Ideally before her nutrient and calorie requirements start increasing at week 6. This means she should be nicely settled on her new food before you start upping her allowance. If you change her diet and increase her calorie intake at the same time, and there is a problem such as loose stools, it will be more difficult to determine whether it is because the new food isn’t suiting, or if she is simply having a little too much too soon. For a bitch with a very large appetite, you may prefer to keep her on a lower density feed until week 6, but be aware of the above, and it may make calculating her increases a little more complex (see next question).

1. Work out the calories in the pre-pregnancy diet. Multiply the amount you normally feed in grams per day by the calories per gram that the food supplies. If you don’t weigh the food, you’ll need to pop the amount normally fed per day into a kitchen scales to see what it comes out at in grams.

2. Multiply this figure by 1.2-1.3 on week 6, 1.4 on week 7, 1.5 on week 8, and 1.6 on week 9 (work with the original figure each time so the final outcome is about 60% more calories than normal rather than a cumulative increase). To establish feed volume, you will then need to divide this number by the calories per gram in the chosen food (or food/s if you are changing the diet and mixing two together for a transitional period). 

Please be aware that bitches’ requirements can be very variable, so you may need to feed a little more or a little less than these broad guidelines. Increases are not generally needed until week 6 of gestation.

Prestige is our first choice, but Weaning Puppy, Puppy Junior and Sensitive Puppy Junior are also very suitable for feeding during pregnancy (and lactation).

No, although it is possible for allergies to be passed on, puppies tend not to inherit a specific allergy, just an increased likelihood of having allergies in general. Allergies also tend to develop over time, and it is highly unusual for a pup to become allergic to a dietary protein at a very young age.

A viable concern is that a bitch may ingest chicken when she is cleaning up after her pups. Faecal waste is generally safe as the protein should have all been utilised, so should not be present in their stools. You do need to be careful if they are getting messy at feed times and she is licking their coats clean. You can either wipe them down yourself after a feed, and make sure they are fed away from mum, or consider our fish and potato based Sensitive Puppy Junior which excludes chicken protein. The chicken oil in this food should not be problematic since it has been filtered to remove any large, antigenic protein molecules (a food allergy is an adverse immune response to a dietary protein rather than a fat/oil).

Hormonal fluctuations that can affect appetite are common, and a bitch may have an off-day, but compensate by eating more the next. However if she has missed more than one or two meals, the following may help entice her:-

1. Scrambled eggs, or suitable cooked fresh food (e.g. lean white meat, fish) as a topper.

2. Tasty Liver Treat – dissolve a teaspoon or two depending on her size into a mug of hot water to make an aromatic broth to pour over her food.

3. Marmite – as No.2 but be aware that this is salty so not for long-term use. A lick of Marmite from your finger can sometimes act as an appetite stimulant and your bitch may go to her food afterwards. Dogs usually very much like the yeasty smell and taste of Marmite, and the B vitamins may encourage her appetite.

4. Partners canned food.

An appetite reduction is very common just prior to whelping, but she needs energy for birthing so do try to encourage her.

•Insufficient nutrients for both mum and her developing pups – calcium is especially important to avoid hypocalcaemia.

• Unstable blood sugar levels.

• Lack of energy for whelping.

• Can reduce milk production.

Usually as if she was not pregnant. This is to try and prevent the pup from getting too large, which could result in a very difficult whelping. She can still benefit from Prestige or puppy food, but her calorie intake will generally remain as usual.

Be aware that puppies can hide on scans, so she may have more than one pup, and could therefore need more nutrition than originally thought. Keep a close eye on her figure and appetite.

Not unless your vet has recommended it to correct a deficiency. 

The Arden Grange products we suggest for feeding during pregnancy (and lactation) are all complete and balanced. Too much calcium (and/or vitamin D) can cause calcification of the soft tissues of the foetus. It is also important not to upset the calcium to phosphorous ratio of the food. If your bitch has a very large litter, her increased requirements can be provided in a safe and balanced format by feeding her more, rather than adding supplements, but do not be tempted to over-feed. More waste and sloppy stools are a common sign of feeding too much.

As with feeding quantities for pregnancy, those suggested during lactation are only to be used as a broad estimate because requirements can range from 2-4 x a bitch’s pre-pregnancy energy requirement.

Most bitches are good at dictating how much food they need, but if she is getting too slim, it’s important to monitor her food intake closely and increase her allowance accordingly. If she is loose, she may need a reduction.

After peak lactation, her intake can gradually be reduced to slow her milk production.

Yes, this may be beneficial for very large litters if mum is losing condition or interest. The growth diets we suggest for pregnancy and lactation can safely be fed from 2.5 weeks so long as the pups’ vision is sufficiently developed,

and they are mobile. Bottle feeding a milk substitute will be better for pups of a younger age than this.

Not unless your vet has diagnosed calcium deficiency. The Arden Grange growth products have been formulated to provide the correct intake of every mineral (and vitamin) required for healthy development. Adding supplements (or calcium rich additions) is one of the most common causes of developmental bone disease in puppies, especially large and giant breeds, as is feeding too much. Slow and steady growth is the goal, and although a puppy should have sufficient covering to keep warm and have some reserves, it is healthier to be on the slimmer side of normal than the stouter side.

Litters who are thriving on mums’ milk and/or for whom weaning is going well shouldn’t need a milk substitute. However, there are some occasions when one will be necessary or beneficial. These scenarios include orphan pups, mum being unable to feed her pups due to illness, fading pups, underweight pups or slow developers who are not gleaning sufficient nutrition from mum or those who are having a tricky transition from mum’s milk to puppy porridge (made from one of our growth diets).

If using milk products, the best type is a formula made specifically for puppies (e.g. Welpi), but in an emergency there are several suitable recipes online that can be safely used short-term made from kitchen ingredients such as evaporated milk and eggs.

There are other products which could be considered, but before changing the diet, it’s wise to rule out some common issues. Are the litter already full if they’ve recently been drinking from mum? They may accept the food more readily when offered a meal again a little later. Is the food soaked down to the correct consistency for the age of the pups?

Very young pups tend to prefer a lappable, liquid to start with. As the litter get older, you can gradually add less water.

Is the food at body temperature for a young litter? They will be reluctant to eat food that’s too hot or too cold for them.

Encouraging the litter to feed from low trays can be helpful. Even if they are making more of a mess than eating, when they start to clean themselves and each other they’ll start tasting the food and becoming more familiar with it. Are they all in good health and gaining weight nicely?

Not unless your vet has diagnosed calcium deficiency. The Arden Grange growth products have been formulated to provide the correct intake of every mineral (and vitamin) required for healthy development. Adding supplements (or calcium rich additions) is one of the most common causes of developmental bone disease in puppies, especially large and giant breeds, as is feeding too much. Slow and steady growth is the goal, and although a puppy should have sufficient covering to keep warm and have some reserves, it is healthier to be on the slimmer side of normal than the stouter side.

Litters who are thriving on mums’ milk and/or for whom weaning is going well shouldn’t need a milk substitute. However, there are some occasions when one will be necessary or beneficial. These scenarios include orphan pups, mum being unable to feed her pups due to illness, fading pups, underweight pups or slow developers who are not gleaning sufficient nutrition from mum or those who are having a tricky transition from mum’s milk to puppy porridge (made from one of our growth diets).

If using milk products, the best type is a formula made specifically for puppies (e.g. Welpi), but in an emergency there are several suitable recipes online that can be safely used short-term made from kitchen ingredients such as evaporated milk and eggs.

There are other products which could be considered, but before changing the diet, it’s wise to rule out some common issues. Are the litter already full if they’ve recently been drinking from mum? They may accept the food more readily when offered a meal again a little later. Is the food soaked down to the correct consistency for the age of the pups?

Very young pups tend to prefer a lappable, liquid to start with. As the litter get older, you can gradually add less water.

Is the food at body temperature for a young litter? They will be reluctant to eat food that’s too hot or too cold for them.

Encouraging the litter to feed from low trays can be helpful. Even if they are making more of a mess than eating, when they start to clean themselves and each other they’ll start tasting the food and becoming more familiar with it. Are they all in good health and gaining weight nicely?

We suggest you use a diet formulated for growth until pups are as tall as they are going to get as a very broad guide. Some (not all) adult products could be used, but growth diets have been tailored specifically for development.

Whilst some adult products can meet a puppy’s needs, they will not provide such optimal levels of the nutrients required for healthy growth.

Very young puppies will pass sticky stools, but they should not be runny. If they are sloppier than they should be, rule out common problems such as over-eating. This can often happen when pups are free-fed. They may not be exceeding their daily requirement, but they may just be eating too much in one meal which is over-distending their little stomachs.

In cases like this, the digestive system rushes the food through too quickly, and before there has been a chance for the moisture (from the digestive juices) to be reabsorbed back into the body – resulting in loose stools.

If any of the puppies are unwell, it goes without saying that you should seek advice from your vet. In cases of chronic looseness, a stool sample to rule out infectious causes is generally wise.

Usually at around 8 weeks of age. However, this is a time when many puppies are going to their new homes. A diet-change at what can be a stressful time is not generally a good idea.

For “good doers” an earlier change at around 6 weeks is usually fine, and means the pup can be nicely settled, prior to homing, on the food that the new owner will hopefully continue to use until adulthood.

For pups who are a little slender or have a low appetite, a longer period on Weaning Puppy may be more appropriate. The new owner can then gradually introduce a Puppy Junior product a couple of weeks after the pup has settled in.

Usually at around 8 weeks of age. However, this is a time when many puppies are going to their new homes. A diet-change at what can be a stressful time is not generally a good idea.

For “good doers” an earlier change at around 6 weeks is usually fine, and means the pup can be nicely settled, prior to homing, on the food that the new owner will hopefully continue to use until adulthood.

For pups who are a little slender or have a low appetite, a longer period on Weaning Puppy may be more appropriate. The new owner can then gradually introduce a Puppy Junior product a couple of weeks after the pup has settled in.