Beagle Dog
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How to Feed a Beagle
Understanding Food Needs
Proper feeding is vital to your dog. A Beagle can become overweight if care is not taken concerning their diet. Overweight dogs can have health problems, just as humans can. A Beagle can get Diabetes, and have strain put on their joints and ligaments if their diet is not controlled.
Beagles burn calories at a faster rate than some other breeds, especially when they are puppies. But as they mature, needs change for dog food and/or more exercise. Proper feeding can extend life expectancy.
How much do you feed a Beagle puppy? How often do you feed an adult? All topics are discussed.
Proper feeding is vital to your dog. A Beagle can become overweight if care is not taken concerning their diet. Overweight dogs can have health problems, just as humans can. A Beagle can get Diabetes, and have strain put on their joints and ligaments if their diet is not controlled.
Beagles burn calories at a faster rate than some other breeds, especially when they are puppies. But as they mature, needs change for dog food and/or more exercise. Proper feeding can extend life expectancy.
How much do you feed a Beagle puppy? How often do you feed an adult? All topics are discussed.
Proper feeding will not only help keep your Beagle healthy, but can affect behavior.
Feeding Your Beagle Puppy - 4 Weeks to 8 Weeks Old
Beagle puppies, by law in most areas, are not allowed to be taken from the dam until the age of 8 weeks old. During this time, the puppy will be provided with the most nutritious substance possible: mom's milk.
At the age of 4 to 5 weeks, solid food should be slowly introduced. This must be done at a slow and steady pace, to allow the Beagle to become used to this new form of nutrition. It is highly suggested to give homemade food. When using commercial puppy food, you will need to use wet food and it is filled with water and preservatives. Best is to use a food processor to blend soft cooked chicken, soft cooked carrots and a bit of soft cooked rice. Milk replacer can then be added to that the mixture ends up a rather soupy meal. As each week goes by, less and less milk replacer is used and you can blend the food a bit less until the puppy is accustomed to a more solid food mixture.
Again, we do not recommend manufactured food, but if you decide to go that route, you will want to choose a a higher quality puppy food (they do have less fillers than cheaper dog foods) and mix it with milk replacement solution; 1 part to 3 parts. This will form a rather soupy substance that the puppy will be able to easily digest. Begin slowly, with perhaps a 1/2 cup and work your way up in small steps.
8 Weeks to 6 Months Old
What to Feed
You must decide between commercial dog food or home cooked food.
Some things to know about manufactured dog food:
Making food at home is easy and in most cases, less expensive. Many of the ingredients are those that you normally buy. Buying in bulk saves money. For example, if you are purchasing chicken, you can purchase a large bulk package, putting some aside for you and some for your Beagle.
The main ingredient should be fresh, wholesome, real meat. This is what a Beagle needs. 35-45% of the mixture should be one or a combination of:
Finally, a good daily dog vitamin and mineral dog supplement should be mixed into a meal each day or given in tablet form. This should be given whether home cooking or giving commercial food.
Click to learn more about home cooking for your Beagle
How Often to Feed Your Beagle
How often should you feed your puppy? From 2 months to 6 months, your dog should be eating 3 meals a day. Each meal should be 1-2 cups of dog food. Free feeding is not recommended past the age of 3 months tops. This is a method in which a dog's food is left out, so that the dog may eat when the desire. For the sake of health, food should be given at allotted times throughout the day; this is best for the dog. Most owners find it easy to feed their puppy the 3 meals at the same time that they eat their own breakfast, lunch and dinner.
6 Months to 1 Year
During this time, despite appearance, your Beagle is still considered a puppy. During this 6 month time period, work your way down to 2 meals a day; 1 in the morning and 1 in the early evening. At the 1 year mark, your dog should be eating 1 good and healthy meal a day (plus additional healthy snacks). Snacks and treats will be needed for many training techniques; having your Beagle down to 1 meal will allow room in his or her diet for the extra dog treats.
2 Years Old
Congratulations! Your Beagle is now considered an adult dog. One good meal a day can be given, along with snacks. Your dog is done growing now, so do be careful to not overfeed. Extra calories are not needed, as growth spurts are done.
Free VS Scheduled
It is never recommended to leave out dog food and allow your Beagle to eat whenever they wish. While this may make things a bit easier on the owner, it is not what is healthiest for the dog. Dogs who are given a daily schedule for just about everything...eating, grooming walks, play time, etc, are found to be much better behaved dogs. Since size will vary greatly, the best rule is that a dog should eat for 20 minutes. Anything not eaten within that time should be saved for later.
Human Food
Most owners find it hard to resist those pleading "puppy eyes" that dogs can give us when they want our tacos burgers or other human food. While you may think you are gaining love and loyalty by giving your dog some of your food, you may very well be jeopardizing their health. When you home cook, this is not the same as giving your dog your dinner. Home cooked foods are specific real, wholesome, healthy foods for a Beagle. They will receive their food in their dog dish. Giving your dog little pieces of your dinner is just setting yourself up for a life time of begging behavior.
There are several reasons why giving a dog your dinner is a terrible habit to have:
Beagle puppies, by law in most areas, are not allowed to be taken from the dam until the age of 8 weeks old. During this time, the puppy will be provided with the most nutritious substance possible: mom's milk.
At the age of 4 to 5 weeks, solid food should be slowly introduced. This must be done at a slow and steady pace, to allow the Beagle to become used to this new form of nutrition. It is highly suggested to give homemade food. When using commercial puppy food, you will need to use wet food and it is filled with water and preservatives. Best is to use a food processor to blend soft cooked chicken, soft cooked carrots and a bit of soft cooked rice. Milk replacer can then be added to that the mixture ends up a rather soupy meal. As each week goes by, less and less milk replacer is used and you can blend the food a bit less until the puppy is accustomed to a more solid food mixture.
Again, we do not recommend manufactured food, but if you decide to go that route, you will want to choose a a higher quality puppy food (they do have less fillers than cheaper dog foods) and mix it with milk replacement solution; 1 part to 3 parts. This will form a rather soupy substance that the puppy will be able to easily digest. Begin slowly, with perhaps a 1/2 cup and work your way up in small steps.
8 Weeks to 6 Months Old
Growth will be fast during this phase and proper feeding is vital. At this age, the puppy should be used to solid food.
Scheduled feedings should now be done. Free feeding is not recommended. When you have set meal times, this helps with housebreaking. In addition, when a dog has a good, firm schedule, they are better behaved.
Scheduled feedings should now be done. Free feeding is not recommended. When you have set meal times, this helps with housebreaking. In addition, when a dog has a good, firm schedule, they are better behaved.
What to Feed
You must decide between commercial dog food or home cooked food.
Some things to know about manufactured dog food:
- All contain fillers - "high quality" just contains less fillers than cheaper brands. Fillers are completely empty ingredients with zero nutrients and zero calories. These are put into manufactured dog foods in order to pump up the "food" to make it look as if there is more and to fill up your dog's stomach (while offering no nutrients). They pass right through a dog's body, without being absorbed. This is a terrible thing to give to any dog, whether a helpless puppy, an adult who you want to keep healthy or the senior Beagle who really depends on you to give them healthy food.
- It contains coloring and additives which can cause allergic reactions
- Dogs need to eat meat. They are carnivores by nature. Manufactured dog food has what is labeled "meat". Owners need to think about this question... If meat in dog food is healthy, real and wholesome...why don't you eat it? You wouldn't? We know...it seems silly until you really think about it. You and I know it is not real food and we would never it it... Therefore, why make your Beagle have to eat it?
Making food at home is easy and in most cases, less expensive. Many of the ingredients are those that you normally buy. Buying in bulk saves money. For example, if you are purchasing chicken, you can purchase a large bulk package, putting some aside for you and some for your Beagle.
The main ingredient should be fresh, wholesome, real meat. This is what a Beagle needs. 35-45% of the mixture should be one or a combination of:
- Lean, white breast chicken
- Lean hamburger
- Turkey
- Lamb
- Veal
- Fish - Tuna, Mackerel
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Cauliflower
- Sweet peas
- String beans
Finally, a good daily dog vitamin and mineral dog supplement should be mixed into a meal each day or given in tablet form. This should be given whether home cooking or giving commercial food.
Click to learn more about home cooking for your Beagle
How Often to Feed Your Beagle
How often should you feed your puppy? From 2 months to 6 months, your dog should be eating 3 meals a day. Each meal should be 1-2 cups of dog food. Free feeding is not recommended past the age of 3 months tops. This is a method in which a dog's food is left out, so that the dog may eat when the desire. For the sake of health, food should be given at allotted times throughout the day; this is best for the dog. Most owners find it easy to feed their puppy the 3 meals at the same time that they eat their own breakfast, lunch and dinner.
6 Months to 1 Year
During this time, despite appearance, your Beagle is still considered a puppy. During this 6 month time period, work your way down to 2 meals a day; 1 in the morning and 1 in the early evening. At the 1 year mark, your dog should be eating 1 good and healthy meal a day (plus additional healthy snacks). Snacks and treats will be needed for many training techniques; having your Beagle down to 1 meal will allow room in his or her diet for the extra dog treats.
2 Years Old
Congratulations! Your Beagle is now considered an adult dog. One good meal a day can be given, along with snacks. Your dog is done growing now, so do be careful to not overfeed. Extra calories are not needed, as growth spurts are done.
Free VS Scheduled
It is never recommended to leave out dog food and allow your Beagle to eat whenever they wish. While this may make things a bit easier on the owner, it is not what is healthiest for the dog. Dogs who are given a daily schedule for just about everything...eating, grooming walks, play time, etc, are found to be much better behaved dogs. Since size will vary greatly, the best rule is that a dog should eat for 20 minutes. Anything not eaten within that time should be saved for later.
Human Food
Most owners find it hard to resist those pleading "puppy eyes" that dogs can give us when they want our tacos burgers or other human food. While you may think you are gaining love and loyalty by giving your dog some of your food, you may very well be jeopardizing their health. When you home cook, this is not the same as giving your dog your dinner. Home cooked foods are specific real, wholesome, healthy foods for a Beagle. They will receive their food in their dog dish. Giving your dog little pieces of your dinner is just setting yourself up for a life time of begging behavior.
There are several reasons why giving a dog your dinner is a terrible habit to have:
- Once you give in, even once, you will have a dog that begs for your food at all times. Getting them to eat their own food will become a struggle. Your food will not give your dog what they need in regard to optimal nutrition. Stay strong and don't give in, to make your life easier.
- Foods and ingredients that we would never think twice about can be so dangerous to dogs. Just about everyone knows about chocolate. But what about: onions, raisins, grapes, fruit seeds, fruit cores, raw salmon, mushrooms and caffeine? These foods are poison to a dog's digestive system and many can be found in your meals. The coloring, spices and additives in your meals are detrimental to your dog's health.
- This can very quickly lead to weight gain.
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