If you have a puppy, then you must be certainly concerned if your pet is getting enough nutrition or not. There are so many pet food brands on the market that it is easy to get confused with what to buy and which brand is offering the best puppy food. Nutrition is important for the healthy growth of your puppy. Lack of nutrition can lead to several health conditions for your little pet.

What nutrition is good for your puppy?
Whether it is human or animals, a well-balanced diet is needed to maintain good health. To maintain the development and growth of a puppy is a lot of hard work. If you don’t pay attention, your puppy may be deprived of essential nutrients. Puppies are very sensitive to the dietary deficiencies. Hence, it is very important that the puppies get healthy food during their initial years. So let’s find out the best puppy food that will let your pet grow healthy.

What should be the minimum nutrient content of puppy food?
Best puppy food is a properly balanced meal which is a combination of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, fat minerals and water. Any brand that says that they make best puppy food must give 445 calories per serving. As per the chart provided by the American Association of Feed Control Officers (AAFCO), the best puppy food must have the following:

Nutrient Percentage

Protein 22%

Arginine 0.62%

Histidine 0.22%

Isoleucine 0.45%

Lysine 0.77%

Leucine 0.72%

Methionine + Cystine 0.53%

Phenylalanine +Tyrosine 0.89%

Threonine 0.58%

Tryptophan 0.20%

Valine 0.48%

Fat 8%

Calcium 1%

Phosphorous 0.8%

Sodium 0.3%

Chloride 0.45%

Some of the best puppy food brands that are known for their balanced nutrient contents are Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage, Taste of the Wild, Holistic Select, Wellness and Blue Buffalo.

Best puppy food must be rich in minerals, amino acids, fat, and protein. Apart from this, you also need to make sure your puppies get enough Omega 3 acids for healthy skin and proper development of eyes and brain. If your puppies are large breed, then you need to make sure they do not get any developmental diseases related to orthopedics. Usually, large puppies are prone to hip dysplasia which is a condition related to abnormal growth rate when they are deprived of essential nutrients in their diet. The diet meant for large breed puppies needs to be balanced in calcium and phosphorous because overeating calcium and phosphorous can make large breed puppies prone to orthopedic diseases. Also, the best puppy food designed for large breed puppies needs to be low in calorie and fat content.

Every nutrient in your puppy’s balanced food has a purpose and is essential for the healthy growth of your puppy. The nutrients keep the puppy away from serious health conditions related to heart, kidney, and other vital organs. The nutrients in the best puppy food help to build muscles, maintain the muscle tone and also repair the muscles. The nutrients also build healthy teeth and bones and make puppy active. When your puppy eats nutritious food, it gets the stamina to fight off infections. The protein in the diet helps the muscles to grow and function properly. Fats play an important role in providing energy and helping the brain to function normally. Fat also helps the skin and the hair to be healthy and shiny. The carbohydrates provide enough energy for the puppy to be active throughout the day. The minerals in the food are essential for the muscle contraction and the conduction of the nerve. The vitamins along with the minerals develop the puppy’s immune system and maintain the metabolism. Also, they together repair the damaged cells and help in regenerating and maintaining the normal function of the cells.