TL;DR:
Choosing the right high-protein puppy food is crucial for your puppy's growth and development. Aim for a balanced diet with around 25-30% crude protein per serving. Consider fish-based options for gentler digestion and added health benefits from Omega-3s.
Main Points:
- High-protein diets support optimal puppy growth.
- Key nutrients include protein, fat, calcium, and digestible carbohydrates.
- Protein aids muscle development and energy production.
- Fish is a recommended protein source for easy digestion and additional health benefits.
- Other protein options: chicken, turkey, duck, and eggs.
- Consult your vet for personalized advice.
Did you know that by the time your puppy is just four months old, your furry friend will have reached 60% of their adult height? You can expect your puppy to reach their full adult size anywhere between 10 and 24 months of age!
Puppies grow fast, and their bodies need a lot of energy and a full spectrum of nutrients to sustain that growth. Feeding your puppy a nutritious, high-protein diet is one way to ensure they get everything they need to grow, develop, and play hard!
There are so many puppy food options to choose from. How do you determine which high-protein puppy food is the best fit for your pet?
The truth is that not all proteins are created equal. Your growing pet deserves food with a range of health benefits that will ensure they live a healthy, happy life by your side. We’ll explore the benefits of different high-protein dog foods for puppies and share our own top pick.
Why Is High-Protein Food Important for Puppies?
As a pet parent, your goal is to help your puppy achieve optimal growth. According to veterinarians, this is a rate of growth that helps your dog achieve its ideal adult size. The goal is to help your pet avoid obesity and associated health conditions.
To accomplish this, your puppy needs four key nutrients:
- Protein
- Fat
- Calcium
- Digestible Carbohydrates
Before they entered your life, your puppy was mostly consuming their mother’s milk, which is naturally protein-rich. Dog milk contains twice as much protein as cow’s milk!
Protein is full of amino acids, which help young dogs build muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It also helps them to grow and maintain healthy coats, skin, and nails. A healthy dog can produce about half of the amino acids it needs to thrive. The rest must come from a protein-rich diet.
Like carbohydrates, proteins also help your dog generate energy, which is crucial for busy, energetic puppies. They are also essential for creating the body chemicals necessary to function, such as hormones. A puppy receiving adequate protein will be energetic and playful, with a shiny coat and bright eyes.
That said, it is possible to feed your puppy too much protein. Remember, the goal is optimal growth, not maximum growth. Excess protein will be converted into fat, which can lead to health problems down the line.
To ensure you feed your puppy the right amount of protein, choose a dedicated puppy food with high protein, not an adult dog food. Adult dog food contains less protein than puppy food and can stall development. The right formula makes a huge difference!
How Do I Choose the Best High-Protein Food for My Puppy?
The pet food brand you choose should be open and transparent about the amount of protein in their puppy food formula. Ideally, puppy food should contain about 25-30% crude protein per serving. This is an average, however, and can vary by breed. Always consult your vet if you have specific questions about your puppy’s unique nutritional needs.
Likewise, trustworthy brands will also share the sources of the protein. In quality puppy food, you’ll see a protein source listed among the first few ingredients (if not at the top of the list).
Common protein sources in puppy food include:
- Fish
- Chicken
- Beef
- Lamb
- Eggs
Each protein comes with different nutritional benefits. It’s wise to do your research before choosing which high-protein puppy food to feed your furry friend!
What Are the Best Protein Sources for Puppies?
When choosing your puppy’s high-protein food, you should also consider how easy it is to digest. While beef is a common protein found in many pet foods, it can easily upset your puppy’s stomach.
Fish-Based High Protein Puppy Food
Fish is a gentler protein option. The ease of digestion ensures your puppy can absorb the maximum amount of nutrition at each meal. It’s also one of the leanest proteins used in high-protein puppy foods. Because fish is lower in calories but packs a high protein punch, you can be confident that you’re prioritizing optimal growth for your puppy.
Even types of fish that are higher in fat, such as salmon, have nutritional benefits for young dogs. For example, they are naturally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy fats that reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. Plus, Omega-3s support brain and health, healthy skin and a shiny coat, joint health, and proper digestion.
Other Quality Proteins for Puppies
If your puppy has a fish allergy or sensitivity, there are other ways to provide the protein it needs.
We recommend chicken which, like fish, tends to be easier for young dogs to digest. Likewise, consider other poultry-based protein sources, such as turkey or duck. These leaner protein options can help you with weight management. Meanwhile, they offer a boost of iron, phosphorous, potassium, and other crucial nutrients.
Eggs also have significant health benefits but do not contain all the nutrients that growing puppies need. Consider adding eggs to your puppy’s diet for a healthy protein boost.
Ultimately, we believe fish is the gentlest, healthiest protein source for most growing puppies. Look for a high-protein puppy food with salmon, cod, haddock, or redfish as one of the first ingredients.
We are proud to offer an All Life Stage dog food recipe to provide an effortless transition from puppy to adult. Our Wild Select Seafood Dinner is a pure and natural fish-first recipe with added vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, wheat, corn, soy, chicken, or other animal by-products. Dive into our fish-first dog food to learn more!
