People who love dogs have a special affection for puppies because they are small and chubby, very cute. But taking care of puppies is as difficult as taking care of babies. What many don’t know is, at what age can dogs eat dry dog food? What should puppies not be fed? Today, we will reveal the answers.
     When can dry dog food be fed
     It depends on dental development: usually, if a dog hasn’t grown teeth even after 1-3 months, it is recommended to feed wet food to aid digestion; when dogs are about three months old, their teeth can support their gradual transition to dry dog food. If transitioning to dry dog food, it is suggested to do it gradually, putting 1/4 dry food in the first meal, half dry food in the second meal, while paying attention to the stool condition. However, there is no absolute time limit since each dog's development varies. Finally, it is still necessary to monitor dental development and the dog’s stool in a timely manner.

     Usually, puppies can eat dog food after weaning, but at this time, the dog food should be as small as possible, easy to absorb, soft foam dog food is preferred, generally choosing milk-flavored, pure natural dog food. Puppies don’t need cooked dog food, as it easily loses nutritional value. At this stage, dog food should be soaked in warm water for 5-10 minutes without soaking it to a mushy state. After puppy teeth develop, soaking is not necessary, and dog food can be fed directly, but make sure to provide enough clean water for the dog. Puppies usually take three to four months to grow full teeth. During this period, soaking dog food is mainly to prevent tartar and double rows of teeth formation. If the dog can chew hard bones or dog chews, there is no need to rush the change. Owners can observe carefully, and if you need to switch to dry dog food, it is recommended to do so between three to four months.
     What puppies should not be fed
     Stimulating foods like onions: because these foods irritate the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation and affecting the dog’s sense of smell. Onions contain a toxic component, propyl disulfide, which dogs can oxidize into Heinz body hemoglobin, and the reticuloendothelial system engulfs red blood cells containing Heinz bodies, causing anemia and damaging bone marrow.
     Cold milk: Some people feed milk directly from the refrigerator to dogs, but this harms dogs’ bodies. For puppies whose bodies have not fully developed, cold milk causes diarrhea. Frequent diarrhea can easily weaken the puppy’s health. Therefore, when supplying milk, it must be heated to a warm temperature and not overfed.
     Chicken bones: Chicken is a low-calorie protein, so it can be safely consumed, but watch out for chicken bones. Cooked chicken bones are hard and dogs’ teeth cannot bite through them. Additionally, chicken bones can puncture the throat and stomach. If chicken bones enter the dog's stomach, they cannot digest them, potentially threatening the dog’s life.
High-salt foods: Salt is one of the causes of diseases and is detrimental to dogs’ health. Dry food, salted salmon, sugar, and fish or shrimp cooked with soy sauce and wine are not suitable for dogs. Avoid high-salt foods in meats such as ham and bacon. Some people use salt to induce vomiting in poisoned dogs, but in fact, less than 1/2 teaspoon of salt can also be fatal to dogs.