Undoubtedly, a developing puppy has diverse nutritional needs to become a happy and healthy grown-up dog. It is essential to provide your fury baby with a diet that is mainly designed throughout the developmental phase to give your puppy the best start in life. However, training experiences and early socialization level a constructive, enduring impression on a puppy and assist him or her to grow into a well-behaved adult dog. Therefore, the development of a puppy can be categorized into five different stages that take into account the neonatal, transitional, socialization, juvenile, adolescence, and adulthood periods
Transitional
At the age of 2-4 weeks the puppy enters the transitional period. At this stage the puppy is interested in semi-solid food but carries on to nurse the mother’s milk. Furthermore, the last week of transitional period the puppy should be introduced to solid food.
Socialization
The socialization stage takes place between 5-12 weeks where a puppy has two sets of teeth. At six weeks, the puppy receives its first vacation, and at eight weeks, the puppy will be weaned entirely and enjoy four to five meals a day.
Juvenile
At the age of 10 weeks, the puppy’s meal can be decreased to three meals a day.
Adolescence
The adolescent stages in puppy take place between 6-12 months depending on the breed. The puppy is still growing at the sixth month because it is an adolescent and it is also the right time to desex the puppy. The puppy is expected to be biting and chewing in the seventh month.
Adulthood
Last but not least, the puppy transforms into a grown up dog between 13-24 months depending on the puppy’s breed. It is essential uphold the dog’s good health in this stage as its immunity is at risk.