BEST DOG FOOD FOR A NEW PUPPY

To give your puppy the best start in life, choose a food with the nutrients a puppy needs. Adult dog foods will not suffice. To give you a head start on selecting just the right foods for your new puppy, we have found some tips to start you off and given some resource links for further study at the end of this article.

Puppy Food Standards

Always make sure the food meets standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Those standards cover protein, which supplies necessary amino acids; fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Keep in mind when deciding what quantity to feed, puppies need about twice as many calories per pound as an adult dog of the same breed.

Wet or Dry?

Wet food has more nutrients per less amount of food so it will take less wet food to feed your puppy. Dry food usually contains more “filler” or useless calories Dry food keeps longer and is easier to store than wet food.  A mix of the two would be idea for many puppies.

In the end, you will have to research your specific breed of puppy and find a recommendation. These recommendations are for small or medium breeds.  Large breed dogs can never have puppy food. The calcium content is way to high. Large breed puppies need very little calcium in their diets. Their bones and joints need a long slow growth rate. High calcium puppy foods can damage joints and sometimes the damage is permanent. This type of damage can cripple large breed puppies for life. Most large dog breeders start puppies on adult dog food because of this.

You can always consult your vet. Some puppies have food sensitivity issues, just like people. A good site to find out about puppy foods, what they are made of and their nutritional values is http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

Other resources:

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/best-dog-food-choices

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