One of the most important things to do when you bring your puppy home is to establish a good routine. Routines are something your pup can rely on and this will help them to feel less anxious about the world around them.
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One of the easiest ways to get into a good routine is to start with set meal times and patterns. It’s completely up to you how many meals you feed your puppy - it’s all about what works best for you both. Most pet parents will start by feeding 4 or 5 times a day while the pup is under 3 months old, then 3 times a day under 6 months old, and finally settle on twice a day once their puppy reaches 6 months. This is because younger puppies have smaller stomachs and also burn energy very quickly with all the playing they do, so eating little and often works best.
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Regardless of how many meals your puppy has, feeding at the same time and in the same place is important to establish a routine. You’ll want to find a calm and quiet space that feels safe, so it's best to avoid any busy areas or anywhere too noisy. Staying away from washing machines, entranceways or places where your pup is likely to be interrupted will help to make them comfortable and enjoy mealtimes.
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Now that you know when and where to feed your pup, let’s talk about how to feed them. It’s good to serve your puppy’s food in a variety of different bowls to get them used to different materials and shapes. Puppies who have never eaten from a stainless steel bowl, for example, could be alarmed by the noise they make if they're not introduced to it early on. There are a lot of options, including ceramic bowls, shallow bowls, wide bowls, slow feeder bowls with bumps and grooves in - you can even ditch the bowl altogether and try out a lick mat.
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If your puppy doesn’t finish their food, be sure to throw away anything left in the bowl after 30 minutes or so (it won’t taste great if left down for longer than this and might put your puppy off). Do keep a bowl of fresh water on offer at all times though.
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As you get to know your puppy more, you might notice that they’re very keen on anything and everything related to food! If this is the case, it’s important to get into good habits around human food too. As well as being good manners, this will also reduce the risk of your puppy eating something that might harm them, like chocolate or raisins, or becoming overweight from too many table scraps. When you're ready to eat, make sure your pup is away from the dinner table or wherever you have meals. Settle them down in a different room and offer something to keep them busy, such as a toy or chew. You can even feed them their meals at the same time as yours.
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It’s really important to reward your puppy for their good behaviour. If they’ve stayed put for the entirety of your meal, be sure to give them lots of fuss and praise after so they’ll know to do the same thing next time. Bon(e) appétit!
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​Please note these are feeding guidelines only. We understand you know your pooch best so it's totally understood that you may need to make some changes to suit them.