Feeding Your Puppy

How to feed your new puppy?

Your puppy’s first year of life is the most important, and the same goes for their nutrition. When you first bring your pup home, you should feed it the same food its breeder had been feeding it to help your pup settle in. Any changes to your pup's food should happen gradually. Start introducing the new food by mixing some of the new food with the old food, and increase the ratio for about a week until the food is completely swapped out. It’s best to use two durable, tip-proof feeding bowls — one for food, and the other for water. It’s also advisable to put the bowls on a feeding mat in order to protect the surface underneath from spillage.

How to choose the correct puppy food?

Puppy food comes in both wet and dry varieties. What you choose is entirely down to your preference, as well as your puppy’s. However, be sure to choose food that is complete, giving your pup all the nutrients it needs to reach its full potential without the need for supplementation. 

Like with food for humans, the quality of pet food varies. To choose the most nutritious and beneficial food for your puppy, be sure to read the information on the  packaging. It should indicate whether it contains useful fortifications such as vitamins and minerals. Be cautious about added salt, though, since too much salt can pose a risk to your puppy’s kidneys. Remember that it’s always best to ask the advice of your vet if you are in any doubt about animal nutrition.

What is the difference between wet and dry food?

Dry food is probably the most common form of puppy nutrition. It’s available as bite-size, uniformly-shaped pellets. It's a very convenient source of food, since it’s available in large bags, is easy to serve, keeps well, and is very cost-effective.

Wet food, on the other hand, is usually packed in cans or pouches. Since it’s fresher and more perishable than dry food, with a much shorter shelf life, it’s often more expensive. However, it can be more nutritious, and can also provide some welcome variety at mealtimes.

What are the benefits of Hill's puppy food?

Hill's puppy food uses a special formulation that’s packed with a perfectly-balanced range of nutrients to help your puppy grow, including health-enhancing vitamins and minerals. It also includes omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA, which enhances the development of your puppy’s brain and eyesight.