Feeding your Puppy
The big question everyone has. And everyone has a different answer. WHAT DO I FEED MY PUPPY?
There are many opinions and expert advise with many different answers. So who do you trust? What food do you buy? Raw, freeze dried, refrigerated food, dry kibble, what brand, etc. The answer is not always clear cut as different dogs or breeds can do better with slightly different ingredients then others. So it can be a trail and error too.
Well, what do I use? I feed frozen raw food. All my dogs are on k-9 Kravings. This is a frozen raw meat diet. Once thawed, it looks just like ground beef. My dogs love it, they have healthy skin, coats, ears, less tear stains, smaller stool, less parasites, no fleas or ticks, and most of all no picky eaters so they hold weight well. But because we realize most family don't wish to go this route, we have added a dry food called Lifes' Abundance to the diet for moms and there puppies. Below is a personal list from my own trail and error over the years with many many many different foods of all kinds.
healthy coat
cleaner teeth
smaller stools
less internal parasites
they don't attract fleas and ticks
no allergies
less to no tear staining
fewer vet bills
less meds need to treat internal and external parasites.
Easier to housebreak puppies.
Dogs don't have really bad breath.
They not gassy
Dogs love it
Most pet stores carry a few brands of it.
Cons: Need freezer space
Put out to thaw
Can be messy(I feed on paper plates and trash them to save dishes time)
Can't leave sit out, must serve and put away what not eaten right away.
Expensive if has to be shipped.
No need to keep it cold, so easy to travel with
Still very healthy
Less tear stains
Healthier coat
Healthier skin
Super small firm little stools
Easier to train puppies
Can be used as treats
not messy
Feed very little amount
Can be shipped to your door.
Cons: Expensive
Drink more water (need moisture)
Healthy skin and coat
moderate size stools
Tasty, dogs like it
Cons: Expensive
Have to put into fridge any uneaten serving right away
Must pick up at stores, don't ship cold
Can leave out all day
TONS of brands and flavors to choose from
Can be cheaper to buy
Fairly long shelf life
Can have it shipped
Cons: Allergies to ingredients
more tear stains
larger and smeller stools and more often
Must drink more water to get moisture level up
More vet bills
Allows internal parasites to live inside them easier
Attacts ticks and fleas more
Quality varies based on ingredients in it.
Attracts rodents and insects to it if not stored right or left out.
Puppies trow it around and play in it like its toys
May not like it and waste it.
Easy to serve
Easy to eat, don't have to chew if teeth are bad.
Lots of flavors to pick from
Cons: Some canned foods smell
Larger softer and smellier stools(poop)
Can cause smelly skin and itchness
Quality varies based on ingredients and brands
More vet bills
Dirtier teeth
Bad breath
Can be very gassy
More ear infections
Runnier eyes
If you choose to go the traditional dry food route, please purchase LifesAbundance as it does not cause DCM(heart issue), and is rated highest and most natural of dry dog foods. CLICK HERE
There are many opinions and expert advise with many different answers. So who do you trust? What food do you buy? Raw, freeze dried, refrigerated food, dry kibble, what brand, etc. The answer is not always clear cut as different dogs or breeds can do better with slightly different ingredients then others. So it can be a trail and error too.
Well, what do I use? I feed frozen raw food. All my dogs are on k-9 Kravings. This is a frozen raw meat diet. Once thawed, it looks just like ground beef. My dogs love it, they have healthy skin, coats, ears, less tear stains, smaller stool, less parasites, no fleas or ticks, and most of all no picky eaters so they hold weight well. But because we realize most family don't wish to go this route, we have added a dry food called Lifes' Abundance to the diet for moms and there puppies. Below is a personal list from my own trail and error over the years with many many many different foods of all kinds.
- FROZEN RAW: Food from the FREEZER at the pet stores. Not homemade unbalanced food.
healthy coat
cleaner teeth
smaller stools
less internal parasites
they don't attract fleas and ticks
no allergies
less to no tear staining
fewer vet bills
less meds need to treat internal and external parasites.
Easier to housebreak puppies.
Dogs don't have really bad breath.
They not gassy
Dogs love it
Most pet stores carry a few brands of it.
Cons: Need freezer space
Put out to thaw
Can be messy(I feed on paper plates and trash them to save dishes time)
Can't leave sit out, must serve and put away what not eaten right away.
Expensive if has to be shipped.
- FREEZE DRIED and DEHYDRATED RAW: RAW food that has the moister pulled out of it and does not require keeping cold. (I do alternate this food into there diet when traveling with them)
No need to keep it cold, so easy to travel with
Still very healthy
Less tear stains
Healthier coat
Healthier skin
Super small firm little stools
Easier to train puppies
Can be used as treats
not messy
Feed very little amount
Can be shipped to your door.
Cons: Expensive
Drink more water (need moisture)
- FRESH PET: Refrigerated food comes in rolls or bag, located in fridge at most pet stores and grocery stores now too.
Healthy skin and coat
moderate size stools
Tasty, dogs like it
Cons: Expensive
Have to put into fridge any uneaten serving right away
Must pick up at stores, don't ship cold
- DRY KIBBLE: Any food in small little hard shapes coming from a bag.
Can leave out all day
TONS of brands and flavors to choose from
Can be cheaper to buy
Fairly long shelf life
Can have it shipped
Cons: Allergies to ingredients
more tear stains
larger and smeller stools and more often
Must drink more water to get moisture level up
More vet bills
Allows internal parasites to live inside them easier
Attacts ticks and fleas more
Quality varies based on ingredients in it.
Attracts rodents and insects to it if not stored right or left out.
Puppies trow it around and play in it like its toys
May not like it and waste it.
- WET/CANNED FOOD: Canned dog food and or little ceasers type dishes.
Easy to serve
Easy to eat, don't have to chew if teeth are bad.
Lots of flavors to pick from
Cons: Some canned foods smell
Larger softer and smellier stools(poop)
Can cause smelly skin and itchness
Quality varies based on ingredients and brands
More vet bills
Dirtier teeth
Bad breath
Can be very gassy
More ear infections
Runnier eyes
If you choose to go the traditional dry food route, please purchase LifesAbundance as it does not cause DCM(heart issue), and is rated highest and most natural of dry dog foods. CLICK HERE
