Dog Food Allergies

Your Yorkshire Terrier, Cavachon or Yorkie mix puppy may need some special attention in their early years when it comes to choosing the right food and diet. 

My dog Lizzie, who is a little over a year old, has had issues with the food that we have been feeding her.  As a puppy she was given a Chicken and Rice formula.  We noticed over the past year that she has been in our family that she is always scratching.  She scratches her ears, her belly and her armpits all of the time. 

 We decided to switch her to a Lamb and Rice formula a few months back and the same thing was happening.  Three weeks ago we decided to switch Lizzie to a Fish and Potato formula.  At first she was still scratching but now the redness and irritation has started to go away and she is not scratching nearly as much as she was. 

Scratching and itching is a major sign of a food allergy and it is something that you want to keep an eye on as your puppy is growing.  The key to switching to a different food is to do it slowly over about two weeks.  You want to start with 3/4 old food to 1/4 new food.  Do that for a few days then go to 1/2 and 1/2.  After a few more days you can go to 1/4 old food and 3/4 new food.  Wait a few more days and then you can switch completely to the new food. 

This is just an example of the type of issue that you will have to keep an eye on over the first year of your puppy’s life.  They have allergies and irritations just like we do.  You may have to experiment with a few different types of food and brands of food but when you find the right one your dog will be happy and fulfilled!