Dry Food for Your Puppy - What You Should Consider
Your puppy will soon be moving in with you, and you are naturally already thinking about what food to give your little four-legged friend to ensure he is well taken care of and has plenty of energy for the day. Surely, you have already noticed that there is a huge selection of dry food with various ingredients. Many questions may arise, such as: Which is →healthy food? In this article, you will definitely find some clarity.
What is Dry Food, Actually?
Dry food is generally classified, just like wet food, as complete feed. This means it contains everything your puppy needs for a healthy and balanced diet: Juicy meat, combined with selected fruits and vegetables. Additionally, nutritious oils and fresh herbs. Dry food has a moisture content of about 10%. Since dry food is essentially "highly concentrated energy," the portion sizes are also significantly smaller than, for example, wet food.
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Which Dry Food is Best Suited for Puppies?
A puppy is not yet an adult dog. Consequently, it has a different nutrient requirement than an adult dog. Special →dry food for puppies and young dogs optimally meets this nutrient requirement and provides a foundation for a long and happy dog life. Specially developed recipes with high-quality ingredients are perfectly tailored to the important growth phase of your furry friend.
Dry Food from Pets Deli
At Pets Deli, you will find in our range our dry food with poultry and salmon, sweet potatoes, and flaxseed, as well as our dry food with turkey, duck, sweet potato, and chamomile. Both varieties are perfectly aligned with the nutrient needs of puppies and young dogs and provide him with sufficient energy for the day.
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When Can Puppies Eat Dry Food?
From the 4th week of life, a puppy can be supplemented with dry food in addition to mother's milk. Gradually, the mother will distance herself from the puppies, and more and more dry food can be fed, so that the puppy can easily eat dry food as a complete feed by about 7 - 8 weeks. This means your dog is generally already capable of chewing dry food when he finally moves in with you. However, since dry food contains very little liquid, you should ensure that your dog always has access to fresh water. This will also optimally cover his fluid needs. If your darling doesn't like dry food very much, you can also soak it in some lukewarm water.
When your puppy moves in with you, everything is of course still new for him, and he is not yet familiar with all the new smells and strange faces. Therefore, it is advisable to continue feeding the dog for a few days with the familiar food before you then gradually →switch to new food. This way, you spare him unnecessary stress.
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How Much Dry Food Does the Puppy Need?
When →your dog has just moved in with you, he can receive 4 meals daily. From the 6th month of life, you can reduce the frequency to two or three meals a day.
Attention: Don't forget that dry food contains much less water than, for example, wet food when feeding. Therefore, you need to feed the puppy much smaller portions than is the case with wet food. Be sure to check the [→feeding recommendation](https://www.petsdeli.de/pages/unsere-futterungsempfehlungen) on the packaging of the dry food to be sure and provide plenty of water.
Advantages of Dry Food at a Glance:
- contains all essential nutrients for a balanced diet
- easy to transport and store
- easy to portion
- perfect for on the go and during training sessions
- very economical and often more cost-effective
- long shelf life
