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Puppy nutrition

Fuel your puppy’s growth with food made just for them

Feeding your puppy the best food from the beginning is a great way to fuel their growth and help them along the road to adulthood. After all, puppies are little bundles of energy that need healthy puppy food to grow. Of course you want your fur baby to become a happy, energetic, and healthy adult dog, and the best way to ensure that is through proper puppy nutrition.

On this page, read advice from your Globalvet veterinary team on how to make sure your puppy’s nutritional needs are being met.

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Give them a good start in life with a complete diet

During the first few months of life, your puppy’s body grows and changes almost overnight! Your cute canine companion needs major fuel during this critical growth period, so paying close attention to their diet is especially important.

Why? Because proper puppy nutrition will help them grow strong and healthy tissues, limbs, and organs. That means feeding them a complete and balanced nutrient-rich diet formulated with easily digestible proteins, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA), vitamins, and minerals.

Veterinary puppy food delivers all these vital nutrients in the right amounts. Your vet can help you figure out which line would best meet the nutritional needs of your energetic little furball.

When you feed your puppy healthy food from the beginning, you’re giving them a solid start on their adult life. They say every dog has its day—make sure all your pup’s future days are filled with joy and good health.

Why and how to make sure your puppy’s food delivers the nutrition they need

Help them build a strong digestive system

Because their bodies are still growing, a puppy’s digestive system is more sensitive and less efficient than an adult dog’s. That’s why soft stools and flatulence are so common at this stage—and rather unpleasant for both of you!

During this period of rapid growth, your precious pup’s nutrition plan should be designed for their unique digestive system. Give them highly digestible puppy food that contains fiber and other ingredients essential to proper digestion. This will help ensure that your puppy can absorb all the nutrients they need for optimal growth and gut health.

What about parasites?

Digestive issues in puppies aren’t always caused by their sensitive systems—parasitic infections also cause their share of upsets. With an immature immune system and a nose for exploration, your puppy can easily come into contact with parasites and microbes that cause digestive distress.

Talk to your vet to get the best treatments for preventing or eliminating these pesky invaders. Add in healthy puppy food tailored to their digestion, and your pup will be top dog!

To learn more about common parasites, visit our page on Parasite treatment and prevention.

What about supplements?

Considering giving your puppy supplements? Talk to your veterinarian first. If you’re already feeding them balanced veterinary puppy food, the excess vitamins and minerals from supplements could actually cause more problems.

Not sure you’re doing what’s best for your puppy’s developing digestive system? Talk to your Globalvet veterinary team. We can help you find the winning formula for your pup.

Boost their brain power and trainability

Part of growing up is growing wise—and your puppy needs extra support to ensure future trainability and good behaviour. They need a ton of nutrients to develop all their muscles and organs—nutrients they should get from healthy puppy food.

Similarly, your puppy prodigy needs nutrients for brain development. What can you do to help? Make sure they’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. These nutrients help build neurons and improve trainability. For more information on this topic, read Impact of Maternal and Post-Weaning Nutrition on Puppy Trainability.

Dogs love to eat, and they especially enjoy the occasional treat (kind of like their humans!). Why not use treats as a reward for good behaviour? Positive reinforcement is one of the best ways to motivate your pup to keep up the good work.

But don’t overdo it! Given in excess, treats can cause digestive disorders and nutritional imbalances. Ask your veterinary team for strategies to keep this from happening.

Bigger breeds need the best puppy food to keep up with their tremendous growth

Is your puppy a large or giant breed? Be aware that their growth period is much longer than other breeds, so their nutritional needs are different. Some giant breed puppies also experience tremendous growth spurts. Nutritionally speaking, it’s a crucial time in their lives.

While a miniature poodle reaches adulthood at around age one, a German shepherdtakes 18 to 24 months to reach this stage. And a young great Danecan multiply their birth weight by 70 during their 24-month growth period!

Growing so much in such a short period of time can put a strain on your large breed puppy’s joints, and carrying excess weight can lead to joint problems like hip dysplasia later in life.

Make sure your puppy’s nutrition plan has the proper calcium-to-phosphorous ratio to minimize the risk of orthopedic disease. Their puppy food should also be lower in fat and calories than that of smaller breed puppies. This slows their exponential growth, giving their joints time to catch up.

Contrary to popular belief, limiting the amount of protein in their diet does not reduce the risk of bone disease.

Large breed puppies have special needs, so it’s better to opt for veterinary puppy food designed specifically to meet them. Ask your vet for advice on finding the best food and incorporating it into your pup’s diet.

Vary their serving sizes as they grow

Your puppy’s growth may take off at first, plateau, and then take off again. Basically, their nutritional needs vary during this critical time, and you’ll have to adjust their serving sizes accordingly.

Having trouble figuring out the optimal serving size on the label? Your Globalvet team is here to help! We have the knowledge and tools to give you a personalized puppy food prescription. And of course, we’re also here to provide regular follow-up as your little friend grows.

Wondering if getting altered will make your puppy put on pounds? If you don’t change their diet, it probably will. A dog’s metabolism slows considerably in the absence of sex hormones. After the surgery, talk to your vet to re-evaluate your puppy’s nutrition plan based on their age and growth stage. Together you can decide if the time is right to transition to lower-calorie adult food or reduce their serving size.

Find the best puppy food in our Junior lines

Every shop affiliated with a Globalvet veterinary clinic carries multiple lines and brands of canine nutrition products with options specifically designed for puppies. Look for the Junior label in your local clinic or online.

Need advice on pet food?

Contact your local clinic or visit our online store.

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