Growth and Development

Dr Vivian Gath BSc. Dip Computer Ed. H Dip in Education. MVB. PhD.

Lecturer/Assistant Professor

School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin.

The adult dog has approximately 319 bones. Given that puppies mature much faster than human babies, (a one year old dog is nearly an adult, whereas a one year old baby is still a baby!), the canine skeleton develops and matures at a frightening speed. Bone development is complex and is influenced by genetics, nutrition and the environment. Even with “good” genetics, factors such as poor nutrition, excessive trauma, injuries etc. will result in developmental abnormalities such as hip and elbow dysplasia.

Nutritional factors:

Both over and under feeding can be detrimental to optimal skeletal development. The skeleton starts to develop within the mother’s womb, so we must ensure optimal nutrition for pregnant bitches especially in the final trimester of pregnancy. Optimal skeletal growth requires the correct levels of protein, minerals and vitamins. Feeding a commercial reputable puppy food is the most convenient way of ensuring the correct nutrition. However, the correct amount of food is often exceeded which results in accelerating an already rapid growth rate, as well as putting more weight burden on the developing joints. “Puppy fat” is not acceptable and may also predispose the dog to obesity in adulthood. Owners should learn how to ‘body condition score” pups and feed accordingly.

Ad-libitum feeding is not appropriate at this stage, and the feeding of treats and training aids should be as equally nutritious as the main diet, to avoid imbalances of nutrients.

Water should be available, but avoid milk or dairy products as these can disrupt the critical Calcium : Phosphorus ratio necessary for bone development. Good quality puppy food has the optimal calcium content, so adding milk is not beneficial.

If your puppy leaves some of its food, or regurgitates, that’s a good indicator of overfeeding. The puppy should be polishing its bowl, pushing it around the floor after each feed.

Environmental factors:

These encompass everything from exercise, sleep, floor surfaces, trauma etc. Exercise is important for skeletal development, as well as socialisation and training. However, too much, or improper exercise during the critical first 6 months can cause damage to the rapidly developing bones and joints. Children should be supervised when playing with young puppies, they are not toys or teddy bears. Young puppies should not be brought on 10k walks, especially off the lead, as they will probably cover twice the distance when free from the leash. There will be plenty of time for this once the growth plates have closed. Exercise should be gentle and easy with patience needed both from the owners and the puppies.

Sleep is also vitally important for the rapid bone growth. Young puppies require 18 to 20 hours of sleep per day. Just like nutrition, it is important to ensure your puppy gets adequate opportunity to rest and sleep. Establishing a routine is important and realising that puppies need frequent naps during the day. There should be a dedicated time-out area away from noise and disruption.

Trauma and floor surfaces etc.

Many new homes have tiles and wooden floor surfaces and stairs. As dogs naturally grip with their nails, they can find these surfaces very slippery. This can lead to repetitive stresses on the hips and elbows for doing “the splits” as they try to negotiate corners at speed. Owners should be aware of the potential effects on the skeleton and minimise play in kitchens etc.

Also allowing puppies onto kitchen tables and beds inevitability results in falls, equivalent to a person falling from a roof!

Owners need to be mindful of the fact that despite the mother and father of the puppy having “ good joints”, there is still a significant possibility that the puppy will develop orthopaedic problems if its nutrition and environment aren’t optimised.

You and your puppy can still have great fun and games!