Best Puppy Food For Pugs

Homemade Dog Food Sources

• Meats: chicken, turkey, beef, bison, pork, lamb, venison
• Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, thawed frozen peas
• Complex carbohydrates: brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, lentils, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, winter squash

Recommended Serving Amounts

• 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
• 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
• 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog

This information is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Every dog’s dietary needs are different. Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when applying this information to your own dog’s diet.

Ingredients Needed For This Homemade Dog Food Recipe:

This DIY dog food made at home is filled with rich protein, vegetables, and healthy grains. Heres what youll need:

• Coconut oil provides a variety of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, and reducing allergic reactions, just to name a few. And just like us, your dog needs healthy fats in their diet.
• Ground turkey will add necessary protein to your dogs diet, as well as important vitamins and minerals.
• Veggies this homemade dog food recipe uses a mix of zucchini, spinach and carrots. All are safe for dogs and will provide your baby with a variety of nutrients.
• Turmeric a dog-safe seasoning that also provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Egg for extra protein and nutrients.
• Rice a complex carb that provides energy and aids in gastrointestinal function.

Potential Pug Health Problems

Just like other specific breeds of dog, pugs can suffer from some health issues which are specific to them. And feeding your pup an unbalanced diet can end up exacerbating some of these issues, which is why it is so important that you watch what goes into their body.

Pugs are prone to developing allergies such as irritated skin and dandruff. A lot of these come from genetics, so there is not much that you can do about them directly. But you can try switching their food to a grain-free formula to reduce any irritation and cut down on their dandruff issues. For a wider selection of choices, check out our grain free dog food guide.

• Breathing Problems

While the wrinkly face of the pug is one of the main reasons why they have become so iconic, their wide head and short nose can result in breathing issues. If your dog starts to put on weight, this can end up making the issue worse by putting additional pressure on their respiratory system and making it harder for them to breathe normally.

Pugs are second on the breed list for the highest percentage of hip dysplasia cases. If they are carrying around excess weight, this can add an additional risk factor that they are going to suffer. So, feeding your dog a balanced diet is a good way of cutting back on their chances of gaining weight, and therefore reducing the chances that hip dysplasia will be an issue for them.

• Pug Dog Encephalitis

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Earthborn Holistic Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Earthborn Holistic is a brand trusted by millions of pet owners across the country for its consistency, quality, and sustainable practices. Earthborn aims to create the best dog foods with a more holistic approach to its ingredients, sourcing everything naturally whenever possible. Free of harmful dyes, fillers, and additives, this is the perfect option for concerned pet owners who are tired of buying the grocery store brand. This small breed dry dog food contains delicious turkey and brown rice for a flavor dogs love.

Key Ingredients

Turkey meal: Made from premium turkey cuts for protein and flavor.

Brown Rice: A whole-grain perfect for providing fiber and vital nutrients.

Pacific Whiting Meal: An Omega-3-rich fish for flavor and potent Omega-3s.

Cranberries, apples, carrots, spinach: Delicious fruits and veggies provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Where To Buy: This product is available from Chewy, PetCo, Amazon, and more.

Price: This product comes in a 4 or 12.5-lb bag, and costs $16.99 and $31.99 respectively .

American Journey Recipe Puppy Dry Dog Food

The American Journey Recipe Puppy Dry Dog Food starts off good with deboned chicken listed as its primary ingredient. Its also got vital nutrients to support your Pugs health, such as DHA and ARA for brain and vision development or calcium and phosphorus for bone health.

Though it looks good on paper, this food didnt sit well with several of our Pugs, with some of them downright refusing to touch it. Of the pups who would eat it, several had digestive issues afterward. This food seemed to upset their stomachs, possibly due to the grains in the ingredients list like brewers rice, brown rice, barley, flaxseed, and more. Either way, we werent happy with how our Pugs reacted to this American Journey food, so we wont be feeding it to them again.

We were immediately drawn to the dirt-cheap pricing and bulk sizing of the Diamond Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food. It seemed like a great way to save some money, but we soon found out that its not a great value at any price.

This food uses poor-quality protein sources. You wont find deboned chicken or beef listed here. Instead, youll see chicken by-product meal listed as the first and primary ingredient, followed immediately by whole grain ground corn. Since its a whole grain, this corn is not easily digestible for your Pug, though it is cheap to use as a filler ingredient, which is why its in this food.

• Contains less protein than many other brands
• Less than half of our Pugs would eat it

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Purina Pro Weight Management

With a fat content of 10% and a calorie count of 341 per cup, this healthy weight kibble ensures that his other nutritional needs are not forgotten. The protein content is 28% and his muscles, coat and bones are still well cared for with this recipe.

We loveWellness Complete products because they are all-natural, and the Healthy Weight formula is no different.

Royal Canin Pug Puppy

R212.00

Status:In stock

ROYAL CANIN Pug Puppy is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Pug puppies up to 10 months old.

ROYAL CANIN Pug Puppy is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Pug puppies up to 10 months old.

Suitable for Pugs up to 10 months old, ROYAL CANIN® Pug Puppy is specially formulated with all the nutritional needs of your puppy in mind. During this key growth period, your puppys immune system develops gradually. ROYAL CANIN® Pug Puppy contains a patented complex of antioxidants that helps to support its natural defences.

ROYAL CANIN® Pug Puppys exclusive formula contains a specific complex and the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA to help nourish and support the skins barrier role, this is important for optimal maintenance of your puppys healthy skin.

Whats more, ROYAL CANIN® Pug Puppy is formulated with nutrients specifically selected for their very high-quality protein and prebiotics to support your young pugs digestive health.

The kibble in ROYAL CANIN® Pug Puppy is tailor-made exclusively for the Pug breed. The shape of the Pugs jaw and its thick lips can make it quite difficult for it to pick up its food.

Thats why the shape and size of the kibble in this formula is specially designed to make it easy for your dog to pick it up. The adapted kibble also encourages your puppy to chew thoroughly before swallowing.

Immune system support

Healthy skin

Digestive health

Exclusive kibble: Special brachycephalic jaw

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Nutritional Needs Of Pugs

Since pugs are high-energy dogs who love playing, their food needs to give them plenty of energy. At the same time, they tend to overeat, so the kibble should be filling enough to stop this from occurring. As already mentioned, high protein and complex carbohydrates will help to ensure a slow energy release.

You should be aiming to feed your dog around 18% crude protein, but for puppies, this figure should increase to 22% to meet their growth and development needs. Quality protein from an animal should be the primary ingredient of the pug food you select. Too much animal by-products are not a good thing. If the food contains this, it needs to be balanced out with different protein sources such as fish. Otherwise, it is best avoiding.

• Complex Carbohydrates

Your energetic pug needs slow-release energy throughout the course of the day, and that is exactly what complex carbohydrates will give them. They also help to prevent spikes and crashes in their blood sugar. Many pug food brands get their carbohydrate content from sources such as brown rice, potatoes, or sweet potatoes.

While crude fats should make up only around 5-10% of your pugs diet, they still form an important part of it. Chicken fat and fish oils are a couple of the places from which they can derive this substance from.

What Is Considered The Best Puppy Food For Pugs

The main difference between pugs and other dogs is that pugs are brachycephalic. This means that they have wider muzzles. Their flat face makes breathing difficult for them, especially when they are eating. Pugs are known to have one of the smallest jaws and teeth. Hence, they need tiny kibble chunks that they can easily chow down. Their problems increase once they reach adulthood as their teeth do not come in an aligned manner. Their adult teeth grow in irregular places, making chewing food challenging.

A paramount concern while feeding pugs is to feed them the proper portion size as they are prone to obesity. Hence, pugs need food rich in protein and fat to fill their stomach, so they consume fewer calories overall. Every dog is different, and so is the case with pugs. It is always recommended to consult a vet before finalizing a product for your pug.

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How Much Should I Feed My Pug Puppy

Pugs are known to gain weight easily. This is why its extremely important to start them on a daily feeding schedule to prevent obesity.

This article will discuss everything you need to know about feeding a Pug. It will give you an idea of how often you should feed your Pug. However, its important to remember your puppy requires more food than an adult.

However, if they gain a lot of extra weight as a pup, it will lead to more breathing problems down the road.

The amount of food a Pug puppy needs will depend on different factors such as age and activity level.

You should feed your pup at least three to four times daily with snacks in between. Once they reach 6 years old, their metabolism will slow down and you can cut back to feeding them two times a day.

Your puppy needs to consume approximately 35 calories per pound of weight each day. Which means about 1 ounce of their favorite nutritional food for each pound your puppy weighs.

Best For Weight Management

Pugs are prone to diabetes, weight gain, and joint problems. Due to their stocky build, it can be difficult to tell if your Pug is overweight.

Adult Pugs should weigh between 14 and 18 pounds . Any heavier than this, then your pup needs help.

Luckily, there are dog food recipes that help canines manage or lose that excess weight.

Natural Balance Fat Dogs Chicken & Salmon Formula Low Calorie Dry Dog Food

Rating: 4First 3 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, ChickpeasType: Dry

With fewer calories, this lean and healthy diet for overweight adult dogs will help them lay off those few extra pounds.

Pros:

• High in fiber for easy digestion
• Good protein blend for building lean muscle
• Designed to make your dog feel full to prevent begging

Cons:

• Some pet owners complain of a foul smell and that their dogs simply wont eat the food

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Is Meat Meal Good For Pug Puppies To Eat

It certainly is. However, you need to know that it is free of low-quality by-products like horns, hoofs, etc. Meat meal is essentially ground meat, highly concentrated with nutrients.

When choosing the best puppy food for pugs, see that the meat meal comes from an easily digestible source, like chicken for example or turkey. It is best to get a specially formulated puppy food. You can also ask the breeder for advice.

Are You Struggling To Find A Brand Of Dog Food That Your Pug Likes

If youve got a picky eater like me, youll be tearing your hair out at mealtime when your pug decides to turn their nose up at their dog food.

Perhaps your pug has experienced some health issues and your vet has recommended balanced and complete meals for your little companion.

The good news is youre no longer restricted to some traditional dog food options found at your local supermarket.

Theres been a surge of new dog food delivery companies over the past five years that are providing a fresh take on pet nutrition in the United Kingdom.

In this article, were going to take a look at three different dog food companies in the UK who are providing fresh meals formulated by vets for British pugs and other dogs.

Well take a look at three different types of pet food: fresh dog meals, customised dry dog food and raw dog food.

You can check out our updated guide to the best dog food delivery companies in Great Britain at the moment via this link.

Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. Its always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet’s diet or feeding routine.

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Finely Chopped Dog Food

If your dog is picky or will only eat finely chopped dog food , you can either run the vegetables through a food processor or finely chop them on a cutting board. Hand held boxed graters work but take a lot of time. I use the shredder blade on my processor and buzz everything through. Also, try frozen riced vegetables, they are a great option and work great!

The Best Dog Treats For Pugs

Hold that french fry! There are better and healthier options to keep your Pug from begging for table scraps.

There are treats that can be used for training, but you can also get him some doggy snacks that he can enjoy while relaxing.

You can also go to your pantry or fridge and slice it up to bite-size pieces like apples and cheese.

You would want to still limit these nom noms, though. Theyll add up to your dogs daily caloric intake, so low-calorie snacks are a good idea, too.

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Preparation Of Our Homemade Diet

All of the information above might seem intimidating, but I assure you that making the actual meals for our dogs takes no more than 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.

First, we cook our complex carbs, whether theyre grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables.

While that pot is simmering on the stove, we cook the meat in a separate pan in coconut oil and ground turmeric. After its cooled a bit, we add chunks of meat to our food processor and pulse until theyre broken down into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.

Then, we gather whatever vegetables or fruits we have in the kitchen , chop them up as needed, and toss them into the food processor.

We also add a few clean, crushed eggshells to the mix. A few pulses turns all this food into smaller pieces, making them more digestible for our dogs.

Finally, we add the cooled, cooked carbs to the food processor and do a couple more pulses to combine. Everything should have a finely crumbled texture by this point.

Since dogs have short digestive tracts, its crucial that you break down the food to increase its bioavailability that is, making all the nutrients in those wholesome ingredients more digestible in a dogs system.

I prepare enough food to last my two pugs an entire week. Its unbelievably easy, and I like knowing exactly what goes into their food. Friends will watch us feed our pugs and remark that it looks good enough for them to eat!

What To Look For In A Good Pug Dog Food

Choosing a high-quality dog food is essential for your Pugs health. All dogs require a diet rich in protein to support lean muscle mass with healthy fats for energy as well as skin and coat support. In addition to these essential nutrients, your Pug needs certain vitamins and minerals in specific quantities to achieve complete and balanced nutrition. To make sure these needs are met, we recommend a small- or toy-breed dog food made with wholesome, natural ingredients.

Here are some things to look for in a good Pug dog food:

Now that you know more about your Pugs nutritional needs, youre ready to start shopping for the best food for Pugs. Keep reading to see our top 10 picks.

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Purina Pro Plan Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan Dry Puppy Food is perfect for all breed sizes. Contains DHA which is omega-rich fish oil to help with brain and vision development. Live probiotics help support their digestive health.

100% all natural ingredients to help provide a well-balanced nutrition with Chicken and Rice formula designed for puppies. Your puppy will love the taste he craves and youll love the antioxidant-rich benefits to help support your pups developing immune system.

Contains phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals to help promote strong teeth and bones.