According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed of dogs to own. It makes sense, given their sweet disposition, playfulness, and their great love of fetch.
But, like any family member, you need to care for them properly and you need to know how much to feed a lab puppy whether he or she is a 4 week old, 8 weeks old, 10 weeks old or 12-week old lab puppy.
Nutrition during puppyhood is one of the biggest influencers of your dog’s lifespan and development. Although pet nutrition is important throughout their lifespans, puppyhood is the most important of all.
Feed too much, and your adult Labrador will be prone to joint problems, feed too little, and puppies fail to realize their genetic potential.
If you have recently adopted or are considering adopting a lab puppy, you will need to make sure that you are taking careful care of your new addition.
This includes knowing how much to feed a lab puppy. Nutrition is so crucial to developing dogs as it increases their longevity and quality of life.
The Importance Of High-Quality Food
There is a huge difference between basic store-branded and high-quality dog food brands. Poor quality brands rarely contain enough animal protein or omega fatty acids for adults, let alone growing puppies. Plus, they are pumped with fillers with little to no nutritional value, artificial rubbish, preservatives, colors, and chemicals.
Labradors have three life stages; puppyhood, adulthood, and their senior years. Puppyhood is arguably the most important nutritional life stage because it sets the foundations for a healthy life and body. By skimping a few dollars on poor quality food, you are risking your pup becoming nutritionally deficient or developing abnormally. So, nothing else will do for your Lab puppy.
Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Puppy
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior
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Different Types Of Puppy Food
The main types of dog or puppy foods are:
High-quality dog food like human-grade or kibble has been rigorously tested for its nutritional benefits and safety. So you can be sure that everything your Lab puppy needs to grow healthily is in each bite. Ollie makes one of our favorite grain-inclusive recipes.
Canned or processed foods are often higher in fats, which is not ideal for puppies who need to grow steadily. Especially the greedy Lab.
A raw diet (aka BARF) is often too rich for sensitive puppy stomachs, and it is not always nutritionally balanced.
And unless you are out of food or under your vet’s instruction, we would advise you not to feed your pup home-cooked food. It is not tested in terms of nutritional value or safety, which could lead to nutritional deficiency.
What To Feed A Puppy? What Can Puppies Eat?
With a bewildering choice of different puppy foods available, what to feed your puppy may not be the easiest decision to make.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the many options available so you can make an educated decision.
FAQ
When can Lab puppies go to 2 meals a day?
What time should a Labrador puppy eat?
What Should I feed My 3 month old Lab?