If you have a new puppy, then you know how fun it is…and you also know how much hard work it can be. Of course you understand that the hard work is all a part of raising the puppy into a happy and healthy dog. Another part of that process is choosing the best dog food for your puppy.
Unless your puppy is the result of a litter of a dog you already have at home, then it will be anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks old when you are able to take it home. In most cases, the pet store or breeder will tell you what kind of food the puppy has been eating if not, be sure to ask. The reason for doing this is that you should keep on feeding them the same brand of food that they’re used to. This will prevent them from getting an upset stomach that frequently goes hand in hand with an abruptly changing diet.
You can switch brands to whatever you think the best dog food for your puppy is, but you should do it gradually. The best way to make the gradual change is to add a little bit of the new food to their current food. Then, as time goes by, add more and more of the new food until a complete switch has been made.
Opinion can vary as to what’s best, but most veterinarians suggest dry dog food for puppies. If your little pet has a hard time eating the dry food, you can moisten it with water or gravy. It’s not that dry food is necessarily better from a nutritional standpoint, but it is better for their dental health. It helps keep tartar at bay and this is especially important as puppy is getting its start on life.
No matter what kind of food you feed your puppy, you need to make sure that you don’t feed it too much. Obesity isn’t just a problem for people it’s also a growing problem for the pet population, too. You are responsible for the care and feeding if your puppy, so making sure it eats healthy is important.
You can make the switch to regular dog food as your puppy gets older. For smaller dogs this can be around the age of 9 months and 15 months for larger dogs. Until then take the time to make sure you are getting the best dog food for your puppy.
