As your dog ages, there is a general decrease in energy needs, firstly due to a reduction in physiological needs but also due to reduced activity. Therefore, it makes sense to keep a close eye on any weight fluctuations and reduce the amount fed as required. On a physiological level, ageing can lead to a number of changes in your dog’s body, seniors often have lower glucose tolerance, less lean body mass, and reduced function from their kidneys (reduced kidney blood flow and glomerular filtration rate), their immune function, hormone secretion and response, brain and enzyme activity and mineral uptake/homeostasis can all be reduced too, making them more vulnerable to illness, environmental changes and digestion and absorption issues. Days 21- 28: The fetuses will grow from 5-10mm to 14-16mm, their faces take shape and their eyes and spinal cords develop. A vet will be able to palpate and possibly detect pregnancy between days 27 and 31. The duration of pregnancy in dogs can range from anything between 57 – 69 days. Feeding well throughout this period should ensure a successful outcome and healthy well-fed pups. For the first 35 days there is no need to increase the amount to feed, simply feed as normal and monitor appetite, digestion and condition. You may notice that during week 4 and 5 of pregnancy she loses her appetite, which in most cases is entirely normal and indicative of pregnancy. However, in the last third of the pregnancy period she will need to have her food increased by approximately 10% a week so that when she is ready to give birth she is having 1.5 times her maintenance amount. As the pups increase in size in her, her stomach capacity is reduced so feed her little and often or through free choice feeding. FEEDING FOR LACTATION However, this being said, you do get for what you pay for, and there are hundreds, if not thousands of happy owners that swear by Dr John’s. Conclusion

For this reason we would suggest trialing Dr John first to see if you can notice any improvements for a month or so. This will also give you the time to notice whether or not your dog has had any reactions Dr John. Large & giant breed puppies will need to be fed a growth diet for much longer than a toy or small breeds, whilst a terrier pup will finish its growth by 6 months of age, a giant breed like a Newfoundland will still be growing at 18 months. It’s particularly important that growth in these larger dogs is evenly spread over this period and the nutrient levels are appropriate. Our growth diets, as with all our diets, require no supplementation as they are complete foods with all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for growth in the right proportions. In fact supplementing with additional minerals or vitamins can create a nutrient imbalance which can affect coat, appetite and even bones. There is some evidence to suggest mineral imbalance can cause bones to become enlarged yet with lower bone density which could have detrimental consequences in later life (osteochondrosis, osteoarthritis). WHY CAN’T I FEED MY PUPPY ADULT FOOD? They also clearly state how much you should be feeding your dog, dependent on its weight, size, breed, and other existing health conditions. We really can’t stress enough with how impressed we are with Dr John. Decide in advance whether your dog will be allowed upstairs and how to discourage any explorations or the puppy from simply following you up. Baby gates can be a good temporary solution to open stairs. Puppies are not able to manage stairs so will need carrying until you can teach them how to safely crawl up and down.It’s worth considering working dogs separately to pets with regard to dietary requirements. Rather like human athletes, they can have a variety of different additional needs, dependant on the work they carry out or sport they engage in, however, some general principles apply with working dogs. The cycle lasts between 14 and 28 days and begins from when bleeding is first noticed. If you intend to breed, then find out as much as possible about the subject beforehand, your breeder, vet and the Kennel Club are all good sources of information to ensure the best outcome. Normal symptoms & what to watch out for Commitment to 10+ years of your life to looking after your dog through all his/her life stages. Commitment to regular exercise, playtime, providing a suitable diet and veterinary care as needed. There are reports of a couple of owners that have had issues, but in comparison to some of the other brands we have reviewed, these are very few and far between. We understand that all dogs are different, and we know that not Dr John might not work for every dog out there. Training: This needs to start straight away at home. Introduce consistent commands and reward methods early on to ensure a good start. Training classes can be a great way to meet people with similar issues and also for your puppy to socialize in a safe environment. However it is important to wait until vaccinations are complete and it is not until a further 7 days after the second set that your puppy will be safe to go outside and meet other dogs. PUPPY FEEDING SCHEDULE

Carb-rich ingredients: includes all ingredients derived from grains, pseudo-grains, potatoes and other starchy root vegetables, sweet potato and legumes (except whole peas which are categorised under fruit and veg) except for isolated protein and extracted oils. Also includes fibre supplements. If you are not planning to breed, then there are a number of good reasons to neuter as it can prevent cancers and infections as well as the risk of unwanted pregnancies. The optimum time for this surgery is approximately 6-12 weeks after the bleeding stops, as this will be in the middle of her next reproductive cycle. Timing with puppies is everything. Once you’ve decided to get a puppy there’s a lot to get done before bringing them home so time to plan is vital. Research into their typical behavior and needs will help, and if you are getting your pup from a recognized breeder this is the ideal place to start.Like we have mentioned above, it’s pretty hard to find any negatives in this product. The only thing we can say is that it isn’t cheap. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive product, Dr John is not the place to look. Pet insurance: Many puppies will come from a breeder with a week or two of insurance cover but it is important to arrange a new policy yourself as soon as possible. Lifetime insurance may be worthwhile considering, as some 12 month policies will exclude conditions for which a claim has been made when the policy comes up for renewal. Newspaper/training pads. These can help with house training your puppy at the start and catching any accidents inside. Also very useful for visits to new environments/households where you want to introduce your puppy. Days 7 -14: If fertilisation was successful, the embryo cells will begin to rapidly divide to 4 and upwards to 64 cells. At this time the embryos enter the uterus. Symptoms of hunger, shivering in the cold and fatigue can be early signs that your dog needs a higher energy formula. It may be that you have been feeding a light diet to prevent your dog gaining weight, cutting out treats to prevent bad behaviour, or perhaps started keeping your dog cooler to improve coat condition. All these minor changes can have an effect on your dog’s metabolic rate and nutritional requirements.