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Quick Summary
- According to veterinary professionals, the best puppy food must have the certification from the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
- Always check for a statement on a bag of dog food that says animal feeding trials have been performed and that the food meets a dog’s nutritional requirements.
- Aside from vitamins, minerals, and protein, puppies need essential omega fatty acids (omega 3s and omega 6s ) for brain, eyesight and heart development. Puppies also require more calories than adult dogs so consider that in the dog food. However, do take note of your dog’s breed and size.
- Avoid corn gluten meal, soy, and meat meal in your puppy’s dog food. Give them puppy foods with high-quality protein and fat, as well as natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin.
I’m a firm believer that the foundations of a dog’s health starts from how pet owners take care of them during the early puppyhood. Aside from giving them comfortable homes, grooming, and doing the necessary trainings, a healthy and balanced diet is a major part of raising puppies to be happy and strong adult dogs. This leads many first-time dog owners to ask, “what is the best dog food for my puppy?”
Below, I will go over a quick guide on the essential parts of puppy diet and teach you how to give your young pup the nutrition that is needs.
Choosing the right food for your dog
All pet foods are required to have a statement from the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) that indicates whether it meets the standards for maintenance, growth, pregnancy, lactation or all life stages. The best dog food for puppies, according to veterinarians must have the certification from AAFCO that’s usually in small print near the ingredients list. There are two ways the statement is written:
- Animal feeding trials have been performed on the food; or
- The food meets the requirements based on biochemical analysis.
If the food has had animal feeding trials, it has actually been fed to animals, and their bloodwork has been measured to make sure they have not developed dietary deficiencies. The other method means that on paper the food looks good, but it has not been fed to animals to see if the nutrients are being digested and absorbed appropriately to ensure there are no deficiencies.
If you purchase dog food, always look for this statement on the bag. To make sure animal feeding trials have been performed. If you want a more solid guarantee for quality, consider subscribing to fresh dog food delivery services as these companies cater to dogs of all life stages, and every meal plan is made by a board certified veterinary nutritionist. Furthermore, these are considered human-grade dog food.
Ingredient List
The ingredients on the back of the bag of food are listed in descending order based on the amount that is in the food. In other words, the first ingredient comprises the majority of the food.
Be very aware when it comes to choosing the right ingredients and know what your dog is allergic to.
How the food is labeled also indicates how much of the ingredient it contains. For example, a label that says “Chicken for Dogs” might contain 70 percent chicken; “Chicken Dinner for Dogs,” 25 percent; “Dog food with Chicken,” 3 percent; and “Dog Food with Chicken Flavor,” less than 3 percent.
Supplements
In addition to your pet’s diet, a vitamin or nutritional supplement may also be recommended [1]. Most high-quality diets are well balanced and have all of the nutrients a pet needs. However, some pets have special conditions that require supplementation. When dry food is processed, it may lose some of the vitamins and minerals because of the heat processing. Be very careful on what vitamins you choose because your dog may be allergic to specific ones. You can read this interesting article on how you can manage your dog’s allergies more thoroughly.
Dogs also need probiotics to maintain digestive health, so consider adding that as a supplement if it’s not already included in the ingredients.
What is the best type of food I should give my puppy?
Meat is an important protein source for your pup. Deboned turkey and chicken meal are two healthy options. You can look for when choosing the best premium dog food for puppies. A salmon meal is another alternative to consider. To make sure it does not contain any additives and it has been cooked at low temperatures to retain all of its nutrients.
According to some experts, it is better for your pet’s health if you opt for pet food with fish instead of chicken or beef, since this reduces the risk of allergies. Deboned salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your puppy’s heart and immune system. Essential omega fatty acids (omega 3s and omega 6s ) are essential for the development of your dog’s brain, eyesight and heart. Dogs also need probiotics to maintain digestive health, so consider that too in the nutritional value of your puppy food.
Deboned chicken is another great source of this vital nutrient. It has properties that protect the heart and liver and helps maintain coats, nails, and connective tissue.
Puppy Food Type Based on Breed Size
A lot depends on your dog’s breed, size, and age. For example, puppies need more calories than full grown dogs. They also need certain main ingredients which are not needed in adult dog food, such as calcium and phosphorus.
The best puppy food for small breeds is a mixture of specially prepared dog food, according to the species’ needs and your budget. Pet shops offer a variety of dog foods, each with different nutrients to give them energy and keep them healthy.
The large breed puppy food is for, well, large breed dogs including Great Danes. This large breed puppy food also provides essential nutrients to your large or giant dog. This large breed pup food includes calcium which is essential for the growth of large dogs. The large breed doggie food provides all of the essential nutrients needed in large breeds. This food also stops large breed dogs from getting hip dysplasia.
If normal dog food isn’t the right choice for your large/giant breed puppies, you might consider trying grain-free dog food. Grain-free diet is a great choice for large breeds.
Which puppy food should dog owners avoid?
Avoid dog foods that include: corn gluten meal, soy, and meat meal. Puppies need the best dog foods with high-quality protein and fat as well as dog food that includes natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin. It is also important to avoid pet food that contains ingredients such as: by-product meal and brewer’s rice. Choose dog food with dog food ingredients such as: lamb meal and turkey meal.
Wet foods for puppies
It’s a common misconception that wet food for puppies is better than dry food. Wet food can be a great source of moisture in puppies’ diets, however, you need to be sure it contains the right nutrients in the right proportions before you feed it to your pup. It doesn’t contain as much protein as dry dog food, which means it isn’t as well-suited to support your dog’s growth and development as dry is. It is a critical nutrient for your puppy since he can’t sweat or pant to cool himself down. Wet puppy food, however, also contains nutrients that dry dog food lacks, including water-soluble vitamins such as B and C. If you are to give it, choose the best wet dog food that has the best source for your pet’s nutritional needs.
The Best Dog Food For Your Puppies—According To Vets
Top Three Wet Dog Food
Wellness Canned Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free – For those with allergies to grains, this diet is as healthy as it gets. It only uses the best ingredients such as deboned turkey and salmon as its first two ingredients, making grain-free diets a great choice for dogs with gluten sensitivities.
Taste of the Wild Wetlands – As an excellent source of protein, this best wet dog food will surely satisfy your pet’s dietary needs. The best part is that it contains no grains or gluten which makes it great for dogs with gluten sensitivities, as well as being appropriate for dogs with allergies to poultry proteins.
Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Formula – With its use of deboned duck as the first ingredient, this best wet dog food is another great choice for dogs with allergies to poultry proteins. It’s best used for solving skin issues caused by allergies.
Dry dog food for puppies
Benefits Of Dry Dog Food For Puppies
The primary benefit of dry puppy food over wet is the fact that it provides a more complete and balanced nutritional profile than wet does. Dry food has a greater carbohydrate content than wet food, however, kibbles can be difficult to chew, especially for small breed puppies.
Dry food is normally formulated with healthy levels of calcium for growing large breed puppies, as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.
Homemade dog food nutrition guide
A homemade dog food nutrition guide helps an owner understand what they are feeding their dog. It can be difficult to know what the right amounts of each nutrient are for all breeds. What is not included in a homemade diet will also have an effect on how healthy it is. By using recipes that have been created by other pet owners, there may be too much of one nutrient or another. A homemade dog food nutrition guide can help to ensure that the diet is balanced properly. Better yet, see my guide on how to make fresh dog food. If you are confused about this dog food type, see my comparison on fresh dog food vs dry kibble.
Proteins are needed for muscle growth and building cells. The amount of protein vary depending on what size, age, weight, health status the pet is in. It also depends on how active he or she is.
Many dogs are very picky when it comes to food. A homemade dog food nutrition guide might include changing the order that they receive their meals each day, or using specific items as a treat before giving them regular kibble. Some dogs prefer sweet potatoes over brown rice, and some prefer chicken over beef. These secret weapons can help your pet to be eager to eat. Following my nutrition guide will below will help you to choose the best dog food for large and small breed puppies.
FAQs
Which dog food is best for puppy?
The most popular products considered as the best dog food for puppies are: Wellness Canned Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free, Taste of the Wild Wetlands, and Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Formula. Some of the leading brands from the fresh dog food category include The Farmer’s Dog, Nom Nom, and A Pup Above.
What is the best pet food brand for your dog?
Choosing the best dry dog foods can be a hard task. You have so many options to choose from, starting from the type of dog food itself. As you know every dog also has its own taste and preferences when it comes to food. Recently, more and more pet parents and animal experts swear by the improved health of dogs from fresh dog food options instead of dry kibble. Some brands to try include The Farmer’s Dog, Nom Nom, and A Pup Above.
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