I think for puppies: What is the best of 2021?
Is there anything more innocent and charming than a puppy when it is a puppy? If you need joy in your life, do not hesitate, add a “furry” to your daily routine and we assure you that you will enjoy its great vitality. Of course, if you want to see him happy, you must make sure that he grows up healthy and for this there is nothing better than a good puppy food.
As you already know, it is not the same to feed a small, medium or large breed. Each one has different needs, so we want to show you here the type of puppy food that is most suitable for your pet. If you also want to learn everything about your best friend, you’ve come to the right place. Join us and you will see!
The most important
The feeding of the puppies is very important for their development to the adult phase. Dog poor diet can not only limit its development, but also lead to health problems in older ages.
In this phase they have different nutritional needs than they will have in adulthood. That is why it is important to give them a specific feed for puppies.
When choosing a puppy food you must take into account the size of the dog breed. Different feeds have been specially created to adapt to the size of the animal’s jaw.
The best feed for puppies: our recommendations
Next, we show you the best puppy food that will make your pet always healthy and happy, as your little treasure deserves. It is a selection of the best for different types of small, medium or large breed dogs.
- Royal Canin, the best food for “mini” puppies
- Ultima, multivitamin for medium and large puppies
- Advance, the best feed to strengthen the immunity of “mini” puppies
- Purina ProPlan Medium Puppy Derma, the food with salmon for puppies with sensitive skin
- ACANA, the food for puppies that require protein
Royal Canin, the best food for “mini” puppies
This Royal Canin brand feed is specially made for those dogs that reach a maximum weight of 10 kilos in their adult phase. Its nutritional formula is high in protein and favors oral hygiene.
Its main ingredients are corn, beef meal, rice, soybean meal, and beef and chicken animal fats. Made in Spain, it is specially designed to promote digestion and provide the energy you need.
Ultima, multivitamin for medium and large puppies
This Ultima food is ideal for medium and large dogs. Contains DHA from fish oil, which favors the development of eyes and brain in the puppy. Provides vitamins for growth.
It contains vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as minerals and a high content of quality protein. The main ingredients of this feed are: chicken, dehydrated poultry proteins, rice, corn and whole wheat.
Advance, the best feed to strengthen the immunity of “mini” puppies
This feed from the Advance brand has been developed to facilitate the bone growth of puppies. In addition, it contains a high level of proteins, immunoglobulins and nucleotides to support the puppy’s immune system.
The size of the kibbles is especially small to accommodate the jaw of small breed puppies that do not exceed 10 kilograms in adult weight.
Purina ProPlan Medium Puppy Derma, the food with salmon for puppies with sensitive skin
This I think is especially suitable for puppies with sensitive skin. Unlike other feed, its main component is salmon. Take care of the animal’s joints, avoid skin reactions and strengthen the immune system. In addition, it adds shine to the puppy’s hair.
It is the food that the puppy with sensitive skin needs to develop into adulthood. Also suitable for bitches during pregnancy and lactation.
ACANA, the food for puppies that require protein
The main ingredient in this feed is fresh chicken meat. It also contains legumes, such as lentils and peas, and egg. It is a feed rich in meat proteins.
ACANA is a brand of Canadian origin specialized in the production of food for dogs and cats. It is characterized by its determination to create foods rich in protein with fresh products.
Shopping Guide: What You Should Know About Puppy Food
You sure have a lot of questions about puppy food. In this section you will find the answers to the most frequent questions about dry food for young dogs. Read carefully so that your “fuzzy” feels the king of the house.
What is puppy food?
The puppy food is a dry food. It contains different ingredients that have been processed to make it. It comes in the form of granules, of different sizes depending on the brand and the type of dog for which it is designed. In fact, manufacturers market feed adapted to the breed, age and other characteristics of the dogs.
The objective of such a variety of feed is to offer the nutritional needs of each animal. The feed for puppies is specially elaborated to satisfy the balanced diet that the young dog needs.
How is dog food made?
The first step in making dog food is creating the recipe. Behind it is a long process of research to find the right ingredients and proportions. Once the company has found the ideal recipe, the preparation begins. The most common method is extrusion and another, more innovative formula is cold pressing.
In extrusion, the ingredients are mixed in just the right amount and a mass is generated.
This mass is subjected to high temperatures, higher than 100 degrees. With machinery it is shaped and cut. Then it is left to dry and to finish the granules are sprayed with fat to make it more palatable for the dog’s palate. Cold pressing is another way of processing much newer dog food. This method better preserves the natural qualities of food and its taste.
What is the difference between dry food and wet puppy food?
Dogs, especially puppies, tend to prefer wet food. The smell and texture make it tastier on the palate. However, it tends to contain more fats; however, each one has its advantages and disadvantages, as we can see in the following table:
Why is it important to give our pet a specific feed for puppies?
During the first months of life, the puppy needs to develop and grow, that is why a diet that provides the energy value it needs is important. When they are young they need a greater energy intake because so is their activity. In this stage they develop their organs, their brain and neural connections, that is, they grow outside and inside.
When should a puppy start eating solid food?
Sure you did not know, but puppies should start eating solid food from six weeks. Why? Well, because from that age they can no longer obtain all the calories they need from breast milk. At these times is when you should make the transition and start feeding the puppy with dry food or feed.
How to prepare feed for puppies?
There are many ways to prepare the feed for our “furry”, but you should start preparing a porridge when the puppy begins to taste solid food. Thus, the change in diet will be more gradual and also more digestible, thus favoring digestion and chewing. Let’s now look at some important details:
How do I make the porridge exactly? To prepare the porridge, mix the puppy food with water. It can also be made with special milk for puppies (never cow’s milk). When mixing the feed with liquid it will be softer and smoother.
Is it necessary to heat it? The mixture can be heated to twenty degrees to make it even more palatable to the palate of “our little one”.
When will you stop needing it? This mixture is recommended for the first feedings of the puppy. Once you get used to the feed, you will no longer need the porridge, simply place a bowl of water next to the dry food so that you can hydrate when you need it.
How many times a day should a puppy eat?
Like babies, puppies should also take food more frequently because they are still growing. A puppy should be fed three or four times a day. It is advisable to always do it at the same time and in the same place.
On the other hand, it is not recommended to leave a large amount of food for him to eat until he is satiated because it would create bad eating habits. It is preferable that you adjust the recommended number of feedings to the daily amount of food you need per day.
How much food should a puppy eat?
As you will understand, each feed is different because you have to attend to the age, but also to the specific needs of each dog. In the product sack you will find the amount your puppy needs per day. You must follow the instructions scrupulously unless your vet tells you otherwise.
However, apart from the specialized advice, if you notice that your dog is getting fat or thin, adjust the amounts. Some dogs are very physically active and need more calories, while the calmer ones will have enough with the recommended amount.
When to change from puppy food to adult food?
It is necessary to change the food from puppy to adult at the right time. Doing it ahead of time can cause joint problems, since adult feeds provide less calcium. Continuing with puppy food into adulthood can also lead to an imbalance in the animal.
The feed for puppies, in addition, can cause overweight because it contains a high amount of proteins and fats, excessive for a dog that is no longer growing. The change of feed must be done when the growth process has finished and it is the breed of the dog that determines it.
Small dogs develop earlier than large dogs, but don’t worry. To make it clearer, we show you below an explanatory table:
Small dogs, such as the Chihuaha or Yorkshire, should start eating adult food between nine and twelve months. On the other hand, medium-sized dogs, such as beagles or English bulldogs, do not stop growing until they are one year old. At twelve months they can start eating adult food and reduce the number of daily feedings to two.
Dogs such as labradors or retrievers, large breed, reach adulthood between fifteen and eighteen months. Finally, giant breed dogs, such as Saint Bernard or Great Dane, finish their growth later, starting at eighteen months. Between month eighteen and twenty-four you can change their food from puppy to adult.
Purchase criteria
You must be careful when buying feed for your puppy. As you have seen, they have different needs, depending on various factors. That is, there are several criteria that you must take into account to choose the best one for him or her. This is what you should keep in mind:
- Dog’s age
- Dog breed size
- Feed ingredients
- Nutritional values
- Puppy likes
Dog’s age
The first thing you should take into account when buying feed is the age of the dog. Being a puppy, it should not be fed adult dog food, not even once in a while. A young dog needs different nutrients than an older one requires. Remember that it is growing and has yet to develop!
Puppy food has a higher amount of protein, calcium and, in general, a higher energy intake. You should look for I think that specifically put in the bag that is indicated for the age of your dog. In case languages are not your thing, feed with the word “Junior” or “Puppy” are for puppies. Keep it in mind!
Dog breed size
In addition to age, when you go to the store to buy a feed you must also take into account the size of the dog’s breed. Small breed dogs do not need the same type, or the same amount of nutrients, as large breed dogs. The size of the dog is also important because the feed is adapted to the jaw of the puppy.
In this sense, feed for small breed dogs have a smaller kibble or granulate than those indicated for large breed dogs. Buy a food for small dogs if your dog’s breed does not reach ten kilograms in its adult stage.
You will usually find these feeds by the word “mini” in their name.
If the puppy is of a medium breed, the recommended feed usually includes the word “medium”. This type of feed can also be indicated for large breeds. Those specially made for large and giants usually include the word “large”, sometimes accompanied by “breed” which means race.
Feed ingredients
The main ingredient of the feed should be meat, since dogs are carnivorous animals. Your body is designed to digest meat and get the energy and nutrients it needs from it. On the other hand, the ingredients must be specified in the feed bag.
They appear in descending order in terms of the amount it contains of each.
The first ingredient is the one that is found in greater quantity. This is the one that should be of meat origin. The meat that the product contains can be fresh meat, dehydrated meat, meat meals or meat derivatives. The quality is higher when it is fresh, dehydrated or hydrolyzed meat. It will be less if they are flours, derivatives or meat by-products.
Nutritional values
When buying a feed for your puppy also look at the nutritional values. Proteins are the most important nutrient in a puppy’s diet. A feed that contains between 20% and 40% protein is a good feed if it is mainly of animal origin. For its part, fat provides energy, but it can also lead to overweight.
A dog food contains between 7% and 20% fat. If your puppy has a tendency to obesity, choose a feed with a reduced amount of fat. In any case, remember that puppies need more fat than adult dogs. Vitamins and minerals are also necessary for the proper development of the animal at this early age.
Puppy likes
We cannot forget this factor when buying feed. Not all are the same or taste the same. The puppy will notice and may have preferences for one in particular or even dislike some. You want the best for your pet and there is a lot of variety on the market, so if you don’t like one, try a different one. He will thank you!
Summary
Providing the puppy with adequate food is vital in this phase of its life. The animal is growing and developing, as you did when you were a baby. In order for your “sweetie” to eat healthily and become the strong dog you want, he must get the right nutrients in his daily diet.
Do not forget that puppy food is specially made to provide a greater amount of protein and meet the high level of energy required by a dog in the midst of growth. Giving him a special feed for puppies will give the little one what he needs to grow up happy and healthy.
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