Feeding new puppy?

Hi Guys,
We are picking up our new blue staffy pup, Bosun in 1 week. So excited! This is going to be our first puppy/dog and I have been doing research on all things puppy these past few weeks. I'm hoping you guys might be able to answer a few questions for me. We live in Australia and he will be 8wks old when we pick him up.

What is a good brand of puppy food that can be sourced in Australia (dry & wet)? I know I need to keep him on his original food and ease him into a new brand, but want to make sure he has the best

How much and how many times a day should we feed him?

I understand that chicken necks, raw eggs, sardines, fish oil, coconut oil, etc are good for him, but how often?

On another note, we will have quite a long drive home with him, any suggestions on good toys, bones, etc to help keep him occupied?

I'm sure I'll have heaps more questions on the coming weeks, and will appreciate all of your feedback
Cheers
Amy

Hiya! Congrats on the pup.

I'm not in Australia, so unsure of the market there but generally recommended going for the highest meat content (and ensure it's meat, not derivatives!) and lowest grain/no grains at all if possible! Were his parents quite healthy? No skin problems? And not both blue? Really you want to go by his background to prevent problems occurring with diet than try to fix them later on I feed nature diet, but have previously fed raw.

Everything that you've noted would be great for him, all bar the chicken necks would be fine to be fed with the kibble, but as chicken necks are raw and have a different digestion rate they should be fed separately. Be careful with the chicken necks as his may try to swallow them, they can be quite small. If concerned maybe try raw chicken wings rather than necks, and backs when he's a little older. Many members on the forum feed sardines daily! Biscuits food has everything that she needs but I tend to add a raw egg/tin of sardines every few days anyway.

At 8 weeks see what the breeder is already doing with him, I've always rescued adults but the pups that I looked after in kennels would always have 4 small feeds until about 16 weeks and then take it down to 3 and they'd be on 2 from about 9 months onwards. However, we tend to feed differently in kennels due to the low activity levels, but in some dogs, high levels of stress and nervous tension. I'm sure someone with a pup will come along soon and advise you more clearly!

I wouldn't give him any kind of bones/food in the car as it may make him sick. To be honest he'll probably be so focused on you and the outside world, may even be a little scared I'm sure he won't need much. But you could bring a rope or squeaky toy along with you to distract him if needs be

Good luck! I'm sure he'll settle in no time

Welcome to the forum, & parenthood!

I'm in Aussie too and we have a 6mth old we've had since he was 8 wks old so can offer some advice from my experience.

Our pup was being fed raw chicken mince, we swapped him (within few days gradually) to Hills Science Diet kibble for puppies, and he has this twice a day. We mostly mix a little tuna in with it or sardines, or just dabble olive oil on it (good for the coat!). Now he's bigger he has this twice a day still but at various points during the week he has scrambled eggs (plain), raw chicken necks, cooked cold steak, yoghurt, cheese & anything else he's lucky enough to get his hands on! lol

We had a near 2 hour drive home with him, I sat in the back with him (on a blanket in case he was sick which he wasn't), kept cuddling him and saying his name so he got used to it, had a cuddly toy but he was more interested in the cuddles and playing around. He was fine, it was me who worried! lol

Very excited for you, hope the next week flies by! Can't wait to see pics!!!!