Puppy care
Regular meal times are important
The puppy should always have access to fresh water. He should be given food only at meal times. An eight months old puppy eats four times a day. It is essential that his meal times are regular. The breeder's advices how to feed the puppy are worth following. If feeding the puppy causes problems, it is best to consult the breeder first before trying to change the puppy's diet. Usually the diet should not be changed too rapidly as the digestion system of a dog is very sensitive.
The puppy's meal times can be reduced to three a day when he is about four months old. If he seems to be developing well, the number of meal times can be reduced even before that. The well-being of the puppy should be monitored carefully. His diet has a lot of effects on his well-being. Nowadays many dogs are sensitive to various foodstuffs. For example milk products do not suit all dogs.
The stomach of a growing dog reacts easily the changes in his diet. The home farmacy of the pet owner should contain some remedies for diarrhoea. These can be bough in drug stores. If the diarrhoea of a puppy lasts more than two or three days, it is worthwile taking a look at his diet. It may contain some foodstuffs not suitable for the puppy. When the puppy suffers of violent diarrhoea for many days, he should always be taken to the veterinary. Very violent diarrhoea can dry out the puppy very rapidly.
As the puppy grows he may get pimples on his muzzle and spavins on his skin. They may be caused by hormonal problems, oversensitiveness and allergies or uncleaness. Milk products f. ex. can cause pimples and stomach disorders to some bulldogs.
The bulldog's muzzle and the wrinkles under his chin should be wiped clean always after he has eaten. The puppy's skin should be wiped clean first with dry towel or paper, then wiped again with wet towel or paper. After this the skin under the chin should be dried carefully. The skin of a puppy is very sensitive as the puppy has not yet developed enough immunity.
The puppy should by no means gain too much weight. It is not true that the bulldog should gain most of his weight before six months of age. The bulldog develops slowly. Sometimes he reaches his adult forms as late as at the age of three years. Growing up too fast can damage the bulldog's joints. So it is best to let the dog develop in his own time. All bulldogs do not develop in the same time.
It is not wise to teach the puppy to eat many dog treats. A puppy receiving many treats learns very quickly to be selective when it comes to food. Feeding him becames then problematic. The puppy may also be sensitive to the foodstuffs in the treats. Many treats contain f. ex. colour ingredients or other ingredients not suitable to all dogs. Treats should be given to dogs only when they are being trained, not every time they stare at you begging for something good to eat.
