Doberman Puppy Diet

Dobermans are large, active dogs that require lots of nutrition.

Dobermans are large, loyal dogs that have an unfounded reputation for being vicious. When they are adopted as puppies and raised correctly, Dobermans are gentle, affectionate family dogs. Raising a Doberman puppy in a healthy way means providing a nutritious diet and plenty of exercise, as well as understanding the breed itself.

The Facts--Dobermans

Dobermans were developed as hunting dogs in Germany in the 1800s. They are a cross between German pinschers, Beaucerons, English greyhounds, Weimaraners and Rottweilers. This breeding led to dogs that have large frames and solid muscling. Doberman puppies start small at several pounds, but grow to be 26 to 28 inches tall and 66 to 68 pounds with proper diet and exercise. Their frames require nutrition that includes plenty of protein and carbohydrates for adequate development.

Care Needs

Dobermans are high-energy dogs and need plenty of room and exercise. These needs start when they are puppies, when it's important to train them to long walks and active play times. Dobermans require corresponding high-nutrition diets to fuel these lifestyles, and should eat food that is designed for large-breed puppies, since it is then balanced for dogs that are going to grow quickly.

Puppy Diet

Owners start Doberman puppies on solid food at 6 weeks of age, and generally begin by giving puppies their puppy food soaked in water to soften it. Owners should feed puppies three to four small meals a day to keep them from overeating or getting bloated.

Dog Food Ingredients

High-quality dog foods contain high-quality ingredients that make for healthy puppies. Feed doberman puppies food that has been approved by the USDA, contains pure meat as the top ingredients, does not contain corn or soybeans, and does not contain additives. Avoid artificial preservatives and fillers like grain and rice flour.

Fresh Food

Many owners supplement dog food with fresh foods to increase the nutritional intake of their puppies. Good, fresh foods for Doberman puppies are chicken, turkey, beef, bison, venison, fish and vegetables like carrots, lettuce and celery. YourPureBredPuppy.com also recommends rice, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs and cottage cheese.

Considerations

Dobermans are large dogs that go through tremendous growth spurts before they reach maturity. Proper nutrition helps Doberman puppies reach healthy weights and achieve a strong bone and muscle structure, while improper nutrition may lead to weak bones and problems like hip dysplasia. Puppies that eat grain-based dog foods sometimes develop life-long allergies to grain.

References

• Your Purebred Puppy: How to Raise Your Dog to be Healthy, Michele Welton
• Dog Breed Info Center: Doberman Pinscher
• Puppy-Training-Solutions.com: Facts About Doberman Pinscher Puppies