We raise our puppies on high quality puppy food. We searched for a company that doesn't ingredient split, avoids ethoxyquin, has a healthy grain inclusive diet, a good reputation, good customer service/reviews, and no past recalls for a long time. We finally found a dog food brand that checks off everything we wanted, and that was TLC Pet Food. It can be very difficult to determine if a pet food is good or not without knowledge on what to look for. When it really gets down to it, trying to find a good dog food can be extremely confusing, as everyone has a different opinion on what a dog's diet should include or not include. For us, we think a grain inclusive diet is much healthier for a dog than a strictly raw or grain-free diet. Grain-free and raw diets have been linked to canine heart disease by the FDA, so that is why we trust more traditional recipes with simple ingredients. We obviously hope you can keep your puppy on the food we start them on, but if you decide to switch we hope you do plenty of research on dog food brands so you can make your own informed decision on what is right for your dog.
While puppies are growing rapidly, it is critically important to get their nutrition right.
Growing puppies need to eat enough to support growth but they should not be fat, because any extra weight can increase the risk of developing hip dysplasia. An additional problem is that puppies getting too much food could also consume too much of specific nutrients. Puppies fed a quality commercial puppy food in the proper amount will have a nutritionally balanced diet and should not receive any supplements. Dietary supplements, especially of calcium, are not only unnecessary but could cause serious problems.
Why Choose TLC Pet Food?
-
Premium quality pet food, made using wholesome, natural ingredients
-
Delivered fresh and delivered FREE to your door
-
No risk, money-back guarantee
-
Schedule using Autoship and never worry about running out of food!
SAVE $5 OFF Your First Order When You Use Our Link!
TLC is sold exclusively online and delivers their pet food for FREE anywhere in Canada and the U.S. Using the convenience of Autoship, you can schedule your pet’s food deliveries according to their needs! You can change, adjust and cancel Autoship anytime, giving you the flexibility you need as your pet grows.
Enjoy $5 OFF Your First Order and Recieve + Free Gift When You Use Our Link:
HOW TO TRANSITION YOUR PUPPIES FOOD
Puppies have very sensitive stomachs. Puppy stomachs can be upset by anything from stress, a slight change in diet, or ingestion of foreign bodies. Please note that if your puppy is experiencing diarrhea it may not be a cause for concern. However, your puppy should be taken to the vet if the diarrhea persists or they are exhibiting any other symptoms of sickness.
Food allergies are very common and might not present themselves until the puppy is older. Watch your puppy for signs of allergies such as diarrhea, itching, rashes, ear infections, coughing, sneezing, etc. Most dog allergies are triggered by protein sources, so if your puppy is showing signs of food allergies consider switching them to a puppy food with a different protein source, such as salmon.
We recommend keeping your puppy on the food we start them on, but if you plan on transitioning to another pet food, make sure you are taking the steps to appropriately transition them. Switching your puppy's food too abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Ideally transitioning to a new food should take 5-7 days. During this transition you will gradually incorporate more and more of the new food by mixing it with your dog's current diet. For most dogs, a good diet transition will look like this:
Day 1 & 2: 25% new diet and 75% old diet
Day 3 & 4: 50% new diet and 50% old diet
Day 5 & 6: 75% new diet and 25% old diet
Day 7: 100% new diet.
FEEDING GUIDLINES & RECOMMENDATIONS
- Do not feed free choice.
- Feed controlled portions 3-4 times per day until the puppy is at least 6 months of age. Thereafter, 2-3 meals a day are acceptable. Remove any uneaten food after 20-30 minutes. Ideally, keep a log of daily food intake if there are several people in your household feeding your puppy.
- Monitor your puppies weight and body score weekly.
- Feed in a quiet place. Some dogs eat too much or too quickly, especially in the presence of other pets or people. For quick eaters, we recommend using a slow feeder or puzzle toy for meal time.
- Avoid feeding just prior to or just after exercise.
- Feed healthy treats. Many treats on the market are very high in calories, fat, and salt. Treats have to be taken into account when calculating how many calories the puppy needs daily. Consider feeding kibble as treats for highly food motivated puppies and reducing the size of meals with the amount of kibble given as treats.
- Avoid supplements of any kind. Good quality puppy food is balanced in vitamins and minerals. Don't upset the balance by adding supplements, raw meat, milk, bones, etc.
- Do not feed raw meat. Raw meat can contain a number of pathogenic bacteria and parasites that would be hazardous to your puppy's health. A complete raw diet is not a balanced diet and would have a large number of nutrient deficiencies.
- Avoid dog foods that are marketed as grain-free. Grain-free dog foods usually contain dangerous fillers like lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and potatoes. Foods with these ingredients have been linked to canine heart disease by the FDA.
- Do not feed bones. Bones damage teeth. Cooked bones are dangerous and can break into bone fragments that can lodge anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract.
- When considering a change in your dog's diet, speak to a veterinarian. Please don't ask pet store employees for advice on animal nutrition.
- Keeping your puppy or dog at a lean weight helps with their health. Health concerns such as hip dysplasia and intervertebral disc disease are influenced by environmental factors like weight and diet. The proper growth of your puppy's hips can be influenced by the extra pressure put on their joints when puppies are overfed and overweight.
BODY CONDITION SCORE CHART
