The main concern with the first few days is letting the pup get
acquainted. Within the area where he is allowed to roam, give him lots of
time on his own to sniff and explore, to find his bed area, to determine good
nap-taking spots, and to learn where his food and water dishes are kept.
Feed him a good-quality puppy food; the breeder of the pup will inform you
what the puppy is currently eating. The seven- to eight-week-old pup is
probably eating four times a day, which can be changed to three times a day,
and around four to six months of age, to twice a day. We prefer scheduled
mealtimes to free feeding because it helps with house-training. In addition,
it shows your pup how reliable you are in the food department—same
place, same time, same good food every day. As your pup grows, you’ll
gradually need to increase the amount of his food, but don’t let him turn
into a butterball. Sometimes, because of an owner’s work schedule, free
feeding is the better solution. In this case, the main concern is that the pup
doesn’t overeat. Measure the amount of food put in the food dish to keep a
record of the quantity being eaten.
