One of the first things you should consider when caring for your puppy is their diet and nutrition to prevent any deficiencies in their growth and development.
As a fur parent, you don’t have to worry about which dog food you should choose to be the best at pet care. There can be many questions, from vitamins to what ingredients are good for their diet. In this article, you will have the answers to how to start shopping and get the right food for your puppy.
Vitamins and minerals
You can ask what essential vitamins and minerals your puppy should have. Most dog foods are already formulated with the right amount of vitamins and minerals to match their age and weight.
But if ever your pup is lacking some of the vitamins and minerals they need, there are human vitamins that your pup might need as well. You can check this list of vitamins suitable for your puppy and some of their food sources.
- Vitamin A – fish oil, eggs, sweet potatoes
- Vitamin B – beans, green vegetables, dairy products
- Vitamin C – organic meat and fruit
- Vitamin D – egg yolks and beef
- Vitamin E – seeds, whole grains, vegetable oils
- Vitamin K – milk, fish, cabbage
Now you can check which foods are rich in the following minerals for your puppy.
- Calcium – yogurt, tofu, raw bones
- Phosphorus – eggs, fish, milk
- Magnesium – beans, whole grains, seafood
- Potassium, sodium and chloride – fruits and vegetables
The weight of the puppy
You should consider their weight to get the right nutritional value in your dog food. As your puppy grows, take his weight into account so you know the amount of food he should be consuming.
Monitoring the appropriate weight for their age and breed is also important to know if they are undernourished, obese or in the normal range. Puppies below the normal weight range may indicate a nutrient deficiency. As for puppies above the normal weight range, they may have orthopedic problems later on or it may affect their normal activities.
If they are overweight or obese, you should consider a lower-fat dog food. Fortunately, PETstock stocks a variety of dog foods suitable for small, medium or large breed puppies according to nutritional needs and dietary requirements, which can also support digestive health and immunity.
Amount of calories
Puppies are more energetic and active than adult dogs, so their food should have more calories. They burn calories faster because of their activities, and they will need them for the development of muscles and bones.
Consider the puppy’s breed
A puppy’s breed says a lot about its biological structure, which can vary in size, shape and metabolism. Puppies like a Chihuahua and a Golden Retriever would have different bone growth, as Golden Retrievers can grow between medium and large breeds.
Therefore, Chihuahuas and Golden Retrievers should have different types of dog food that should be based on their developmental needs. For large breed dogs, minerals such as calcium and phosphorus should be in a certain ratio in dog food to allow for proper bone development.
Dog food ingredients
Check the ingredients of dog food to see if it provides nutrients vital to puppy development and if it should have a higher amount of nutrients than adult dogs. The essential fatty acid DHA should be present in dog food ingredients for the development of the puppy’s nervous system.
Also, a large amount of DHA in a puppy’s diet could increase their memory and make them more trainable.
Switching to a new diet
Transitioning to a dog food that you feel is more suitable or that recommended by a veterinarian should be done slowly to allow their digestive system to adjust. It also prevents them from upsetting their digestive system, which can lead to diarrhea, vomiting or even loss of appetite.
You can start by mixing 75% of their previous dog food with 25% of the new dog food. You can mix half of the previous dog food and the new one a few days later. Finally, mix 75% of the new dog food with 25% of the previous dog food until you are feeding the puppies 100% of the new dog food.
More Author: James Wilson James is a certified business and financial expert with more than 7 years of experience. In his free time, he tries to influence and educate his online audience with his very insightful blogs and articles.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn