08 Jun The Best Diet for Puppies

Puppies overgrow and transform from a cute little puppy to a large adult dog in just a few months. That’s why puppies need more protein, fat and energy. Their food should meet the nutritional needs of puppies in adulthood. This article will talk about the characteristics of puppy food and important healthy tips in choosing the proper diet for puppies. 

The importance of puppy nutrition in growth and health

Puppies eat with an insatiable appetite and grow about 20 times as fast as an adult dog. From birth and infancy to approximately one year of age is considered a puppy period that the dog is growing and becoming an adult dog. Proper nutrition for puppies will help you have a healthy and robust dog in adulthood and protect it from many diseases. The best food for a puppy to grow should be high in protein, minerals, vitamins, and fats to fully develop and become a healthy, strong adult dog.

Useful foods for puppies

Feeding a puppy plays a vital role in his health and longevity in adulthood, and you need to pay enough attention to it. Puppy food should provide all the nutrition and energy which a dog needs to grow and play. In general, puppy food should have more protein and fat than adult dog food. These little dogs also need more calcium to grow and strengthen their bones. There are several options for choosing the proper diet for your puppy:

• Cooking and preparing puppy food at home (homemade food)
• Commercial products and ready-made food for puppies
• A combination of both (homemade food + commercial food)

The choice of each of these options depends on different factors such as the time, cost you want to spend for the dog, and your dog’s health conditions. For example, the diet of Husky puppies and giant breeds such as German and Rottweilers is different from puppy dogs. Also, if you decide to cook for your dog, you should know that a veterinarian must approve the food ingredients and their amount. Our advice is to consult your veterinarian first and then make your final decision. 

Making homemade food for puppies

There are many reasons why puppy owners think about making homemade food for their little puppies; increasing exchange rates, better taste, and homemade food are among these reasons. If you want to give your puppy homemade food, you should be aware that they can only be helpful if the ingredients are balanced. Otherwise, this food won’t be able to meet the nutritional needs of the growing puppy and will cause irreparable damage to the puppy’s health. 

Dry or canned food? Which is better for puppies?

From the moment the puppy enters your home, you even have to decide on its diet in advance. Changing a dog’s diet in adulthood is hard work; So make your decision right now and determine your little puppy’s meal plan. There are two types of puppy ready food: dry food and wet or canned food. Each has different advantages and disadvantages.

Dry food has many benefits. It’s balanced in nutrients and compounds, and you usually no longer need to take dietary supplements and multivitamins. Dry food is straightforward to store. It’s also cheaper and more convenient. Chewing dry food grains also helps prevent puppy tooth decay. All of these reasons make many dog ​​owners choose dry food as their dog diet. But don’t forget to use puppy food! Adult dog food doesn’t meet the nutritional needs of puppies at all and isn’t enough for them; Therefore, be sure to give puppy food to them until the age of one so that you can be comfortable in every way.

Commercial puppies are high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, essential for their growth. Puppies are well balanced in composition and contain high protein to grow and strengthen muscles and carbohydrates to provide the energy needed by playful puppies and high amounts of calcium to strengthen teeth and bones.

On the other hand, canned food has many positive features. A high percentage of canned ingredients is meat protein, which tastes better and has a more meat-like texture. It also contains large amounts of water that can provide the water needed by the puppy to a large extent. But the price is much higher and more expensive and should be used immediately as soon as you open it. The best diet for puppies is a balanced diet prescribed by a veterinarian.

How much food should a puppy eat?

The amount of food a puppy needs per day depends on several important and influential factors:

• Puppy breed
• Age
• Weight
• activity rate
• health condition.

Therefore, you should consult with your veterinarian and determine the amount of food he needs basing on the puppy’s condition. There’s also a table on commercial dog food packaging that specifies the amount of food required according to the dog’s weight and activity level. If food is quality and nutritious, a small amount is enough for the puppy; But if the food is poor quality and cheap, no matter how much you feed it, it still can’t meet the puppy’s nutritional needs.

Also, pay attention to the number of treat’s calories and energy! Treat plays an essential role in training puppies. It would help if you used it to approve and encourage the dog to do or not do things. As a dog owner, you need to be careful about what type and amount of treats we use and how much calories and protein we have in our dog’s diet so that the puppy doesn’t become obese or overweight. 

Puppy diet from birth to puberty and adulthood

Infant puppy food up to 2 months old

Puppies up to eight weeks old must be with their mother and breastfeeding. Breast milk is the best and most complete source of nutrition for puppies, and it vaccinates against many diseases; Therefore, please don’t buy puppies under two months old. But if you have to keep a tiny puppy for any reason, you need to know enough about feeding a puppy without a mother.

Feeding puppies from two to three months

A 2-month-old puppy no longer needs breast milk and can start eating; That’s why you can bring him home at this age. During this period, the puppy needs 3-4 meals a day, and since he’s still small and young, you should mix the puppy food with a bit of water or milk and give it to him. It’s a general formula for all dogs, But there may be differences for each race. For example, in large breeds of puppies up to 9-10 weeks old, it needs moist and pureed food; But in small species and puppets, this period may last up to 12-13 weeks. In this case, you must consult a veterinarian.

Puppy food three to six months

From the age of 3 months onwards, you can gradually put aside liquid and pureed food and give your dog dry and solid food. We recommend that you use quality food belonging to reputable brands and don’t use any food because of its low price. Because proper nutrition of the puppy will guarantee his health and longevity in adulthood, you can also reduce the number of meals to 3 times a day (consult your veterinarian, of course).

Puppy food from six months to one year

From 6 months, reduce the number of puppy meals to 2 times a day; Of course, make this change gradually so that the dog gets used to it. Dogs are generally considered puppies up to 12 months old. They reach adulthood at the age of one year and need to be fed adult dog food. But the age of puberty in different breeds may be slightly different and may occur sooner or later.

For example, in the case of small dog breeds with a shorter growth period, you can change the food at 7-9 months; But some larger species up to 12-13 and even 14 months old are considered puppies and need high energy. Therefore, be sure to consult your veterinarian about when to change your puppy food to adult, depending on the breed and his or her health.

The difference between giant and miniature breed puppy food

Products that are made specifically for puppies have different categories; But in general, there are two broad categories in puppy food that are more common in dry food:

• Large breed puppy food
• Small breed puppy food

Large breed puppies such as German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Dobermans need to grow slowly and continuously to prevent many problems caused by uncontrolled and premature growth. For example, large-breed puppies are prone to joint issues; For this reason, the special diet of these breeds contains more nutrients to strengthen joints and bones. Foods made for large breeds respond well to the nutritional needs of these puppies.

On the other hand, small breed puppies such as Pug, Pomeranian, Chihuahua and Shih Tzu Terrier also have different nutrition and need a special diet. For example, the dry food of small breed puppies should contain small grains to fit these breeds’ jaw. Also, small breeds usually have a faster metabolism and need more energetic foods. Therefore, the most important thing when buying puppy food is to pay attention to the dog breed size.

Dogs are beloved member of most families. Keeping a puppy is a complex and vital task that ensures his future health. All training, getting used to grooming, proper nutrition, etc., should start from the puppy period. So not only the dog gets used to this process, but it also ensures his health and prevents possible problems in the future. If you have a playful dog that hates grooming, if you want to start basic training for him or don’t know which nutrition is best for his growth and health, you can count on the professional team of Mishka Grooming. Our experienced groomers take great care of your dogs and create the best moments for you and your beloved puppy.