Is my puppy's food healthy? What ingredients should I check for?

As long as it is a name brand food with an AAFCO label on it. This means it has been tested and meets specific standards. Typically royal canin, Purina, science diet, and Iams qualify for this. Be careful switching foods without suddenly as this can cause diarrhea. It is best to mix them and gradually switch it over a week

Most importantly I would check that your puppy is coming from a reputable breeder. You should be able to see at least the mother with the puppies and if not this would be a major red flag. When visiting the puppies should look bright and in good condition. The breeder should be able to tell you when the puppies were wormed. You can also ask the breeder about whether there is any history of conditions such as elbow or hip dysplasia in their dogs. If you are unhappy about anything I would walk away. In terms of feeding I would recommend feeding a good quality food specifically for puppies such as Hills science plan.

It's just designed to appear to humans. Brands of food that I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Iams (Eukanuba). I recommend these brands because they run their own food trials, meet AAFCO feeding standards, and have veterinary nutritionists on staff. They are the only four brands that have these things. I feed my dog Iams and she loves it.

Any food that has an AAFCO certification label on the bag has been tested to be well balanced. And any food that is labeled for puppies is designed to support growth. So I would go with a small breed, puppy dog food with an AAFCO label. I really like the following brands: Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Evo, and Eukanuba. Best wishes taking care of your new puppy. And don't forget that vaccinations usually start around 8 weeks of age, so schedule an appt with your veterinarian soon if you haven't done so already. Take care.

Hello. Unfortunately, there has been an explosion of new & "boutique" type foods that have hit the market lately, some are fine to feed, some are just gimmicks & have no science to back up their claims. You should always look for the AAFCO statement on every label, but be aware that this is a voluntary claim & there is no regulatory agency watching out for dishonest manufacturers. Personally, I recommend sticking with the 3 biggest companies that can actually provide the science behind their pet foods. They are Science Diet, Royal Canin & Purina. All three of these have developed formulations to fit every lifestyle, every trend, & every stage of life that you just cannot go wrong feeding one. If the food you have is suspicious, I would transition Diggy off as soon as possible to another puppy food soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There are only three pet food brands which are approved by veterinarians. These are science diet, royal canin and purina pro plan. Only these three Have undergone research to ensure they provide an adequate and nutritious diet for pets. This research is approved by veterinarians. Any other food brands may not be regulated or researched as thoroughly. For this reason I would only advise feeding one of those three. If a food has many ingredients which I don't recognise I am concerned about tHe quality of the food.

Beau is a real cutie! Yes, I agree you should switch food. There are better brands with higher quality ingredients. Science Diet, Purina ProPlan and Eukanuba are all great diets. My favorite brand (and what I feed my own dogs) is Royal Canin. For Beau, I would recommend this food: https://www.royalcanin.com/us/dogs/products/retail-products/pug-puppy-dry-dog-food Beau does not need canned food but you can give it as a treat or mix it in with his kibble every day. Pick a high quality, canned puppy food. Canned food does tend to have more calories than dry food so watch his weight closely. Here is also a link about feeding puppies: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feeding-puppies-what-when-how/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.