Tips For Feeding Your Silver Lab Puppy
Silver labs are an attractive tone of gray-blue that's unique in the dog world. While they're a similar color to Weimaraner, most experts don't believe silver labs are the result of cross-breeding. According to All Things Dogs, science suggests their coloration comes from a diluted version of the chocolate lab color.
Silver lab puppies don't have special nutrition requirements compared to other colors of Labrador retrievers. However, labs, in general, do have their own unique dietary needs. Find out some tips for feeding your silver lab puppy.
Stick to the Same Diet as the Breeder
Adult labs have almost ironclad stomachs — few foods will make them sick. Puppies, being babies, don't have as strong of stomachs. So, if you switch their food right away when you bring them home, they'll get sick. The stress of moving to a new home, even if they're excited, will exacerbate the sensitivity of their stomachs.
Talk to your breeder about the kind and brand of food your puppy has been receiving. Most breeders will offer in-depth advice about feeding your new puppy. You can slowly switch over their diet to another brand or food type if you want.
Add Some Wet Food to the Puppy's Diet
Most puppies eat kibble, which is food that's been ground up and dried into easy-to-store pellets. If you buy kibble specially formulated for puppies, your silver lab will receive all the nutrients he needs.
However, consider adding some wet food to your puppy's diet. He'll get moisture in his diet in addition to nutrition. Look for complete wet food options that contain all the nutrients a growing dog needs. Feed your puppy only the recommended amount dictated by his age.
Follow a Nutritional Schedule as Your Puppy Grows
Speaking of age, puppies have different nutritional needs at different stages. Silver labs are pretty big dogs — they'll grow as tall as 25 inches at the shoulder and as heavy as 80 pounds. Yet they start out as tiny puppies. That discrepancy means they grow fast, which means they have big nutritional needs.
That said, labs are also food-motivated dogs. They'll overeat if given half a chance. So, follow a strict nutritional schedule to ensure your silver lab puppy is receiving enough nutrition but not too much. For example, a lab puppy experiences his biggest growth spurt at 11 weeks, which is when he'll need the most food. By 12 weeks, though, you can already start reducing his food.
Get your silver lab started off right with good nutritional habits early in his life. For more information on silver lab puppies, contact breeders like Dugger Mountain Labs.
