Puppies have special nutritional requirements, so as to be able to develop normally. Choosing the best dog food for puppies may be difficult; you must consider a few factors. Typically puppies have a high nutrient requirement and there are special formula foods designed especially for puppies. However, selecting from these may be difficult, so you need to check the labels for the amounts of proteins, fat and fibers.
Canned Food vs. Dry Food
Puppies should get wet food rather than dry food, as the wet food contains more nutrients. Dry food is processed and during the preparation and storage phases, a lot of nutrient values will be lost.
The canned food can be fed to puppies starting from the age of 3 weeks; up to the age of 3 weeks the puppy should get milk from his mother or if she is not present, there are special puppy milk formulas available.
Home made food may also be prepared for the puppy, but at this stage, this may present several issues; when preparing the food, you must be extra careful to include all the needed nutrients, so that the puppy can grow normally and avoid any excess of vitamins and minerals.
Proteins for Puppies
The label of the food you choose for your puppy should contain a high amount of proteins. The optimal amount of proteins for puppies is between 25% and 30%.
Larger breeds may require a higher amount of proteins and a special formula to promote a slow growth and prevent bone deformities, so make sure you get puppy food formulated for larger breeds if your puppy is of a larger breed.
Fat Content
The fat is essential in the puppy diet as it will provide the puppy with energy deposits. The fat content of a quality puppy food can be slightly more elevated than the fat in the adult food, as the puppy requires additional energy to grow.
Fibers and Carbohydrates
The fiber content in the puppy food is also important, as it will prevent problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
The carbohydrates are not essential for puppies, so the food you choose may not contain any carbohydrates.
Supplements
Supplements such as vitamins and minerals are not typically recommended for puppies, as these may cause growth deformities. The food you choose should contain a few essential vitamins and minerals, which will promote normal bone and muscle development.
Other Considerations
The puppy food you choose should be approved by AAFCO (the Association of American Feeding Control Officials) and should also mention the Animal Feeding Tests on the label. Finding these on the label will ensure that the puppy food meets certain standards and requirements.
3 to 4 servings per day are sufficient for puppies; after the age of 6 months you may switch to 1 or 2 larger servings per day. The puppy food should be fed until the puppy is 12 to 18 months old, depending on the breed and the puppy’s development. Consult your vet about the right time to switch to adult food.