A puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. Growing requires extra amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, and these must be present in the correct ratios. Growing pups need different amounts of protein and energy sources as well. Too much can be as bad as too little!

Your pup's food should say “Balanced and complete for all life stages” or be specifically labeled as a “puppy food.” The best foods will not only have a complete nutritional analysis on the label but will state somewhere that they were tested with feeding trials. A laboratory analysis is not a substitute for actually testing a diet by feeding it to dogs.

Before you bring your new puppy home, ask your breeder what food he has been feeding. You should try to use that food at least for the first week or so to make the new home transition easy for your pup. If you intend to switch foods, do so gradually over a week or so. Resist the temptation to ply your new family member with exotic and wonderful goodies.

Determining Mature Weight

With many pure breeds, you'll have a fairly accurate idea of your dog's eventual adult weight even when he is just a pup. Mixed-breed puppies adopted from animal shelters, however, don't come with papers detailing their parents' breed or size. But there's a rule of thumb that will get you in the ballpark.

Take the puppy's weight at eight weeks, multiply by four or five, and the result will give you an estimate of her adult size. This is only an estimate, but it can help you figure out whether you need to feed a food geared for a large or small breed. Use the following table to estimate your pup's adult weight.

How Much to Feed and When

Your veterinarian and your breeder can help you work out the best diet for your pup. Discuss what amount to feed and how often, as well as what foods are best. The following guidelines can give you a head start:

Most pups do best with three meals a day until four months or so, and then stay on two meals daily for the rest of their lives.

• Very small toy-breed puppies may need extra snacks to keep them growing well.

• Specific meal times are preferred to feeding free choice (leaving a bowl of food out for your dog to graze on). With set meals, you know right away if your pup isn't feeling well. You can easily keep track of just how much Your pup is eating, and it helps with housetraining on a schedule.

• Puppies should have access to fresh water almost all the time. However, you may want to limit water shortly before bedtime or an hour or two before heading out on a long car trip.

Puppy Treats

Let's face it — as well as her regular food, your puppy will be getting treats and chew items. Treats can help train your pup and help develop your close bond. Remember that if you use a lot of treats in training, you may need to cut back on your pup's mealtime amounts.

Most puppies are happy to use their regular food as training treats, but if you want special treats, talk to your veterinarian. Don't forget that pieces of chopped apples or carrots are good and healthy treats for your dog. They're low-calorie and good for her teeth!