There is an erroneous opinion among unprofessional breeders and ordinary owners of domestic dogs that natural unprepared food for puppies is better than factory dry fodder mixtures. This may correspond to reality if the number of calories and other nutritional value indicators are accurately calculated: the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the presence of all the necessary macro- and trace elements, vitamins, etc. However, this situation is an ideal and in practice it happens the other way around.
Modern stern for puppies of authoritative manufacturers are developed by experienced veterinarians and nutritionists in close cooperation with dog lines and professional breeders. This allows you to create the most full-fledged diet for a newborn dog in accordance with its breed features. At the same time, even cheap feeds are characterized by a balanced diet and the full content of all the components puppies necessary for healthy development. Differences can only be in the origin of the ingredients – fresh or sublimated products of long-term storage, frozen meat or brought directly from the farm, offal or selected parts of the carcass, etc.
The main types of puppy feed
Depending on the quality of the components of the components, the method of processing, preparation and conservation, all feed mixtures for dogs, whether dry or wet, can be divided into four main categories.
• “Economy” – inexpensive, but also quite high-quality stern, but for regular feeding pets, especially newborns and young puppies, they are not suitable. Among such brands: Pedigree, the club 4 paws and All Dogs. • “Commercial” is one of the most common categories of feed mixtures, which is available at the price of most ordinary owners of domestic dogs and contains a large amount of proteins of both animal and plant origin, as well as cereals, vegetables and grass. • “Profi” or “premium”-such stern for puppies are used by professional breeders and differ in extremely low vegetable components, high quality and a full-fledged vitamin-mineral complex. • “Super-premium”-such products differ from the previous category with the highest quality and impeccable origin of all ingredientsper-premium stern for puppies are made of fresh selected cattle, poultry, fish or even game. “Commercial” and “pros” brands include: Royal Canin, Brit, Hills and Pro Plan, Super-Primeum: Monge, Bosch, Eukanuba and Belcando. The absence of preservatives, flavorings and flavor enhancers is another difference between professional and premium feed for puppies and adult pets. Dogs are carnivorous predators for which plant components act only as an additional source of fiber, some trace elements and vitamins.
Even dogs get energy not from carbohydrates of grain origin, but from meat, and not so much selected fillet as the whole carcass of their victim. It is important here that the food includes cartilage for the development of joints, bones for a complete supply of calcium, as well as skin and offal, which contain almost everything necessary for the healthy and full development of both a puppy and an adult dog. That is why premium and professional feed mixtures contain a minimum amount of cereals and other plant components, and the entire meat component is freshly processed carcasses of livestock, pigs, birds or fish. Hypoallergenic puppies and holistics are an additional category of highly specialized feed mixtures. The name of the group speaks for itselfch feeds are suitable for puppies suffering from indigestion or persistent food allergies. They do not contain traces of cereals, which dramatically reduces the likelihood of allergic reactions. They are characterized by low carbohydrate content and high quality of the ingredients used. Among the most common brands in this category are GRANDORF, ACANA and GO.
How to choose the best food for a puppy of different sizes and breeds
It is important to consider that the food for puppies should be special and different from the diet for adult dogs. Dry dog food for newborn pets should contain all the necessary macro- and microelements, including magnesium, zinc, fluorine, calcium, copper, phosphorus, etcblimated feed mixtures should not cause allergies, and their composition should fully correspond to the breed characteristics of the growing physiologyanimal. That is why it is extremely important to know how to choose a puppy food depending on its breed and age.
Small breeds
The best food for puppies transitioning from mother's milk to freeze-dried kibbles are super premium dry mixes and holistics.
This is due to the complete absence of the grain component and harmful components (preservatives, flavors, etc.). The presence of a full-fledged mineral-vitamin complex, corresponding to small breeds of newborn dogs, allows puppies to receive everything necessary for full growth with food. Recommended brands include APPLAWS "Small and Medium Breed Puppy" and EUKANUBA "Puppy Toy Breed", as well as ORIJEN and INNOVA due to their increased protein content (up to 50%).
Medium breeds
Until the age of six months, puppies of this breed group can eat food for small dogs, but after six months they can be given food mixtures for large breeds. This breed group is rather universal than unique. For newborn puppies of medium breeds, feeds from such manufacturers are suitable: BRIT, HILLS, BOSCH and BELCANDO, as well as any other feed mixtures of the super-premium series and holistics, preferably marked with the word "Medium".
Large breeds
The peculiarity of the physiology of dogs of this breed group is in a large muscle mass and a large skeleton. For the full harmonious development of the muscles of puppies of large breeds, a large amount of pure protein of animal origin is necessary. In addition, the food should contain enough calcium, phosphorus and other trace elements that affect the growth of bones and cartilage. When choosing freeze-dried feed mixtures for large breeds of newborn dogs, special attention should be paid to the percentage of meat products. Their amount in feed for puppies of large breeds should approach 50% of the total weight of the ingredients. Among the most suitable brands: NOW, FARMINA "N and D maxi breed" and BRIT "Care maxi".
How much to feed a puppy
Unlike mature dogs who eat no more than two meals a day on average, puppies are fed much more frequently.
From the age of 8 months, the puppy can be transferred to an adult two-time feeding regimen. The values in the table start from the age of one and a half months, since complementary foods for newborn dogs fed by mother's milk should be started no earlier than the sixth week after birth.
How to transfer a puppy to dry dog food
The transfer of puppies to freeze-dried food begins with 10-15 grams per day for a week. Gradually replace one feeding with mother's milk with the intake of dry granules. Then two, then three feedings and so on until the transition is complete. Until the age of five months, granulated puppy food is diluted with milk (preferably goat or sheep). Also, granules can be diluted with fermented baked milk or kefir.
It is extremely important to monitor the physiological and psychological state of the animal. Allergies, indigestion, drowsiness, irritability, and other signs of poor puppy health may signal the need for an immediate food change or holistic treatment.
Read also:
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