Puppies have special nutritional requirements, making finding food specifically formulated for them essential. Look for recipes with smaller kibble that fits their mouths as well as probiotics to support their developing stomachs.
Most pet foods conform to nutritional standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials; you can easily check this on their labels. They should also state which life stage it’s suitable for.
Contents
1. Protein
Puppies need protein-rich diets in order to thrive and grow into adult dogs. High-quality proteins help promote muscle and skeletal growth as well as supporting immunity functions.
Protein for puppy dog food should come from animal sources (chicken, lamb and beef) or plant sources such as grains (oats and wheat) and oilseeds such as soybeans – many of these proteins are highly digestible.
Small breed puppies need a diet rich in protein, fat and complex carbohydrates for energy. Since their bodies do not store sufficient glucose over an extended period, frequent meals should be consumed to keep glycogen levels at an optimum. Avoid foods containing simple sugars which could cause their blood sugar levels to plummet leading to hypoglycemia.
2. Fat
Puppies expend an immense amount of energy and require high-energy foods to fuel their development. Furthermore, higher levels of essential fatty acids are needed for brain and eye development.
AAFCO recommends feeding adult dogs 5% crude fat content while puppies should receive 8%. Look for foods specially tailored to your puppy’s life stage on its label, and opt for one with the right balance of calcium-to-phosphorous ratios.
Blue Buffalo Life puppy recipes feature deboned chicken and chicken meal as the primary protein sources, along with oatmeal, brown rice, peas, carrots and sweet potatoes as carbohydrates. Furthermore, these recipes include DHA omega-3 from fish oil as well as antioxidants, vitamins and prebiotic fiber to aid digestive health.
3. Fiber
Fiber helps move food and liquid through your pup’s digestive tract efficiently, as well as contributing to weight management. Many pet caregivers recommend high-fiber puppy foods along with regular walks and playtime sessions as ways to control calorie consumption in your fur baby.
Dietary fibers come in both soluble and insoluble forms and come from various plant-based ingredients, each offering different fermentability rates – the ability for bacteria living in your dog’s colon to break them down and produce short-chain fatty acids that provide energy to cells lining its intestinal tract. According to research, optimal crude-fiber levels for dog foods range between 2.5 – 4.5 percent but should never exceed 10 percent4. Common sources include natural fibers like beet pulp, gums, pectin or purified cellulose powder removed via chemical processes from wood; while guaranteed Analysis panels display crude fiber content levels on these facts panels.
4. Minerals
Minerals are inorganic molecules that play an essential role in supporting key processes like bone development, muscle contraction and body fluid regulation. You can find minerals in various forms in food such as chelated (those bound to amino acids or proteins) and inorganic forms; certain ones like calcium and phosphorus may help support physical development while others like iron may aid oxygenation and immune system functioning.
A balanced diet for your pet should include both macro-minerals and trace minerals, both at appropriate levels. Macrominerals provide more of the minerals found in free range meats, eggs, vegetables and whole grains than trace minerals do.
Trace minerals are necessary in small amounts for daily functioning such as enzyme and hormone production, and can be found in foods made from fresh ingredients.
5. Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds that serve multiple essential functions in the body, such as producing DNA, supporting cell function and blood clotting, immune system response and eye development. Furthermore, vitamins are responsible for breaking down fats, carbohydrates and proteins during metabolism; deficiency occurs if intake falls short.
Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed and utilized by the body without being stored, making them essential to healthy metabolism and often found in commercial pet food products. Examples include thiamin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate and cobalamin.
Your dog’s diet should contain all of the vitamins and minerals they require; if you prefer making homemade food for them, consult with a veterinary nutritionist first to make sure all their needs are being met.
