Welcoming a new puppy to your home is exciting, but also requires preparation. Choosing a doggy bed, toys, collar, leash, and deciding on the perfect name for the newest four-legged family member are among the first decisions pet parents must make. Another important decision, however, is choosing the right puppy food to ensure your puppy gets the proper nutrition as they grow (way too quickly). Each puppy will have different nutritional needs based on factors such as breed, size, general health, and lifestyle. We’ll discuss each of these topics in this article, but remember to always consult with a pet care specialist to make sure you have selected the best and most appropriate puppy food for your pet.
Can puppies eat adult dog food? Puppy vs dog nutrition
Puppy food is specifically designed to meet the needs of a puppy, which are not the same as an adult or senior dog. For example, puppies generally need more calories than adult dogs because they exert more energy. That’s why puppy food has more calories per bite, and are loaded with nutrients due to their small tummies not allowing them to eat as much as adult dogs. Since most puppies will need to eat several small meals a day, puppy food will provide the proteins, fats, amino acids and minerals that puppies need to grow.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates the manufacturing of dog food and provides the minimum guidelines for healthy dog food. For a brand to qualify as puppy food, it must contain 22 percent protein (compared to 18 percent for adult dog food). More broadly, AAFCO ensures that pet food provides a “complete and balanced” diet based on the pet’s life stage. According to AAFCO, “complete” means the dog food contains all the required nutrients, and “balanced” means the nutrients are within the recommended ratios.1 All AAFCO approved puppy food should be clearly labeled as food specifically made for puppies, and have a nutritional adequacy statement printed on the packaging, which ensures the food is safe and nutritious for your puppy.
How and when to switch from puppy to adult dog food?
There is not one specific age (human or dog years) that indicates your puppy is ready to move on to adult dog food. As a general rule, you should not switch to adult dog food until your puppy has reached approximately 80 percent of the expected adult size. For small dogs, that will happen sooner, at nine or ten months; medium dogs around 12 months; and for large dog breeds, that will not occur until 12 to 16 months old. Also, large breed puppies should eat puppy food specifically for large breeds because large dogs are at higher risk of orthopedic disease.2 That is why large breed puppy food is generally lower in fat, calcium and phosphorus in order to ensure growth is not too rapid.3 Switching food should be gradual because a sudden change in food may result in an upset stomach (and upset puppy).
Of course, it may not always be easy to estimate your puppy’s expected adult size, or you may not be sure of the exact breed of your puppy. Your veterinarian will be able to help you find the right time to transition your puppy to adult dog food. While it may take some guesswork, it is imperative to switch from puppy food to adult dog food because adult dogs do not need as many calories as puppies, and feeding puppy food to an adult dog will result in unhealthy weight gain.
Feeding table scraps to your puppy- Do or Don’t?
Perhaps the greatest question known to pet families is whether to feed human food to canine family members. After all, it is hard to resist the forlorn looks from your dog at the dinner table. While table scraps are not necessarily always bad for adult dogs in moderation, more care should be taken to avoid feeding human food to puppies. One reason is that giving table scraps to your puppy results in bad habits and your dog will forever expect human food. More significantly, puppies have very sensitive digestive systems and human food may cause upset puppy tummies. Furthermore, because puppies have specific nutritional needs, human food will not provide the nutritional value necessary for your puppy to grow to become a healthy dog.
In addition, avoid giving your puppy cow’s milk, goat’s milk or human infant formula. Puppies are usually weened by four weeks of age, and are then fed gruel (a mixture of milk replacer and soaked puppy food) as dry puppy food is slowly introduced when they lose their baby teeth. By the age of eight weeks, puppies do not need milk, but if you do feed milk to your puppy, make sure to use a milk replacer made for puppies and not milk that humans drink.
The best puppy treats: How to choose the right treats for your puppy?
Puppies deserve treats for good behavior, or simply for being cute. However, treats for adult dogs are not always appropriate for puppies. One reason is that a puppy’s teeth are not fully developed, so hard treats can damage puppy teeth. Instead, give your puppy soft treats. Ideally, smaller treats are best for small puppy mouths and small puppy tummies. Healthy human food for puppies include small bits of carrot or apple, but as most dog parents know, grapes are harmful to canines. Never give a puppy a bone, even if your puppy is teething. Bones have very little nutritional value and can cause serious damage to young digestive systems. Instead, give your puppy a chew toy to satisfy the urge to chew.
Remember that moderation is important to maintain healthy digestion and a healthy weight as your puppy grows. You should also make sure that all family members are aware of how many treats your puppy is receiving throughout the day, because puppies are very persuasive and can solicit treats from multiple family members and end up overeating.
Welcoming a new canine family member is exciting, but also a great responsibility, particularly to first time dog parents. Ask your veterinarian about your dog’s specific dietary needs and develop a feeding plan that will ensure a healthy puppy that becomes a healthy dog. Feeding and caring for a puppy, and watching your puppy grow is both rewarding and challenging. Consider getting an individualized pet health insurance policy from Pets Best to protect and welcome your puppy to the family.
References:
1 Association of American Feed Control Officials. (2012). Selecting the Right Pet Food. Retrieved from Association of American Feed Control Officials: https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/rightpetfood
2 Lynn Buzhardt, D. (n.d.). Nutritinal Requirements of Large and Giant Breed Puppies. Retrieved from VCA Hospitals: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutritional-requirements-of-large-and-giant-breed-puppies#:~:text=Impacted%20by%20growth%20rate%2C%20developmental,are%20out%20of%20your%20control.
3 Mansourian, E. (2019, July 15). Puppy Feeding Fundamentals. Retrieved from American Kennel Club: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/puppy-feeding-fundamentals/