Can My Large Breed Puppy Have Treats Or Human Food
You can give your puppy treats in moderation theyre often an important part of positive reinforcement when training a puppy. It can be tempting to give your puppy human foods as a way of bonding, but this can create bad habits that are hard to break later in life.
Remember that all treats and human foods have calories, which can add up quickly and result in your pet becoming overweight or obese. Veterinary nutritionists recommend that treats and supplemental foods make up less than 10% of the daily caloric intake to ensure that the pet receives the appropriate nutrient levels.
If you really want to treat your puppy to some human foods, consider using fruits and/or vegetables which are usually lower in calories. If you need more treats to use for training, you can set some of your puppys daily kibble allotment aside to use as a food reward during training sessions.
Why Is Protein So Critical
Protein has several roles in the body, such as building and repairing muscles and other body tissues, according to PetMD. It is also needed to form new skin cells, grow hair, build muscle tissue and more.
A PetMD article titled The Power of Protein, notes that dogs cant store up protein in their bodies and they depend on eating it via their daily diet. Its important that a puppy gets enough protein so it can grow.
Because amino acids are basically the building blocks of tissues, protein has several functions in a dogs body, according to How Stuff Works. Its the structural component of connective tissues, as well as hair, skin and nails. But its also essential for the immune and musculoskeletal systems.
Animal protein, which contains 10 essential amino acids, helps ensure your puppy has a glossy coat and healthy skin. Dry or brittle fur suggests that your dog may need more protein, at any age.
Some proteins are better than others look for specific animal proteins listed in your puppy food ingredients, rather than animal byproduct or meat meal. Knowing exactly what type of protein your puppy is eating will help you discern if your new puppy has any food sensitivities. Protein should also be at the top of the ingredient list, rather than grains, vegetables or fillers. Dogs arent strictly omnivores veggies, fruit, and grains or other carbs provide nutrients for your puppy, but protein comes first.
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Chicken And Rice
Image courtesy Diamond Naturals
Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food is a premium dry dog food that will provide your big breed adult dog with everything she needs. Each Diamond Naturals dry formulation is complemented with superfoods and guaranteed probiotics to support your canine’s physical, mental, and emotional development.
This high-quality food will taste delicious to your dog. It’s prepared with fresh cage-free chicken, whole grain brown rice, and real fruit and vegetables like kale, blueberries, and coconut to provide protein, minerals, omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
Assist your buddy in obtaining a complete and balanced holistic diet with Diamond Naturals.
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Q: Is It Okay To Mix Large Breed And Regular Dog Food
A: Yes, it is okay to mix large breed and regular dog food. In fact, this is often recommended by veterinarians as a way to provide your dog with the nutrients they need without any risks. Just be sure to monitor your dogs weight and overall health closely. Speak with a veterinarian if you have any concerns.
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Different Breed Needs: Learn The Nutritional Differences For Small & Large Breed Dogs
Dogs are dogs, right? Cant you just feed the same food to any type of dog, no matter their age, breed, or size. Actually, no! Large and small breeds of dogs have very different nutritional needs.
These needs are about much more than just how much food goes in the dog bowl. In fact, each pet is unique. Your dog will have different dietary needs based on their age, breed, and size.
When searching for the best dog food for your four-legged friend, you want to select a high-quality food and give them the appropriate amount for their size. Too much food can lead to pet obesity, which can cause health problems down the road.
Always check the packaging for information on the proper serving sizes, and make sure to talk to your veterinarian when making decisions about your dogs diet.
When it comes to nutrition, there are several significant food differences for small dogs versus large breeds, including the kibbles size, the calories, and the ingredients. Lets look at what is in your pets bowl and why you need to choose a specific food based on your dogs size.
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Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Food
Image courtesy Hills Science Diet
The Science Diet Puppy Large Breed dry dog food is designed to help your puppy develop strong bones and joints. This high-quality pet dish includes adequate amounts of nutrients for big breed puppies, such as DHA derived from fish oil, to encourage brain and eye development.
The primary goal of this dish is to provide nutrients to support your dog’s joints as he matures, calcium for sturdy bones, and a clinically studied antioxidant combination for a healthy immune system.
Is A Blue Nose Pitbull Considered A Large Breed
Because of the diverse range of bully breeds and them entwining throughout the years, the Blue Nose Pitbull weight can range anywhere from 30-85 pounds. Just like with their height, its not uncommon to hear of pit bulls in the 100s.> All variations of the pit bull come in basically every general dog color imaginable.
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What Should I Feed My Mid
If your dog is a Schnauzer, Beagle, Border Collie, Basset Hound, Irish Terrier, Portuguese Water Dog, or Shar-Pei or weighs between 20 and 50 pounds, you could consider feeding him a standard adult dog food formula.
Mid Sized dogs are considered standard by the pet food industry, and their needs encompass the needs of most dogs: high-quality protein dog food to maintain muscle mass, fiber to promote intestinal health, fish oil for healthy skin and coat, carbohydrates for fuel and vitamins and minerals for proper immune function.
These are middle-of-the-road dogs, says Dr Nelson. In adulthood, theres not a lot separating their dietary needs from large breeds. Such dogs do, however, reach what is considered old age more slowly than bigger dogs. Mid Sized canines can safely remain on adult instead of a maturity formula through to age 7.
As there is a wide variety of dog foods on the market for standard-sized dogs, check with your veterinarian to help you to find the right one for your dog for whatever their life stage.
What Should I Look For In Large Breed Dog Food
When shopping for the best large breed dog food, there are several factors you need to consider. Here is a short overview of those factors:
- Protein. Protein is the building block of muscle. Adult dogs require less protein than puppies, and an excessive intake of protein can lead to calcium and phosphorus imbalances that can cause a host of issues, from kidney problems to joint and bone issues.
- Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio. Large breed dog foods will contain lower calcium levels, especially in large breed puppy food formulas. This is to prevent malformation of bones and joints in large breeds that grow at a very rapid pace. Phosphorus works with calcium to grow strong bones and keep them healthy. A typical ratio in large breed puppy food will be 1:1 calcium to phosphorus, while a large breed adult formula will be around 1.3:1.
- Joint Health. Look for things like manganese, vitamin A, glucosamine, and chondroitin. All of these are required for healthy bones and joints, which large breeds are known to have issues with.
- Life Stages. Pay attention to what stage of life the food is formulated. Large breed puppies will require different nutrition than large breed adult dogs or senior dogs.
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How To Introduce A New Dog Food Gradually
Follow This Simple Procedure:
For two days, mix 75% old food with 25% new food
For two days, mix old and new foods 50% and 50%
For two days, mix 25% old food with 75% new food.
Day 7 will be 100% new food
DID YOU KNOW? Dogs can get bored with their food flavor, even if the dog food is an excellent nutritional food choice! Feel free to experiment with different flavors for your dog to enjoy, just make the change gradually, as you just learned to do.
Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy Food
Image courtesy Blue Buffalo
The dry food Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice is made with real chicken as the first ingredient. It also contains DHA for cognitive and visual development, calcium for strong bones, and whole grains for easy digestion.
The puppy’s rapidly growing frame and wide-ranging health demands that he be fed with a high-nutrition diet. The kibble is also large and simple to chew, so your big guy can eat it at mealtimes.
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Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe
Image courtesy Blue Buffalo
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe is ideal for large dogs since it includes genuine salmon, which is a high-quality protein source. This food also contains sweet potatoes, which are rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
The first ingredient in this food is salmon, which provides high-quality protein. This is a necessary component of your big dog’s diet to guarantee that they are obtaining all of the nutrients they require.
Why Are Large Breeds More Prone To Hip Dysplasia
Hip disease in large breeds is caused by at least one of 3 proven factors:
So, since theres nothing you can do to change your puppys genetics
Be sure to avoid feeding too many calories or too much calcium factors that can significantly increase your puppys risk of hip dysplasia.
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Best Overall: Hills Science Diet
When it comes to an overall excellent choice, Dr. Navratik recommends Hills Science Diet Foods. In fact, its the brand shes given her own pets over the years. I have fed my dogs this food for the last 35 years, and my last three dogs have lived to over 17 years of age! she notes. Whats in it? Good-for-them ingredients like real chicken, natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin , antioxidants and vitamins, and omega-6 fatty acids. Whats not in it? Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. This formulation is specially made for dogs over 55 pounds, including these giant dog breeds.
Highlights:
- Available in dry and wet food
- Wont cause stomachaches
via chewy.com
How Can I Tell If A Dog Food Is Safe For Large Breed Puppies
According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials
The maximum amount of calcium recommended for large breed puppies is 4.5 grams of calcium per every 1000 kcal in the food or 1.8% calcium.12
Keep in mind the calcium content printed on the label does not reveal this amount.
Thats because those figures are based on MINIMUMS which is NOT acceptable.
You want to know the EXACT amount of calcium obtained by actual lab testing
Or the MAXIMUM amount the manufacturer is willing to guarantee to you on the label.
Thankfully
AAFCO now requires13 those calcium standards to be guaranteed in each products Nutritional Adequacy Statement on the packaging.
You should see meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for either growth or all life stages AND the wordsincluding growth of large size dogs .
Like this
Since we never know the adult weight of a puppy before its fully grown, we recommend using a more conservative 50 pound definition for large breeds.
All The Dog Food Advisors recommended large breed puppy foods meet these requirements. So, theres no need for you to do any calculations yourself.
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What Is The Difference Between Small Breed And Large Breed Dog Food
Dry food designed for smaller dogs will tend to have smaller pieces than food for large dogs. Smaller pieces will make it easier for them to eat. The little food bits are easier on their tiny jaws and easier for their gastrointestinal systems to digest. Food for larger breeds will usually have much larger sized pieces.
Give Your Dog The Right Amount Of Calories
Small dogs with a lot of energy will need more calories per pound of bodyweight than larger dogs. More calories are required to support their energy needs.
From the puppy stage to when theyre in their senior years, smaller dogs will require dog food designed to have the right amount of calories for their active lives. That doesnt mean they need more food the serving sizes on the bag will help you know how much to give your pet. Instead, correctly formulated puppy food will have a protein and fat ratio appropriate for your dog.
According to the American Kennel Club, small breed puppies are at risk of low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, because of their high energy. Hypoglycemia occurs because the puppies have high amounts of drive but low body fat. Symptoms of low blood sugar include weakness, lethargy, muscle tremors, and seizures.
Most premium brands of puppy food for small breeds are designed to have the right ingredients to prevent this from happening although, you should talk to your vet right away if you suspect your puppy has low blood sugar.
On the other hand, large breeds of dogs will eat far larger food quantities, but the food is not as nutritionally dense. The reason is to make sure that larger dogs that are still growing and developing at the proper rate.
Obesity in dogs is one of the leading causes of health problems, and some estimate that obesity can take as much as two years off your pets life.
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Benefits Of Large Breed Dog Food
Feeding a large breed-specific food is not a requirement. In fact, many dogs do just fine on all-breed diets, but there are some unique benefits to large-breed formulas that can help prevent common issues in big dogs.
Bigger Kibble
The average size of kibble is perfectly fine for most dogs, but for big doggos, those small pieces are easy to swallow hole. Often, big dogs dont chew their kibble very well, or at all, and this can lead to poor dental health and digestive issues.
Large breed kibbles are much larger and encourage your dog to chew more. Chewing starts to break down the food, making it easier for your dogs body to digest and absorb nutrients.
Dogs who dont chew may throw up food shortly after meals, too. The unchewed kibble will expand in your dogs stomach, and he will start to feel very full. If his meal was large enough, you may see some of that meal again soon.
Higher Protein, Low Fat
Many large breed dog foods offer a slightly higher protein content and a reduced fat content. This offers plenty of nutrients that your big pooch needs to maintain muscle mass and supply long-term energy, but can also help to reduce weight issues.
While big dogs can still have a lot of energy, they dont burn through calories as quickly as smaller breeds. All breed diets may offer too many calories for your big pooch, and this could lead to weight gain as they age.
Hip and Joint Care
Dog Food And Obesity: Fitness Hacks
RUT-ROH !! Your big dog has packed on too many pounds, now what? Even big dogs are designed to be svelte. If your dogs ribs arent visible, and you see no taper at his waist, there is a possibility that obesity can occur.
Like our own weight issues, these extra pounds can sneak up quickly! The first thing youll want to do is a complete review of his caloric intake and review that dog food label for fillers and useless ingredients.
A very active adult dog shouldnt be eating more than 2500 calories a day. A less active dog only needs about 2100 calories daily. When counting calories, dont forget to add calories from treats and snacks those puppy-dog eyes have talked you into sharing.
The next thing youll want to consider is if you are providing enough opportunities for exercise. If your big dog has a hearty appetite, you may want to consider a lower calorie food to bring his weight under control. Less than 350 calories per cup for kibble is ideal when decreasing calories.
It is not recommended you free-feed your dog. If you are doing it, chances are, this could be the reason hes overweight. Designated feeding times are best. If he doesnt finish in 10-15 minutes, take the food and put it up until the next feeding.
If your big dogs appetite isnt so hearty, reducing the amount of food per serving might do the trick. Experiment a little to find the best solution, and always read the labels before buying any kind of food.
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How Often Should I Feed My Large Breed Puppy
Once youve determined how much to feed your puppy per day
Simply divide that daily feeding amount into 3 or 4 smaller servings.
Then feed those smaller portions to your puppy at regular intervals throughout the day.
To make it easy
Try feeding your puppy whenever YOU eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.