Introducing baby Kale, a female border collie puppy. Follow her home-feeding journey on the Clients Only site as she grows! Not a client? Purchase any service.
I am behind in beginning this blog series, and Kale is now nearly 14 weeks old. She is a delightful puppy, smart, eager to learn and sensible, with no apparent sensitivities or phobias. I know the dreaded fear periods are coming, but I think she will cruise through them easily.
Feeding goals for puppies should revolve around two rules:
Providing all the nutrients required for growth in the proper amounts for each growth stage; and
Maintaining a BCS (Body Condition Score) of 4 (lean) on the 9 point chart
Is puppy food a scam? Read below
Adhering to these rules promotes an ideal growth rate and proper development of body systems and tissues, diminishing the risk of developmental orthopedic diseases, such as Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) and Osteochondritis (OCD); each caused by abnormal development of the joint and/or the abnormal formation of cartilage and bone. Etiology of these two common diseases in the breed is multifaceted. Genetics probably plays a significant role, as can joint trauma and overnutrition - the overprovision of certain minerals (notably calcium), vitamins (notably vitamin D) and (mainly) the overprovision of energy (kcals), which leads to faster growth rates.
Kale's first 3 weeks with me was spent in Virginia where I was visiting friends. During this time Kale was transitioned from the breeder's kibble onto a 50/50 diet of Farmina Lamb & Blueberry Puppy - Medium and Maxi and Instinct Raw Puppy Chicken formula. The home formulations had to wait until I was back in my own kitchen. I like the Farmina foods and frequently use while traveling. They are well formulated, with food ingredients and nutritional additives I am comfortable with, and have had no known product recalls in their history (they've been in operation nearly 60 years).
DER (Daily Energy Requirement) calculations were pretty much spot on for Kale at that age; around 920 kcals per day. I did find that towards the end of her busy vacation, she was needing around 1000 kcals per day, which put her above the feeding guidelines for the puppy kibble and nearly outside of the guidelines for the raw food. But because she was maintaining a proper growth rate according to the Waltham Growth Chart (I'll post her chart in about a month to show progress), I am not worried, especially now that she is on her home-prepared puppy diet, with all nutrients provided at optimal levels unique to Kale. As she grows, calories and nutrients will need to be adjusted frequently to account for her increasing size and (paradoxically) her slowing growth rates. Growth slows somewhat after about 4 months for a dog her size.
This means I will be formulating a new recipe for her about every 2 weeks. Stay tuned!
Puppy food is NOT a scam. Growth requires different nutrient profiles than maintenance. Additionally, puppies have immature systems that are inefficient at maintaining total body homeostasis in the face of nutrient deficiencies or excesses. For this reason, specially formulated diets for puppies are essential for normal growth and development, whether homemade or commercial. More on this in a future post!