The right food for your puppy: what should you pay attention to?

When you welcome a new, small four-legged friend into your family, there are quite a few things to consider. How often and how long should a puppy sleep, how long can it walk, what (coat) care does it need, and perhaps one of the most important questions; how and what should you feed a puppy? Especially regarding the right nutrition, confusion can sometimes arise. In the blog below, we delve deeper into the most important things you need to know about the right puppy food.

What should you feed a puppy?

It is important that puppies receive specific food specially formulated for them so they can develop optimally and grow up healthy. Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs. For example, puppies need more protein, which is essential for the growth of a young dog. Because a puppy needs ‘fuel’ for growth, puppy food contains more fats than standard food for adult dogs. These fats provide a puppy with the necessary energy for growth. Additionally, the calcium/phosphorus ratio is adjusted in puppy food; both minerals are needed for the proper and even development of strong bones. Puppies need proportionally more calcium and phosphorus than adult dogs (adults: at least 1.25 g per 1,000 kcal/ME, puppies: at least 2 to 2.5 g per 1,000 kcal/ME). However, puppies cannot yet excrete an excess of calcium, which can lead to joint problems and deformities. Therefore, it is very important that these minerals are included in the correct ratios and amounts in the food. Finally, the kibble size in puppy foods is adjusted: the kibbles are smaller than those for adult dogs so puppies can chew and swallow them more easily.

Besides food, you can also spoil your pup with reward treats or other snacks. Be sure that these treats are suitable for puppies. The Riverwood semi-moist snacks and crunchy snacks are suitable for dogs of all breeds aged at least 10 weeks. View here the full range of reward snacks.

Do you have a slightly older pup who isn’t interested in a tasty chew snack? For pups from 4 months old, the chew snacks from Riverwood are also suitable. View here the full range of Butcher Shop Series chew snacks.

How much food should your puppy get?

It can be difficult at first to determine the right amount of food your pup should get. Every puppy food has guidelines on the packaging, usually based on the estimated adult weight of the dog. Keep in mind that this is the daily recommended amount of food without any snacks included.

Also, remember that every pup is different. The daily recommended amount of food is only a guideline. If you feel your pup is hungry or perhaps getting too much food, adjust the amount accordingly, but do not deviate too much from the daily recommended amount to avoid the dog missing essential nutrients. Finally, keep a close eye on your pup’s stool.