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Giving your new puppy a healthy, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to ensure his future good health and well-being. Good nutrition will help him grow properly, fight off diseases, minimize allergies, prevent obesity and live a longer, healthier life. With all that at stake, doesn't it make sense to be careful when choosing the dog food that little Fido will grow up on? Now, most puppies will eat anything you put in front of them (and a whole lot of stuff you don't). They seem to operate on the assumption that 'everything is edible until proven otherwise'. The problem is, Fido has no idea what the words 'nutritionally balanced diet' mean. He'd be perfectly happy with half a roll of toilet paper, the lining from your best slippers and the broken pencil he rescued from the waste-paper basket! As his new parent you know better, and it's up to you to make sure that the food he eats contains everything he needs to grow up healthy and strong. It's important to remember that a growing puppy has different nutritional needs than an adult dog. He, or she, needs a diet that's higher in protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. 'Puppy' formulas meet these needs so it's important to feed only puppy food, not adult dog food, to Fido while he's small. All commercially prepared dog food contains a blend of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. What varies from brand to brand and formula to formula are the percentages and sources of these nutrients.
It's also important to pay attention to some of the things you don't want to see in your puppy's food. Things such as artificial colorings, additives and sweeteners. If you want to know about the rising incidence of dog food allergies, the symptoms and ingredients most likely to cause problems, visit our Dog Food Allergies page. If your pup suffers from skin problems such as hot spots, itching, redness or hair loss, he may already be suffering from a dog food allergy. Check out our Canine Skin Allergies page to learn about the symptoms and treatment of these problems.
A closer lookWhen choosing the brand or type of food to give little Fido, take a trip to your local pet store and look closely at all those bags, cans and pouches.All the hype and advertising slogans etc. can make it seem a little (or even a lot) confusing. We've tried to simplify the whole process a little bit, so here's what to look for -
You can learn how to analyze and compare the ingredients in any brand of food using an innovative dog food comparison system . Find out how on our Dog Food Comparisons & Analysis page. Dry kibble v. canned foodBoth these types of food can provide Fido with sound nutrition.Dry puppy kibble tends to be more carbohydrate based while canned food is often more meat-based. Obviously canned food contains a lot more water (some brands can contain up to 70% water) than the dry variety. Dry food is believed to be better for your puppy's teeth as it's hard, crunchy texture helps to keep the build up of tartar at bay. Overall, the canned v. dry debate is mostly a question of personal preference and budget than nutritional adequacy. If you simply can't decide why not mix a little canned food with a good-quality dry food and get the best of both worlds?
Customized DietsNot so long ago the dog food choices were far fewer and most dogs and puppies ate basically the same food. Today, the industry is much more specialized as scientists and nutritionists have come to better understand dogs differing nutritional needs.You'll find puppy and adult food for large breeds, small breeds; giant breeds; senior dogs; active dogs; overweight dogs; dogs with certain medical conditions; breed-specific dog foods and much more. Each group has unique requirements which need to be met if they are to stay healthy. The following is a brief overview of just a few of those different needs -
See our comprehensive Dog Food Ratings page to find the 'Report Card' for dozens of popular and premium dog foods on the market today.
How much should I feed?It's best to follow the guidelines on the bag or can of your chosen dog food. The amount recommended is usually based on your puppy's weight. Bear in mind that Fido will need less of a good quality, complete food than he will of a low quality one which is mostly 'filler'.Cheaper foods of inferior quality do not necessarily work out less expensive in the long run. In addition to needing to feed more food per pound of your dog's weight, you may also find yourself paying higher veterinary bills to treat conditions caused by poor nutrition. Every puppy is different and little Fido may need more or less than the average recommended amount. Use the manufacturers guidelines as a 'jumping off' point and then adjust to suit his individual needs. If you want your puppy to grow up with good eating habits do not free feed (that is, leave his food bowl down and filled at all times). This can lead to all sorts of problems such as obesity, picky eaters, food guarding, housebreaking problems and more. Instead, divide his daily food requirements by the number of meals he's eating per day and put his food bowl down at set times of the day. Leave it down for 10 to 15 minutes and then pick it up even if he hasn't eaten it all.
You'll soon find out what he needs, but be warned - like children puppies go through growth spurts and these needs will change often. If you know another puppy owner or dog lover who would find this dog food information useful, please feel free to share it!
...and finally
If you follow the above advice you can rest assured that you're doing your best to give Fido the nutrition he needs to grow up healthy and strong. When you look at him you'll know you've got it right if his eyes are bright, his coat is thick and shiny and he's full of energy and bursting with puppy happiness. Isn't that a great feeling?
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