Puppies need high-quality commercially formulated kibble that meets their life stage needs, as well as cooked meat (excluding any bones that could splinter) and vegetables as well as fruits.
Be wary when providing table scraps as these may contain high levels of fat and other chemicals that may be detrimental to their health. Furthermore, avoid feeding raw meats and bones to your pup as these could contain bacteria that make them sick.
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Protein
Protein is often considered the “building blocks of life”, making it an integral component of any dog’s diet, particularly for young, growing pups.
Protein plays an essential role in building new skin cells, hair, muscle fibers and other body tissues; producing hormones; providing energy; and helping the body recover after injury or surgery by aiding tissue repair and restoration. Ample sources of protein should be available during recovery as it helps support muscle repair and maintenance.
Puppies require higher rates of protein than adults to support their rapid development and should only switch diets when advised by your veterinarian. Protein should come from various sources to ensure balance and quality: fish, eggs, chicken, lamb and beef should all provide high quality proteins that have bioavailability and digestibility benefits for maximum bioavailability and digestibility in pet food formulation.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide your pup with vital energy. Their easy breakdown allows for efficient energy extraction from them. Plus, complex carb foods like grains, vegetables and fruit also contain plenty of fibre!
Puppies require a diet with adequate proteins, fats, carbohydrates and water in order to remain healthy and grow properly. A high protein/low carb diet can hinder their development by leading to excess body weight gain, obesity and joint problems in large breed puppies as well as abnormal skeletal development in small and giant breed puppies.
Growing puppies require higher protein levels than adult dogs, yet their other nutritional needs remain similar. Carbs play an essential role, particularly slow-digesting carbohydrates like whole grains, fruit and vegetables – not only are these an energy source but they help regulate bowel bacteria as well. Prebiotics serve as energy for these good intestinal microbes to facilitate digestion while simultaneously decreasing “bad” bacteria levels in your pet’s faeces.
Fat
Puppies require fats, but not those found in meat offcuts or clarified butter (ghee). Too much animal fat is difficult for dogs to digest and can even lead to pancreatitis; furthermore, too much animal fat deprives their diet of essential fatty acids that contribute to optimal health.
Grass-fed animals provide significantly less saturated fat than factory-raised animals, while their fat provides essential omega-6 linoleic acid needed for healthy skin and coats.
Puppies require high energy requirements for growth and development, but too many calories may lead to overnutrition, accelerated skeletal growth and unhealthy weight gain. Owners can learn to feed puppies properly using the 9 point body condition scoring system or physical palpation as an estimation technique of body condition. It’s also essential that owners monitor calorie consumption weekly as this could lead to weight issues later on as overfeeding can result in obesity with potentially serious health implications; treats or table scraps should never form part of a substantial portion of daily caloric consumption!
Water
Puppies need plenty of water for essential functions like regulating body temperature and transporting nutrients as well as flushing harmful toxins out of their systems. Dehydration can be fatal.
Be sure to monitor your puppy’s water intake so you know he or she is drinking the appropriate amount. A general rule of thumb for puppy water intake is one fluid ounce per pound of body weight; however, your vet will let you know what amount may be normal for your specific animal.
When your pup starts drinking excessively, check his gums for signs of psychogenic polydipsia or dehydration; otherwise known as psychogenic polydipsia which occurs due to anxiety or boredom in your pet. Another warning sign could be loss of skin turgidity caused by dehydration due to heat stroke, diarrhoea or medications they’ve taken – if this happens contact your veterinarian as quickly as possible for advice as fast hydration could help stop dehydration that would impede potty training and make controlling bladder control more challenging.
