# what to feed a new puppy



## petespoiled (Dec 3, 2011)

im new to forum, i need help. i have a 6 week old chihuahua pup.. currently feeding her nutro max cannned puppy food. will be switching to the dry brand in the future... the dry food has a protien of 28% , will that be to much for such a small dog???.. thank u for any help


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Welcome to CP.I'm in Uk so i have no idea about the food you are feeding i'm sure somebody will answer your question.Your pup is very young to be away from mum


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## Kaila (Nov 10, 2009)

No, 28% crude protein is not too much for a normal, healthy dog with no health conditions. There's even supporting research that shows that dogs who have kidney disease don't benefit from limiting protein in the diet:

"...restriction of protein intake does not alter the development of renal lesions nor does it preserve renal function. Considering these (research) findings, the authors do not recommend reduction of dietary protein in dogs with renal disease or reduced renal function in order to achieve renoprotective effects."
-- Kirk's Veterinary Therapy XIII, Small Animal Practice, page 861, written by Finco, Brown, Barsanti and Bartges

*That being said, Nutro Max dry dog food is a fairly low-quality food.* It contains corn and wheat. I would avoid it for this reason rather than the level of protein. Here is part of a review of Nutro Max dry puppy food on Dog Food Analysis:

"Corn gluten meal is the main grain in the food. *Corn is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems.* The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is “the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.” In plain English, that which remains after all the nutritious bits have been removed. Wheat flour is a grain fragment (filler). *The use of wheat is a significant negative: wheat is believed to be the number one cause of allergy problems in dog food.* Whole wheat is also used in the food."

And here is the full link to the review so you can read it yourself:
Dog Food Reviews - Nutro Max Puppy (puppy food)


*There are many other brands that I can recommend that would be great for your chi.* If you like the convenience of kibble, you can't go wrong with either Orijen or ZiwiPeak. You won't find these brands at your local grocery store, Petco/Petsmart, or Walmart though. You will have to look for a small-chain pet food store that carries it. If you tell me what city and state you live in I would be happy to look up a location close to you that carries better dog food.

Even though each bag of higher-quality dog food may cost a bit more (Orijen puppy food is $2.53/lb and Nutro Max puppy food is $1.99/lb on PetFoodDirect.com), the food is so nutrient-dense that you don't have to feed as much at each meal, meaning each bag lasts a lot longer. Dogs that are fed high-quality dog food also have fewer vet bills (which saves you money) and increased lifespans and quality of life. 

I've taken Teddy to the vet only once for something other than vaccinations (it was for dewormer after he got fleas outside). Other than that, he is the picture of health: he is an ideal weight, has bright shiny eyes, no "doggy odor," his ears aren't full of smelly gunk, and his fur is incredibly soft (like a rabbit's fur!). He has no allergies or ailments at all and never has.

I hope this helps!

Here are reviews of Orijen and ZiwiPeak so that you can compare them to Nutro Max:

Dog Food Reviews - Orijen Puppy - Powered by ReviewPost
ZiwiPeak Dehydrated Raw Dog Food | Review and Rating

Both products have upwards of 40% crude protein. I've been feeding Teddy these foods for years and he has had no issues whatsoever. He weighs 5 lbs and is almost 2.5 years old.


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## Kaila (Nov 10, 2009)

Also.. 6 weeks is a very young age for a Chihuahua to leave its mother and littermates. I hope that a breeder didn't sell your pup to you at that age as it's highly irresponsible. You need to make sure to socialize your puppy very, very well with other small, safe dogs who are fully vaccinated. At this age, your puppy is learning how to be a dog. She is learning something called "bite inhibition" (biting too hard makes other puppies stop playtime). Now that your puppy has no littermates to learn from, YOU have to be the one to train her. If you fail to provide this education, she will very likely grow up to be a dog who bites hands and is dog aggressive. I highly recommend a puppy playgroup once your puppy is fully vaccinated.






This is what a dog looks like when they are taken from their littermates too soon and don't learn about bite inhibition (this Siberian Husky was bought from a breeder when he was 5 weeks old):






"Not many people know that when puppies are taken from their litter too early that they lose crucial developmental time. Puppies learn essential socialization skills from simply being around their brothers and sisters. Removing a puppy from its litter too early largely increases your chances of owning an antisocial beast like Diesel."
-- Victoria Stilwell, British dog trainer on Animal Planet's _It's Me or the Dog_


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I agree completely with what Kaila has shared. 
At 6 weeks I might also consider supplementing with a puppy formula since this pup should still be nursing.


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## Squirrelflight (Nov 17, 2011)

petespoiled said:


> im new to forum, i need help. i have a 6 week old chihuahua pup.. currently feeding her nutro max cannned puppy food. will be switching to the dry brand in the future... the dry food has a protien of 28% , will that be to much for such a small dog???.. thank u for any help


Hello Congrats on your new puppy! Mine just turned 12 weeks and I have been feeding them wellness canned puppy food since 4 weeks to supplement moms nursing. At 6 weeks I started adding in a bit of kibble to the canned and leaving kibbies in their playland at all times... At 9 weeks I started them on some fresh food toppers in the morning and evening mixed with their canned food and kibbles. 

I feed wysong epigen primarily and get it online - It's expensive but chis dot eat much so it lasts. I have 5 chis and use about 2-3 lbs of kibble a week. But I also feed Nutro small breed puppy food and occasionally purinas one & beyond (also corn and wheat free but not a 'high quality' kibbie.. more midgrade. 

I like to mix it up and keep it interesting. ;-) And all of mine do great and have clean eyes and are very healthy. I do avoid corn adn wheat

And yes 6 weeks is too young to leave the mother.. do some online research bc if you dont provide what he needs for his developmental stages he will have a very hard time learning those lessons later.


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