Dry Vs Wet Puppy Food
Although dry kibble is a popular choice, its not the only option. As you walk the dog food aisles, you may see both dry and wet puppy foods.
This can make it harder to decide what to feed your puppy. Fortunately, as long as both the wet and dry formulas are complete and balanced for growing puppies, you can feed either one to your pup with confidence.
You and your puppy may have a preference when it comes to dry versus wet. Feeding a combination of the two is also an option.
According to Purina Nutritionist, Allison Millican, PhD, If youre feeding your puppy a combination of wet and dry food, it is extremely important to ensure the total caloric value does not fall short or exceed their daily energy requirement. Use the calories reported on the package to understand how much wet food will replace the dry and vice versa. This allows you to calculate the amount of each product needed to meet your puppys nutritional requirements.
For example, Millican explains, one thirteen-ounce can of wet puppy food may contain four hundred and seventy-five kilocalories and replace approximately one cup of a dry puppy formula with a similar value of kilocalories per cup. In this scenario, you could substitute a thirteen-ounce can of wet food for one cup of the daily dry food recommendation.
The brand websites and your veterinarian are great resources and can help you develop a feeding plan specifically for your puppys needs.
Filtered Or Distilled Water Only
The kidneys main function is to filter out the toxins in our bodies. Since tap water can be loaded with chemicals and contaminants it is best to only give your dog clean, filtered water to drink. If you have a dog living with kidney disease like we do, you may also want to eventually invest in a slow water feeder. Dogs with kidney disease can get quite thirsty and will actually start drinking water too fast which causes its own unique set of problems.
Also Check: What To Feed Dog If Out Of Dog Food
Hills Science Diet Dog Food Formulas Reviewed
The Hills Science Diet line offers several different food formulas. To make a choice for pet parents easier, we have reviewed some of them.
Summary: Hills Science Diet Adult dry dog food has been formulated to fuel dogs energy requirements during their adulthood. The product is made with high-quality ingredients that are easy to digest. The dog food is also great-tasting and a hit with most dogs, thanks to its nutritional benefits and flavor profile. Made with natural ingredients, Hills Science Diet has been manufactured for your dogs lifelong health and happiness.
Type: Dry dog food
Flavor Options: Chicken and Barley
Price: $1.7/pound
- The packaging could have been better
Ingredient Analysis
- Brewers Rice: This is a great source of carbohydrates and also provides volume to the meal.
- Chicken Liver Flavor: This is used to add a delicious poultry flavor that dogs love while also adding iron to their meal.
- Chicken Meal: This is a significant source of protein that helps to build muscle in your dogs body while also giving them sustained energy for their daily activities.
- Flaxseed: Flaxseed is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is also a great source of fiber that supports digestion and promotes healthy skin and coats.
Review: The brand uses fresh chicken as the first ingredient, which helps maintain strong, lean muscles and ideal body condition.
Type: Dry dog food
Flavor Options: Chicken and Barley
Price: $4.7/pound
Ingredient Analysis
You May Like: Do Dogs Prefer Wet Or Dry Food
Hills Science Diet Large Puppy Breed Chicken Meal& Oat Recipe
Your large breed puppy will be thankful you choose to go with this brand. This tester tried the Hills Large Breed Puppy food and cant stop praising it. I have a chocolate lab/Weimaraner mix and science diet is the best food that i have found for my dog. When you change foods dont forget to slowly integrate the new food in with the old one. My dog like the larger kibble bits that come in this bag as opposed to other large breed brands that have small kibble bits you would see in toy breed foods. My dog has seemed to like the chicken more than the lamb and it looks like it is easier on her digestive system. The best thing I like about this bag is that it gives her the healthiest stools out of any other brand I have tried.
Customers, however, complain that this food is a little on the pricey side. The food is awesome. I feed all 3 of my dogs this brand. I will be switching my 14-month-old over to the adult version once shes 18 months. But my 2 puppies absolutely love it. They have grown so much and the vet loves how big and proportioned they are. Gives them lots of energy during the day. I just wish it wasnt so expensive. I go through at least two 30lb bags a month.
Best For Small Breed Puppies: Hills Science Diet Small Paws Chicken Meal Barley & Brown Rice
This Hills Science Diet is specifically made to meet the nutritional requirements of small breed puppies. It is manufactured with ingredients that meet the highest quality and contains natural ingredients that make it highly digestible.
This delicious food supports your small breed puppys brain, eyes, immune system, and muscles. It contains ingredients like DHA from fish oil which is great for the eyes and the brain. The antioxidants in this food also help your small breeds immune system.
What youll, however, love this food for most of all is its high-quality protein content. It is made from real chicken, which is great for your dogs muscle growth. This food is recommended for puppies up to 1-year-old and pregnant and nursing mothers too.
Recommended Reading: How Does My Dog Food Rate
Best Overall: Hills Science Diet Healthy Development Small Bites
Hills Science Diet Healthy Development Small Bites is our best overall for many reasons. Firstly, this food has a delicious chicken flavor because it contains real chicken. This food also has balanced vitamins and minerals to promote good strong bones and teeth.
There is also DHA from fish oil which is great for your puppys eyesight and brain development. It also has proteins that are important for lean muscle growth. It is also great that this food is made with all-natural ingredients.
Veterinarians specifically recommend this food for its high-quality content. It is also great for your dogs stomach because its unique fiber blend aids digestion. Fish oil and flaxseed in this food make it rich in omega 3 and 6. This is known to promote healthy skin and coats in dogs.
There is also DHA from fish oil which is great for your puppys eyesight and brain development.
When Should My Dog Switch From Puppy Food To Dog Food
But once your pup is six to 12 months old those needs change. Thats usually when your puppy is nearing his adult height and can transition to adult food. Spaying or neutering usually occurs at this age as well, lowering your dogs need for increased energy hence a reason to switch from puppy to adult dog food.
You May Like: Ome Made Dog Food Recipe
You May Like: Can Dog Food Allergies Cause Ear Infections
Did You Make This Recipe
Tag @thismessisours on Instagram and hashtag it #thismessisours
How to make our original Homemade Dog Food recipe
Its a fact, feeding your pup a diet of 100% human grade dog food is easy, cost effective, and WAY better for them than a traditional doggie diet of processed kibble! My easy homemade dog food recipe combines lean ground beef, wholesome brown rice, fresh vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and tender herbs for a healthy, vibrant alternative to traditional dog food that has given our 11 year old dog a new lease on life!
Pumpkin and Yogurt Bowl for Dogs recipe
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for all of us, even our dogs! Get your dogs day off to a great start with a healthy dose of protein, vitamins, and minerals by feeding him/her a delicious Pumpkin and Yogurt Bowl for Dogs. These yogurt bowls are filled with good for your dog ingredients like fat free Greek yogurt, 100% pure pumpkin puree, plant based vitamin and mineral powder, and my Homemade Dog Food Seasoning which is a blend of 5 herbs that have extraordinary health benefits for your dog!
Hills Science Diet Chicken And Barley Recipe
First Five Ingredients: Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum
This recipe from Hills focuses on helping your dog develop and maintain lean muscles and an ideal body condition. The ingredients are easy to digest and perfect for a fit-minded dog.
Something that confuses us a little is that everything contains many of the same ingredients, so we dont understand how theyre catering to individual issues.
This food claims to provide all the same benefits of the previous two which were for sensitive stomachs and digestive health its almost as if all the food has a placebo effect.
The food also has an excellent reputation on Chewy just like every other food line from this brand. They have 279 reviews with 95% of reviewers recommending the product.
Most people say their dogs coat improved and that they switched back to a grain diet and noticed improved health in their pup.
Dont Miss: What Food For Dogs With Diarrhea
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Dog Food For Goldendoodles
How Is Hills Science Diet Dog Food Made
Hills Science Diet Dog Food is a trusted brand that has got nothing but positive reviews. It believes in the fact that lifelong health starts with science, and that is what they try their best to follow.
The ingredients that they use go through stringent safety checks, which ensures that they are of top quality.
Regarding protein sources, the brand sticks to using two lamb or chicken. Also, all recipes contain chicken by-products. The ingredients in their puppy recipes are similar to the adult ones but are higher in fat and protein to account for the puppys growing body.
About Hills Pet Nutrition
New Boxer Puppy
We picked up Winston July 9th. The breeder was feeding them some kind of kibble with cute little designs in the food, like the puppy is going to relate to that.Anyway, ALL my dogs were raised on Science Diet Dog Food. The breeder gave me a zip-lock bag of food to mix in with mine so Winston could transition to Science Diet. I didnt do that. I placed a bowl of Science Diet puppy food on the floor and no transition needed. He GOBBLED it up. Loves it. Always recommend Science Diet to all my friends with dogs.
Don’t Miss: Who Owns Nutro Dog Food
Hills Science Diet Dog Food Reviewed: Pros Cons And Ingredient Analysis
- Best Overall Science Diet Dog Food:Hills Science Diet Adult Dry Dog FoodThis is our top pick for the perfect dog food that offers well-rounded and balanced nutrition.
- Best Science Diet Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach:Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin Dry Dog FoodIf your dog suffers from a sensitive stomach and is allergic to common dog foods, this product is exactly what you need.
- Best Science Diet Dog Food for Weight Management:Hills Science Diet Perfect Weight for Healthy Weight Dry Dog FoodSome dogs put on weight quickly and find it difficult to lose it, but this dog food helps your dog manage their weight.
- Best Science Diet Dog Food for Large Breeds:Hills Science Diet Large Breed Adult Dry Dog FoodMade using high-quality ingredients, this premium dog food is among the top-rated foods on platforms such as Amazon and Chewy.
- Best Science Diet Dog Food for Senior Dogs:Hills Science Diet 7+ for Senior Dogs Dry Dog FoodWhile most dog foods cater to all life stages, this product has been specially formulated for senior dogs.
- This dog food made with natural ingredients uses high quality, easy to digest ingredients to fuel the specific energy needs of your full grown dog
- Helps maintain a beautiful skin and a healthy coat by providing a precise balance of omega 6 and vitamin E
- Supports lean muscle growth and maintenance in your adult dog with a premium source of high quality protein
Why Hill’s Science Plan Dry Dog Food
Recommended Reading: How To Get Your Dog To Eat Dog Food Again
Hills Science Diet Healthy Development Small Bites
Puppy parents who tried Hills Science Diet Small Bites for puppies love it. Heres what one tester had to say My vet recommended this and gave me a sample. Honestly, its so much better than the Pedigree puppy food we were giving him . The pieces are smaller, smell better, have better ingredients, and he eats them like crazy. He also has less stinky gas, which is a plus. Ive been working on using healthier and more responsible ingredients and products for myself and both of my critters, and this lets me do that while still paying rent.
Dog Parents, however, want a bigger bag size for this food. It only comes in a 4.5 and 15lb bag at the moment. I love this dog food and so do my dogs, I just wish it was sold in a bigger 30lb bag! Now that we got a Goldendoodle, he eats more than my dachshund so were going thru it a lot quicker! No complaints on the food just wish it was a bigger size bag!!
The Best Dog Nutrition
One of the most critical things you can do for your dog is give him the properly balanced nutrition he needs. It should contain a balance of protein , quality fats and micronutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. He also needs more than 50 key nutrients vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus to name a few. Keep in mind that if his food doesnt contain all the essential nutrients he requires, he may suffer health problems.
You May Like: When To Switch My Dog Off Puppy Food
Hills Science Diet Puppy Chicken & Barley Entree Canned Dog Food
You wont have to worry about your puppys health issues when choosing this food. One tester says, Our puppy is an indoor hound who has a HUGE amount of energy. We try to keep her active and fed well as its the foundation for good health throughout her lifetime. Enter this she seems to really enjoy a can of this with her kibble, and weve been feeding it for a couple of months with great results. Her coat looks great, her energy level is high, and overall shes in wonderful health.
Some customers, however, want a better can design. May not be important to some but to those of us who have arthritic hands it is a painful inconvenience to open cans with a can opener. Premium food with a premium price should come with something as simple as an easy-open top. In addition, several of the cans were dented, making them even more challenging to open.
How Much Does Shipping Cost
Delivery charges vary depending on the size and weight of your order and your chosen delivery address. We offer a flat rate shipping charge of $6.95 to the major metro areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. Outside these major metro areas, the shipping cost you pay will be dependent on your location and the size of your order.For an accurate delivery quote: place the items you wish to order in your shopping cart, proceed to the checkout or Shopping Cart overview page. There is a Calculate Shipping calculator under your selected products.Simply enter the postcode or suburb of your shipping address and select the relevant location from the dropdown list that appears and click the Go button. The shipping cost calculator will display the total cost for delivery to your selected postcode or suburb. Your final shipping charges will be displayed in your checkout page before you proceed to payment so that you know exactly how much shipping will be. All prices are in Australian Dollars and freight costs are payable in addition to the product price.
Please note that we are unable to deliver to PO boxes or Parcel Lockers.
Read Also: How Much Is Dog Food At Petco
Is Hills Science Diet Dog Food Worth It
Yes, Hills Science Diet Dog Food is worth it.
The natural ingredients promote and impart a sense of health and happiness in all dogs. They target several pet health problems such as urinary health, immunity boost, weight management, and allergic reactions.
Whether it is puppy food, cat food, or food for large and small breeds, the brand uses high-quality ingredients such as oats, chicken meal, brown rice, barley recipe, flaxseed, taurine, brewers rice, and iodized salt in their products.
Their products are at par with some of the best names in dog food brands, such as Purina and Royal Canin. The brand also offers prescription diets, high-calorie foods, and dog treats. Their adult dog food is perfect for all breed dogs.