What if we don’t feed our pets properly, especially during their growing stage? A quite concerning query for every pet lover. We need to feed our puppies and growing dogs with a proper diet containing high nutrients to make them healthier and build stronger immunity. However, the most challenging task is to identify the appropriate dog food for your puppy. You might be among those confused people who don’t have the proper information and awareness to choose the best food for puppies.
As nutrition plays a major role in enhancing the immune system, it becomes quite pivotal to select a healthy food for dogs, especially during their growing stage. No matter what breed of puppy you are feeding, it is your prime responsibility to take care of their health by picking quality pet food for them.
Let’s break down the whole scenario!
Significance of Selecting the Best Dog Food for Puppies and Growing Dogs
The nutritional requirements for puppies and growing dogs are different from adult dogs. Puppies are small in size; and highly indulge in playing, learning and continuously growing. For all these activities, they need to remain energetic; hence feeding them with a healthy dog diet adds fuel to their body to process their daily activities with high energy levels and rapid growth.
Essential reasons to provide healthy dog food for puppies
- Muscle and bone development: As puppies grow at a faster rate they require a good amount of calcium, protein and phosphorus to build their bones and muscles stronger.
- Brain development: During the initial stage, the development of the brain in puppies is essential and requires DHA (Omega-3 fatty acid) that sharpens memory and enhances learning.
- Boosts energy: Puppies are highly active and burn calories at a faster rate. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a balanced dog food consisting adequate amount of fats and carbohydrates.
- Enhanced Immune System: During the growing stage, puppies are generally weak against diseases and infection. So every dog food must be examined before feeding to check the availability of Vitamin E and Vitamin C to build their immune system stronger.
Do you know?
A puppy normally requires 18-20 hours of sleep!
Adhere to the Key Nutrients to Fulfil Your Puppy’s Needs
While selecting healthy food for dogs, you need to keep patience and read all the major ingredients before feeding them. Puppies have a very delicate digestive system. Therefore check all the supportive nutrients that are helpful for their growth and development.
Below we have mentioned some major nutrition lists that fulfil your puppy’s needs:
- Protein: Feeding your puppy with a good amount of protein (22-24%) helps them to grow their muscles and tissues quickly. Hence, always feed your dog with animal-based and high-quality protein such as fish, lamb and chicken.
- Calcium and Phosphorus: To keep your puppy and growing dog’s bones and teeth stronger and healthy, calcium plays a major role in that.
- Fat: There must be a balanced amount of fat available in the dog food that helps in the development of the brain and keeps the coat and skin healthy. At least try to select the food that contains around 12-14% fat.
- Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins play a crucial role in improving the immune system of puppies. Make sure they intake a good amount of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Zinc to improve their skin health.
- Carbohydrates: feeding your puppy with carbohydrates fulfils fibre deficiency if any and keeps them energetic all day. However, the limit of carbohydrate consumption should be set properly, as puppies don’t require carbs as much as humans need. Feeding your puppy with vegetables, fruits and whole grains can be amog the best food for puppies.
Now the question is which dog food items contain all these nutrients? No more worries, as goat milk for dogs contains probiotics that are easy to digest and improve the immune system and is the most beneficial pet food that contains all the above essential nutrients in one place. Choosing quality goat milk can be the best option for your puppy’s growth and development.
Dry Food Or Wet Food: Which Is A Better Option For Your Puppy?
There are numerous options for dry dog food and wet dog food available in the market for your puppy. It is crucial to know the requirements of your puppy and according to their lifestyle or preferences, you can choose between both. Let’s have a point-to-point brief discussion about them to make a better decision while choosing healthy food for puppies:
Dry food for puppies (Kibble)
- Dental health: Dry food is more solid than wet food and puppies need to chew it which removes tartar and plaque from their teeth, overall promoting better dental hygiene. We can’t say, it is a replacement for brushing, but kibble majorly eliminates the risk of dental issues in puppies.
- Cost-effective: As compared to wet food, dry food is much more affordable. Hence, you can purchase it in bulk at a single time.
- Longer shelf life: Dry dog foods have a longer shelf life and can remain fresh for longer periods. If you haven’t opened the bag of kibble, it can easily last long for months. Also, if opened you can maintain its freshness by storing it appropriately.
- Calorie density: Dry food has a higher percentage of calories than wet food, helping pets to intake all essential nutrients easily. Your puppy can easily gain a good amount of calories in smaller portions.
- Portion control: last but not least! Dry food for dogs helps you to take better control over your pet’s eating habits. You can easily stop puppies from overeating, helping them to maintain their weight.
Wet food for puppies (canned)
- High appetizing: Wet food is a kind of delicacy for puppies due to the presence of flavors with a stronger smell. In case, your puppy doesn’t like dry food, wet food can be a better alternative.
- Hydration: To fulfil the moisture and water content in your puppy’s body, wet food is a valuable option. If your dog doesn’t drink sufficient water, wet food can fill the water quantity in your pet easily.
- Easier to chew: If you have a puppy with smaller jaws, wet food can be helpful for them to chew as they are mostly soft and full of moisture. Additionally, if your puppy is already suffering from a dental problem, it becomes your dog’s favorite food at that moment.
- High protein supply: Carbohydrates and proteins are the major constituents of wet food. If your puppy requires high protein for a particular period, wet food should be included in your dog’s diet.
- Full of natural ingredients: If you are seeking an improved natural dog food then wet food items can be a valuable and effective option. As compared to dry food, wet food contains fewer additives and harmful preservatives.
The importance of both types of dog food depends on your puppy’s needs. Both have their own merits and demerits at certain conditions. However, you can mix both of them in a specific amount to offer dual benefits to your puppy with smaller portions.
Fresh or Raw Dog Food: The Debate Ends!
Many people generally feed their puppies with a fresh or raw diet. Mostly they prepare meals for their dogs, as it falls under fresh food consumption and some might directly feed with raw dog food items. However, first, it is essential to know your dog’s needs according to their breed and then select the one you find appropriate.
- Fresh food: Feeding your dog with vegetables, grains and meat items that are lightly cooked or directly available to your doorstep falls under fresh dog food. It is easy to digest, contains high nutrients, has no preservatives and is more palatable, overall feeding a balanced diet to your puppy.
- Raw food: Some people believe in feeding their puppies on a raw diet a.k.a BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). It includes raw meat, bones, fruits and vegetables. It is also referred to as natural dog food, which contains high protein and helps in enhancing dental health.
If you are considering these food items to feed your dog, it is necessary to consult with a veterinary or a pet nutritionist. Feeding your puppy with wrong or unbalanced raw or fresh dog diets may affect their health.
Conclusion
It should be your prime responsibility to choose a balanced diet for your puppies and growing dogs. Always adhere to specific guidelines and acquire specific knowledge to select healthy dog food appropriately. According to the breed of your puppy, feed them with specific pet food.
At every stage of your dog’s life, you are the one who can pay attention to their diet and provide them with a long and healthy life. So, make sure your puppy grows healthier with better physical and mental development.