Reproduction dog food - Tips for the optimal nutrition of a pregnant and nursing dog

When puppies are born, you naturally want to do everything right. The pregnant dog should be given the best possible care right from the start so that the puppies have a good start in life. There are a few points to bear in mind, especially when feeding the pregnant dog, as pregnancy is accompanied by considerable changes.

What needs to be considered before a dog gets pregnant?

The most important factor is the pregnant dog's condition in conjunction with her optimum body weight, as being overweight has a direct negative effect on fertility. It is possible that a bitch that is significantly overweight will not become pregnant at all or will only give birth to a few puppies. In addition, poor condition also carries risks such as weak labor or lack of milk. Weight reduction is not advisable during pregnancy. Weight regulation should be considered in advance.

It goes without saying that a mother dog should not be underweight, as she needs all her strength and energy to care for her puppies.

An easily digestible food for adult dogs is usually the best choice in the run-up to pregnancy. Our HPC Adult Poultry & Millet is a suitable food. If your dog is very active and/or quite thin, our HPC Active can also be a suitable food.

What needs to be considered during pregnancy?

In the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, no changes to the diet are necessary. The amount and type of food can remain unchanged. Only pregnant dogs (especially small breeds) that have had very large litters in the past are advised to increase their energy intake slightly from the 3rd week of pregnancy and switch to a higher-energy food.

Our HPC Reproduction was specially developed for pregnant and nursing dogs from the 5th week of pregnancy. The milk production of your lactating dog is sustainably promoted by the specific composition to ensure optimal development and vitality of her puppies. Thanks to its high level of acceptance, our Reproduction ensures the sufficient nutrient intake that your bitch needs during the stressful suckling phase. The food can be offered to the bitch either dry or softened with warm water.

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There is a detailed feeding recommendation on the back of the packaging, which depends on the weight of the bitch and the expected number of puppies. Ideally, the amount of food should be divided into 2-3 meals.

In the last week of pregnancy, the bitch usually eats very little and the closer she gets to the due date, the more she reduces her food intake, sometimes she doesn't eat at all. This behavior is absolutely normal and no cause for concern.

What needs to be considered after the puppies are born?

As soon as the puppies are born, a mother dog's energy requirements increase significantly.
A rule: each (additional) puppy increases the energy requirement by about 1/4 compared to the maintenance requirement. Therefore, a particularly energy-rich and easily digestible food is very important in this phase.

The feeding recommendation provides guidelines for the optimum supply of food for the mother dog in this phase. For very large litters, the food can also be offered "ad libitum", i.e. freely available. In this case, however, the dog's weight should be kept in mind so that she does not put on too much weight. It is best for the mother dog to be separated from the puppies for a short time so that she can eat her food in peace and without haste. Sufficient fresh water should always be provided, as the bitch's fluid requirement increases significantly as she nurses her puppies.

Around the 4th week after the puppies are born, the mother dog's energy requirements will slowly but steadily decrease as the puppies are then slowly fed an adapted puppy food. You can find more information in our guide article on feeding your puppies.

The puppies can be weaned from their mother's milk between the 6th and 8th week. When the puppies are finally weaned, the mother dog's food should also be gradually reduced to pre-pregnancy levels.

To ensure that the mother dog can easily maintain her ideal weight and still recover from the strenuous suckling phase, the food should not be changed abruptly.
Ideally, the HPC Reproduction should be mixed with the adult food for another 2 - 3 days before the complete changeover to the adult food takes place. You can find more tips in our guide article on changing food..

As the puppies have already been accustomed to the junior food from the start, this food can be offered and given to the new dog owners. The familiar food makes the exciting start in the new home easier and allows them to settle in more quickly. This brings satisfaction and joy on both sides - for the young dog and its new owner.