Pug Dog: What to Feed?

As soon as a pug puppy crosses the threshold of a new home, he becomes a full member of the family. Pugs are friendly and kind dogs, they are open and sincere in showing their feelings for the owner. However, representatives of this breed do not know how to limit themselves in nutrition, therefore they often suffer from excess weight. Proper balanced nutrition is a guarantee of your pet’s well-being and long life. In this article, we will tell you how to feed your pug properly, what foods are prohibited, and how to choose natural or dry food for pugs.

Diet and diet of puppies

Immediately after birth and during the first weeks of life, newborn puppies are fed by the mother. If for some reason breastfeeding is not possible, then dog breeders feed small pugs with a mixture based on milk powder. This mixture is sold in specialized pet stores. Not sure how many times to feed your newborn puppy? When preparing the mixture, you should focus on the recommendations of the manufacturer, as well as on the baby’s appetite. On average, a newborn pug puppy is fed about 6 times a day.

Often, professional breeders do not sell newborn puppies because they need special care. As soon as babies are 1–2 months old, they are put up for sale. When buying a dog, do not forget to ask the breeder what to feed the pug puppy and how to properly establish the feeding regime.

At 2 months, the puppies are transferred to four or five meals a day. For the normal growth and development of pugs, you need to monitor the diversity and nutritional value of the daily diet. Remember to include calcium-rich foods on your menu. Food for a pug from 1 to 3 months old, includes meat, bones (which should be pre-soaked in milk and beaten well), stewed or boiled vegetables, fruits and dried fruits, rice or buckwheat porridge, sometimes a slice of black bread with butter and a slice hard cheese.

The stage of active growth of the puppy begins at 3-4 months. The baby needs more careful care and a variety of food. The daily diet consists of lean meats, boiled boneless fish, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, one or two teaspoons of honey added to cottage cheese, quail eggs. The more active the puppy is, the more it will feed.

As soon as the dog turns 7 months old, they begin to transfer it to two meals a day. Feeding the pug 2 times a day includes morning and evening meals. The first feeding consists of various food products, except for meat and meat offal, the second – from meat, crushed bones, and sometimes fish.

What shouldn’t you feed your pug puppy? This question can often be heard from novice dog breeders. By nature, pugs tend to be overweight: the puppy can eat whatever you offer him. To reduce the risks of obesity in adulthood, you should not teach your dog to sweets, buns, and pasta from childhood.

Diet and diet of an adult dog

The diet of an adult pug is different from that of puppies of this breed. The dog is on one or two meals a day. When composing a menu, keep an eye on the variety of food products. According to the recommendations of experienced breeders, the daily diet should consist of the so-called meat porridge:

• 33% meat, meat offal, crushed bones;
• 33% of vegetables in various forms, fruits, and dried fruits;
• 33% of cereals;
• 1% vegetable oils and vitamin supplements.

Remember that the pug can eat whatever it sees on the owner’s table. At the same time, it is forbidden to feed with food “from the table”, since it negatively affects the health of the animal.

Notice that your dog has begun to gain weight, resulting in health problems? Not sure how you can help your family pet? One of the rules for the care and maintenance of pugs at home is to control nutrition and diet.

Features of natural nutrition

Correct nutritional balance is a mandatory component of pet care and maintenance at home. When choosing between ready-to-eat mixes and natural food, most dog owners prefer the latter. Feeding a pug “natural” is more difficult than eating ready-made feeds.

To know how to feed a pug, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of food products that must be present in the diet of dogs of this breed:

• raw or boiled meat (beef, veal, turkey, and chicken);
• boiled meat offal (beef heart, stomach, liver, and kidneys);
• boiled or steamed low-fat fish (horse mackerel or mackerel meat);
• crumbly porridge (rice, sometimes buckwheat);
• dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, low-fat kefir, and cottage cheese);
• hard-boiled egg yolk – once every 7 days;
• vegetable oils;
• fruits and vegetables, mainly boiled, stewed, or steamed (apples, carrots, cabbage, beets, zucchini, parsley, dill, and salad greens).

Pugs should be fed fruits and vegetables once a day, but the daily allowance should not exceed a third of the pet’s diet.

Remember that mixing natural foods and ready-made feeds are not allowed with proper animal care. If you decide to transfer your pet from one type of food to another, you should do it gradually, after consulting your veterinarian.

Choice of store food

Today, pet stores offer a wide range of ready-made feeds to the attention of buyers. What is the advantage of such mixtures? Ready-to-eat dry and wet feeds are distinguished by a good component composition, high energy value, and a rich fortified complex.

You should not save on your pet by purchasing food from unknown manufacturers. Unfortunately, food of questionable production is dangerous for the health and life of the animal. Not sure what kind of food to feed your pug? According to the recommendations of experienced dog breeders, brands such as Royal Canin, Hills, Eukanuba, and Pedigree Pal are considered the best manufacturers of dry food for pugs. To avoid problems with the digestive system, strictly adhere to the recommendations of the dog food companies.

When feeding your pet dry food, ensure that your pug has constant access to fresh drinking water. Small puppies and older dogs can be fed food that has been previously soaked in water.