A puppy’s growth and development depends on good nutrition and today, we have so many dog foods to choose from it’s kind of overwhelming. At Chipper & Coco, we just don’t have room for 50+ brands of food, so we just picked our favorites to have in the store. In truth, there are many very good foods out there and “best” is largely a matter of opinion.
In fact, there are many strong opinions and even some controversy in the world of dog foods today. Some people are strongly in favor of grain-free diets, others strongly opposed. Many vets carry expensive specialized foods that contain fillers like corn and wheat. And more than a few breeders have financial incentives from dog food companies to suggest you buy a particular brand.
We recommend a few simple things to watch for:
- Puppies need plenty of protein. At least 25%, preferably closer to 30%.
- If your puppy will be a working dog, or is especially active, don’t worry about fat and calories. He will burn it off easily.
- The first ingredient should be meat. In more expensive foods, the first 2-3 ingredients may be meat. This matches your dog’s biology and builds on what its distant ancestors ate in the wild.
What’s a new owner to do? First, relax. Chances are whichever food you pick will have enough good nutrition to help keep your puppy healthy.