I am having a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pup shortly and I am wondering if anyone knows of a good puppy food that has a good reputation and will help to keep my new pup healthy. I am new to keeping Cavaliers so I have no clue what is the best nutrional diet to feed him on. He has been weaned onto "Beta Puppy Food" I am not sure about this brand as I have not heard of it. I am living in the United Kingdom if anyone can offer me advice I will be very grateful. I am also wondering if anyone can offer me advice about Crate Training I am wondering if it will help to toilet train him.

The best food for your new pup, is the food his breeder has been giving him. Should you decide you want to change it, then it must be done gradualy to avoid upset tums
As for crate training, I can't reccommend it highly enough, and I firmly believe it speeded up the house-training with our last pup.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and of course your pup

liberty

hi looks like you and i are in the same boat, the breeder recommended beta puppy to me also, you can get it from any pet shop or some where like Focus Do It All they have a pet shop there where you can get everything you need for your pup,a puppy pen, bed ,food and toys. That's where I'm off to this weekend to get all the stuff in for my new arrival. When are you getting him or her? I'm having mine in two weeks time can't wait!!

Best of luck for you and your new baby let me know how you get on?

Bye

Kes

Hi there
Thank you for your advice about me sticking to the "Beta Puppy Food" I was not sure if I was doing the correct thing and like to ask for help better to be safe than sorry. I will be getting me new pup in just 16 days time when he will be 8 weeks old I am excited as I have been waiting a good whie for him and it took me ages to find a reputable breeder. I have kept other breeds of dogs in the past but never a Cavalier King Charles dog but read up lots about the breed and this particular breed of dog is suitable to my needs as well as the dogs needs, I have lots of love to give him and it is a pleasure keeping a toy breed such as a Cavalier as they have charming and loving personalities. I wish you the best of luck with your little pup which breed of dog are you getting.

hi bizzylizzy

i'm getting a cav too. a black and tan little boy i've got to travel from s. wales to macclesfield 4 hour trip each way in the car!! I went to the pet store and bought all the stuff i need i've even put the crate up with the toys and puppy pads, bed, food bowl in there ready. It's like I'm preparing for a baby it's crazy!! hope i do a good job looking after him i'm a bit scared that i'll do a good job.anyway best of luck keep in touch and maybe we can swap stories later on. bye kes

Welcome to the world of cavaholics lol

Hi Moonmaiden
Please can you send me a personal e-mail so I can ask you a question about a point you raised when I first had my Cavalier King Charles Pup. He is still not on top form had another trip to the vets and he is now being fed boiled chicken and boiled rice until his runny tummy stops and then I am going to wean him onto tinned food as told to me by the Vet. I hope to hear from you soon by private e-mail.
My e-mail address is johnstokes01@btopenworld.com

Hi Kwa
How you getting along with your Cavalier King Charles Pup. I wanted to ask you a question. When you bought your pup did he come with Kennel Club Registration Papers. I am concerned as I had my pup delivered to me without a receipt or any Kennel Club Registration Papers or his history. Will you be so kind to reply to let me know as soon as you possibly can.

Did you see the parents or at least mother before you paid for the puppy ?

hya

Yes my dog came with insurance registaration papers kennel name and kennel club reg. number papers to change over ownership diet sheet and she's rang me twice to see if the pup is OK? so yes I think you should get in touch with the breeder you should have had paper work when we got him. Without it how can you prove what he is? I'm really sorry but get in touch with the kennel club and maybe they will be able to help you. Keep me posted. And mine is great but howled for an hour last night! Very sad but the breed said not to go to him or he'll never stop!! Speak to you soon bye Kes

Hi Kes
I am wondering how you are getting along with your new Cavalier Pup. Mine is not accepting the new make of the "Beta Puppy Food" I have only had him for about two days he ate really well the food that came with the pup however today when I had to open the "Beta Puppy Food" recommended to me by the Breeder he does not like it at all. I have also tried him with some Weetabix but he is not keen on this either. I just hope now that when he gets hungry enough he will eat the "Beta Puppy Food" I have bought for him. I hope to hear from you shortly.

Hiya please don't give your puppy weetabix there is nothing in it of benefit for you puppy.Try an egg scrambled with no milk & maybe you should go back to what his breeder was feeding nim & gradually mix in the new food. You could try some cooked chicken, white fish, tuna(in oil not brine) cut up very small mixed in with it to tempt him

Don't worry he will not starve himself & you could also try feeding him on a small plate rather than dog dish for some reason ot seems to work with cavaliers

You could also try feeding more very small meals

Hi there
The dilemma is over thank goodness. I tried him again with his puppy food giving it to him slightly warm as this dried puppy food has to be soaked in water for 30 minutes before giving it to him. I also drained some of the colouring off while the dried food was in the bowl and he loved it. I spoke to the breeder that I had him from today and she told me that the Manufacturers of this dried food had changed their mix in some way and she told me to add some Weetabix to his food. I had tried giving him Weetabix before receiving your e-mail and he did not like it at all so I gave up on that. Thank you for sending me ideas on what to feed him as an alternative it is much appreciated if he goes off his puppy food again then I will know what to feed him.

My Bullmstiff pup was also weaned on Beta Puppy food and when I first got her home the pup was fine the first couple of meals and then started to turn her nose up at it. After she settled in she got stuck right in and never looked back.

I soaked it for about 15 to twenty minutes and drained off the excess liquid and she loved it.

hello What did you soak your Beta puppy in? Was it just water? Sorry if it sound like a silly question but my new Cav.(8 Weeks old 9 weeks on monday) has decided to become very fussy I think he's so afraid to be left that he'd rather do with out I've had some advice and have had some replys from this forum which is nice.Are there are other people in the same boat as I? Any suggstions would be good from anyone. Trouble is he's so tiny! Am I expecting too much from the little mite?

Hi Kes,

I am only soaking it with water. She's really enjoying it one moment and then she couldn't be that bothered with it the next. When she turns her nose up at it I have to hand feed it to her, but that doesn't happen too often!

I am using this bag and then I am changing over to different food. I have looked into all the different ranges out there and have decided on either Autarky or Eukanuba.

Although she's doing well on the BETA and putting weight on, it's a lot of hassle trying to get her to eat it sometimes, so I shall keep trying her on different foods over a long period and see which she prefers. Each puppy/dog have their own unique tastes so I'll let her lead me.

Sarah
xx

hiya moonmaiden

Tried your advice with scrambled egg (no Milk) and he liked it also I'm crushing his Beta puppy pellets up a little and adding tuna to it and he likes that too. Is there any cereal I can give him other than Weetabix? Do you suggest something nice and warm for supper? At the moment he's having little and often because he's so tiny,I'm worried that I'm either over or under feeding it's such a worry it's like when children were small all over again!!! Any suggestion with toilet training. Spoke to a lady today who says her staffordshire bull terrier is only 9 weeks and is crying to go out the back garden already. Oscar is very good in his crate but no signs of having any clue of where the garden is yet but he is only 8 weeks old.Am I being unrealistic? Any suggestion to help me, I'm watching him like a hawk but the weather has turned cold and he really Doesn't like being outside and will cry at the back door rather than look for somwhere to wee. And as soon as he gets warmed up in the house down he goes and wees or the other no warning just a squat lol!!!! Any ideas?? bye Kes

Hi Kes - don't start worrying about his housetraining yet! He's a very baby puppy, and I would be very surprised if he was asking to go outside yet. If you take him outside at the times stipulated in The Perfect Puppy, and stay out there with him till he's performed, he will get there. It takes a lot of concentrated effort by the owner, but there's no need to be concerned till he's still not got the idea by 6 months!

hya bizzylizzy

Yip got the same trouble the only way I can get him to eat is to put the food in my hand and let him lick it off, he wants to be with people more than eat at the moment, so I don't care if he eats that way ,it's better than not eating at all and I make sure he drinks plenty of water. Hope he gets better soon I'm very worried but the breeder says sthats fine it's just a period of adjustment he's been taken away from all the things he knows and has to build bonds with me and the family.

Hi Kes
My pup is eating his Beta Puppy Food however he has diaoherria for the past 12 hours he is not drinking water so I am putting extra water in with his food and I am keeping an eye on him as I am concerned about him he is pretty perky but I know I have to watch such a small pup. My Vet has told me that if this diaoherria keeps up for 24 hours I am to get the pup up to the Vets quickly. The Breeder told me only a few days ago that the Beta Puppy Food has been changed regarding the mix of ingredients. I am not sure about this at all as I bought one bag of Beta Puppy/Junior Food the week before the pup arrived and then another sack a few days ago that I had already ordered and had to pay for. The puppy food that was given with the pup when he was delivered is not the same at all the colour is different and the size and shape of the dried food. I have had so many different varities of the truth from this Breeder that I just do not know what to believe anymore. Do you mind replying to tell me what Beta Puppy Food you are buying your pup what it has on the front of the sack (being the print). Regarding the fact that I had no KC Papers with the pup or Pet Insurance I have e-mailed the Breeder telling her that I want both of these within the next 7 days as I have no evidence that he is a Pedigree King Charles Spaniel Pup just her word for it.

Hi,
When I got a puppy in 1997, he was on Beta puppy food with no problems. Then last year, when I got another puppy (aged 9 weeks), he was given a bag of Beta puppy food to take home by his breeder - however he just had the constant runs all the time - just going straight through him. Then I heard that Beta had made a change in their food, though can't quite remember exactly what. Anyway, after a couple of trips to the vet, worried about puppy dehydrating, I changed his brand of food - and never had any more trouble with him having the runs, and he is 18 months now! Natural bio-yoghurt is good if they have an upset stomach - puts the good bacteria back into the gut - you can get it at the supermarket.
Hilda

Hi Sunbeams
Well I must admit I am really worried about my pup "Max". He has had dioherria since 2am this morning flat out throughout the day and now he is passing blood. I am going to take him off "Beta Puppy/Junior Food completeley for the time being. I am going to feed him fish or chicken and boiled rice once his tummy has settled down a bit. I am keeping an eye on him and if he gets worse I will have to call the Vet out be it in the middle of the night if need be. If not a trip to the Vets in the morning is a definate if this diaoherria does not stop. I am wondering what puppy food you used instead of the "Beta Puppy Food" if you do not mind telling me as it has to be better for him than this brand.

Hi, is Max any better today? I would keep him on boiled rice with hard-boiled egg for a couple of days, as well as natural bio-yoghurt. The food I changed my puppy to was Oscars, and he was fine on that, but there are several good quality foods on the market - it's finding the one that suits your dog. I have changed my dogs food just recently to Autarky, which is supposed to be a good one, and when I get my next puppy, he will be on the Autarky puppy food. A good food you shouldn't have any problems with is Naturediet, which is all natural - have a look at their website: www.naturediet.co.uk. I would definitely recommend that - doesn't go through them, is really well digested, and no additives or anything.
Hilda

hya bizzylizzy

My pup is on the same beta puppy food and it's the chicken and rice variety. At the moment I'm putting a bit of tuna in with the food or a bit of chicken but I'm crushing the pellets up so they are almost like a powder and mixing them together. He likes scrambled egg (no milk) also try boiled rice and a little chicken don't worry mine isn't eating that well either.

Last night was the first time he didn't howl so I hope we are getting somewhere with him??

Make sure he's drinking as much water as he can. He'll be fine just needs time to adjust.

As for papers yes I agree give the breeder sometime to produce them if not how do you have any proof and also if you wanted to show or breed or what ever you can't. It's good to know the lineage of your dog. History is important. So I guess you didn't see mum or dad then? Have you had any evidance that the pup has been wormed or if worming is up to date? Has he had any jabs? I feel sorry for you me asking all these question. Do you know where the pup came from did they have other breeds there they were selling?

Speak to you soon

bye Kes

Hi

I just noticed you said your puppy had diahorrea with blood... this CAN be a sign of worm burden...

Speak to your vet and he will advise. I cant remember how old your pup is now but i usually worm the pups before the leave and send the pup away with the last dose so that the new owners KNOW they have been wormed... then they need worming every 4 weeks until 6 months old. You have to be wary that the breeder hasnt just 'said' they have been wormed as worms can quickly take over...

hope all is going well.