Gilbertson & Page Dr John Puppy 10kg

Product Information

Puppies are gorgeous balls of fluff that tug at your heart strings no matter your age or circumstance. But if you are seriously considering getting a puppy, there is a lot to think about. Dr John has been an established brand for quite some time. Their products are designed with quality in mind and their recipes have been specifically formulated to provide dogs with the maximum nutrition possible.

Collar: This should be a light weight type that fits well now. There are fabric versions with extensions which would last most of the growth period. There should be room to easily move the collar around but not to come over the head when tugged lightly. Newspaper/training pads. These can help with house training your puppy at the start and catching any accidents inside. Also very useful for visits to new environments/households where you want to introduce your puppy. Recovering from operations, or long term illnesses should also be taken into account when considering diet, even in the case of standard operations like neutering or dental treatments. Assess how your dog is coping; whether there are problems with chewing after dental work (in which case soak the food for longer in warm water to soften it). If activity has to be restricted, then consider changing diet to a lighter, highly digestible food, as your dog will still want to have normal sized meals but won’t be using the same amount of energy as before. Joint supplements may be useful, for instance, an active ingredient in NZ green lipped mussel has been found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, and other ingredients are present that benefit joint health (We use a joint complex in many of our diets, ( Gilpa Kennel for instance). In some dogs, neutering can have a long term effect on metabolism slowing it so these dogs are prone to weight gain and will need to be fed a lighter or low fat diet. (try Dr. John Silver).

PUPPY FEEDING SCHEDULE

In the first few weeks of bringing your puppy home, try not to feed too many different types of food or treats. This way you can establish a base line for what suits your puppy’s digestion, introduce puppy treats in small quantities and only as rewards for good behaviour. Bones and chews are a good idea but make certain your puppy is chewing them appropriately and they don’t splinter or breakdown in the mouth easily. Timing with puppies is everything. Once you’ve decided to get a puppy there’s a lot to get done before bringing them home so time to plan is vital. Research into their typical behavior and needs will help, and if you are getting your pup from a recognized breeder this is the ideal place to start.

It’s worth considering working dogs separately to pets with regard to dietary requirements. Rather like human athletes, they can have a variety of different additional needs, dependant on the work they carry out or sport they engage in, however, some general principles apply with working dogs.

For this reason we've calculated the approximate 'as fed' percentages for the main ingredient categories in the finished product. All dogs will vary in their nutritional requirements, and although estimates can be made for average breed size, individuals may require more or less than these guidelines. Factors to consider are whether your dog is smaller or larger than the standard for the breed, how active they are, their energy levels, their age and appetite. Then, start with the recommended feeding amount and adjust to as many of these factors as possible – never going more than 50% over or under the starting amount (exceptions for puppies and during breeding). Always remember to subtract a small amount for treats if using these as behavioural rewards. The resulting amount is your starting point. Immediate signs of overfeeding are struggling to finish the food in one sitting and loose stools or diarrhoea; a more long term effect is weight gain. If you under feed, some obvious signs are that your dog will be ravenously hungry and constantly asking for food even after finishing the meal and in the longer term, weight loss will result. Weigh your dog regularly and keep a careful eye on their shape to maintain a good level of condition. You should see a nice covering on your dog but the ribs should be felt once you press lightly. How you measure the food is important, the best way is to weigh the food out each time as this avoids inaccuracies gradually being built up over time. Alternatively a measuring cup or marked scoop can be used, but with this method it is worth weighing out the amount you are measuring every now and again, to make sure that the amount still matches the weight you are expecting. NEW PUPPY? Days 21- 28: The fetuses will grow from 5-10mm to 14-16mm, their faces take shape and their eyes and spinal cords develop. A vet will be able to palpate and possibly detect pregnancy between days 27 and 31. Days 35-42: Puppies become coloured (skin pigment develops) and the mother’s stomach continues to swell. Day 49- 57: When the mother is resting you will be able on occasion to see and feel the pups moving. Pups can be born at any time now, but keeping them in for another week is much healthier, so avoid rough play. Some dams can get milk (colostrum) as early as day 45, but normally it is later on.

We can’t seem to find many alternatives that quite match Dr John Dog Food. There are a few grain-free products out there, but we really are very impressed with Dr John. If your budget can stretch to it, we would highly recommend grabbing a bag. We are certain that your furry friend will lap it up! If you are not planning to breed, then there are a number of good reasons to neuter as it can prevent cancers and infections as well as the risk of unwanted pregnancies. The optimum time for this surgery is approximately 6-12 weeks after the bleeding stops, as this will be in the middle of her next reproductive cycle. Sporting dogs like Spaniels and Labradors used in shoots and trials, will need higher levels of energy for short bursts of activity, they will also need good concentration and eye sight for retrieval, so a highly active diet like Dr. John Titanium will give them the additional energy and nutrient levels they need along with a joint supplement to keep their active joints supported and in good health.The duration of pregnancy in dogs can range from anything between 57 – 69 days. Feeding well throughout this period should ensure a successful outcome and healthy well-fed pups. For the first 35 days there is no need to increase the amount to feed, simply feed as normal and monitor appetite, digestion and condition. You may notice that during week 4 and 5 of pregnancy she loses her appetite, which in most cases is entirely normal and indicative of pregnancy. However, in the last third of the pregnancy period she will need to have her food increased by approximately 10% a week so that when she is ready to give birth she is having 1.5 times her maintenance amount. As the pups increase in size in her, her stomach capacity is reduced so feed her little and often or through free choice feeding. FEEDING FOR LACTATION Destruction. All dogs at some point in their lives will mistake your special things for theirs, and personalise them. What you feed your puppy is even more important than with an adult dog as this is the key stage for determining their adult health and wellbeing. First of all, they need to be fed a puppy diet and a complete dry food will ensure they get all the nutrients and bone minerals in the right percentages to match their growth. Commitment to 10+ years of your life to looking after your dog through all his/her life stages. Commitment to regular exercise, playtime, providing a suitable diet and veterinary care as needed.

Most experienced dog owners would agree that spring or summer are the best seasons to bring a puppy into your household. Puppies are mostly born in the spring anyway – as with most baby animals, nature has decided that this is a good time! Plus these are ideal months because it doesn’t rain as much which is important for house training, and both you and the pup will naturally enjoy walks and outings more in good weather. Garden Time: Typically puppies need to go out into the garden frequently. This needs to be first thing in the morning, after every meal, after a long sleep and any time when they look as though they might need to! You will need to go out there too, create a command that you can remember each time to say in a gentle firm tone and then praise them when they perform. To start with, reward them with a small treat (or biscuit from their diet) so they identify your praise with rewards too. All pups will have accidents along the way but so long as their bedding is washable and they are in areas that can be easily cleaned, these are easily dealt with and ignored, reinforcing praise and rewards for good behavior. Dr John has a wide range of dog food available which includes: Dr John Puppy Food, Dr John Hypoallergenic, Dr John Titanium, Dr John Silver, Dr John Gold and Dr John Grain-Free Dog Food. As an overall guide feeding a palatable, balanced adult maintenance diet during this period is ideal in a normal healthy pregnancy, and there should be no need to supplement. All of our adult diets are suitable for the requirements of pregnancy, however, Gilpa Trinkets, Dr. John Titanium are ideal for particularly small females or those likely to have a large litter as these diets have higher energy and protein content which will help with the additional requirements of pregnancy and enhance milk yield.Decide in advance whether your dog will be allowed upstairs and how to discourage any explorations or the puppy from simply following you up. Baby gates can be a good temporary solution to open stairs. Puppies are not able to manage stairs so will need carrying until you can teach them how to safely crawl up and down. Plan to spend the whole day with your puppy so arrive at the breeder’s home as early as possible so you have time to go through all the documents, information on your puppy’s current routine and what your puppy will need over the next few days. This will also allow your puppy to become more familiar with you before leaving. The most important thing is to recognise when these symptoms and factors appear. This can vary greatly between breeds, breed size and even individually as well, so it is often difficult to predict when a different diet will be required. The situation is further complicated as some symptoms may disappear as the dog ages. A recent study that showed that some 30% of dogs presented to vets were overweight at 6-8 years of age, but by 12 years of age a similar sample showed only 5% to fit this category while 16% were underweight. So, not all senior dogs should be fed a light diet. Lead: Again you will only need a light weight mid length lead to start with. Make your puppy comfortable with the lead before trying a short walk and always try to lure your puppy along rather than pull. Dr John knows exactly what they are doing and they always have nutrition in mind when creating their foods. There are a vast amount of health benefits which include: