How to Choose the Best Dog Food for American Staffordshire Terrier Puppies
American Staffordshire Terrier puppies are happy little souls, full of adventure and fun. This charming breed is a natural born athlete and requires regular daily exercise to remain physically and mentally content. Because this pup is so highly active, excess weight gain is not a concern.
The American Staffordshire Terrier puppy will grow up to be a power breed. Its physique will be well muscled and strong. A dog breed once used as a pit fighting dog, the American Staffordshire Terrier is loving and affectionate towards people but possesses a high prey drive and can display aggression towards small animals. The best means to prevent this is early socialization if the pup is to join a multi-pet home.
Because the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy will grow up to be very strong, it is very important that owners train this pup to respect boundaries. The breed is renowned for having strong jaws, and if allowed to become bored, the Amstaff pup can be destructive.
A dog breed that typically enjoys good health, the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy can be prone to allergies to certain foods. With this in mind, some owners prefer to feed their puppies a grain-free diet. Other ingredients that may be best avoided include the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat.
The best dog foods for American Staffordshire Terrier puppies contain a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat. It is also important that the food contain the correct amount of calcium to phosphorus to encourage a healthy rate of bone growth. Experts agree that this should be 1.2 parts of calcium for each included unit of phosphorus.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for American Staffordshire Terrier Puppies
It can be difficult trying to understand how much food an American Staffordshire Terrier puppy should be fed, particularly since the breed is highly active. The best dog foods for American Staffordshire Terrier puppies provide suggested serving sizes. It is recommended that these be used as rough guidelines with marginal adjustments made until the correct portion size is found.
American Staffordshire Terrier puppies should never be free fed. Instead, all intake should be measured and monitored daily to ensure a healthy body weight is achieved and maintained.
Dietary Requirements for American Staffordshire Terrier Puppy Foods
To enjoy optimal health and wellness, the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy requires a diet that is well-balanced and based on a lean meat protein. The best dog foods for American Staffordshire Terrier puppies take a whole meat as their basis, but meat meals also offer all of the nutrition growing puppies need. By-products are not of sufficient nutritional quality to benefit the active Amstaff pup, and thus, should be carefully avoided.
Plant-based proteins like corn, wheat, and soy are very difficult for puppies like the Amstaff to process and utilize well. These are best avoided. Other ingredients offering no real benefit to this sometimes skin and stomach sensitive breed include chemicals, additives, preservatives, fillers, artificial colors, and flavors.
Though some owners prefer feeding their American Staffordshire Terrier puppy a grain-free diet to prevent any potential allergy problems, most dogs can eat a diet that includes whole grains in its formulation without any difficulty. The carbohydrate content of a food can come from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables. The main importance of any included ingredient is its high fiber and antioxidant profile.
It is from healthy fats that the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy gains assistance with brain and eye development, support for coat and skin health, and a fortification of energy reserves. Healthy fats are best taken from animal sources such as chicken fat and oily fish. However, many plant-based oils like canola, safflower, and coconut are also excellent.
It is always a great idea to purchase a food that includes supplements to help boost the effects of a puppy’s nutrition. The ideal supplements for the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for American Staffordshire Terrier Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a American Staffordshire Terrier puppy:
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Lean meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
American Staffordshire Terrier puppies require a diet that is based on a lean meat to achieve and maintain optimal health. Whole meats are the best option, but a meat meal also offers a powerhouse serving of vital nutrients.
Items not suited as the basis of a diet for the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy include by-products and the plant-based proteins soy, corn, and wheat.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
Chemicals, fillers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and mystery ingredients provide no nutritional benefit to an American Staffordshire Terrier puppy. Diets containing any of these items are best left on the shelf.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements help a diet to work its most effectively, and thus, can greatly aid the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy as it grows. The most beneficial supplements for this breed include glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the American Staffordshire Terrier puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.