YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Vet say feeding 3 month old pup 45 kibbles a day is over feeding.

Yorkiemom1 · 08-09-2015, 08:33 AM

When I first got into buying Yorkies and starting a breeding program years ago, I encountered people that used feeding to control the pups growth. This was a concept that was unheard of to me....but people would encourage feeding a distinct number of kibble pieces, a certain number of times a day. Investigation into this practice soon was explained to me (by people with many, many years with experience in breeding)this was a common way used to stunt the growth of a puppy, so it would remain "a teacup" or a small male that would be a "great breeding dog that was a tiny male, thus throwing small puppies, which are certainly more popular with buyers"!!! I was stunned with the stunts pulled to keep a pup "small in size, even into adulthood". I personally do not believe this is the way to operate. I am not an advocate of using food to stunt a dogs growth, so it remains small and "adorable". Size is determined by the dog's genetic make-up...you can stunt growth, but in my opinion, that is cruel.

After a pup has reached his potential, during the first 10-12 months of his life, then I believe you can adjust his diet as needed to keep the correct weight on the dog. NEVER use food to limit a dog's growth, and that is exactly what many "breeders" advocate, unbeknownst to buyers that just have no idea what this "breeder" is ACTUALLY controlling. But this practice of stunting a pups potential by severely limiting his nourishment, is in MY opinion, cruel. Pups must be fed a proper amount of a proper diet, in order for the dog to develop and mature to his fullest potential. I do not believe in limiting intake until the pup has stopped growing (8-12 months old), bones/joints are set, brains are firing on all cylinders, and nourishment is then directed toward maintaining the wonderful structure, wonderful healthy youngster, full of energy and vitality.

I free feed all my pups, and I have never had a puppy that was overweight! They may eat all day long, when the mood strikes them, but the boundless energy and all the growth and developing that is going on in all those muscles, tissues, bones, brains, organs, etc., demands the proper nutrition to make that pup the absolute best it was designed by genetics, to be.

08-09-2015, 08:33 AM	#3
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	When I first got into buying Yorkies and starting a breeding program years ago, I encountered people that used feeding to control the pups growth. This was a concept that was unheard of to me....but people would encourage feeding a distinct number of kibble pieces, a certain number of times a day. Investigation into this practice soon was explained to me (by people with many, many years with experience in breeding)this was a common way used to stunt the growth of a puppy, so it would remain "a teacup" or a small male that would be a "great breeding dog that was a tiny male, thus throwing small puppies, which are certainly more popular with buyers"!!! I was stunned with the stunts pulled to keep a pup "small in size, even into adulthood". I personally do not believe this is the way to operate. I am not an advocate of using food to stunt a dogs growth, so it remains small and "adorable". Size is determined by the dog's genetic make-up...you can stunt growth, but in my opinion, that is cruel. After a pup has reached his potential, during the first 10-12 months of his life, then I believe you can adjust his diet as needed to keep the correct weight on the dog. NEVER use food to limit a dog's growth, and that is exactly what many "breeders" advocate, unbeknownst to buyers that just have no idea what this "breeder" is ACTUALLY controlling. But this practice of stunting a pups potential by severely limiting his nourishment, is in MY opinion, cruel. Pups must be fed a proper amount of a proper diet, in order for the dog to develop and mature to his fullest potential. I do not believe in limiting intake until the pup has stopped growing (8-12 months old), bones/joints are set, brains are firing on all cylinders, and nourishment is then directed toward maintaining the wonderful structure, wonderful healthy youngster, full of energy and vitality. I free feed all my pups, and I have never had a puppy that was overweight! They may eat all day long, when the mood strikes them, but the boundless energy and all the growth and developing that is going on in all those muscles, tissues, bones, brains, organs, etc., demands the proper nutrition to make that pup the absolute best it was designed by genetics, to be. Last edited by Yorkiemom1; 08-09-2015 at 08:37 AM.