Getting a new springer spaniel puppy can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience; however, it also takes a lot of patience and will power. To keep on top of the demanding task of raising a puppy, you must be organized, as there are plenty of factors to puppy care which you must bear in mind, one of which is feeding.
Specifically for springer spaniels, one of the first questions you should be asking yourself is ‘How much do I feed a springer spaniel puppy?’ Find all the answers you need in this puppy feeding guide.
What should I feed a springer spaniel puppy?
Springer spaniel puppies will need different types of food depending on their age. If the puppy is completely new (as in it has recently been bought from a breeder), then contact them to find out what food they were feeding the puppy beforehand. A good breeder will usually give you all of this info before you leave with you new puppy and often supply you with a bag of food.
This is very important to keep the puppy healthy, so it is a good idea to contact the breeder before bringing the puppy home. If you feed a springer spaniel puppy something different to what its body is used to, it can cause stomach upset and cramps for the dog.
If you want to change to a different brand of food than the one which the puppy has previously been fed, then slowly transition between the two brands over the course of a week, again to avoid stomach upset.
If the puppy is older (around 3-4 months and onwards), then you should still be aware of the previous brand of food; however, the dog’s stomach will have settled by this point, so giving them the same food as before is not as much of an issue.
Feeding: What is the best puppy food for a springer spaniel?
When looking at purchasing food, you must consider the health of your dog as well as pricing. It is best to feed a springer spaniel puppy a mixture of kibble and meat-based food for a balanced diet, as puppies require more protein and fat because they are still growing.
some points so consider when choosing what to feed your springer
- size of the kibble some brands the kibble can be a little large for a young puppy
- nutritional value some foods can be just full of low-quality fillers, of course, the cost will play a part in what you buy
Here are some of the best brands to feed a springer spaniel puppy:
Last update on 2024-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You may consider looking into other brands if you discover an allergy or other problem with your pup. All springers are different, so going for a brand that is a more general puppy food may be better suited to your own dog’s lifestyle.
Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What foods should my puppy Avoid?
Whilst there are plenty of delicious foods which your pup can eat; there are also lots of human foods which are dangerous to your springer. As puppies like to chew, make sure these foods are always out of reach:
- Chocolate
- The onion family (including garlic and chives)
- Macadamia nuts
- Avocado
- Alcohol
- Cooked bones (raw ones are okay)
- Grapes and raisins
- Mushrooms
- Rhubarb
There may also be foods to which your particular springer spaniel is allergic; however, these are the foods that are poisonous to all dogs, and even more harmful to puppies.
If your puppy consumes any of these foods, contact your vet immediately, even if there is no apparent reaction.
When should I feed a springer spaniel puppy?
Springer spaniel puppies grow up very fast, so to maintain healthy and balanced food intake, you will have to change when and how often you feed a springer spaniel puppy.
knowing when to feed a springer spaniel puppy can be hard to manage but in the 3-month stage a day may look like this if you are feeding every 4 hours.
Don’t worry too much if you are a little early/late with a feed its not a problem. Remember potty breaks we don’t want any accidents!
- 7am first feed
- 11am second feed
- 3pm third feed
- 6pm fourth feed
3 months and younger
A puppy of this age needs to be fed around four times a day. This is because young pups are very small, and therefore are not able to digest lots of food in one go; however, your springer pup will still need to eat almost three times the amount of food that an adult springer would. Just like with a human baby, each feeding time needs to be at equal intervals, and the same amount of food each time.
4-6 months old
By this stage, your puppy will be growing stronger and bigger, but will still need plenty of protein and fat before it gets to its full size. At this point, your puppy still needs twice the amount of food as it will when it is fully grown, so feeding should be happening three times a day, again at equal intervals (although this is not as crucial as in the first few months).
6-12 months old
At this stage, your springer puppy is almost at adult size! Although they still may gain a little weight and become a little taller, the size your springer at this point is about the size they will be for the rest of their life. They will have a little growth spurt here and there and will continue to fill out into their adult shape.
It is important that once your puppy reaches this stage, you cut back the meals to twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, to avoid weight problems.
When you feed a springer spaniel puppy, it is your choice whether you give them kibble and meat at the same time, or whether one is for each meal. As long as the puppy is getting all the protein, it needs to grow at a healthy rate, then what you feed when is your choice!
How much should I feed a springer spaniel puppy?
As you know, springer spaniel puppies need almost triple the amount of food in their first months than in their later life.
Below, the amounts of food required for each age group are listed:
8-12 weeks
In the first few weeks of a springer spaniel puppy’s life, it will need lots of food in small amounts. Although this can vary with the exercise levels, weight, etc. of your specific dog, 200g of food per day (50g each meal) will be enough for your puppy to get all the nutrients it needs without gaining too much weight.
3-5 months
In the second stage, you should feed a springer spaniel puppy around 700 calories per day, which can come from meat and kibble. This is around 200g of dog biscuits and 150g of meat.
6 months and older
your puppy is getting closet adult size by now. At this stage, you want to be feeding the puppy the same amount of food as when it is a fully grown adult. Your springer puppy needs about 900 calories per day, which is 300g of kibble and 225g of dog meat.
You mustn’t overfeed your puppy with other foods such as treats and human leftovers. Anything like this which is given to your dog should be counted towards the daily calories and not as an extra, or you could risk obesity or bone problems in later life. Make sure you do not exceed the daily calorie limit!
Be aware that if you have any concerns considering your dog’s weight or the amount of food they should be consuming, do not hesitate to contact your vet!
Other puppy feeding tips
Although the three main questions which you should be asking yourself about puppy feeding are answered above, this would not be a puppy feeding guide without top tips to help keep your feeding experience as smooth and straightforward as possible!
- Try to avoid feeding your puppy immediately before or after exercise – this will usually result in painful cramps for the puppy, and will probably leave you cleaning up spaniel sick!
- Dogs usually go potty around 15-30 minutes after eating try to take your puppy outside to go potty within this sort of time(take note of the point above no lots of running and play just allow them into your garden or yard) and of course lots of praise when they do the do! This is a great tip it’s almost a predictable potty training!
- Feed your puppy in easy to clean spaces – a new puppy will not have the clean eating down yet, so to make your life easier, place their food bowls in areas where you can easily wipe up any mess.
- Try to serve wet food at room temperature – the smell is much more appealing to a puppy when the food is warmer, but be sure to keep it refrigerated beforehand, or it could go off.
- Make sure that extras like treats never exceed 10% of the puppy’s daily calorie intake.
- If your puppy is finding it difficult to chew their kibble, then soften it with some warm water (allow to cool before feeding).
- Make sure your puppy always has clean, fresh water available to them, especially when feeding dry foods as your puppy will want to drink a little more.
- use a measuring cup or scales to be sure you are feeding the correct amount of food.
- Try to buy a puppy kibble that has small pieces so your puppy can chew them easily
In a nutshell, your puppy will grow very fast, and knowing how much to feed a springer spaniel puppy is the key to your success. Make sure that you adapt the amount of food to the age of your puppy, and be careful when transitioning to a new food brand. Remember, if you have any queries about the amount or type of food your springer needs or if you have questions about food allergies, don’t hesitate to contact your vet!
