How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Brittany Puppies
The Brittany puppy is a lively ball of fun, eager to take on any adventure that comes its way. A breed with a natural elegance to it, this sporting dog traces its roots to France and the city from which it takes its name: Brittany. The Brittany was located in a city directly across the English Channel from Wales, and it is believed the trade cooperations between the countries led to several of the same dogs utilized in older pedigrees which explain the close likenesses of the Brittany to the Welsh Springer Spaniel in some respects.
A breed first developed in the 1600s, the earliest Brittanys were partridge hunting dogs that were liver and white in color. Over time, the breed was further developed through the addition of dogs of different colors with the main goal being to move the Brittany from a pointing breed to one that was also an excellent retriever.
Though the Brittany’s original handle included the term “spaniel,” breeders have been hard at work to have this portion of the name formally removed from the dog’s breed title. This is because spaniels work by flushing out their prey on a hunt, a trait the Brittany does not share.
A popular gundog, the Brittany puppy is exceptionally friendly, enjoying the company of family, friends, and strangers alike. This happy little pooch is excellent with children as well as with all animals with the notable exception of birds.
The Brittany has exceptionally high activity needs and is not suited to the couch potato lifestyle. Owners of this hardy pup must be prepared to take it for vigorous daily exercise sessions regularly to keep this pup satisfied. During the puppy years, it is recommended that all activity be broken down into shorter segments to help promote a healthy rate of development in the Brittany pup.
The Brittany puppy is very smart and is quite easy to train. The breed excels at many different activities including flyball, agility, conformation, field trials, obedience, Rally, and much, much more. This dog type is equally at home out on adventures with its family, taking great delight in everything from walks to jogs to hikes and more.
A pup with very high energy levels, the Brittany is unlikely to become overweight. Still, this dog type should never be free fed.
Soft-natured at heart, the Brittany puppy is very sensitive. This pup should be trained using positive reinforcement techniques only.
Though most often a very healthy dog, the Brittany puppy can be genetically predisposed to developing hypothyroidism, epilepsy, and hip dysplasia. Diet alone cannot prevent disease from occurring in the Brittany; however, it can lay an excellent foundation for overall wellness. The best dog foods for the Brittany contains supplements to support joint health.
The ideal diet for this active sporting breed puppy should contain approximately 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat. To help support an appropriate growth rate in this lively pup, the proper proportions of calcium to phosphorus should be included in its diet: 1.2 units of calcium for each included unit of phosphorus.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Brittany Puppies
Brittany puppies are hardy little souls with energy to spare. Once the correct diet to fuel this breed has been found, it is then time to determine how much the pup should get each meal. The best dog foods for Brittany puppies list suggested serving sizes on their packaging. These amounts are based on a pup’s age and weight and can be adjusted until the correct meal portion is found for that particular pup.
Though the Brittany puppy is not prone to weight gain, the breed can easily become underweight. Likewise, this pup can be predisposed to hip dysplasia, making maintaining a healthy body weight of great importance. To this end, this pup should never be free fed. All intake should be measured and all daily meals supervised to ensure the Brittany puppy receives adequate nutrition each day.
Dietary Requirements for Brittany Puppy Foods
The Brittany puppy requires a diet based on a lean meat protein to attain optimal health and wellness. The best dog foods for Brittany puppies take a whole meat or meat meal as their foundation. By-products and plant proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat are lacking in the nutritional quality the active Brittany pup needs to fuel its busy lifestyle. For this reason, diets containing them are best avoided.
Carbohydrates form an important part of the Brittany puppy’s diet, contributing the antioxidants and dietary fiber the breed needs for good digestion and a healthy immune system. These carbohydrates can come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or a combination of the three.
Healthy fats lay an excellent foundation for coat and skin health, brain and eye development, and strong reserves of energy in the Brittany puppy. These ingredients are best found in foods such as oily fish and chicken fat or the plant-based oils canola, coconut, safflower, or sunflower.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Brittany Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Brittany puppy:
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Lean, meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
Whole meats or meat meals make the best foundation for a high quality diet for the athletic Brittany puppy.
Foods containing by-products and the plant-based proteins corn, soy, and wheat are best avoided.
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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 a growing Brittany puppy. Any foods containing these items is best left on the shelf.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
All foods benefit from enrichment from helpful supplements which can help the diet to be more balanced and effective. The supplements to look for in a puppy food for a Brittany are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
DHA is also an excellent addition to a puppy food, assisting with brain development.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Brittany puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.