Should you choose grain-free puppy food?
The dog is a charming animal, very tender, mischievous, affectionate, gentle... But for a puppy to grow, it will be necessary to pay particular attention to its diet. From weaning, your dog must start eating semi-solid food, therefore wet food. Little by little, the puppy may have to eat dry food: kibble. Which croquettes should be chosen for a puppy? How much kibble should I give a puppy? Should I give him grain-free puppy food? In the rest of this article, we will answer allthese questions about your canine friend's nutrition.
What are the best foods for a puppy?
To have excellent growth and development, it is necessary to give a premium quality food to your puppy. As with adult dogs, you should choose kibble that contains a high percentage of animal protein. Thus, the dog will be able to enjoy
in very good health.
Proteins are very important for the synthesis of new muscle and bone tissue in the puppy, so above all you must choose kibble with a high protein proportion and above all good quality protein. Therefore, the best kibbles for a puppy will be those that contain a high level of animal protein and a low level of carbohydrates, however it is very important that their diet contains starch even in small quantities because this will allow the activation of an enzyme, amylase, essential for its future life.
How to feed a puppy?
Until weaning, the puppy feeds on mother's milk or milk in a bottle. At about 45 days (this figure varies greatly depending on the breed of dog whose growth time varies greatly), the puppy will already be weaned and can eat semi-solid food, at least until two months. After the age of 2 months, it is possible to switch from wet food to dry food. Now is the time to start giving puppy food.
To make chewing easier, dry puppy food (kibbles) should be soaked in warm water or milk or boneless chicken broth. The puppy can receive 4 to 6 meals per day. From the age of 3 months, he will be able to have 3 meals then go to 2 when he is at least 6 months old. You should know that your puppy will reach adulthood from about a year (again it is very variable depending on the breed of dog). It will therefore be necessary to switch to kibbles for adult dogs at this
that time.
How many kibbles should you give a puppy?
To find out how much kibble your puppy needs, you can use the table on the kibble packet. It is important that the calculation of the dose is always carried out according to the months and the weight of the dog.
At this stage, it is essential that the amount of daily food is distributed in equal portions over the day, due to the nutritional and developmental needs of the puppy. If in doubt, it is essential to seek advice from the veterinarian.
Why do some people choose grain-free kibble for a puppy?
Grain-free and gluten-free kibbles can be beneficial for some dogs, those who are intolerant or allergic to them. The most important thing is to take an interest in the quality of the cereals present in the croquettes. For example, wheat is a poor cereal that will bring very little to puppies, while brown or husk rice is very rich in nutrients and will promote digestion. In addition, it is advisable for the young to give him a diet with cereals at the risk of having an adult animal that does not eat kibble with cereals which can be very complicated especially if it develops heart disease as a result of this type of food.
In other words, it is better to opt above all for balanced croquettes with a good quality of proteins and a good phosphocalcic ratio for
ensure the puppy a harmonious growth.
- To avoid mycotoxins
These are toxins produced by microscopic fungi that can appear in cereals and can cause health problems, digestive problems and allergies.
However, if you choose a premium kibble brand, health tests are carried out to avoid the presence of these mycotoxins and the risk is therefore very low of having a diet
contaminated.
- To provide a more natural diet
In recent years, the BARF (Biologically Appropriated Raw Food) movement has emerged, which bets on returning to naturalness in dog food, which is also advocated by the grain-free diet. BARF means offering a diet based on raw meat and practically no grains. However, very disabling pathologies can appear with this type of diet, such as hyperparathyroidism secondary to food. It is therefore necessary to be very vigilant about practices approaching a "natural" diet because the dog is not a wolf and its needs have evolved with domestication.
Are there any advantages to giving grain-free kibbles to puppies?
The interest of a kibble is not that it is grain-free, because it is not a problem for the animals, but that it is balanced. Low-starch, grain-based and gluten-free kibbles are high in protein, which is very beneficial for the animal and can have a positive impact on its health, coat and digestion. In conclusion, it is certainly not contraindicated to give cereal-free kibble to your puppy.
Grain Free Puppy Food FAQs:
• Why take grain-free kibbles for puppies?
If your pup seems to have a grain intolerance, you may be advised to switch to grain-free puppy kibbles, which may be less allergenic. In general, it is better to seek advice from your veterinarian who will often direct you to a new range of kibble that does not have the same main protein source.
• What is the best puppy food?
For a puppy, the best food is made up of kibble rich in good quality protein, with a high energy density, a good phosphocalcic balance and a carbohydrate level that is not too high. This type of nutrition provides the puppy with all the energy it needs.
• What is Premium dog food for puppies?
Premium puppy kibbles are high quality dog food. These foods are more digestible than others and have a better nutritional value.
• What times are a puppy's meals?
Up to three months, the puppy should have 3-4 meals a day at regular intervals. At five months, the puppy can go to 3 meals a day then from six months, he can be satisfied with 2 meals a day.
