There are a lot of factors that need to be considered when looking for the best food for puppies. Different puppies have different needs and you need to consider this when looking at potential food. Knowing what factors to look at will ensure that you get the best food for your puppy.
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Look At The Calories
The best food for puppies will have enough calories to keep them healthy. Puppies need a lot more calories than adult dogs and you need to take this into account. They will use the calories to grow and to play.
Approximately half of the calories that a puppy ingests will be used for growing. Their tissue growth and overall development will be impacted if they do not get enough calories. Of course, you do need to be careful of any foods that provide empty calories as they need their nutrients as well.
Consider Your Puppy’s Size
The size of your puppy will impact the food that you should be getting. The growth needed by a Chihuahua puppy will be very different to a Doberman. The difference in growth needs means that these puppies should not be eating the same food.
If you gave a large breed puppy, they will need more calcium and phosphorus in their food. This will help with the bone growth and development needed to reach their adult size. Not getting the right nutrients can result in these puppies having joint problems when they get older.
The Size Of The Food
While the size of your puppy is important, the size of the food also needs to be considered. Puppy kibble will be smaller than the kibble for adult dogs. However, certain puppies will need smaller kibble than others.
If you have a small breed puppy, you need to look for foods that have been designed for them. They could have a hard time eating larger kibble bits which will reduce the nutrients they get. If you ate buying wet food, you also need to be careful with the size of the food chunks.
Check The Ingredients
The ingredients in your puppy’s food will play a large role in how nutritious it is and how your puppy develops. Your puppy’s nervous system needs the fatty acid DHA. This means that you should look for foods that are high in this essential nutrient.
DHA will also help with brain, ear and eye development. There are some studies that have found that puppies fed high DHA diets will have better memory and are easier to train. While this is something you should look for in the food, you also need to look for harmful items.
Choosing puppy food is more involved than you might imagine and you need to take the time to choose the best food. The best food for your puppy will depend on its breed and overall size. You also need to ensure that the food has enough calories for growth and has the right ingredients providing the nutrients they need.