How do you know which is the best food to feed you new puppy? This is the question confronting all new puppy owners. After all, there are many different brands on the market. You may think they are all the same - or at least probably OK - but this is actually far from the case. There are many foods that are simply not good; they will not only fail to give your pup the nutrition it needs (no matter what the packaging says) but the food may even cause health problems later in the animal's life. Poor quality food is increasingly recognized as one of the major causes of health problems in dogs.

By getting a puppy in the first place you really have a responsibility to do the best that you can regarding its nutrition. The early years are also the most important in a dog's life. It is here that you lay down the foundations for its health later in life. Take that responsibility seriously by finding out a bit about pet nutrition and making the best decision you can.

Obviously, where you bought the puppy from will probably give you some advice on what to feed. It might be a good idea to continue with the same food they have been using but it is by no means essential. Be aware too that the person you are buying the puppy from may have other reasons for using the food they do, such as costs or getting a special deal from the pet food company. And just because they may be a professional is no guarantee that they know much about pet nutrition either.

You should look into the quality of various foods yourself and there is really only one way to do this and that is to look at the ingredients and know what they mean. Puppy foods should always have a named meat (such as lamb or chicken) as the first ingredient listed on the label. Stay away from foods containing wheat or other cereals, soy, beef, animal fat, meat meal or by products. These are all of limited nutritional value and can also cause allergies in puppies. And of course anything artificial such as flavorings, colorings or preservatives should be avoided completely; there is simply no place for them in a puppy's diet.

For your puppy's sake, give it the best start in life with the right puppy food. That cheap bag may have attractive packaging and say all sorts of things on the label. But the ingredients will really tell you the true story as to whether it is going to be something good for your puppy or not.

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