One of your pet's duties as a new mother is to nurse her puppies. The best way to ensure the good health of the litter is to make sure the mother is well fed and getting plenty of nutrients for herself -- and to pass along to her pups.
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Commercial Dog Food
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Find a dog food brand with the least amount of fillers. There are numerous dog food brands available at your local grocery or pet store. Brands that are high in quality and rich in nutrients are the best choices.
Specialists recommend feeding your dog puppy food, as it is contains the dense nutrients needed to meet a growing puppy's needs. About five weeks after birth, puppies begin showing an interest in their mother's food. This transition to solid food is that much easier and healthier for the pups if your dog is already eating food that is optimal for her puppies.
The best brands for your dog include IAMS, Purina, Hill's Science Diet, Eukanuba, and Natura. Throw in a dog vitamin and mineral supplement for optimal nutrition.
Homemade Food
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Make sure your dog is getting all the nutrients she needs by cooking her food yourself Homemade meals are a great way to ensure that your dog is getting all the nutrients she needs in order to nurse her pups. Nutritious meals are easy to make.
The main ingredient is meat. This makes up for 35 to 45 percent of the meal and can include lean white chicken breast, lean hamburger, turkey, lamb, veal, and fish -- like tuna or mackerel. Twenty-five to thirty-five percent of the mixture should include vegetables like carrots, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, sweet peas, and string beans. Vegetables can be raw or steamed. The final ingredient is a starch. This can be white or brown rice or pasta. Include a dog vitamin and mineral supplement to complete the meal.
Why homemade Food is Preferred
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Home made dog food ensures that your dog is getting the nutrients she needs. All commercial dog food brands contain fillers. Fillers are empty ingredients that are meant only to fill the stomach. They offer no calories and no nutrients -- and simply pass right through the dog's body without being absorbed.
Commercial dog foods also contain coloring and additives that may cause an allergic reaction in your dog or her puppies.
Dogs are carnivores by nature and need to have meat in their diet. The meat contained within commercial brands are not as fresh or nutrient-dense as the real thing.
Besides including real meat, no coloring or additives, and no fillers, homemade dog food is often less expensive than commercial dog food.
If you do decide to feed your dog commercial food, make sure it is a brand with fewer fillers. These tend to be more expensive, so be sure to make room for them in your budget.
How Much Should You Feed Your Nusing Dog?
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Make sure your dog is getting plenty to eat. Boxers, being large, muscular dogs, often need more food than other breeds. Your boxer will need even more while she is nursing. Ideally a nursing dog should eat three times more than her normal allotment.
Food should be made available to your dog throughout the day, or at regular intervals. As the puppies begin to wean off of their mother's milk -- and the need for her to nurse her pups decreases -- your dog's appetite will begin to return to normal.
During the first few weeks after birth, your dog will also need plenty of water to aid in milk production. She will need even more if she has a large litter. Be sure she has lots of fresh water and food.
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