Do you want to know how to feed a Pomeranian puppy? As a conscientious Pomeranian puppy owner, you need to know the best Pet food and how much a puppy should eat.
This article focuses on food and what your Pomeranian puppy should be fed to ensure the best possible health.
As a Pomeranian breeder with many decades of experience, I’ll look at what foods are good, what nutrients are essential, and why a puppy needs these nutrients.
I will provide a Pomeranian puppy food list and explain the correct puppy feeding amount and Pomeranian puppy dog feeding frequency options in detail.
The Best Food for Pomeranian Puppy Dogs Facts
- Pomeranian puppies should be fed high-quality commercial puppy food containing the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus and wet and dry puppy kibble.
- Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt can also be added to their diet.
- A feeding timetable must be observed depending on the pup's age; for eight-week-old puppies, this is 1 or 2 heaped tablespoons of canned puppy food 3-4 times per day, plus 24/7 access to dry food.
- Puppies under six months require food available at all times; between 6-12 months, they need canned puppy food twice daily, with dry food still accessible 24/7.
- Avoid feeding red meat or giving them calcium supplements; home cooking is not recommended until after 18 months, while raw feeding is best avoided before this age.
- Fatty acids are essential for muscle strength, heart health, and skin protection from dermatitis - ensure your Pomeranian's diet has enough fatty acids by reading labels carefully when purchasing pet foods.
- Your Pomeranian requires more calories than an adult dog, so feed him 3 or 4 times per day until he grows older, then reduce it to two meals a day; check his weight regularly for signs of obesity due to calorie intake being too high compared with activity levels achieved each day.
- During teething periods, an increased amount of calcium must be provided through dairy products to maintain a healthy balance between phosphorous and calcium levels - which is necessary for skeletal structure growth & development.
- Various factors such as gender, health status, activity level, and size must all be taken into account when deciding how much and what types of food you feed your pup or adult dog; if transitioning from puppy food proves difficult, try adding small amounts of canned puppy food or fat-free turkey/chicken broth - praise them whenever they eat!
- Home-cooked pet recipes are recommended once your Pomeranian reaches one year old, ensuring he eats various nourishing meals that can then be frozen in meal-size portions if necessary.
What to Feed a Pomeranian Puppy
The best Pomeranian puppy food is specifically made for a small dog-bred puppy and is of the highest quality.
Foods of this nature need 10% - 25% fat and 22% - 32% protein. Food for adult dogs or low-quality meals prepared for him at home aren’t acceptable.
Learn What to Feed a Pomeranian Puppy
Don't let this happen to your Pomeranian puppy. Below are photos depicting the result of an incorrect Pomeranian puppy diet.
The photo on the left is this Pomeranian at 10 weeks of age. Have a close look at the puppy's front in this before photo.
The photos on the right depict the same Pomeranian's front legs after enduring months of a poor diet.
Your Pomeranian Puppy Needs Correct Nutrients to Stay Healthy
If you love animals, you’ll most likely know that nutrients are critical to any dog’s diet, not only a Pomeranian.
Our furry 4-legged friends require a balanced diet of protein, minerals, and vitamins. If this is not fed, your puppy won’t have a strong immune system capable of fighting off diseases.
The choice you make when selecting food for your Pomeranian puppy is critical to good health and happiness. He also needs lots of exercise.
However, most of us easily forget how essential it is to ensure that each meal we give our Pomeranian is chockful of all these vital nutrients.
Pom puppies require far more care than the much bigger breeds. They can’t just eat food, regardless of what it is. Pomeranian puppies must have a planned, nutritious diet to maintain the best possible health.
Your Pomeranian pup only should eat puppy food. There are plenty of different foods to choose from, and you should select a wide variety of kibble and wet foods.
You need to focus on nutrients such as proteins, fatty acids, and anything else that contains lots of calories. When buying good foods to give your Pomeranian puppy, they must be filled with these nutrients and any extra minerals and vitamins. This is why nutrients are essential and how your puppy benefits.
Best Food for Pomeranian Puppy
I recommend and really like the royal canin Pomeranian puppy food brand as the best Pomeranian puppy food:
Royal Canin Pomeranian Puppy Food
What do Do Pomeranian Puppies eat?
The best food for Pomeranian puppies is a high-quality commercial puppy food because most adult dog food and home-cooked doggie meals won’t contain the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
- A high-quality wet puppy food.
- High-quality dry puppy food (often called puppy kibble). A Pomeranian puppy is the best fed dry food that comes in very small pieces.
- Feed your puppy dairy products daily, such as puppy milk, yogurt, and cheese.
- Minced raw chicken carcass. (This is the minced chicken that contains small ground-up chicken bones.)
Pomeranian Puppy Feeding Timetable
How often should my Pomeranian puppy eat? How frequently you must feed your Pomeranian puppy is dependent upon their age.
Pomeranian puppies under six months must have food accessible at all times.
Pomeranians over six months still require puppy food until 12 months. From 6 to 12 months, Pomeranian pups require canned puppy food to be offered twice daily, with dry food still available 24/7.
How often to feed Pomeranian puppies eight weeks old:
- Premium-quality, dry puppy food should be available at all times.
- Water must be available at all times.
- Canned puppy food or minced raw chicken carcass together with puppy milk (or cheese or yogurt) is offered to the puppy three to four times per day.
How Much Should You Feed a Pomeranian Puppy?
How much to feed a Pomeranian puppy? Are you unsure of the correct Pomeranian puppy feeding quantity?
At Dochlaggie Pomeranians 8 week old Pomeranian puppies are offered the following as per my Pomeranian puppy feeding chart:
Exactly What to Feed a Pomeranian Puppy Diet Chart
Pomeranian puppy food list:
- 1 or 2 heaped tablespoons of canned puppy food with a little cheese or puppy milk on top, three or four times per day. Meals are made more palatable in winter if warmed prior to serving.
- 1 or 2 heaped tablespoons of puppy kibble or dry food in a small shallow dish should be available 24/7.
Increase these amounts a little each month until the puppy is about six months. This puppy feeding quantity is just a guide as puppies are individuals. A very active or bigger pup will require more food.
Use common sense. If the puppy is clearly still hungry and isn’t fat, increase the Pomeranian puppy food amount you feed him.
Important Pomeranian Puppy Diet Facts
- Avoid feeding any puppy red meat.
- Avoid giving puppy calcium supplements.
- Increase the amount of calcium in the pup’s diet safely by feeding more dairy.
- Don't feed your puppy adult dog food.
- Home cooking for puppies is not recommended.
- Raw feeding is best not introduced until after 18 months of age.
Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food?
Correct nutrition is essential for a pup's development. Feeding a puppy adult dog food can have dire consequences. A quality puppy diet is essential for the long-term health of your Pomeranian puppy.
Pomeranian Puppies Often Require Increased Calcium While Teething
Signs of calcium deficiency include:
- One or both ears are standing awkwardly or flopping over.
- The tail standing upwards instead of flat on the pup’s back.
Signs of extreme calcium deficiency include:
- Spreading toes.
- Flat pasterns and east-west fronts.
- Limping or even refusing to walk on one back leg on the odd occasion. Avoid patella surgery on Pomeranian pups under 12 months. During the teething period, increase the amount of calcium in your pup’s diet by increasing the amount of dairy.
Importance of the Correct Phosphorous and Calcium Ratio
Phosphorous and calcium work together well to maintain the structure and growth of your dog’s skeletal system. If your Pom is deficient or has too much of either mineral, problems with the skeleton can occur. This is especially true in young puppies.
In the long term, it’s critical to good health to feed your Pomeranian the correct ratio of these two minerals. Issues with these minerals generally don’t exist nowadays because it’s easy to buy commercial pet food with a healthy balance of both substances.
Problems of this nature usually occur if you feed your Pom an excessive amount of these minerals or make a diet that isn’t properly balanced. Young, rapidly-growing puppies face this problem much more often than older dogs.
Calcium Deficiency
The correct ratio of phosphorous to calcium is vital. A calcium deficiency used to be fairly normal.
The cause was mainly due to feeding your dog diets that are high in meats and organ meats that are low in calcium and phosphorous.
If the dogs weren’t fed calcium supplements, they would often develop rickets (a skeletal abnormality) and many other ailments.
Fatty Acids Help Protect Puppy Against Dermatitis
Fatty acids are high on the list of nutrients to feed your Pomeranian. However, they’re also lacking in a lot of animal diets.
Dog owners like you must ensure your puppy’s diet is rich in fatty acids. These nutrients are essential for muscle strength, heart health, a healthy reproductive system, and much more.
There is one essential reason why fatty acids are a critical part of your furry friend’s good health and that is his skin.
Pomeranians are extremely prone to dermatitis, which dries the skin and makes it itch. Fatty acids can protect your Pomeranian’s skin and ensure it’s as healthy as possible.
The reason why they succeed is their nutritional value. They possess exceptional antioxidant properties and act as mediators for numerous physiologic processes in their bodies. They reduce inflammation, help clot the blood, and smooth the digestive tract.
Without sufficient fatty acids, most important body functions can be adverse, so it must be avoided at all costs.
A deficiency can cause digestive issues, skin problems, eye disease, allergies, heart troubles, and many more, so your puppy must have a healthy diet.
Not all foods for puppies contain identical amounts of fatty acids; food that’s high in quality does contain a larger quantity. Always read food labels to check if a food contains the right amount of nutrients necessary for your Pom.
Your Pomeranian Puppy Requires More Calories Than an Adult Dog
Pomeranians are very energetic animals. He can consume more calories quicker than other dogs, meaning you must constantly replenish his energy. I recommend feeding your Pomeranian puppy 3 or 4 times each day. When he’s older, reduce it to twice daily.
You need to alter the portion sizes of his food as he ages. You don’t want him to be fat and risk contracting diabetes. You aim to keep him at a healthy wealthy weight and ensure his metabolism functions well.
A fit, healthy puppy won’t have thick fat in between the bones. As he grows, his weight will start to fluctuate. It will even out around his body, and all fat and weight will distribute evenly. Feed him more calories to assist in achieving a healthy weight.
Pomeranian Protein Requirements
Start by talking to your vet. It’s common for adult food to have less protein than puppy food.
Protein Helps Prevents Puppy Having Dental Troubles
Pomeranians are usually healthy dogs, provided they have the right diet and enough exercise. However, they have a major weakness compared to bigger breeds.
Protein is essential to your puppy’s diet and helps in many ways. It’s a great energy source, repairs the body and muscles, and strengthens the immune system to tackle diseases and stubborn infections.
Your Pomeranian can only get protein from his food. If you don’t feed him enough proteins, his body may be unable to create essential hormones and enzymes, critical to your dog’s continued health.
One specific reason protein is critical to the health of your Pom is his dental health. Pomeranians have small mouths and are more prone to dental problems such as tooth decay, tooth pain, crowded teeth, gum infections, and more.
Without the right protein level, his teeth are at a higher risk of exposure to these dental issues.
Trouble begins with a build-up of tartar. Then comes an infection that can cause problems in the gums and roots of his teeth If these problems aren’t treated, tooth decay can occur.
This causes much pain for any puppy, not only a Pomeranian. This is why you must feed your little furball a high-protein diet.
The ideal method for learning if your puppy isn’t getting enough protein is to check for symptoms of weakness, unexplained weight loss, or a rough/dull coat.
If you suspect he has dental problems or a protein deficit, take him to the vet for a check.
Changing Puppy Food to Adult Dog Food
How Long to Feed Puppy Food?
After 12 months of age, I firmly believe healthy, home-cooked meals are best for your Pomeranian. Pomeranian pups go through many changes during their first year. For correct growth and bone development, I recommend feeding a portion of high-quality puppy food until your Pom’s first birthday.
Around the 52-week mark, Pomeranians should be fed a diet more suited to a dog who is now an adult Pom. Adult dog food is filled with the correct balance of vitamins and nutrients for adult dogs.
One reason for the change is that adult dogs require less food and calories than growing puppies. The minerals and vitamins required by adult dogs differ as well.
It’s wise to make the transition slowly so that by the time he’s 52 weeks old, he only has adult dog food. If you don’t complete the changeover by this time, there may be some consequences.
One is that the puppy’s metabolism slows, so the additional calories he’s consuming aren’t being burnt off, and a result could be a little tubby Pom.
The best way to make the change go smoothly is to replace ¼ cup of puppy food with dog food. Increase by a further ¼ every few days until the whole amount is replaced. If your puppy has an upset stomach, reduce the adult food and then make the change at a far slower rate.
Home Cooking Pet Food-Pomeranian Food Recipes
At around the one-year mark, I recommend changing your Pomeranian's diet from commercial puppy dog food to a home-cooked dog food diet.
Seriously consider home cooking for your Pomeranian. Home-cooked dog food is number one on my best Pomeranian dog food list.
Home cooking will ensure your Pom eats various nourishing and healthy food. Pet food can be cooked in advance and frozen for later use in meal-size portions.
Refer to Home Cooking for your Pomeranian section for the best Pomeranian food recipes.
Pomeranian Vitamins and Supplements
If you give your puppy (under 52 weeks) extra minerals and Pomeranian vitamins, these supplements may cause health issues. Once the puppy is over that mark, supplements are usually fine added to your adult dog food.
Talk to your vet about any supplements which may be required. Most high-quality commercially produced dog food does not require supplementation.
Adult Pomeranian Feeding Schedule
It is important to change your Pomeranian dog's feeding regime once he turns one year old. Failing to reduce the number of times your Pomeranian is fed daily can result in an overweight Pomeranian.
As the puppy ages, he can eat twice a day instead of the three to four times he ate when younger. If stomach upsets occur, revert back to thrice daily for a short time.
How Much to Feed an Adult Pomeranian Dog
Ensure you understand how much food is the recommended daily allowance when you change to adult dog food. Generally, it will be less than fed to a Pom puppy. Again, talk to your vet or breeder about the number of calories most adult Pomeranians require.
Pomeranian Puppy Diet Final Thoughts
Many factors govern how much and what food you feed your Pomeranian, regardless of whether he’s a puppy or an adult.
Other elements include gender, health, activity level, and dog size. One serious problem that must be avoided is obesity.
When you change Pomeranian puppy food to adult food, you may have to try things to see what works best. If your puppy doesn’t like adult dog food, add a small amount of canned puppy food, fat-free turkey, or chicken broth.
Praise your puppy when he eats the new food combinations, and if nothing you try makes him eat, you can pretend to eat it yourself to show him that it’s delicious.
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References and Further Reading:
[1] Denise Leo “The Pomeranian Handbook”.
The Best Pomeranian Food Recipes
