1 month old signs

Developmental Milestones: 1 Month - HealthyChildren.org

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What are some of the developmental milestones my child should reach by one month of age?

In the very beginning, it may seem that your baby does nothing but eat, sleep, cry, and fill his diapers. By the end of the first month, he’ll be much more alert and responsive. Gradually he’ll begin moving his body more smoothly and with much greater coordination—especially in getting his hand to his mouth. You’ll realize that he listens when you speak, watches you as you hold him, and occasionally moves his own body to respond to you or attract your attention.

Here are some other milestones to look for.

Movement Milestones

Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts
Brings hands within range of eyes and mouth
Moves head from side to side while lying on stomach
Head flops backward if unsupported
Keeps hands in tight fists
Strong reflex movements

Visual and Hearing Milestones

Focuses 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.4 cm) away
Eyes wander and occasionally cross
Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast patterns
Prefers the human face to all other patterns
Hearing is fully mature
Recognizes some sounds
May turn toward familiar sounds and voices

Smell and Touch Milestones

Prefers sweet smells
Avoids bitter or acidic smells
Recognizes the scent of his own mother’s breastmilk
Prefers soft to coarse sensations
Dislikes rough or abrupt handling

Developmental Health Watch

If, during the second, third, or fourth weeks of your baby’s life, she shows any of the following signs of developmental delay, notify your pediatrician.

Sucks poorly and feeds slowly
Doesn’t blink when shown a bright light
Doesn’t focus and follow a nearby object moving side to side
Rarely moves arms and legs; seems stiff
Seems excessively loose in the limbs, or floppy
Lower jaw trembles constantly, even when not crying or excited
Doesn’t respond to loud sounds

Last Updated: 6/1/2009

Source: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Your baby's growth and development - 1 month old

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Infant development begins at birth. Initially your baby will grow fast and learn a lot. At 1 month, cuddling, sleeping and feeding are all that really matters to your baby. The time you spend with them will help their brain to grow and develop as they start to experience the world.

Your baby will probably be crying a lot at the moment. It’s often because they’re hungry or have a dirty nappy, but often babies just cry for no apparent reason. Give them lots of cuddles to comfort them and remember that the crying will eventually pass.

At 6 to 8 weeks, your baby needs a full health review by a health professional such as child and family health nurse, midwife, GP or paediatrician.

Your 1-month-old

All babies grow at different rates. But, on average, at 1 month they gain between 0.7 to 0.9 kg each month and grow 2.5 to 4 cm. Their head circumference will increase by about 1.25 cm each month.

All babies lose weight right after they are born. Healthy babies usually get back to their birth weight in about 2 to 3 weeks and will then continue to grow.

Your baby was weighed at birth and your doctor or maternal child health nurse will plot their growth regularly on a growth chart. Babies come in all different shapes and sizes, and your baby might be large or small. What matters is that they grow consistently over time. Try not to compare your baby’s weight gain with that of other babies.

Understanding baby growth charts

A growth chart helps you and your doctor keep track of how your baby is growing.

What can your baby do?

At 1 month, most of what babies do is still caused by reflexes. They aren’t thinking about their actions. They will be sucking, swallowing, searching for milk and grasping an object if you put it in the palm of their hand (although most of the time they’ll keep their hands clenched in tight little fists). They will also step one foot in front of the other if you put their feet on a flat surface.

They will start to focus with both eyes at 1 month and should be able to follow a moving object from side to side. They will probably prefer looking at a human face to looking at an object and will gaze deeply into your eyes if you hold them about 45 cm away. Most babies can recognise their parents by this age.

1-month-old babies love the sound of your voice, but they will get startled if they hear a loud noise. They might fall backward and throw their arms and legs out, blink their eyes and breathe faster.

By the end of the first month, most babies can raise their head when you lay them on their stomach, and they will turn their head to one side. As their neck muscles get stronger, they will be able to turn their head and lift it up when they’re in a car seat or carrier.

Your baby will cry loudly when they are hungry or uncomfortable. When they are happy and content, they usually make little gurgling noises. Respond to your baby’s sounds by gurgling and cooing back.

At 1 month, some babies will be learning how to soothe themselves, with a dummy or even by sucking their fingers or thumbs. Helping your baby to suck is a good way to calm them down.

How can I help my baby develop?

Spend as much time with your baby as possible. Looking deep into their eyes and smiling at them will help them to bond and to feel safe and secure.

Read and sing to your baby. Even though they can’t understand, they will enjoy hearing your voice. Music helps to stimulate their senses and will keep them amused. Playing with them will also strengthen your bond.

Help your baby to develop neck strength by putting them on their tummy for 1 to 5 minutes at a time. This is called tummy time. Always keep an eye on your baby during tummy time and always put them to sleep on their back.

Development problem signs

Babies develop at different rates. At 1 month, you will still be learning about your baby and their needs. But talk to your doctor or maternal child health nurse if:

they aren’t feeding well
they are regularly sleeping a lot more than 16 hours a day
they aren’t moving their arms or legs
they aren’t following your face with their eyes or responding when they see you
they aren’t making gurgling sounds
they don’t startle or seem not be hearing things
you are worried about your baby’s crying or sleeping

Where can I go for help?

If you are worried or would like to discuss any issues with your baby’s development, speak to your doctor or child health nurse.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Sources:

Raising Children Network (0-1 month: newborn development), Kids Health (Your baby’s growth – 1 month), Victoria Government (Baby development stages), Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: October 2020

Bonding with your baby
How your baby learns - birth to 3 years
Your baby’s growth and development – first 12 months
Understanding baby growth charts

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

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Early Childhood Speech Development Calendar

Early childhood is considered a very important period in a child's life.

This is the time of the most rapid and rapid changes in the mental and physical development of the baby, the child takes the first steps, learns to speak, begins to use gestures and other means of communication.

3 weeks - 1 month - there is a cry indicating emotional discomfort, pain or hunger. With physical stress, the child groans, making the sounds "a", "e".

2 - 3 months : the baby has a cooing, he utters simple sounds - " a", "y", "s ", sometimes in combination with " g ". This is an important stage in the development of speech in young children.

4 - 6 months - makes high melodious sounds, sounds of exclamation, reacts with joyful sounds to the faces of loved ones.

6 - 9 months - babbling, he repeats the same syllables (“ma-ma-ma”, “ba-ba-ba”, “dya-dya-dya”, “gu-gu-gu”).

9 - 11 months - the baby begins to imitate the sounds of adult speech.

11 - 14 months - the first meaningful words "mom", "dad", "woman", "uncle" appear, from 8 to 14 words. Correlates a word with an object

By the age of 2 years there are 100-200 words in the baby's vocabulary. He is already building a sentence of 2-3 words.

By the age of 3 the volume of the dictionary increases to 1000 words by enriching the child's life experience. Simple prepositions appear: in, on, under, for, with, at. The child remembers poems, children's songs.

By the end of 3 years , most children are able to construct sentences grammatically correctly, conduct dialogues, tell what they have seen and heard.

Important to know:

Do not listen to advice from other parents whose children began to say after 3 years that the child will speak on his own. He will speak, the only question is what kind of speech it will be, its quality.

How to identify the signs of speech disorders in a child?

By the end of 1 month the baby does not cry before feeding

By the end of 4 months does not smile when his mother talks to him, does not coo.

By the end of the 5th month does not listen to sounds and music

By the end of the 7th month does not react to the intonation of the voice, does not recognize the mother’s voice with a “revitalization complex” syllables for adults

By the end of 1 year the child does not wave his head when saying goodbye in denial. He does not utter a single word and does not follow simple instructions: “give”, “on”, “take”.

By the age of 1.5, does not show or name mom and dad, does not build a tower of blocks, does not differentiate sounding toys, does not use a pointing gesture.

By age 2 does not show body parts, does not show mom and dad in the photo, does not follow the two-step instruction (go to the kitchen and put the plate on the table)

By the age of 2.5, does not distinguish between “big and small”, does not communicate with children.

By the age of 3, cannot give his first and last name, tell a simple poem and a fairy tale.

If this does not happen, there is a reason to contact specialists.

Possible causes of speech disorders

Viral and endocrine diseases of the mother, threatened miscarriage, trauma, toxicosis, low hemoglobin level.
Genetic anomalies, hereditary predisposition.
Unfavorable delivery.
Diseases borne by a child in the first years of life
Babies with low Apgar scores at birth

The exact cause of the disorders is determined by the doctor, and the type of speech disorder is determined by the speech therapist.

What can parents do for successful speech development?

Speech is the highest mental function, so the period of intrauterine development of a child is very important. Parents need to take care of the development of speech even before his birth. It is important that the expectant mother receives only positive emotions i.

Communicate more with your baby! Goodwill, a soft and calm voice, grammatically correct speech is another important factor in the development of speech.

Often, children, using only a pointing gesture, get what they want. Teach your child to express his desires as fully as possible, say new words, sentences.

Do not scold your child for mispronounced words. This can provoke neurotic reactions. He will shut up, stop speaking and learning new words.

Develop your baby's ability to listen and pay attention. Play games with him that help him develop his ability to listen and hear: “Listen, what’s ticking there? And what's that noise?" Let the baby learn to distinguish between speech and non-speech sounds (environmental sounds).

Teach your child fairy tales, poems, because memorizing them and repeating, he learns new words, trains memory and attention.

Important to know:

Speech disorders can be corrected - it is important not to waste time!

Author-compiler: Mikhnovich O.F. teacher-speech therapist

Puppy care from 1 to 5 months - how to properly feed a puppy - ProPlan

Puppy care up to five months

August 03, 2022

Proper nutrition and good care are the foundations of a dog's health, longevity and happy life. Therefore, even before buying a puppy, you will need to think carefully about all related issues.

Puppies grow very fast, and for their harmonious development, both physical and mental, the first months of life are very important.

Peculiarities of mental and physical development of puppies by months

Puppy at 1 month old

In one month, or four and a half weeks, puppies still live with their mother, brothers and sisters. Not so long ago they began to hear and see, and during this period they have an active phase of exploring the surrounding space, new sounds, smells, surrounding people and animals. Monthly puppies are still too small to make meaningful actions, as long as they are all based on instincts and communication with their mother. As a rule, breeders do not sell puppies at the age of one month, giving them the opportunity to get stronger, to get the first lessons in socialization. Human interaction during this period is very important for puppies to develop as companion dogs.

From one month to two, puppies have an active phase of memorization or, in other words, an identification phase. The puppy begins to meaningfully recognize parents, form social relationships with littermates and people.

Roar and take away a toy from a brother or sister, bite mother on the cheek to share food, run away from a person or run up to him. During this period, each puppy has a lot of similar questions, the answers to which he receives by performing an action and receiving a reaction. The sister gave the toy away, which means it is weaker, next time you can take the toy away again. Mom growled and shook her scruff, so don't bite her on the cheek. The person came and pleasantly stroked or screamed loudly - depending on the action, the puppy will build its further reactions to repetitive stimuli.

Puppy at 2-3 months old

Two- and three-month-old puppies are very affectionate, inquisitive and sociable. They are active and constantly exploring something. For example, when meeting strangers, they run up to them completely fearlessly, sniff, caress, jump, sometimes bark. Therefore, during this period, they can easily develop positive skills associated with any activity. At this time, the puppy can easily be taught to follow the commands “Place!”, “Come!”, “Walk!”.

Puppy at 3-4 months

Skills for commands "Sit!", "Lie down!", "No!" the puppy will work out much easier at the age of 3.5-4 months. This is due to the fact that such commands are based on inhibitory reactions that are not yet developed in the puppy at an earlier age.

Puppy at 4-5 months

At the age of 4-5 months, the puppy needs regular, gradually increasing in time and difficulty walks, which are important both for his physical development and for the accumulation of life experience. During this period, the puppy is developing the characteristics of his nervous system, his character can noticeably change. When meeting with strangers, the puppy may no longer run up to them to start a game, but only observe from the side, and at the first manifestation of even unsharply pronounced threatening actions by outsiders, they get scared and run away. Therefore, this time is also called the period of fears.

At this time, the owner is required to be very careful, affectionate handling of the puppy, careful observation of what may frighten him. You need to try to predict such a moment in order to distract the puppy from the negative reaction in time with a treat or a game.

At what age is it better to take a puppy?

If you are offered to take a puppy at the age of 1 month, it is better not to do this, allowing the baby to grow up in his own family for another month.

No matter at what age you took a puppy, at two months, at three or four, try to establish the right relationship with him from the first day, which is commonly called good contact. This will allow him to develop affection for you, obedience, devotion, and subsequently love. To do this, you need:

always treat your pet calmly,
feed him, walk him, comb him in time - that is, take care of him,
regularly train with him, combining games and initial training.

Try not to let any troubles in life affect your communication with the puppy. Dogs very subtly feel the mood of their owner and react accordingly.

Problems that arise as the puppy grows

Problems that can arise during the growth period of puppies of any breed are mostly related to improper feeding. The amount of feed should be constantly measured in relatively small portions to avoid overeating. Obesity in dogs puts a lot of stress on the heart and circulation. It happens that even weak ligaments and joints are exposed to unnecessary excessive stress in puppies and young dogs. The consequence of this can be diseases associated with the paws and joints. With proper nutrition, the puppy should actively play, run, and explore the territory several times a day. Too tiring walks for several hours in the first year of life should be avoided. If your dog is unwell, contact the dog breeder or veterinarian immediately.

Puppy Care Highlights 2 to 5 Months

In order to lay a solid foundation for your dog's health from childhood, your puppy will need to be vaccinated and dewormed at specific times.

Deworming and vaccinations

The dog's breeder performs the first deworming procedures. Together with basic housing and feeding instructions, he will tell you about the exact schedule for further deworming and vaccination procedures. Usually the owner of the puppy gives him an anthelmintic drug before the next vaccination, ten days before it.

1 month

As mentioned above, at the age of one month the puppy is still too small to be separated from his family. Good breeders do not give away their wards at such a young age, but leave them in the company of their mother, at least for another half a month or a month. During this time, the puppy is actively adapting to the outside world.

If, nevertheless, the circumstances are such that you have a one-month-old puppy, then you will need to give him the first vaccination when he is 6 weeks old. If you are unsure about the best time to start vaccinating, contact your breeder or veterinarian.

2 months

If you pick up your puppy from a breeder at 2-2.5 months of age, the breeder usually does the first vaccination. This happens when the puppies are 8-9 weeks old, so he comes to you already vaccinated. The second vaccination should be done by the owner when the puppy is 12 weeks old. It must be remembered that until the second vaccination is given to the puppy, he must be quarantined. For a detailed explanation of the timing of vaccinations, you can contact the puppy's breeder.

3 months

If for some reason the puppy did not receive its first vaccination either at 6 weeks of age or at 8-9 weeks of age, the third variant of the vaccination schedule should be used. This means that the puppy should be vaccinated for the first time at 12 weeks of age and revaccinated between 14 and 16 weeks of age. In order not to get confused in the timing and make the necessary vaccinations on time, it is recommended to have a calendar where the puppy's age in weeks and the necessary weeks for vaccination will be marked. Or you can seek the advice of a veterinarian.

A later vaccination date does not change the fact that the puppy will have to be quarantined until the second vaccination is completed. This means that he will not yet be able to communicate with his relatives on the street.

4 months old

If your puppy has been vaccinated according to the standard vaccination schedule, it means that at 4 months old he is already fully vaccinated, the quarantine is lifted, and you can enjoy walking together, getting to know other dogs and doing initial training.

5 months

At the age of 5 months, the puppy should be active, already fully settled in the house, know his nickname, a few basic commands, understand what is possible and what is not.

During this period, he still continues to change his teeth from milk to permanent, which begins at about three months and lasts up to seven months. During this period, you need to monitor the puppy's oral cavity, monitoring whether milk teeth fall out. This is important both for the health of the dog and for the formation of the correct bite.

Care for the health and appearance of the puppy

Training for walks

Regardless of the time of year, it is necessary to accustom the puppy to walks. Immediately after sleep and after each feeding, the puppy must be taken outside for 5-10 minutes to accustom him to the toilet. The more often you take your puppy outside, the faster he will understand what is wanted from him, and the faster he will get used to going to the toilet outside the house.

Longer walks, for the sake of play and active movement, are recommended between feedings. It is worth slightly increasing the time spent outdoors from 15 minutes to two hours a day, depending on the weather and season. Of course, it is important to consider the breed and age of the puppy. At first, a two-three-month-old puppy can be carried outside in your arms. At the same time, if the puppy has not yet completed the entire course of vaccinations, all contact with other dogs should be excluded.

During the walk, the puppy must be in motion, do not let him sit or lie on the cold ground. At two months, it is already possible to teach a puppy to a leash. The puppy gets used to the soft light collar quickly. At first, you need to lead him on a leash so that the puppy feels that you are leading him. Follow him (the leash should be long enough) and carefully, without jerking, take him away from unwanted places. It is necessary to ensure that the puppy does not eat unsuitable food items from the street.

By the third or fourth month during a walk, you can walk up to one and a half kilometers with a puppy of a large breed, with a puppy of a medium or small breed, this distance should be proportionally reduced. Increase the distance gradually, do not tire the puppy with too much exercise, otherwise he will lose his appetite and will not grow well.

With a five-month-old puppy, you can already run in deep snow, earth, sand, play active outdoor games, swim, let him accompany his owner on a ski or bike ride. But even here you can’t overwork the puppy, at the first sign of fatigue, you need to take a break or stop walking.

When walking with a puppy, teach him not to pay attention to noise, not to be afraid of cars, gradually moving with him from quiet streets to more noisy ones. The puppy needs both free walking and playing with peers. Socialization is especially needed for a puppy living in a private home. Keep him away from stray and unfamiliar dogs, as they can infect him with infectious diseases. During walks, you can teach your puppy to play with balloons: praise him and rejoice with him when the balloon bursts. This game will strengthen the psyche, and the puppy will not be afraid of fireworks and explosions of firecrackers.

If the puppy lives in an apartment, walks are allowed after the first vaccination. But you need to make sure that he does not meet other dogs on the street until the second vaccination. If the puppy will live in a private house, where he will be alone on his territory, you can start walking from the first day of being at home.

After a walk, especially in wet weather, wipe or wash the puppy's paws and stomach. In winter, it is simply necessary to do this so that street reagents do not irritate or injure the skin on the paw pads.

Everyday care

Grooming time is not just a time for caring for a puppy, but also a great opportunity to communicate, make contact, pet your pet.

Grooming

A short haired puppy needs a natural bristle brush and a fine metal comb for shedding care. An ideal care product for short-haired dogs is a massage mitt. For puppies of long-haired breeds, a slicker brush is still needed.

Puppies of all breeds will also need nail clippers, towels, shampoos. Bathe your puppy only as needed. Combing the more often, the better - this is how the puppy gets used to being touched, and this will come in handy in the future. Put the puppy down regularly, inspect the tummy, paws. In the future, he will not be afraid of human hands.

If you have a puppy of a breed that is characterized by a very long coat or a coat with a thick undercoat, you can go to a professional groomer to get the puppy used to brushing from childhood.

Dental care

Clean teeth are essential for good health. On sale now there is a large number of a wide variety of chewing sticks that act as a toothbrush, as well as special toothpastes and brushes for dogs.

During the growth period from 3 to 7 months, puppies change teeth from milk to permanent. At this time, it is important to follow the process of changing, and if necessary, contact the services of a veterinarian.

Ear Care

Bathing a puppy is only necessary if, for example, he is dirty in something. After each walk, wash and wipe the paws and stomach. When you wash your pet, be careful not to get water in his ears: moisture in the ear canal can promote fungal and other diseases. If the ears are dirty, take a damp swab and lightly remove the dirt. If the ears are dirty inside, wipe them with a cotton swab moistened with a special lotion, but not deep. Clean ears must be dry. In puppies with hanging ears, the ear canals are closed and not ventilated, therefore, for prevention, we recommend using special ear cleaners once every one to two weeks.

Nail care

Nails are trimmed as needed. If the dog wears off its claws during walks, they are not trimmed. It is advisable to regularly feel the paws and fingers: if someday the dog cuts its paw, you will be able to provide first aid in a timely manner and apply a bandage.

Long claws can cause paws to turn out even when set correctly. When shearing, the claws are shortened, and the paw becomes in place, so it is very important to ensure that the claws do not grow unnecessarily. Start clipping or sharpening your puppy's nails as early as possible, every one to two weeks. For small puppies, clippers from a manicure set are well suited. When conventional clippers are no longer suitable, you will need to use special clippers for dog claws. There are blood vessels in every claw, and if you hit them, they will bleed, so try to avoid this when trimming your nails. If trouble happens, treat with hydrogen peroxide or use a special hemostatic pencil that can be bought at a pharmacy.

Puppy nutrition

Nutrition basics

Puppies should receive a balanced diet of excellent quality, since it is up to the age of one that the foundation is laid for their health for life. The owner of the dog is obliged to provide food that is appropriate for the size of the dog and its breed. You can not go to extremes, believing that the dog can eat everything and feed it with leftovers from the table. But it is also impossible to humanize a pet, deciding that the pet will receive only the most delicious, and give him delicacies that are intended for people - they will cause only one harm to the dog.

Improper nutrition can lead to obesity, internal diseases or skin diseases. Only nutrition that maintains the health of the animal will be correct. Therefore, it is very important to balance the dog's diet in terms of the content of the main food components: proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

The easiest way to do this is to use ready-made puppy food, where the content of all these elements, as well as vitamins and minerals, is taken into account, calculated and balanced.

What are the main components of food for dogs

Meat should form the basis of the dog's diet - be part of the food or be the basis of natural nutrition. Meat is the main source of protein . But if the dog eats exclusively tenderloin, or, conversely, only defective parts (veins, skin and cartilage), this will lead to indigestion, so the meat base must be mixed from both pure meat and offal. This includes animal fat, which serves as a source of energy. Protein is also found in fish, seafood, dairy products and eggs.

To maintain healthy teeth and bones, skin and coat, the dog needs unsaturated fatty acids contained in vegetable oils. They are found both in plant products (sunflower, peanut, olive, soybean oil, sprouted wheat grains), and in animal products - in oily fish (salmon), in eggs. An excellent source of unsaturated fatty acids is fish oil.

Carbohydrates - energy providers for the body. They are found, for example, in cereals and are often added to ready-made feeds so that the dog eats up and has enough strength for active games and walks.

A complete diet must also contain vitamins and minerals necessary not only for building the skeleton, but also for other metabolic processes. The body of a growing dog undergoes continuous restructuring. As a “building material” for bones and muscles, a puppy needs protein and carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals as energy suppliers for metabolic processes. The total feed should consist of about a third of protein, at least 5% of fat and at least half of carbohydrates.

Thus, if you decide to feed your puppy with natural food, you will need to take into account all of the above about food components in order to create a complete diet for him. In addition, it will be necessary to constantly adjust it, since the needs of the body will change with age. For example, as strange as it may seem, puppies and young dogs require more food than adult dogs of the same weight; up to five months - twice as much, and then - by about 50%. Their food should be two-thirds, and later at least half, consist of meat and other protein substances. It is easiest to follow the correct serving size by reading the information on the package of ready-made food that is appropriate for the age and needs of the dog.

By choosing ready-made puppy food, you will provide your puppy with all the necessary nutrients, you will be able to change the food according to the age of the growing pet, offer him different tastes. In order to give out the required daily allowance, you will need to read the recommendations on the package.

How to properly feed a puppy from 1 to 5 months old

It is impossible to create the perfect diet for all puppies at once. Here you will need to take into account factors such as the breed, age, size and activity level of the puppy. Feeding a puppy taken from a breeder, the first time should continue according to the recommendations of the latter.

In the third or fourth week of life, puppies, in addition to mother's milk, begin to receive the first complementary foods. Accordingly, it is the breeder who decides what kind of food the puppies will eat in the first months - either natural food or industrial food designed for very young puppies up to 1-2 months old. So when you pick up a puppy, which can be between one and a half and five months old, his digestive system will be adapted to exactly the food he received in his first months of life. For at least one week, you will need to keep your feeding schedule and diet unchanged to avoid digestive upsets caused by restructuring and the stress of moving to a new place. It will be easier for the puppy to get used to the new conditions, and then the change of home will be painless for him.

Later, if for any reason you wish to change your young pet's diet, you can do so at any time. In this case, the best option would be to consult a breeder or veterinarian who will give you valuable recommendations.

Puppies should not be fed a day's worth of food at one time, their stomach is too small to properly digest the entire amount of food; the consequence of this will be an overload of the stomach. In addition, the ligaments, joints and bones will receive too much stress, which will only bring harm. In a healthy, well-fed puppy, the ribs do not protrude visually, but should be felt with the palm of your hand.

Underfeeding a puppy in the first months and up to a year will have negative consequences that are very difficult to correct. That is why it is so important to feed your puppy in a balanced way and to follow the exact feeding time. Following these two rules will help you keep his weight normal.

After eating, the puppy should be allowed to rest, as is customary with wild animals after a hearty meal. Otherwise, when playing immediately after eating, a life-threatening situation of twisting of a full stomach, which occurs in dogs of large breeds, may occur.

Number of feedings for puppies of different ages:

1st month – 5-6 times a day;

2-4 months - 4 times a day;

5th month - 3 times a day.

Divide the day from morning to evening into equal intervals and try to feed the puppy at this designated time.

What not to give to puppies:

Rich meat broths.
Chicken bones (tubular).
Boiled bones.
Smoked, salty, fatty.
Sweets, chocolate in any form, cakes.
Legumes.
Cabbage.

All of these foods are either poisonous to dogs or can damage the digestive tract, disrupt metabolism, or cause gas.

Only a general diet is described here, for more detailed recommendations you can always contact the breeder or veterinarian. In the future, having studied the needs of the puppy, you yourself will be able to select the appropriate food and treats for him in order to raise a healthy dog out of him.

Industrial food for puppies

The content of protein and other necessary substances in ready-made food is fully consistent with scientifically sound standards. The modern way of canning preserves vitamins better than home cooking. In the manufacture of destroyed pathogens contained in the meat. Another advantage is that you can always have a supply of food in the house. For example, when traveling, ready-made food is the easiest solution to a feeding problem. Dry food contains five times less water than normal wet food, so make sure you have water in a separate bowl. 200g of dry food has approximately the same nutritional value as 850g of whole food in a can, or 400g of meat and 125g of porridge. In this case, no additional goodies are needed - they lead to obesity!

Proper feeding of a puppy is the basis for the formation of a healthy animal. He needs more high-calorie food with a high protein content. During this period, the puppy's digestive tract is not yet fully formed, and as the transition from mother's milk to ready-made feeds, the bacterial flora of the intestine accumulates.

When choosing a puppy's diet, it is important to consider its age, size or breed, level of physical activity and individual health status. All these parameters are taken into account in PRO PLAN 9 super premium dry food0391® .

For large breed puppies, PRO PLAN ^® OPTISTART ^® for large breed puppies is balanced in the content of such important elements as calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary in the correct proportion for the growth and development of bones and joints, which is especially important for large dog puppies.

For puppies of medium breeds, as well as small and toy breeds, the OPTISTART ^® range also includes specialized foods that take into account the characteristics of the breed.

Water

Water, always fresh and clean, never icy, must be freely available to the puppy at all times. Although a healthy dog will hardly drink on food with normal moisture, he should be able to quench his thirst in the heat, after some effort, or with a certain food. Persistent increased thirst without a recognizable cause is a sign of illness.

Possible diseases in puppies

Puppies, like all children, can get sick with something. Diseases can be infectious and non-infectious, traumatic in origin and genetically transmitted. If you can encounter the latter unexpectedly, since some diseases that are inherited may appear at a later age, then other types of diseases can be avoided. To do this, you will need to strictly follow the recommendations for caring for a puppy, feed him properly and monitor his health.

Infectious diseases

Parvovirus enteritis is a dangerous infectious disease, one of the symptoms of which is intestinal upset. The lethality of this disease in puppies reaches 90%. You can avoid it by making the puppy the necessary vaccination on time.

Canine distemper - a viral infection that is very dangerous for puppies, almost always leads to death. It can manifest itself in various forms, the most dangerous is the nervous form. Vaccination is made against the plague of carnivores.

Adenovirus and canine viral hepatitis - infectious diseases caused by adenoviruses of the first and second types. Transmitted by airborne droplets or saliva from a sick dog. Most dangerous for puppies and young dogs. A timely vaccination against these diseases will protect the young pet.

Leptospirosis - an acute infectious disease that is contagious to humans, can be fatal to a puppy. The carriers of the disease are rats. Vaccination minimizes the risk of contracting the disease.

Rabies is a fatal viral infection that is contagious to humans and fatal to dogs and humans. Rabies vaccination is mandatory and annual.

Parasites

Internal parasites

For all types of internal parasites that a puppy can infect (for example, roundworms, tapeworms, heartworms, heartworms and others), special antihelminthic drugs have been developed that need to be given to the puppy periodically.

External parasites

Fleas, lice, mites, which can infect a puppy while walking or communicating with relatives, not only cause him discomfort, but can also become a source of more serious diseases, causing otitis media, various dermatological diseases. Therefore, it is mandatory to periodically treat the puppy from external parasites. You can check the processing schedule with the breeder or veterinarian.

Other illnesses

A puppy can get sick for various other reasons, for example, hypothermia, as a result of which he will develop cystitis . Or, if you take a puppy in a car with open windows, where he will look out, then he may develop conjunctivitis . If a puppy lags behind in growth and development , or he starts lameness - the problem may be related to improper nutrition.

Of course, it is impossible to protect a puppy from all diseases one hundred percent. Therefore, you, as a responsible owner, should always carefully monitor any changes in the behavior and mood of the puppy, and at the first sign of illness, seek help from a veterinarian.

If you follow the correct feeding regimen, make vaccinations and deworming on time, give feasible physical activity in accordance with the age of the puppy, then you can avoid most diseases, giving your pet a happy childhood.

Article on our Yandex Zen channel.

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