Do you have a puppy? Congratulations! It’s adorable, cuddly, and a great addition to your family. You can even take it with you when you leave the house once it is old enough.
But one thing you need to remember when you get a new puppy is what they eat. Changing their diet too often can cause problems and will make it harder to pick apart a good diet from a bad one.
Read on to learn what foods to avoid giving your puppy and what their new puppy diet should consist of.
Table of Contents
Key Nutritional Needs for New Puppies
New puppies are adorable and loving companions, but they require specific nutritional needs in order to stay at peak health. Puppy food is specifically formulated with the needs of young dogs in mind.
What makes puppy food different is that it contains higher levels of protein and fat to support rapid growth. It also contains certain nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, and zinc that young puppies need in order to develop strong bones and teeth.
In addition, new puppy diets should be high in vitamins and minerals, with an appropriate calorie content to help the puppy keep a healthy weight. Furthermore, puppies need diets balanced in Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which help develop a healthy coat, skin, and immune system.
Even though it can be tempting to give puppies table scraps and human food, it’s important to stick to balanced puppy food, as this is designed for the special nutritional needs of a growing pup.
Establishing a Healthy Feeding Schedule
Establishing a healthy feeding schedule for a new puppy is a critical part of promoting their health and well-being. It is important to feed the puppy a well-balanced diet of high-quality puppy food that is appropriate for their age and activity level.
To encourage growth and development, puppies should be fed 2-3 meals a day up until 6-8 months of age, when they can be switched to 2 meals a day. It is most beneficial for owners to maintain a consistent feeding schedule for their puppies and to encourage them to eat all their food within a 15-20 minute window to avoid overeating.
To maintain a healthy weight and environment, food should be kept in a covered and secure area when not being eaten, and it is important to limit treats and snacks. Making sure that your puppy is properly nourished will help them lead a healthy and successful life.
Building an Appropriate Diet Plan
When you first bring home a new puppy, it is important to build an appropriate diet plan for them. The first thing to consider is their age, breed, and activity level. Puppies typically need more calories than adult dogs and may require more than one meal a day.
Choose a food that is designed specifically for puppies, as it will have the extra vitamins and minerals they need. Talk to your vet to make sure the food offers the right balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Avoid treats that are high in fat and unhealthy fillers. Offer your puppy plenty of fresh, clean water, and serve their meals in a quiet environment. For a healthy diet, it is essential to offer the right mix of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Additionally, monitor your pup’s growth and make sure they are getting enough food to maintain their ideal weight. Keep your puppy on a well-balanced diet to keep them healthy and happy.
Transitioning to an Adult Diet
When transitioning a puppy to an adult diet, it is important to consider several things. First, it is essential to begin the transition early. This can be done as soon as the puppy is around 4-6 months old.
Gradually mix the adult food with the puppy food and increase the amount of the adult food until your puppy is completely eating adult food. Also, choose a high-quality dry dog food that meets the nutritional needs of an adult.
Providing a diet of whole, healthy ingredients is important and should be considered when choosing a food. Ensure that your puppy is getting enough protein and is not being overfed, as this can lead to health issues.
Lastly, transition slowly and slowly increase the amount of adult food until the puppy is eating just the adult food. This will help the puppy to adjust to the new food and will reduce the chances of gastrointestinal upset.
Tips for Feeding Picky Eaters
New puppy owners often face the challenge of feeding a picky eater. To help ensure your puppy gets the right nutrition and stays healthy, you should follow a few tips. Start by measuring out the exact servings of food for your pup. This will help them become accustomed to a routine and understand what to expect when it’s mealtime.
Introduce new foods slowly, one at a time. You can start with different flavors of your puppy’s current diet or try soft, moist food. Also, consider giving your pup healthy snacks in between meals. This can include fruits, vegetables, and cooked poultry that has been cut into small pieces.
You may also consider giving treats such as popcorn. But before that, make sure to ask, “Is popcorn bad for dogs?”. When feeding popcorn to a puppy, it is important to remember that unbuttered, unsalted popcorn contains very little nutritional value and should not be their primary source of snacks or meals.
Lastly, providing a varied diet is important in keeping your pup healthy. Keep to a schedule and be consistent in feeding times. This will help ensure your pup remains healthy and doesn’t become a picky eater.
The Best Puppy Foods on the Market
When looking for the best puppy foods on the market, it is important to consider the ingredients, the age of your puppy as well as the quality of the ingredients/brand. Check out the best puppy foods on the market:
Ollie Fresh Dog Food
This premium all-natural dog food is made with only the freshest ingredients and is free of all additives, fillers, and byproducts. Ollie Fresh provides puppies with a complete and balanced food made with locally sourced beef, poultry, and fish proteins, plus fruits and vegetables like peas, apples, pumpkin, and kale. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh
Nom Nom Beef Mash Fresh Dog Food
Nom nom beef mash fresh dog food is simple, nutritious, and delicious. It’s made with all-natural, quality ingredients, including real deboned beef, which is the first ingredient listed and provides complete and balanced nutrition. This food is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which support healthy skin, coat, and digestion.
Redbarn Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
This is formulated with omega 3-rich fish oils, probiotics, and natural ingredients to provide a balanced diet tailored towards puppies. The kibble size is also ideal for tiny mouths, and it is easy to chew. It contains real meat, fish, and veggies to give puppies all the necessary nutrition they need in their diet. The food also has added taurine, an amino acid that is essential for the cardiac health of puppies.
Jinx Dog Food
Jinx Dog Food is one of the best puppy foods on the market. It contains real chicken, salmon, and turkey as the primary ingredients, alongside other nutrients like fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and vitamins. This specialized formula is designed to promote optimum health, growth, and development in puppies.
Open Farm Puppy Food
Open Farm Puppy Food is composed of premium, all-natural ingredients that contain no artificial colors or preservatives and no byproducts. It also contains high levels of protein, which helps puppies grow and develop. Additionally, this puppy food includes added vitamins and minerals to provide optimal nutrition during its most important developmental stages.
What to Avoid in Your Puppy’s Diet
When it comes to feeding your new pup, it’s important to understand what to avoid in their diet so they can grow and develop healthily. Avoid processed, high-sugar foods such as candy, cakes, and chips.
These types of foods can cause health problems in dogs, such as tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, and digestive problems. Avoid foods that are toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, onions, garlic, and grapefruit.
Make sure to also avoid bones, especially poultry bones, as they can splinter and cause internal damage. Some human foods that are safe for people can be dangerous for dogs, so keep an eye out for that.
Finally, it’s important to avoid giving too many treats, as this can upset the balance of their diet and cause them to become overweight.
Explore the Right Puppy Diet
A new puppy diet is an easy, convenient way to make sure your pup’s nutrition needs are well balanced. With its wide selection of premium ingredients, you can be sure you’re feeding your pup the best.
Try a new puppy diet today and give your pup the nutritious meals they deserve.
If you want to explore the best topics, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of our other blogs today!
