Puppies require lots of energy and specific nutrient combinations in their food to thrive. When selecting food specifically formulated for puppies (which often means small breeds), be sure that it includes an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for growth.
Chicken, chicken liver and pork plasma provide protein while barley, brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes and carrots are a rich source of carbohydrates. Furthermore, these food sources contain beneficial addititons like glucosamine and chondroitin as well as omega fatty acids to add an extra boost.
Contents
Ingredients
Puppies require high amounts of protein, fat and other essential nutrients in their diet to flourish properly. When selecting a feeding-trial tested puppy food product, be sure that it contains all the necessary elements that support optimal development in your pup.
Churchill notes that high-quality puppy food should contain human grade ingredients that have been carefully cooked at low temperatures to preserve essential vitamins and minerals. She advises selecting a recipe which also offers healthy extras like fish oil to supply omega fatty acids or choline chloride to promote liver health.
This fresh dog food is created by board-certified veterinary nutritionists to provide puppies with all of the nutrition they require for healthy development. It features farm-raised meats like chicken, lamb and turkey as well as simple produce and additional supplemental nutrients – providing your growing puppy with a nutritional meal! Furthermore, this food is free from soy and artificial flavors or colors!
Flavors
An effective dog food should contain digestible ingredients. Consider foods featuring high-quality proteins like chicken and turkey liver as well as veggies and fruits rich in antioxidants; avoid foods containing corn or wheat products which could trigger allergic reactions.
Puppy foods should be designed with your dog’s life stage and nutritional requirements in mind, such as higher amounts of protein for larger breeds than toy breeds. If there are any restrictions that pertain to your pup, consult your vet.
Strategist writer Arielle Avila from Wisconsin gives this food from Fromm to her hound mix Maggie, and says it has helped with any itchy skin issues she might have experienced. They offer smaller chunk recipes designed for small breed puppies as well as sensitive stomach formulas. Their CORE recipes follow the belief that puppies like their primal ancestors need meat in their diets – providing high quality proteins and superfoods designed to support puppy development according to Fromm’s manufacturer.
Nutrition
Puppies require a diet rich in proteins and nutrients for proper development and growth. Select food that can easily digestible while providing essential vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
High-quality puppy food should also provide a balanced blend of proteins, carbohydrates and fats – essential components in order to prevent deficiencies or nutrient imbalances – and its guaranteed analysis should provide you with this information.
An example food may feature chicken as its primary protein source along with brown rice, cracked pearled barley, peas, and sweet potatoes as carbohydrates. Furthermore, fish oil could provide omega fatty acids and other healthful extras.
Welborn advises looking for food formulated under the supervision of both a full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist and PhD-level animal nutritionist, as well as verifying whether or not the company meets WSAVA quality-control guidelines.
Cost
Puppies require a special diet in order to develop into strong and healthy adults. Extra protein for muscle development, calcium for bone formation, and DHA as an aid for cognitive functions should all be part of their nutrition. Puppies should be fed a formula specifically tailored for their life stage until skeletally mature; which usually occurs around one year for small/medium breeds and 14-18 months in large/giant breeds.
Premium puppy foods feature high-grade ingredients with limited fillers. You can find them at specialty pet stores as well as online retailers; Acana Heritage bags typically cost anywhere between $60 to $100 for 25 pounds of weight.
Mass market brands also provide quality options, like Blue Buffalo. Their food features a combination of meat proteins as well as LifeSource Bits vitamins and minerals blend. In addition, the food avoids common allergens like corn and wheat while being free from artificial colors and flavors, meeting AAFCO nutritional adequacy standards for puppies.
