Then the caretaker can play with your puppy, feed her and then walk her again before putting your puppy back in her crate and leaving. Puppies do not have the same bowel and bladder control as older dogs, so their needs must be considered. For example, when you first get up in the morning, you need to walk your little puppy. Before your shower, your breakfast, your coffee and brushing your teeth.
After her walk, feed your puppy breakfast and then walk her again before you leave the house for work. Experts disagree on how often to feed a puppy. Some believe that you should feed your puppy three meals a day until he is months old. Others say that feeding four times a day until the puppy is three months old is appropriate. Then three times a day until he is 6 months old.
If you work, you may have to just go with three times a day until you reach the 6 month old mark. When your Weimaraner puppy reaches 6 months of age, you can reduce his meals to twice a day. Usually a puppy is fed early in the day, when you get up. The second meal is late in the afternoon or in the early evening. Make sure that there is still time to walk your puppy minutes after eating and before bedtime.
Feeding your dog on a regular schedule will teach her digestive system to work on a regular schedule. Free feeding, or letting your dog have access to food all day long, is not a good idea for dogs that are not house trained. During the house training period, feed your dog the same amount of food for each meal. Make sure that you feed your puppy large breed puppy kibble , as table food can upset her digestive system, resulting in vomitin g and diarrhea. If your dog has a sensitive system, consider feeding her a dog food with pumpki n to prevent diarrhea episodes.
When the stomach turns on itself, the blood supply to the stomach and other nearby organs can be compromised. Sometimes, the stomach can simply fill up like a balloon and it does not make the turn. The exact cause of bloat is still unknown.
When your Weimaraner puppy is spayed or neutered, consider having the veterinarian perform a gastropexy at the same time. Proper dietary management can also help prevent bloat. Always feed a life stage appropriate diet with an adequate amount of fiber. Some of these diets are lacking in fiber content. Feed Weimaraners of all ages two or three small meals throughout the day to help minimize their risk.
Slow, light walks are fine after a meal, but long runs should be done long before or after mealtime. Like many other large breed dogs, Weimaraners are prone to developing hip dysplasia. Genetics play a large part in the development of the disease.
While screening is helpful in eliminating the genes in breeding stock, often using the PennHip technique in puppies, it is still possible for any Weimaraner to develop hip dysplasia. While there is a genetic component to these diseases, there are significant nutritional risk factors that play a part during puppyhood.
These risk factors are rapid growth and excess dietary calcium intake. Before switching your dog to any new diet, always consult with a veterinarian. Remember that no article on the internet, including this one, can replace a consultation with a vet. Weimaraner puppies have voracious appetites, but you should not cater to it! Weimaraners are naturally thin and muscular dogs, but they can become overweight when overfed.
Keeping their body condition optimal will also encourage the development of healthy hips. This all-natural large-breed puppy formula contains real chicken, rice and omega-3 fatty acids like DHA to promote healthy brain, joint and skin development. Weimaraners, like other large breeds, mature a little later than smaller dogs. It is recommended to switch them to the best dog food for Weimaraner adults around 12 months of age. Each brand is slightly different, so do a little research before selecting a food from a different line.
For adult Weimaraners that live the good life as family pets, their activity level is likely to be low to moderate. This includes daily walks, playing at the dog park or in the back yard a few hours a week and otherwise lounging around on the couch. This is a dangerous, life-threatening condition. It requires emergency treatment — often surgery — or the dog can die.
Weimaraners should be fed several small meals per day instead of one large meal. Most people also suggest that you limit exercise just before and after the dog eats. There have been studies done about bloat and there are new studies about it, but people argue about the findings. Read more on bloat: Purdue Bloat Study , Dr. There are no specific dog foods made to avoid bloating but your dog might benefit from a food for sensitive stomachs.
Many people recommend feeding a food that is free of some of the most common food irritants such as corn, soy, and wheat. These are not the most common dog food allergens — beef, dairy products, and chicken, for example, lead to more food allergies for dogs than corn, soy, and wheat. But many people like to avoid soy and grains in dog foods. There are many good grain free dog foods today if you want to feed one to your dog. Avoiding artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives is also suggested as a way to help keep the immune system stronger.
HOD is a bone disease that can affect dogs usually puppies in fast-growing, large breeds. The cause of HOD is not really understood though it might have something to do with the immune system. It usually appears in puppies between 3 and 6 months old. Treatment involves supportive care. Symptoms can clear up on their own but some dogs can suffer permanent damage. It is possible for a puppy or dog to die in severe cases. Since this is a health problem that occurs in fast-growing puppies, Weimaraner puppies should not be encouraged to grow rapidly.
Many people like to feed them a large breed puppy food. These foods have fewer calories and moderate protein and fat compared to regular puppy foods. About 15 percent of owners report that their Weimaraners have problems with separation anxiety, according to a survey conducted by the Weimaraner Club of America. You can enroll your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class with other puppies and people; take him places where he can meet friendly people; take him places with you, and so on.
You can find more health information for Weimaraners on the parent breed club web site. According to a breed health study conducted by the Kennel Club in the UK, the median age at death for the Weimaraner was 11 years and 2 months.
The most common causes of death for Weimaraners in the survey were cancer 24 percent , gastrointestinal Weimaraners are usually reported to have an average lifespan of 11 to 14 years in the U. Protein and fat are the main ingredients in the diet for the Weimaraner, as they are for most dogs. However, not all proteins and fats are the same. Ideally you will select a dog food that features two or three meat proteins in the first several ingredients listed. Both whole meats and meat meals are good sources of protein.
Whole meats refer to foods such as whole chicken, beef, fish, and lamb. They contain several times as much protein as a whole meat. Meat meals are usually quite acceptable as one of the first ingredients in a good quality dog food.
They are used by many good dog food brands. Many dog foods today, even some of the most expensive and highly touted, use lots of plant proteins such as lentils and peas. These foods often have high protein percentages on the label. Your dog is able to digest meat protein more easily than plant protein. Meat protein is a much more natural source of protein for your dog than plant protein.
Dogs also need good sources of fat. You should look for named fat sources such as chicken fat. Other named fats also provide needed nutrients such as fish oil which can provide omega-3 fatty acid to help keep the skin and coat healthy.
Puppies can benefit from DHA which is Docosahexaenoic acid. This is a specific form of omega-3 fatty acid that helps with brain and eye development. Older dogs seem to benefit from medium chain triglycerides which feature medium chain fatty acids MCFAs. These have been found to help older dogs feel and act younger. They are often made from a combination of coconut oil and other oils. If you want to avoid corn, soy, and wheat in your dog food, your Weimaraner may still be able to eat an alternative grain.
Or you can feed a grain free dog food that uses an alternate source of carbs such as sweet potatoes. Every dog is an individual. Even dogs in the same breed can have different food needs. Some dogs need more calories than others. Some dogs will do better with more protein or fat than other dogs. Rapid growth can lead to joint issues later in life.
As we said early on, this is a book-worthy topic. Even then, it is a highly controversial topic with many options. Each person has to make the best possible decision. Remember, each person giving you advice Vet, breeder, and trainer—as well as your best friend has their own bias.
In the end, you have to weigh the facts and make the best possible choice. We have given you a basic outline that should serve you well in making those decisions. Posted on February 22, , in Information and Education.
Bookmark the permalink. We tried raw food but after a bad experience with omasum we prefer cooked food ;o. I think reports and results are mixed.
I have a Weimar who is over weight what type of diet should I try and how many times a day should we feed her? Thank you. It is impossible to give you a simple answer. Overweight—sometimes it is subjective. Our adults eat twice a day—the amount each one gets varies greatly. Once, I helped an OwyheeStar client achieve weight loss with her Weimaraner—her Vet agreed that she could try the green bean diet for dogs.
It worked. Anyhow, counseling someone on dog weight loss is too complicated to do without all the facts. We try to help our OwyheeStar clients when they have an issue—but our time is limited. You might search for the green bean diet and see what you think. My 3-year-old Weimi female eats at about 8am and 6pm, and always runs out to the terrace no back yard in the middle of the night to defecate.
As one daily meal is not good for Weimis, what can I do? If I take her out at pm, she will not defecate, but in the morning after breakfast, she will.
Thank you — great site! I saw the vet and have been using Science Diet Metabolic Lamb with outstanding results as well as increase in exercise. My mom passed away so am able to dedicate my time to my dogs as they deserve again. Combo of this food and leash free outings in safe environment as safe as that can be with my three and all three are doing much better. Have had two with issues with food sensitivities. I fed salmon and potato grain free prior.
I was quite worried how the lamb would work with my current girl who has low tolerance for grains and chicken. This food has been excellent and seamless as far as transition and tolerance. Huge issue is the cost…this is very expensive dog food and is perhaps not realistic or sustainable for me or others long term. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account.
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