Dr John also makes food specifically designed for working dogs and has a great range of different foods for different breeds. 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. The business is a market leader in the field of canine nutrition, with high values and standards that saw them awarded the Royal Warrant in 1884, something they have upheld to the present day.

Always feed to condition adjusting the amount fed to meet the individual dog's needs, dependent upon circumstances and to maintain the desired body weight. Providing a suitable environment for a dog, a warm quiet place for them to sleep, room to play and a fenced in, secure garden that they can treat as their own. While our Dr John dog food review is totally non-biased, we really can’t find any faults, except for the hefty price-tag that is. From our research, it seems as though dogs all over the country are absolutely lapping up these products.Days 35-42: Puppies become coloured (skin pigment develops) and the mother’s stomach continues to swell. 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.

What you feed your puppy is even more important than with an adult dog as this is the key stage for determining their adult health and wellbeing. First of all, they need to be fed a puppy diet and a complete dry food will ensure they get all the nutrients and bone minerals in the right percentages to match their growth. Puppies have different requirements to adult dogs. During their growth period they need higher levels of energy, protein, fat and certain minerals and vitamins to maintain their optimum growth. To feed a puppy on an adult diet would mean doubling the amount of food you would need to give the puppy. This would be difficult to interest the puppy into eating and likely to cause diarrhoea, through the sheer volume of food passing through the digestive system. In addition although the diet would provide sufficient energy it would not be balanced in terms of amino acids, vitamins and minerals which could all have a detrimental effect on growth. 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. 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. There are of-course some objections to this, but these tend to be from owners that use this food irregularly. Any responsible owner knows that dogs need routine, the same goes for their food too.

Another common complication is false pregnancy. This can occur soon after the heat cycle and mimic all the signs of pregnancy. Typically symptoms will last for a month or so before subsiding naturally. Getting a vet’s diagnosis can be helpful in ruling out other possible causes.

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. At the other end of the spectrum, the racing Greyhound has been designed for immense speed, sprinting over short distances and extraordinary concentration on the lure but then followed by collapsing on the sofa at the end of the day. Racing Greyhounds need small biscuit based diets to suit their mouth size (like Dr John Grain Free) and the diet must be low bulk, high digestibility and high fat and with a good level of protein (24-25%) as this improves race times and prevents the development of anaemia which they are prone to. The mineral content of the diet is particularly important for greyhounds as they need up to 2-3 times the normal levels of a sedentary dog, to cope with the stress of racing. A supplement during race season may be needed to keep the Greyhound in good health. 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. All dogs will vary in their nutritional requirements, and although estimates can be made for average breed size, individuals may require more or less than these guidelines. Factors to consider are whether your dog is smaller or larger than the standard for the breed, how active they are, their energy levels, their age and appetite. Then, start with the recommended feeding amount and adjust to as many of these factors as possible – never going more than 50% over or under the starting amount (exceptions for puppies and during breeding). Always remember to subtract a small amount for treats if using these as behavioural rewards. The resulting amount is your starting point. Immediate signs of overfeeding are struggling to finish the food in one sitting and loose stools or diarrhoea; a more long term effect is weight gain. If you under feed, some obvious signs are that your dog will be ravenously hungry and constantly asking for food even after finishing the meal and in the longer term, weight loss will result. Weigh your dog regularly and keep a careful eye on their shape to maintain a good level of condition. You should see a nice covering on your dog but the ribs should be felt once you press lightly. How you measure the food is important, the best way is to weigh the food out each time as this avoids inaccuracies gradually being built up over time. Alternatively a measuring cup or marked scoop can be used, but with this method it is worth weighing out the amount you are measuring every now and again, to make sure that the amount still matches the weight you are expecting. NEW PUPPY? Collar: This should be a light weight type that fits well now. There are fabric versions with extensions which would last most of the growth period. There should be room to easily move the collar around but not to come over the head when tugged lightly.

Firstly more energy: working or sporting dogs are likely to need either a higher energy diet like Dr. John Titanium or a good active maintenance diet like Dr. John Gold, with enough energy for activity, protein for growth, maintenance and repair of tissues and essential fats for condition and additional energy. Start by feeding towards the upper end of the recommended feeding requirements to get the right level to maintain condition in your dog. Feeding twice a day is ideal for most dogs, however, it needs to be at appropriate times for a working dog so they rest after eating to encourage good digestion before starting a period of work. For this reason we've calculated the approximate 'as fed' percentages for the main ingredient categories in the finished product.

Once you are home, allow the puppy to stretch its legs in the garden and then introduce your puppy to the areas of your home they will be in and any new family members and pets. It’s best to start with an activity routine immediately, although, remember that puppies don’t need walks like an adult dog does and over-walking will excessively tire a puppy and can cause some harm to developing joints. Simply exploring the garden and little games with you will be enough to start with. An individual dog's requirements vary and may differ from the suggested daily feeding guide overleaf. As an overall guide feeding a palatable, balanced adult maintenance diet during this period is ideal in a normal healthy pregnancy, and there should be no need to supplement. All of our adult diets are suitable for the requirements of pregnancy, however, Gilpa Trinkets, Dr. John Titanium are ideal for particularly small females or those likely to have a large litter as these diets have higher energy and protein content which will help with the additional requirements of pregnancy and enhance milk yield. If you keep an entire (un-neutered) male dog at home as well, then you may find it necessary to make arrangements for them to have a holiday away from home during the season. This should be for at least 28 days from the date the bleeding was first noticed. Feeding during a season

With their wide range of available foods, you can be sure to find something to suit your pooch, whether you have a fluffy little pup, or a really old doggie, there is certainly something for you in the Dr John Dog Food range.