What We Feed Our Puppies: Puppy Nutrition & Food Prep for the Best Start
Your puppy’s future health begins long before their first vet visit- it starts with every bite they eat! At TaylorMade Mini Goldens, we believe feeding and nutrition are vital to the long-term health and well-being of our dogs. Giving puppies a strong start begins with thoughtful nutrition, proper feeding routines, and using ingredients from a trusted source.
How We Learned That Nutrition Matters
I didn’t fully understand just how critical nutrition could be until my beloved Cocker Spaniel, Chloe, developed a severe skin condition.
For nearly a year, we struggled to figure out what was wrong. We made repeated vet visits. Chloe was on medications, creams, and treatments — yet nothing seemed to help.
Life was very full at the time, and with a heavy heart, I made the difficult decision to rehome Chloe to a wonderful woman named Tracy, who had recently lost her dog to cancer. She had more bandwidth to devote to Chloe’s care than I did.
Because I’m a groomer, Tracy continued bringing Chloe back to me every 8 weeks for grooming appointments.
I was stunned.
Within the very first 8 weeks after leaving, Chloe returned looking completely different — her skin had healed.
I couldn’t believe it.
I immediately asked Tracy what had worked. What medication finally did the trick? What cream? What treatment?
Her answer surprised me.
She had simply changed Chloe’s food.
That was it.
After an agonizing year of little improvement, a change in diet made a dramatic difference. I thought we had been feeding a good food, but it turns out the sourcing wasn’t ideal for Chloe. She needed higher quality ingredients.
That experience changed the way I viewed canine nutrition forever. I learned firsthand that food truly can be powerful medicine, and since then, we’ve become extremely intentional about what we feed our dogs and puppies at TaylorMade Mini Goldens.
Why Nutrition Matters for Growing Puppies
Puppies grow rapidly during their first year of life, making proper nutrition especially important.
Balanced nutrition helps support:
✔️ Healthy growth & development
✔️ Brain development & learning
✔️ Digestive health
✔️ Immune system support
✔️ Healthy skin & coat
✔️ Energy levels & overall wellness
At TaylorMade Mini Goldens, we believe thoughtful feeding habits can help set puppies up for success from the very beginning.
Step 1: Start with a Wholesome Diet
The foundation of good nutrition begins with feeding a balanced, wholesome diet made with ingredients from a trusted source. When I first started researching the pet food industry, I was shocked to learn that ingredient quality standards vary widely. Some of what I discovered completely changed how I thought about feeding my dogs and buying from a trusted source.
We recommend measuring out the amount of food your puppy will need for the entire day rather than free feeding or estimating portions.
One method we love is the jar system.
Using a daily food prep jar helps:
✔️ Prevent overfeeding or underfeeding
✔️ Keep portions organized
✔️ Simplify your feeding routine
We prefer glass jars for food prep and storage because they are a durable, non-plastic storage option.
To determine how much to feed, review the feeding guide on your food bag or complete the nutrition quiz at TaylormadeHealthynut.com.
Because most family pets have average activity levels, we typically recommend starting on the lower end of feeding guidelines and adjusting based on age, body condition, growth, and activity level.
Step 2: Support Nutrition with Supplements
Food matters, but we also believe thoughtful supplementation can help support optimal health.
Even quality foods may not always provide every nutrient at the level you’d like for growing puppies. We incorporate supplements into our feeding routine to help support digestion, immunity, development, and overall wellness.
Every puppy is unique, and nutritional needs can vary based on age, size, lifestyle, and individual health considerations.
Step 3: Create a Consistent Feeding Routine
For young puppies, we generally recommend feeding three meals per day.
Mealtime can also become a valuable training opportunity.
We encourage feeding at least one meal each day in the crate to help build positive crate associations and support crate training.
You can:
• Feed meals directly in the crate bowl
• Scatter pieces of kibble inside the crate
• Use feeding time to encourage your puppy to comfortably enter and exit the crate
We have also found it incredibly helpful for training to occasionally feed part or all of a meal from your hand or your family’s hand.
Hand feeding can help:
✔️ Build trust and connection
✔️ Strengthen engagement and focus
✔️ Teach your puppy to willingly come when called
✔️ Create positive experiences around people and training
This can be especially valuable during your puppy’s transition home as they learn their new environment, routines, and family members.
These simple routines can help make your puppy’s transition smoother while building confidence, trust, and important foundational training skills.
Our Favorite Puppy Feeding Tips
• Measure food instead of guessing portions
• Feed on a consistent schedule
• Keep fresh water available at all times
• Monitor body condition and growth
• Transition foods gradually when making changes
• Use mealtime as a training opportunity
Why We Chose PawTree
Over the years, we’ve tried many foods and experienced frustrating recalls, ingredient changes, mistrust in sourcing, and inconsistencies.
Many companies have approached us about partnerships, but we chose PawTree because trust matters deeply to us.
We appreciate their commitment to:
✔️ Small fresh batches
✔️ Ingredient quality
✔️ Safety testing before products leave the facility
✔️ Consistent nutrition and transparency
Because nutrition plays such an important role in our program, we wanted a source we felt comfortable feeding our own dogs and recommending to our puppy families.
You can explore the foods and products we use at:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times per day should a puppy eat?
Most young puppies generally do best with 3 meals per day, depending on age, breed, and individual needs.
Should I measure my puppy’s food?
Yes! Measuring helps support healthy growth and appropriate portion control.
Can feeding help with crate training?
Absolutely. Feeding one meal in the crate each day can help puppies develop positive crate associations.
Here is a video I made to show how we are prepping the food so you can do this at home!