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Lecture Notes

Knowing that energy and calcium are the most important nutrients in the management of the skeletal development, we will focus mainly on those two nutrients.

In skeletal development the phrase "slow down to run further" applies perfectly. Energy intake must be restricted in order to have a moderate growth rate. Therefore, large breed puppies should be fed controlled amounts of a food that is specially formulated for them. That food should have a lower energy and calcium concentration than a regular puppy food.

We saw that a slight excess in calcium intake could be very detrimental for the skeletal development, so do not supplement calcium unless indicated by your vet. Calcium is the cheapest ingredient in the food industry, thus any commercial food, even the cheapest one, has more than enough calcium to support puppies' growth.

Finally, in case of any sign of impaired growth or bone abnormalities take your dog to the vet for an early diagnostic.