How to Select the Best Dog Food for Havanese Puppies
The Havanese puppy is a charming whirlwind of activity. A happy little pooch, the Havanese puppy’s charming ways endear it to all it meets. A breed developed in Cuba to serve as a cherished family companion of the wealthy and royalty, the Havanese puppy is happiest nestled in its family’s lap. However, this breed is also highly intelligent and enjoys learning new things.
Though the Havanese puppy appears to be a sophisticated little creature, the breed has vast reserves of energy and needs regular daily exercise to maintain a good body condition and a positive attitude. This breed is most content when in the presence of its family and can develop anxiety if left alone too long or too often.
A versatile little pup, the Havanese puppy excels at many different pursuits including agility, Rally, flyball, therapy work, and obedience. The Havanese puppy is very social, enjoying the company of its family, friends, strangers, and even other animals. This breed’s laidback nature makes it an excellent choice for life in a multi-pet family.
The Havanese puppy is not particularly prone to gaining weight. However, free feeding is still strongly discouraged. All intake should be measured and all intake monitored to ensure a healthy weight is achieved and maintained.
The best dog foods for Havanese puppies consist of a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat. In addition to this, owners should look for a food that contains the correct amount of calcium to phosphorus to support a healthy rate of bone growth. This is defined as 1.2 parts of calcium to each included unit of phosphorus.
The Havanese puppy can suffer from gastrointestinal distress. Because of this, owners should look for a diet that is made up of easily digestible ingredients. Prebiotics and probiotics can also provide a great help in establishing healthy gut flora.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Havanese Puppies
The Havanese puppy requires an exceptional diet to help support its daily nutritional needs. Once an owner has selected an appropriate food, it is then a matter of determining how much of said food to feed the pup. The best dog foods for Havanese puppies list suggested serving sizes on the side of the bag that owners can use as a starting point in ascertaining proper portions.
The dog’s weight, appetite, age, and daily activity levels will all serve as helpful guidelines in finding the right meal size for the dog. Adjustments will need to continually be made as the pup grows.
Dietary Requirements for Havanese Puppy Foods
Since dogs are naturally carnivores, the best dog foods for Havanese puppies should be based on a lean meat-based protein. The ideal foundation for these diets is a whole meat or a meat meal. By-products are typically taken from parts of the animal that are not considered to be marketable for human consumption. They are not easy for puppies to digest, and thus, are best avoided.
Plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat are common allergens for many dogs. Since the Havanese puppy can be prone to skin and stomach problems, it is best to leave foods containing these items on the shelf. Other ingredients not suited to the Havanese puppy include chemicals, fillers, additives, preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors.
Havanese puppies can typically enjoy a diet that is grain-free or grain-inclusive without any ill effects. However, puppies that have previously shown some sensitivities to certain grains may do best on a grain-free diet. The carbohydrates in a diet for this breed may come from fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. Their role is to promote good digestion and a healthy immune system.
Healthy fats help the Havanese puppy to have the support required for brain and eye development and also encourage coat and skin health. The ideal sources for these items are animal-based and include such foods as oily fish and chicken fat. Plant-based oils such as canola, coconut, and safflower are also excellent purveyors of essential fatty acids.
Supplements added to a food can greatly aid the Havanese puppy’s health and development. The ideal supplements to look for are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Havanese Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for a Havanese puppy:
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Lean meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
Lean proteins should be the first ingredients in any diet suited to the needs of the Havanese puppy. It is best to select a diet that bases its formula on a whole meat or meat meal.
By-products and plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat can be common allergens for many dogs and can also be difficult for puppies to digest. These 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 Havanese puppy. Diets containing these ingredients should be avoided.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements are a great boost to a puppy’s health and wellness. The ideal supplements to look for in a food for the Havanese puppy are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Havanese puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.