Signs of overfeeding a newborn puppy

There’s enough to feel nervous about when you’re responsible for a tiny newborn puppy, after all - this baby is entirely dependent on you for survival, and you’ll want to keep them as safe and nourished as possible. In this article, we’ll be focusing on newborn puppies (aged up to 8 weeks) and how to know whether you’re overfeeding them. With these tips, you can avoid overfeeding a puppy, so they’ll grow up healthy, happy and strong under your care. 

Signs your puppy is overfed 

Unsure if your pup’s been eating too much? There are a few giveaway signs to look out for:

• The most obvious is they’ll be carrying excess weight, or have put a lot of weight on in a short space of time. A newborn puppy grows rapidly - gaining between 5-10% of their body weight each week - so of course, they’ll appear bigger over time. If they gain more than this, you’ll likely notice, as they may be carrying more weight than their miniature form can handle.

• If they’re old enough to be active, they may have difficulty moving and getting around easily, as their weight means they struggle to carry themselves. 

• They could appear sluggish and lethargic, and may also suffer from digestive issues such as diarrhoea or a bloated tummy.

• They’ll seem hungry often and cry out for food. If they’ve been fed too often, they’ll get used to this routine and feel hungrier than necessary. 

Why is overfeeding a concern?

You might want to give your puppy as much food as they’re willing to eat, but overfeeding has a range of negative effects. Excess weight is something to avoid as it causes a number of connected health concerns. 

Here are some risks and health issues associated with overfeeding a newborn puppy:

• Joint and skeletal issues. Rapid weight gain in newborn puppies puts undue stress on their developing joints and bones, potentially leading to deformities and long-term mobility problems.

• Digestive problems. Excess food can overwhelm a newborn puppy's still developing digestive system, causing discomfort, bloating, and inefficient nutrient absorption. They could also get newborn puppy diarrhoea, which can lead to pain and dehydration.

• Bloating. Too much food can lead to a distended stomach and discomfort, as well as gas build-up.

• Risk of obesity. Overweight puppies often become overweight adults, and this can reduce quality of life and shorten lifespan significantly.

Why’s my puppy eating so much?

A puppy might want to eat more than they need for a lot of reasons; it could be an instinctual behaviour (e.g. they may rush to eat if they came from a big litter), their genetics or breed, or they might even have an undiagnosed medical condition, such as a worm burden.

If you’ve been feeding your puppy too much, they’ll get used to it and end up hungrier than what’s healthy for them. It’s just the same as when humans eat more than they need, and then end up craving and feeling hungry for that same large amount of food each day. 

How do I feed my puppy the right amount?

So how do you feed a puppy the right amount of food? A newborn pup should eat enough food for their life stage, and food that’s high quality and nutrient dense. From birth to around 3 weeks old, they drink milk from their mother, or a pawrent can feed them formula with a milk replacer. From 4 weeks old they should slowly transition to puppy food (milk and puppy food mixed together is often called ‘puppy mush’). 

Here’s a general guideline to newborn puppy feeding… 

0-2 weeks old: Milk or formula (either from mother, or human carer with a milk replacer or syringe), every 2-3 hours, including overnight. 

2-4 weeks old: Milk or formula every 3-4 hours, including overnight. 

4-6 weeks old: Start to mix milk with puppy food to make a puppy mush. Feed them this every 4-6 hours, gradually increasing the ratio of puppy food to milk. 

7-8 weeks old: By the time your puppy’s 8 weeks old, they should be fully transitioned to puppy food. They’ll still need feeding 3-4 times a day as they’re growing so quickly and their activity levels will have boosted! After a brief phasing out, overnight feeds should stop completely. 

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Tips for feeding a puppy the right amount

Here are some tips to keep you feeding your newborn pup the right food in the right amounts…  

• Focus on the amount of food required. A baby pooch shouldn’t eat more food than they can handle - the amount will start little and often and gradually increase as the number of feeds decrease. Do some research into how much food your pup should eat based on their puppy stage and breed, and be sure to not go over that amount. Speak to your vet if you aren’t sure.

• Read the labels. Keep an eye on the labels of any puppy food you consider. Though food for puppies has to pass certain standards, there are some cheaper brands that contain filler ingredients, which won’t do much for your pup’s growing health.

• Choose puppy food that puts nutrition first. Picking healthy, high-quality puppy food that’s all about nutrition means your tiny pooch gets all the superpowers they need from their meals - without the ill effects of artificial additives or cheap, high fat food packed with empty calories.

• Consider your puppy's lifestyle. Does your puppy get enough movement? If their activity level is relatively low and they’re over 4 weeks old, it could be worth challenging them a bit more in the walking and playing department. This depends on their developmental stage (early newborns don’t tend to move much!). 

• Learn about the nutritional needs of a newborn puppy. If you have a newborn pup, you should arm yourself with knowledge on how to care for it. Puppy-rearing from newborn is a big responsibility, so swot up on the nutritional needs of your particular puppy breed, and do what’s best for their growth, development and overall comfort and happiness. 

FAQs

Now you should be feeling a lot more confident as a new puppy parent, here are a few summarising questions on feeding your newborn pooch: