How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Afghan Hound Puppies
The Afghan Hound puppy is a delightful pooch full of enthusiasm, energy, and fun. A dog that traces its roots to Afghanistan, the Afghan Hound is considered to be one of the world’s oldest breeds. This dog’s original purpose was found in large game hunts. Its ability to traverse large tracts of land in efficient, graceful movements allowed the Afghan Hound to keep pace with leopards on a hunt.
A dog of immense bravery, the Afghan Hound puppy has a very strong prey drive. As a result, this breed should always be kept securely contained. Naturally athletic and full of grace, the Afghan Hound puppy requires regular daily exercise to remain content.
A sighthound, the Afghan Hound puppy has incredible vision that allows it to view things a great distance away from the dog. Highly independent, the Afghan Hound puppy is intelligent but can be very stubborn. Training is not always a part of this large breed pup’s agenda. Positive reinforcement training techniques are the best means to motivate this sometimes obstinate pup.
The Afghan Hound puppy is very affectionate with its family. However, as the breed develops, it becomes more aloof even to those it loves most. Naturally wary of strangers, the Afghan Hound prefers its own company, making it known when affection is desired and preferring solitude the rest of the time.
A comical little pup, the Afghan Hound puppy is sure to entertain its family. The breed takes great delight in stealing things from unusual places.
Naturally very athletic, the Afghan Hound puppy is not predisposed to becoming overweight. However, as with all breeds, there are some health conditions that the Afghan Hound can be genetically prone to developing. These include hip and elbow dysplasia, thyroiditis, juvenile cataracts, laryngeal paralysis, and more. The best dog foods for Afghan Hound puppies include supplements to support optimal eye and joint health.
A large breed dog, the Afghan Hound puppy does not gain full maturity until the dog is approximately three years of age. To ensure a healthy rate of bone growth, this pup should be fed a large breed puppy food until the dog reaches one year of age or 75 percent of its full adult size. At that time, the dog should be transitioned to a suitable adult diet.
The ideal puppy food for the Afghan Hound pup contains approximately 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat. Another critical component of a diet that is best for this pup is that it includes the proper ratio of calcium to phosphorus. This is rated as 1.2 parts of calcium for each included unit of phosphorus.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Afghan Hound Puppies
The highly active Afghan Hound puppy requires a large breed puppy formulation that prioritizes lean and easily digestible meats as foundational ingredients. Once an appropriate diet for this breed has been found, it is then necessary to determine how much of the food to feed the pup. The best dog foods for Afghan Hound puppies list suggested serving sizes based on age and weight. These guidelines provide an excellent starting point, and adjustments can be made to reflect the unique needs of that pup until the appropriate portion is found.
Free feeding the Afghan Hound puppy is very strongly discouraged. Since achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is critical to good health, all food for this pup should be carefully measured and all intake monitored.
Dietary Requirements for Afghan Hound Puppy Foods
The Afghan Hound puppy is an energetic little pooch, requiring a diet that prioritizes lean meats and highly digestible ingredients in its formulation. The best dog foods for Afghan Hound puppies list a whole meat or meat meal as their foundational ingredients. Of lesser nutritional quality and ingredients best avoided entirely are by-products and the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat.
Chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives are sometimes utilized in commercially prepared diets to improve a food’s appearance, taste, or shelf life. These offer no nutritional benefits to the Afghan Hound puppy and can be common allergens for many dogs.
From carbohydrates, the Afghan Hound puppy gains the nutrients required for good digestion and a healthy immune system. Carbohydrates can come from antioxidant and fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, or whole grains, or a combination of the three. Dogs with sensitivities to grains may do best on a grain-free diet.
Healthy fats are the building blocks of the Afghan Hound puppy’s diet. These fats contribute the nutrients this pup needs for coat and skin health, strong energy reserves, and brain and eye development. Chicken fat and oily fish offer bountiful amounts of these important essential fatty acids; however, they can also be found in plant-based oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, and coconut.
It is always a great idea to consider a diet that includes beneficial supplements to support optimal health and wellness in the Afghan Hound puppy. The best supplements for this breed include glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Afghan Hound Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for an Afghan Hound puppy:
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Lean, meat-based proteins listed at the beginning of the ingredients list
The best dog foods for Afghan Hound puppies base their recipe on a lean, meat-based protein. The ideal foundation for a diet for this growing large breed pup is a whole meat or meat meal. Ingredients that should be avoided include by-products and plant proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
Unnecessary add-ons that provide no positive nutritional impact such as chemicals, fillers, colors, flavors, or mystery ingredients should be avoided. These can have harmful effects on the Afghan Hound puppy’s system and can even lead to allergic reactions.
Any of the aforementioned items are hallmarks of a low-quality food that is not suitable for a growing Afghan Hound puppy’s daily needs.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
The ideal supplements for the Afghan Hound puppy are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All puppy foods considered for the Afghan Hound pup should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it is a complete and balanced diet.