While choosing the right puppy dog food is only one aspect of puppy care, it is perhaps one of the most important decisions when it comes to raising a healthy puppy. As opposed to humans, dogs tend to get their entire nutritional intake from just one type of food. Providing your dog with proper nutrition can greatly prolong its life span. However, the puppy dog food market is large and diverse. As a pet owner, how do you decide what type to use?
When it comes to puppy dog food, you have a few choices to consider. First, be sure that the food you are selecting is good for puppies. Older and younger dogs have different dietary needs and their nutritional requirements are different. Puppies have a bigger calorie intake need than older dogs. Since they burn more energy, they require more protein to keep them going.
Breed Specific
Believe it or not, what type of puppy dog food you serve might differ depending on what breed of dog you have. There is specially formulated dog food for many breeds including Labrador, Bulldog, Shih Tzu, German Shepard, Dachshund, Husky, and more. Even if you decide not to spend the extra money on breed specific formulas, knowing what makes your breed’s food different is valuable when looking for food alternatives.
Premium
One of the reasons veterinarians recommend premium dog brands is that they tend to be more nutritionally viable. You may be paying a heftier price for your dog chow, but the added dietary value makes the price worth it. Not only is it better nutritionally, but premium dog foods are easier to digest since there are fewer fillers. This means your puppy will eat less while getting more as compared to a bargain priced meal.
Homemade
The recent pet food recalls have many dog owners concerned over the quality and safety of commercial dog food. The best way to avoid the potential hazards of recalled food is to make the food yourself. That way you will know exactly what is going into your puppy dog food. Many owners are concerned that their dogs might not get enough nutrition or that it might be too difficult to create your own puppy dog food. Do not fear! There are many online resources for homemade puppy food recipes including what ingredients to avoid and what needs to be included. If you have the time and inclination to make your own puppy dog food, then this could be a great money saver as well as being completely safe for your puppy.
Organic
Do you like the idea of all natural ingredients but not the thought of slaving away in your kitchen preparing it yourself? Then organic puppy dog food might be the right choice for you. Not only will all-natural dog food promote health and longevity in your puppy, but can also reduce digestive disorders, possibly eliminate skin problems or allergies, assist in maintaining a healthier weight, provide more energy, and build a stronger immune system for you pet.
Dry or Wet
Dry puppy dog food tends to be more popular because it is easier to store, smells better, and stays good longer than the wet varieties. There is some speculation that the wet food might be harmful to a dog’s teeth. However, puppies do tend to enjoy eating the wet food more. Some dog owners recommend mixing the two together to get the best of both worlds.
Now that you are equip with all this new information, how do you begin to narrow down your options and choose the right puppy dog food? The first step would be to ask around. Get a variety of opinions from your vet, dog owners you know, local puppy shelters, and breeders of your particular kind of pup. Then go online and look up some of the puppy dog food you are interested in and read the reviews and opinions of other dog owners.
No matter what advice you get, the best puppy dog food for your new pet will be whatever you can afford, have easy access to, and works the best for both you and your pooch. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to puppy dog food although you may need to experiment with a few different kinds before settling on a type of food that works.
Related posts:
- Puppy Dog Food Versus Adult Dog Food
- Wet Puppy Food Versus Dry Puppy Food
- How to Read an Ingredients Label for Dog Food
- Determining Homemade Food Portions
- Emergency Substitute Options For Pet Food
Comments on this entry are closed.