If you’re reading this post, it is probably you are planning to have a puppy for the first time. It is also possible that you already have a pet and are wondering what’s the best food to offer your canine friend. Whichever the case, you have come to the right post.

While having a puppy is an exciting experience, sometimes it can be a daunting task, especially for first-time parents. To help you start with the right foot, we shall cover almost everything you need to know about puppy food in this post.

Read along to learn how to choose the best puppy food and how often you should feed your little canine friend for optimal health.

How to Choose Puppy Food

Dog food is probably the first that comes to people’s minds when they think about owning a pet. Even so, choosing the right food for your puppy is not as easy as it may seem. Apart from the many commercial puppy food choices available, you’ll also need to when to feed your puppy as well as the right amount to feed your canine friend.

Many factors will come into play when choosing the best food for your puppy, including:

Puppy Size

The first thing that should come to your mind when shopping for puppy food is his size. Ideally, the puppy food you choose for your puppy should be specifically designed for the size of your puppy. Different dog breeds have various bone structures, and so should be their choice for food.

For instance, the calcium and phosphorous requirements for a small dog breed, let’s say, Chihuahua, will be different from that of a large dog breed.

Ingredients

The nutritional requirements for a puppy are different from those of an adult dog. Among other things, your puppy’s bones, brains, and muscles are always developing and, as such, will need additional nutrients to promote this growth.

For instance, for optimal brain development of your puppy, the puppy food you choose for your puppy should have higher amounts of DHA.

Even so, some dog foods are formulated to cater to your dog’s nutrients requirements regardless of their size. A good example is Tuffy’s Puppy Food for large breed dogs available on PetCareRx. Tuffy large dog food is delicious food that contains nutrients necessary for large dog breeds, no matter their stage of life. Since it contains protein and calcium, TuffyNutrisource for large dogs will promote muscle and bone growth for your canine friend.

The most important thing is to ensure that the puppy food you choose for your puppy has all the nutrients required for optimal growth and development.

Puppy Food Brand

While knowing your dog size and the nutrients to look out for when choosing puppy food is essential, it is equally crucial to ensure that you buy puppy food from a reputable company. As a rule of thumb, ensure that AAFCO has approved the puppy food brand you choose.

Ideally, puppy food that meets the AAFCO guidelines has been tested and has been found to have all the nutrients required for your puppy. You surely don’t want to buy puppy food, only to realize that it has nutrient deficiencies. Do you?

How often Should You Feed Your Puppy According to Their Life Stage?

Your puppy will go through various stages during its first year of development. Each stage will require different feeding habits, as you will see below:

Between 6 and 12 Weeks

Most pet parents get their puppies at this stage. At this stage, puppies are supposed to be with their mothers. As such, ensure to feed about four times per day. Even so, don’t forget to supply the best food for their type of breed. Ideally, large breed puppies should be fed food meant for large breeds.

Between 3 and 6 months

At this stage, you can reduce the number of times you feed your puppy to three times a day. For instance, you can decide to have your pup eat at the same time as you, i.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At this stage, your puppy still needs a lot of nutrients for growth, so ensure to increase the amount of food you feed them.

Between 6 and 12 Months

While your pup is still growing at this stage, he is growing at a slower pace. As such, consider reducing their meal intake to two times a day.

Over 1 Year of Age

Depending on your dog breed, your pup may take up to 15 months to mature. Ideally, if you have a large breed puppy, it may still be a puppy even after one year. As such, ensure to consult your vet on the nutritional requirements for your one-year-old puppy.

So, When Should You Switch from Puppy Dog Food?

Debate on when one should switch from giving your pup puppy food to adult dog food is ongoing. While some small dog breeds will become adults after nine to twelve months, some large dog breeds will still be growing even after one year. As such, ensure to talk to your vet before deciding to switch from puppy food to adult food.