Here's How To Feed And Nourish A Pregnant Or Nursing Dog

Caring for a pregnant or nursing dog can be difficult if you’re not aware of their nutritional needs. Here’s how to feed and nourish them correctly!

The Basics

• Feed them puppy food designed for all life stages
• Make sure the food is comprised of 22% protein
• Make sure the food has 1600 kcal of digestible energy in each pound
• Give them as much food as they want, unless they have a tendency for gaining excess weight
• Moisten food if your dog seems to be losing weight
• Switch to denser foods if your dog seems to be losing weight
• Ensure a constant supply of fresh water

Pregnancy Adjustments

• Start increasing food intake by 25% from your dog’s six or seventh week of pregnancy
• Do not increase food provision too much before this
• In week 9, your dog’s appetite will fade away; this is a sign that they will give birth in the next day or two.

Lactation Adjustments

• Your dog will eat more for the next month after giving birth – often up to two to four times their usual amount
• Encourage further eating my moistening food and give them however much they want
• When the puppies start nibbling at their mother’s food at three to four weeks of age, you can begin introducing solid food to them

Weaning Puppies

• Puppies are usually 100% weaned from weeks six to eight
• On the day of weaning, do not give your dog any food (but give them water)
• The day after weaning, provide a quarter of their pre-pregnancy portion
• The next day, provide half of their pre-pregnancy portion
• Continue this pattern until you are giving them their normal diet
• You may increase food marginally after this so your dog regains lost weight

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