What Are The Nutritional Needs of a Puppy

When puppies are weaned off their mother’s milk at around 8 weeks, it’s important that they receive a diet that’s rich in the nutrition needed for healthy growth and optimised immune function. Getting the diet right from this early stage will set them in great stead for their growth into adulthood.

Other than water, which is, of course crucial and should be available at al times for a growing pup, they  also need a diet rich in calories, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Calories

Provide energy and is one of the most important factors of a puppy’s diet. Because pups grow so quickly they burn a lot of energy so they require large number of calories to fuel healthy growth.

Protein

Protein is by far the most important nutrient in a healthy and balanced diet for dogs. it provides amino acids which are the building blocks to growth. Puppies require significantly more protein than adult dogs so it’s important that this should come from an easily digestible highly nutritious source. The best protein sources for dogs are animal-based proteins like meat, poultry, fish. An insufficient supply of protein can lead to poor growth and development.

Fats

This is an important source of energy for fuelling growth. It is estimated that fat has approximately twice as many calories per gram compared with protein or carbohydrates, making this an ideal component of a puppy recipe.

Vitamins and Minerals

Puppies have specific vitamin and mineral requirements that differ from adult dogs. They require minerals that help develop healthy bones and teeth such as calcium and phosphorous, as well as zinc that play a role in skin health and protein metabolism.

It is important that the nutrients and calories he needs from his food are all present and correctly balanced for optimal development as well as being both highly digestible and palatable. By feeding a specially designed puppy food, owners can have complete confidence they’re addressing all their puppy’s nutritional needs.