality of the food that’s provided, go for it.
Likewise, if it fits your schedule well, you might continue to adhere to this schedule for a while until the total number of meals per day shifts with your puppy’s growth. However, maybe you’d prefer to start your feeding schedule, try a different dog food, or you’re starting completely new and have never owned a dog before. Learning how to follow guidelines from a puppy food chart and the typical expectations of how much your puppy should eat during growth will be helpful knowledge to retain.Â
Most Boxer puppies will need to eat three to four times per day, and this will fluctuate as they continue to grow, but their needs might not always match the guidelines on the food chart because these have been generalized to all dogs. The number of meals per day and the type of food provided will depend on your puppy’s age. Some of the most common ages and milestones are listed here so that you can plan out a feeding schedule according to your needs. Â
Feeding Expectations at Nine Weeks Old Â
Nine weeks of age is the most common milestone when a Boxer puppy has been rehomed and introduced into your household. At this point, your puppy is becoming accustomed to their new surroundings, and you may be introducing new food to them. If so, you must be careful when doing this. If you make an immediate switch to the new dog food, you can upset your puppy’s digestive tract, and this can result in gas and diarrhea for your puppy.Â
The best way to avoid causing a shock to your puppy’s body with the new food is to combine the new food with the old food gradually. On the three days, you can use 75% of the old food and mix in 15% of the new food. On days four through six, you should combine 50% of their old food and 50% of their new food. By days seven through nine, there should only be 25% of the old food present, and the rest should be your puppy’s new food. On the tenth day, you can feed your puppy only the new food.Â
Your puppy will probably eat around three to four times per day at this stage. If they don’t always eat the expected amount, don’t worry! Puppy appetites can easily fluctuate, especially if you’re providing snacks. In general, you can also expect that female Boxer puppies will eat less than male counterparts.Â
How Much to Feed Your Ten Weeks Old Boxer Puppy
At ten weeks of age, your puppy will be eating a lot more than you would anticipate. More often than not, this is a stage in which puppies are eating twice the amount that they’ll actively intake as adults. Having said that, since your puppy will be eating very frequently and eating more food per meal, it’s crucial to keep them active. Ensure that they receive plenty of playtime and exercise to help them make use of their energy and burn calories from the amount of food they’re eating.Â
Although younger puppies will typically eat around one cup of food per day, older puppies around this age may even eat up to three cups of food per day. You might notice that the amount of food your puppy is eating doesn’t always match the guidelines in the food chart on your preferred dog food. This is fine as long as you’re ensuring that the meals are balanced, your puppy is staying active, and you’re not overfeeding. Â
Feeding Your Boxer Pup at Eleven Weeks Old Â
This is a large milestone for your puppy because it’s actually a growth spurt! At this point, your puppy is probably still eating double the amount that they will eat as an adult, which is entirely normal. This is mainly caused by the amount of development that’s occurring during this stage of your puppies life. However, eleven weeks old is also a milestone because it is a period when allergies and sensitivities frequently start to emerge.
Pay attention to any signs of allergic reactions or sensitivities when your Boxer puppy eats each meal. This can emerge as a rash, frequent scratching, diarrhea, gas, bloating, or even hives. In most cases, allergic reactions to dog food will not be severe but may cause discomfort even if it’s something as simple as skin irritation. If your puppy is sensitive to the dog food you’re offering them, you should contact your puppy’s veterinarian and figure out which ingredients may be causing the reaction. The most common one is sensitivity to protein, but it can also be something else.Â
What to Expect During Feedings at Twelve Weeks Old
By this point in your puppy’s life, they should only be eating three times a day. They should be eating regularly and should have adhered to your schedule. Additionally, their energy levels should have balanced out. Although most puppies will eat three cups of food per day, some Boxers will require four cups of food per day at this stage.
This will likely continue for a few more weeks and then gradually balance out as your puppy continues to grow. If your puppy is not able to eat at least two or three cups consistently, you should reach out to your veterinarian to check for any underlying concerns.Â
Final Thoughts Â
Determining the ideal amount of food to feed your pooch per day can be challenging, although not impossible. Your Boxer will likely eat very minimal amounts of food when you first introduce them to your household and will then build up to substantially larger amounts of food as they continue growing.
If you have any concerns regarding whether your Boxer is eating enough per day or if you need recommendations on suitable dog foods for Boxer puppies, the best course of action is to reach out to your puppy’s veterinarian for professional guidance.
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