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After careful analysis, our top recommended wet puppy food is Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy Pate.
It’s been specifically formulated to support the nutrition of a growing pup. It’s well balanced, highly palatable and good for overall health.
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When feeding your puppy, you may wish to explore wet food options as well as (or instead of) dry kibble. Whilst dry food is often more convenient, some puppies may prefer the smell, taste and texture of wet foods. This could be useful if your pup is a bit picky with his food, plus the increased moisture content can help with keeping them well hydrated too. Most people will transition pups over to dry food again as they mature, but meanwhile, here are the main things to consider when choosing wet food for your puppy.
Most wet foods are naturally more meat-based than dry kibbles, but it’s still worth checking the protein profile to be sure. Puppies need more protein than adult dogs, so the diet should have at least 22.5% protein on a dry matter basis.
Choose a diet that contains animal fats such as chicken or fish oil. These will give your pup a valuable source of energy as well as essential nutrients. Most puppies find animal fats tastier than vegetable-derived ones too. The overall fat content shouldn’t be too high though at around 10% to avoid unwanted weight gain.
Getting the calcium level right for your growing puppy is important for their bone and joint development. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be around 1:2. If calcium levels are too high it can lead to skeletal malformations.
Selecting a diet that is AAFCO approved will assure you that the food is suitable for your puppies age and/or size. This certification states that the food is complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage. Choose a diet formulated for growth for the best nutrition for your puppy.
All of our dog food suggestions are carefully selected by professionals. We extensively research the products to check if they’ve been approved by governing bodies before making recommendations. You can read more about our stringent review standards here. And remember, always consult your veterinarian first, before changing your dog’s food.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy Pate is one of the best wet foods for puppies, that has been uniquely formulated to address the nutritional needs of developing pups. This food is properly balanced to encourage a correct rate of growth and optimal wellness. Its main ingredient is whole chicken, an excellent quality protein that is fortified by the addition of chicken liver and turkey to provide a powerhouse punch of nutrients.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy Pate is free from wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Solid Gold Love At First Bark Puppy is a wet food of exceptional quality to provide support for puppies through their critical developmental periods. A high-protein recipe, this diet contains both whole chicken and chicken liver to provide a healthy serving of the amino acids required to encourage lean, strong muscle growth.
A food that resembles a meat and vegetable-rich and tasty stew, Solid Gold Love At First Bark Puppy is extremely flavorful and is also dense with antioxidants and fiber from the inclusion of carbohydrate superfoods such as pumpkin, spinach, cranberries, and blueberries. This makes it one of the best wet puppy foods on the market.
Solid Gold Love At First Bark Puppy contains no fillers, corn, wheat, soy, grain, gluten, carrageenan, or artificial preservatives.
For a highly nutritious food that puppies just love, it’s hard to beat Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plate. A food that is rich in protein, the first ingredients in this powerhouse wet diet included deboned chicken and turkey, ensuring adequate amino acids to support a puppy’s development, health, and growth. The flavor of the food is enhanced with chicken broth to make an appetizing gravy, giving the food a high appeal.
A grain-free food, Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Plates takes its carbohydrates from fiber-rich and easily digestible fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and peas. This premium-quality wet food contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, making it one of the best wet foods for puppies.
Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Puppy offers puppy owners value, quality, and excellent nutrition all in one convenient package; it really is one of the best wet puppy foods you can buy. This diet’s main ingredients include both chicken and turkey, two meats of exceptional quality.
This diet has been fortified through the addition of helpful fruits, vegetables, and herbs to provide maximum health benefits. Among the high-fiber superfoods included in this recipe are blueberries, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Puppy contains no corn, wheat, or soy.
Avoderm Natural Puppy is a high-quality wet food that has been formulated specifically to address the needs of growing puppies. Avoderm’s recipe makes it one of the best wet foods for puppies with sensitive stomachs. Its formulation has been specifically crafted to be properly balanced to support health and wellness.
Natural immunity is enhanced through antioxidant-rich foods. Avocado and avocado oil has also been included to boost omega 3 and 6 fatty acid content to provide vital energy and to support healthy skin and coat.
Though most new puppy owners continue their breeder’s tradition by feeding their new canine pals a dry kibble, wet food is an excellent alternative for puppies. Wet foods can be quite dense in calories and are easy to eat. They are also highly flavorful, making them a natural puppy attractant.
There are several benefits to feeding puppies wet food. Since puppies are naturally busy little creatures, many of them aren’t interested in stopping long enough to consume a meal. For the active pup, wet food is quick and easy to consume. It is calorie-dense, providing maximum nutrition in a compact meal.
Canned foods include water in their formulation to help keep the food moist and delicious for puppies to enjoy. Many puppies are not optimal drinkers, making it quite easy for them to become dehydrated. Since wet foods are high in water content, they replenish water while also nourishing the pup’s body, providing maximum nutritional benefits in one delicious meal.
For puppies who have lost interest in their kibble, the addition of a little bit of wet food can help pique the pup’s interest, encouraging a hearty appetite once again.
As puppies age, it is recommended that they be transitioned to a kibble, raw food, or homecooked diet as their primary source of nutrition. Wet foods can lead to plaque accumulation leading to tartar buildup and early tooth decay.
Any food for a puppy should have the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus to encourage a healthy rate of growth. Look for a food that lists 1.2 parts of calcium to each single unit of phosphorus.
Puppies should be fed a puppy food until they reach one year of age or 75 percent of their adult size. At this time, the dog can be transitioned to an appropriate adult diet.
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To help determine how much of the best wet food to feed a puppy, it is an excellent idea to use the suggested serving sizes on the can of food as a starting point. This amount can then be adjusted to meet the puppy’s nutritional needs based on its weight, appetite, breed, and activity level.
As puppies grow, the amount of food they should be fed will change. Use the puppy’s body condition and appetite to help make adjustments on an as-needed basis.
Care should be taken not to overfeed as this can lead to weight gain.
Any diet suitable for a puppy’s needs should contain an excellent quality meat-based protein as its first ingredient. Whole meats are the preferred choice, but meat meals are also acceptable. By-products are not of sufficient quality to meet the nutritional requirements of developing puppies.
Plant-based proteins such as soy, wheat, and corn are very hard for puppies to process and utilize effectively. They are also common food allergens for many dogs, and thus, any diets containing them are best avoided.
Carbohydrates form only a small part of a good diet for puppies, but they do provide valuable dietary fiber and antioxidants. Of primary importance for any carbohydrates included in a food for a puppy is its ease of digestibility, whether the carb is derived from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables.
Healthy fats are a critical component of any diet for a puppy. They are the source from which puppies obtain the energy to maintain an active lifestyle. Healthy fats also assist with healthy coat and skin. The best wet puppy food ingredients for healthy fats are animal-based and include such items as chicken fat and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines.
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in a wet food for puppies:
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