..… Drum roll please!                  

Pat, what should I feed my puppy?  Actually there’s two ways you can go with this, feeding raw or feeding Kibble.  I’ve fed my dogs both; however as of the last few years I’ve switched totally to feeding very nutritious dry kibble.  For me it’s just so easy, no other reason.   You have to understand, we have 3 dogs in the house, so feeding this gang can get pretty time consuming doing it any other way!  There are so many healthy, good, dog foods being produced and sold locally now that finding one is relatively easy.  Many times my clients will contact me and ask me what I’d recommend they feed their puppies.  I’ll tell them what I’m using, (I vary depending on if I’m planning on switching puppies over from “mother’s milk” to puppy food).  I usually choose from one of the following, Orijen, Acana, Innova, or Natures Variety Instinct, but occasionally I’ll check one of these sites and try a new one to offer something different to my dogs.  The sites I like to go to that are easy to use and offer oodles of information are:  http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/8 or http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com (click on “Reviews”).  You can print out these lists and take them with you to your pet store to purchase.     

Don’t fall into the trap of purchasing based on the name of a dog food, some sound very enticing…Science (sounds like a smart choice), Beneful (must have some benefits to it), you get the idea, buyer beware.  Most of these “grocery store brands” are rated the lowest on the reviews listed above.  Purina, (very popular, must be good); if you look at the ingredients listed on the bag, if they begin with anything other than meat, chicken, beef, turkey, don’t feed it to your dog.  If it begins with whole grain or whole grain corn, don’t feed it to your dog, it’s like feeding potato chips or some other “filler” type food to your precious puppy.  Would you feed this type of food to your child?  I’d hope not!  Science Diet is often offered by your vet, PLEASE check out the ratings on Science Diet and make your own decisions.  Vets’ don’t just sell manufactures’ products out of the goodness of their heart; they’re getting a kick back with every bag they sell.  BUYER BEWARE, do your homework.  The first year of your puppy’s life is when all their bones are being formed, when they need the extra protein for energy, and unless you’re feeding them a good dog food, they’re just not getting what they need.

Feeding raw is how I used to feed, when I had the time.  Many people swear by it, it IS a very healthy alternative to kibble.  There are many articles on the web about feeding raw, about the BARF diet, you may just want to investigate this way of feeding and avoid the uncertainty of feeding kibble, again, just do your homework.  I still feed my dogs raw, meaty, frozen bones, they’re great for their teeth and breath, great for exercise, and keeping their gums pink and healthy.  They also entertain a puppy for hours at a time and the adult dogs just love them.  So, even though you might decide to feed kibble, it’s ok to occasionally offer your canine companion a wonderful treat like a raw, meaty bone.