When selecting your POM'S diet, three stages
of development must be considered; the puppy stage; the adult stage; and the senior stage. We will
discuss each of these three stages in detail in the followng article. First, we will discuss the puppy stage.
FEEDING YOUR POM PUPPY
Puppies instinctively want to suckle milk from their mothers breast, and a normal puppy
will exhibit this behavior from just a few moments after birth. If the puppy doesn't attempt to suckle wihin a half
hour or so, you will have to encourage the puppy to do so by placing him on the nipple, selecting one with plenty
of milk. This early milk supply is important in providing colostrum to protect the puppy during the first 8 to 10 weeks
of his life. Although a mother's milk is much better than any commercial milk formula, despite there being some
excellent ones available, if the puppy does not feed, then you will have to feed him one of these commercial formulas.
If you are unsure how this should be done, consult your veterinarian for the right formula
to feed him, the right amount to feed, and how often the puppy will need to be fed. Usually feeding every
2 to 3 hours during the first few days of life is the general rule of thumb.
The puppy should be allowed to nurse from his mother for about the first 6 weeks of life,
although from about the 3rd or 4th week of life, you can start to introduce small portions of a good quality soft, palatable
canned puppy food. By the time the puppy is 7 to 8 weeks old, he should be completely weaned and fed solely on
a good quality puppy food. Selecting a good quality puppy food at this time is essential, for a puppy's fastest
growth rate is during the first year of life. Veterinarians are usually able to offer advice in this area. Although
the frequency of meals will be reduced over time, ONLY when the puppy has reached the age of 1 year should an adult
formula food be introduced.
Puppy ad juvenile diets should be well balanced for the needs of your active little POM,
so that except in certain circumstances, additional vitamins and minerals should not be required.
Your puppy likes and needs routine, so to avoid feeding problems, establish
a habitual eating schedule as soon as possible. The routine will create body rhythms that will tell the puppy to become
hungry when his dinner time is approaching. Each day use the same food dish, place and time for feeding.
Give him the food and only leave it down for 30 minutes. If he doesn't eat it,
remove the food and don't feed him again until his next scheduled feeding time.
When the puppy is 2 to 3 months old, soak puppy formula dry food in hot water until
completely soft. Make a mixture of one half soaked dry food and one half canned puppy food. Feed 3 to 4 times
a day at the same time each day. Once a day give the puppy a teaspoon of cottage cheese or plain yogurt and a puppy
vitamin tablet. Follow the instructions on the label for giving the vitamin.
When the puppy is 3 to 5 months old, feed the same as for 2 to 3 months except cut the
feedings down to 3 times a day. Slowly decrease the water until the dry food is barely moistened, so that by the
end of 5 months you're pouring the hot water on the food and immediately pouring it off. Mix in the canned food at a
ratio of one fourth canned food to three fourths dry food.
When the puppy is 6 to 12 months of age, continue serving puppy formula food but cut
the feedings down to 2 times a day. Do not add water to the dry food, so that the puppy is now eating the same
(with the exception that he is on puppy formula) as an adult. When he reaches 1 year of age, you can,
if you choose, switch to an adult diet. Some food manufacturers recommend that TOY breeds remain on puppy formula
for life. This is recommended because the toy breed dogs have a higher metabollic rate. You can use your own discretion...whether
to change to an adult food or to stay on puppy food. My POMS seem to like HILLS SCIENCE DIET SMALL BITE FORMULA
food for Adults.
FEEDING YOUR ADULT POM
A dog is considered to be an adult when he has stopped growing, so in general,
the diet of a POMERANIAN can be changed to an adult formula at about 1 year of age. Some POM owners choose to keep their
POMS on puppy formula throughout their lfe. For such tiny mouths, dry puppy food is usually more palatable than
adult foods and the protein content is higher than adult food for such an active little dog. Keep in mind that adult
foods come in small bite formula, so it is whatever you prefer to feed your POM.
Again, you should rely upon your veterinarian or breeder of your POM to recommend an
acceptable food. Keep in mind, that POMS require a high protein diet because of their high levels of activity.
Also, keep in mind that they do not usually require such a high protein content food if they have been spayed or neutered.
Something else to consider is that too much milk or other dairy products, can sometimes cause an upset tummy.
Below are a couple of feeding schedules that may work for you and your adult POM.
1. Once a day, feed 1/4 to 1/2 cup dry dog food. (Protein
content should not be less than 25%; fat content
not less
than 12%); balanced and complete.
Stir in 1 tsp. of a balanced and complete canned
food. Add
a tsp. of Corn Oil (Optional).
Give one multi-vitamin tablet.
2. Once or twice a week, substitute cottage cheese or plain
yogurt for the canned food. Add healthy treats
if desired,
but NEVER exceed more than one fourth of the total daily
food intake in treats.
3. You can also feed Dry Food Only and give a teaspoon of
cottage cheese or plain yogurt several times a week as
a
supplement.
FEEDING A SENIOR POM
A POM is considered to be a senior when he reaches the age of 7 years. Feed the same
brand of food that you have been feeding, but change to a senior formula. As your POM gets older, his metabolism
changes. An older POM usually exercises less, moves more slowly, and sleeps more. This change in lifestyle
and physiological performance requires a change in his diet. Since these changes take place slowly, they
may not be readily recognizable. What will be recognizable is the WEIGHT GAIN. By continuing to feed your older
POM an adult formula food when he is slowing down metabolically, he will show a change in weight. Obesity in an
older POM only compounds those health problems that already accompany old age.
As your POM gets older, few of his organs function up to par. The slow down causes
the intestines to become less efficient. These age related factors are best handled with a change in diet and a change
in feeding schedule to give smaller portions, more frequently if needed, that are more easily digested.
There is no single best diet for every senior dog. While many dogs do well on light
or senior diets, other dogs do well on special premium diets, such as lamb and rice. Be sensitive to your
senior POM'S diet and this will help control other problems that may arise with your older friend.
TABLE SCRAPS AND YOUR POMS
Table scraps, contrary to popular belief, are not all bad for your POM.
The problem is what type of food you choose and the amount you feed him. Cookies, ice cream and fatty foods
will make your POM overweight without nutritional value. Their palatability will cause him to eat less dog food,
which will result in an unhealthy diet and POM.
POMERANIANS love yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, cucumbers, broccoli,
tomatoes, green peppers, carrots, and apples. All of these are healthy, and make good additions
to your POM'S diet. Poms also like grapes, BUT DO NOT GIVE THESE TO YOUR POM as they have been known to cause
severe kidney dysfunction/failure, and in some cases, death in POMERANIANS.
If you mix table scraps in his dog food, you will soon have a major problem on your
hands. If mixed with dry food the POM will pick out each piece of dry food, lick it clean, then refuse to
eat it. If mixed with moist food, he will refuse the whole mixture, and go on a hunger strike. It
doesn't matter how hungry he gets, or how much weight he loses, a POM intent on forcing you to feed him only people
food is stubborn as a mule. Believe me, he will outlast you. You can avoid this problem by feeding
him his usual dog food at his regular time and save the table scraps for a treat. Another problem: Except for
yogurt and cottage cheese, don't put people food in a dog's dish, but offer it from your fingers, and remember,
only give him a small amount.
Another problem with table scraps is that they are usually offered to the dog while the family
is eating at the table. This is understandable because you love your pet and want to share the goodies with him.
Feed him from the table once or twice, and you will never again eat dinner in peace. At first, the pressure of
tiny paws will rest on your knees gently, but if you don't come through, then these soft paws will scratch indignantly
on your leg. If you are still able to resist his endeavors, he will bring out the big guns---THOSE BIG,
BROWN, MELTING EYES. I don't know how the POM does it, but he can look at you with an expression that tugs
at your heart in a way you can' t resist. Somehow, he will make you believe that he will starve to death that
very instant if you don't give him some of your food. I have never known a POM owner who could resist, so it is better
to never start the practice in the first place.
To use table scraps effectively, keep the amount around 25% of the total diet;
feed only healthy leftovers and NEVER use the table scraps as the only food for the POM. NEVER mix them in with the
POM'S regular food, but feed them, if you must, from your hand as a treat.
