what kind of dog food is best for labrador puppies
5 Best Dog Foods For Labrador Retriever Puppies (2024)
How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Labrador Retriever Puppies
The amiable Labrador Retriever puppy is a wonderful addition to any home. A dog that is full of adventure and fun, this pup is an active little fellow, taking great pleasure in accompanying its family members wherever they choose to go.
A dog breed that was developed in Newfoundland, Canada, the Labrador Retrievers original purpose was retrieving nets and other fishing paraphernalia from the cold waters of the North Atlantic on fishing expeditions with its owner. The breed is well renowned for its versatility and athleticism, making it well-suited to many different activities including hiking, agility, swimming, tracking, scent detection, obedience, and much, much more.
A highly intelligent dog breed, the Labrador Retriever puppy is most content when given a job to do. In its youth, it is high energy, requiring regular daily exercise to remain physically and mentally content.
Since the Labrador Retriever puppy is considered to be a large breed pup, it is best to look for a food formulation designed specifically to meet the needs of puppies of this size. The best dog foods for Labrador Retriever puppies contain the correct amount of calcium to phosphorus to promote a healthy rate of bone growth. This is defined as 1.2 parts of calcium for each unit of phosphorus included in the diet.
Labrador Retriever puppies should be fed a large breed puppy food until the dog reaches one year of age or 75 percent of its adult size. At that time, the pup can be transitioned to an appropriate adult diet.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Labrador Retriever Puppies
Labrador Retriever puppies are busy little creatures. To help fuel their energy reserves, they need to be fed a top quality diet. The best dog foods for Labrador Retriever puppies contain a list of suggested serving sizes on the side of the bag. These make an excellent starting point, and adjustments can be made until the correct portion size has been found.
As a large breed puppy, Labrador Retrievers can be predisposed to developing the life threatening condition known as bloat. To prevent this from occurring, experts agree that the puppy should be fed a kibble with large enough pieces to prevent eating too rapidly. It is also important the puppy not be fed too much at each meal. Free feeding is strongly discouraged as it can not only lead to bloat but also to obesity.
An appropriate diet for a Labrador Retriever puppy should contain a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat.
Dietary Requirements for Labrador Retriever Puppy Foods
The active Labrador Retriever puppy requires a diet that is nutritionally balanced and properly fortified to meet its needs as it progresses through each developmental period. The best dog foods for Labrador Retriever puppies take a lean meat as their foundation. Whole meats are the preferred choice; however, meal meals offer an exceptional amount of concentrated protein.
Meat by-products and plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat contain little nutritional value to benefit growing large breed puppies like the Labrador Retriever. It is recommended that foods containing these items be avoided. In addition to this, foods which include such ingredients as chemicals, additives, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives are best left on the shelf as these items have been linked to the development of recurring food sensitivities.
No diet for Labrador Retriever puppies would be complete without the addition of complex carbohydrates. These can come from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables. The primary role of any carbohydrate included in a diet for large breed puppies is their high antioxidant content and ease of digestibility.
Healthy fats are part of the key to ensuring the growing Labrador Retriever puppy has the energy required to fuel its development. In addition to this, they also encourage healthy skin and coat and fuel brain and eye functionality. They are best found in animal origins such as chicken fat or oily fish; however, safflower and canola oils are plant-based fats that offer a powerhouse punch of DHA, ARA, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
In selecting a food for Labrador Retriever puppies, it is always a good idea to consider a diet that includes some supplements. Among the most beneficial supplements for the growing Labrador Retriever pup are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Labrador Retriever Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for a Labrador Retriever puppy:
Whole proteins heading up the ingredients list
Since puppies do best on a diet of easily digestible proteins, whole meats are the preferred option for a food for Labrador Retriever puppies. Equally desirable are foods that take meat meals as their primary ingredients.
Plant-based proteins and by-products should be strictly avoided as they are inferior quality and offer few nutritional benefits to developing puppies.
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 Labrador Retriever puppy. Any foods containing these items is best left on the shelf.
Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements help a diet to be its most effective. The ideal supplements to look for in a food for the Labrador Retriever pup are glucosamine, chondroitin, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Labrador Retriever puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.
5 Best Dog Foods For Labs (2024)
How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Labs
Canadas Labrador Retriever is a breed that enjoys immense popularity as a cherished family companion.
A dog that traces its roots to a fishermans assistant in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, the Labrador is a versatile and athletic dog that excels at many different pursuits.
The Lab puppies are highly intelligent, making them well-suited to many different sports including field trials, obedience, Rally, agility, scent detection, and more.
A breed that is very friendly and affectionate, the Labrador Retriever is an excellent choice for families with children with whom it is gentle and kindly disposition.
Labrador Retrievers have a lot of energy to expend, so they are best in a family that enjoys an active lifestyle. However, if kept well exercised, this dog breed will not be prone to becoming obese. Exercise is also essential for the dogs healthy joints, helping to maintain healthy joints as it ages.
A hearty eater, the Labrador Retriever will eat far past the point of satiation if free-fed. It is recommended that the best dog foods for Labrador Retrievers be measured and all intake monitored to prevent the dog from becoming overweight.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Labrador Retrievers
Selecting the best dog food for a Labrador Retriever can be a daunting task. Once an owner has decided on the right diet, it is then necessary to determine how much the dog needs for each meal.
The best course of action to ascertain this is to use the suggested serving size printed on the bag as a starting point. These amounts can be adjusted until the proper amount has been found.
Labrador Retrievers can be predisposed to a condition known as bloat. Though experts do not yet know what factors must combine to result in this life-threatening medical condition, it is generally believed that eating too much and too quickly should be avoided.
The ideal diet for an adult Labrador Retriever should consist of a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.
Dietary Requirements for Labrador Retriever Dog Foods
Since the Labrador Retriever is a natural athlete, this dog type requires a high-performance, well-balanced diet to thrive.
The best dog foods for Labrador Retrievers base themselves on lean meat. Whole meats are the preferred option, but meat meals are also an excellent concentrated source suited to this energetic and lively breed.
Corn gluten meal is also an excellent source of protein, as well as being high in fiber.
By-products and plant-based proteins such as soy, corn, and wheat are inferior in nutritional quality and can trigger food sensitivities in some dogs. Diets that include these ingredients should be avoided.
Additionally, additives, chemicals, flavoring agents, and artificial colors offer no benefits to the Labrador Retriever. Foods containing these items are best left on the shelf.
Carbohydrates can come from fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. Dogs that have displayed food sensitivities in the past may do best on a diet that is free. Whole-grain brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oats are suitable for Labrador Retrievers.
The primary importance of any ingredient selected for a diet for the Labrador Retriever is its ease of digestibility and high antioxidant content.
Healthy fats play an important role in the Labrador Retrievers nutritional needs. It is from these ingredients that the dogs energy levels are stoked and coat and skin health are achieved and maintained.
The best sources for these ingredients are animal-based and include such items as fish meal and chicken fat. Canola and safflower oils can also boost the omega fatty acids profile of a food.
Supplements can help excellent quality puppy food to be even more effective for dogs. The ideal supplements to look for in an active Labrador Retriever are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Labs
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Labrador Retriever:
Whole meat-based proteins heading up the ingredients list
The Labrador Retriever needs a diet that takes a lean, meat-based protein as its primary ingredient. Whole meats are the best option, but meat meals are also acceptable.
Among the proteins that are best avoided are soy, corn, wheat, and any meat by-product.
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 the Labrador Retriever. Foods containing these items are not suited for the needs of this breed.
Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements help a diet to be its most effective. The best supplements to support the Labrador Retrievers health include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Labrador Retriever should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.
Feeding Your Labrador Puppy: How Much, Diet Charts And The Best Food
The food you give your Labrador puppy, together with choosing the right portions and schedules, will help ensure their optimum growth, development and health. Puppy kibble, raw food, wet canned meals and homemade Labrador diets all have different benefits.
The amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals vary even between brands of the same type of puppy food. Your small puppy needs to eat regular small nutritious meals. Feed your Lab puppy four times a day, to begin with, evenly spread out over daytime hours. Our Labrador feeding chart by age will help you adjust as your puppy grows up.
Contents
I will show you the best puppy foods, whether dry, wet, or raw, and look at food safety, together with schedules, quantities and even a handy puppy diet chart. Finally, Ill include some reviews of the various brands, and will help you cope with the all-important transition to feeding an adult dog.
Ways of Feeding Your Labrador Puppy
The main Labrador puppy food types are:
- Puppy kibble dried food
- BARF or raw feed
- Wet food in cans or pouches
- Home cooked puppy food
Experts Disagree on Puppy Feeding
Experts disagree on the best way to feed your puppy. People often feel very strongly that one way of feeding is better than another, and you can always find evidence to support your view. Dog breeders, veterinarians and even nutritionists have their own strong views. The dire consequences they list for not listening to them can have puppy owners very worried.
The truth is that there is no good quality evidence showing that kibble is better for the long term health of your dog, or that raw feeding is better. There are risks and benefits to both, and the main thing is to ensure that your dog has good quality food to eat.
Choosing The Best Puppy Food For Labs
Different puppy feeding suit different families. Puppy kibble suits some better, and raw puppy food is better for others.
If like most people, youll be feeding your Labrador puppy on commercial dry puppy food, you should not feel that you are letting him down in any way.
Puppy Kibble for your Labrador
Good puppy kibble will contain all the nutrients your Labrador puppy needs in order to grow and remain healthy. Puppy kibble stores well provided that you dont get the food become damp. An airtight plastic container or tin will do the job, although you should make sure it is food grade quality.
Most breeders start their puppies off on kibble and your veterinarian is most likely to support this method of feeding.
What Other Food Should You Feed With Puppy Kibble?
Labrador puppy kibble only needs to be fed next to water. Puppy kibble from a reputable manufacturer is intended to be a complete and balanced food. But some owners like to mix in canned dog food or even scraps of raw food with kibble.
Whether you decide to feed only with kibble or you want to mix it up, pick a good dried food manufacturer and stick with them.
What About Feeding Puppies On Raw Food?
Feeding your Labrador puppy raw food has its benefits and drawbacks. One of the downsides is that there is a lot to learn.
Do Plenty of Research
Puppy nutrition research is a huge area youll need to dive into to make sure they have a balanced diet during rapid growth. Here is a link to the articles you need to help you decide whether or not raw feeding is for you:
Although I like the raw diet for my dogs, most puppies fed kibble go on to have long and healthy lives.Whatever puppy food you choose, the most important thing is portion control.
How Much to Feed your Labrador Puppy?
People often tell me how much their puppy weighs, and ask how much puppy food they should give him. In fact, one of the most common questions we hear is how much should I feed my Labrador puppy?
Labrador puppy food quantities can be measured in weight, but you can also do it by eye. Your puppys physical shape is a big giveaway.
Risks Of Overfeeding Your Puppy
Rapid growth doesnt just put weight on your puppy, but leads to larger but less dense bones and associated skeletal abnormalities. Your Labrador is particularly at risk if they grow too quickly.
The following diet chart is for kibble fed puppies and does not apply to raw fed pups. It gives you an idea of how much to feed your Labrador puppy
Lab Puppy Feeding Chart
The Lab puppy feeding chart below is only a very rough guide. The quantity of food you need for your puppy will vary depending on your puppy and on the brand of food you are feeding him.
Choosing Best Brand of Puppy Food
The best brands of dog food will provide all your puppys nutrients and keep him healthy without costing you a small mortgage each week.
Its important to give your little one food specifically designed for your puppy, because they have different nutritional needs.
Labrador puppy food must be aimed at medium to large breed dogs. Check the pack carefully and look at the dietary charts. Ideally, you want the optimal protein content and the lowest amount of additives.
Part of this always comes down to the cost. The healthiest puppy food is usually the most expensive and may not be affordable for some families.
The Cost Of Puppy Food
Some puppy food brands are more concentrated than and contain a higher proportion of proteins, essential oils, and other nutrients. The cheaper brands may contain more fillers in the form of extra carbohydrates, usually made from grain. The absence of these fillers means that you can often feed lower quantities of more costly food, making them less expensive than they first seem.
You might also find that cheaper brands make your puppy poop more due to those extra fillers going straight through him. While some brands are beyond the budget of many families, it is usually good to buy a premium brand.
High Quality Brands of Puppy Food
Some brands of puppy food have developed a reputation for producing a high quality product and have many devoted supporters, including breeders that have fed them to generations of puppies.
(paid link)Weve selected some good quality brands in our Amazon puppy picks:
One of our favourites is Orijen Large Breed Puppy Formula.*(paid link)
We also like Natures Variety Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy Food*(paid link).
Orijen and Natures Variety (and some of the other more expensive brands), rely on legumes like lentils and chickpeas as a source of carbs.
These are much gentler on your dogs stomach than grain, which can cause bowel irritation.
Puppy Food Availability
The big brands are widely available in many parts of the world, and they have a valuable reputation to maintain. So, the chances are, your puppy will be eating a good quality product if you choose one of these.
Your puppy food should give you the manufacturers quantity guidelines for that brand on the packet.
Again, this is a rough guide only, and you should not follow the advice slavishly. Your overfed puppy will be prone to diarrhea, obesity, and too-rapid growth.
Following Puppy Feeding Quantity Guidelines
Just to complicate things, not every puppy in each age group will fall within the weights displayed on the chart above. Some owners may worry that there is something wrong with their puppy. However, dont worry, because our cuddly Labrador pups vary so much.
Quite simply, puppies of the same age vary in weight and size, so that means the amount of food you need to feed them will be different. Use the guidelines on the packet as a guide, then observe and feel your puppy to check how he is doing. You can always chat to your vet if you have any concerns.
Keeping Your Puppy At The Right Weight
It is important that your dog does not get too fat or too thin. However, you have some leeway, and you should increase or decrease his rations accordingly as he grows.
The most common problem is puppies that get too fat. Although we all love cuddly Labrador puppies, they should not be rotund!
By three months or so, they should have definite waist just like older dogs. Check out this page for more information.
Of course, the other side of the weight issue is puppies that look too thin. That can be another important issue.
What If Your Puppy Is Too Thin?
If you are worried about your puppys growth rate it is a good idea to take him along to your vet for check up. Sometimes, it is just a matter of increasing the amount of food or changing the brand to a more nutritious option with fewer fillers.
How Often Should you Feed Your Labrador Puppy?
Like most baby animals, your puppy needs feeding more often than adult dogs. Right now, your puppys growth is the fastest it will ever be in his life. He needs plenty of calories to fuel that growth, as well as the right nutrients.
If you feed his entire days ration in one go, his digestive system will be overwhelmed and hell end up with diarrhea. So, you need to make sure that your puppys daily ration of food is broken up into several small meals, fed three to four hours apart.
General Guidelines
As a rule of thumb puppies fed on kibble require
- Four meals a day from eight weeks to three months
- Three meals a day from three months to six months
- Two meals a day thereafter
This is all part of getting your puppy used to the feeding routine. Puppies tend to like predictability and feeding at set times.
Mealtimes and Schedules: Or When to Feed Your Puppy
Your puppys feeding schedule can fit in with your preferences up to a point. But dont try and cram all his meals into the evening. If you have to work during the day, youll need to make sure someone comes in to feed him.
You cant just leave your puppys food ration for the day down, because hell eat it all at once and this may upset his tummy.
First Meal of the Day
Puppies love food, and crave the attention that comes with feeding time. If youre feeding your Labrador puppy at 6am, because he has woken you and was hungry, the chances are hell wake you at 5:45 the following day!
Remember, feeding is a powerful reinforcer of behavior. If you dont want to encourage your puppy to wake you up earlier each morning, dont feed him as soon as you get up. Have a coffee and wake up before filling the bowl.
Have a set time for breakfast and dont feed her before then, even if she has been awake for two hours. She wont starve in that short period of time, although she might make you feel like she is! Be firm and resist the temptation.
Last Meal Before Bed
Try to space your puppys meals out fairly evenly throughout the day. Most importantly, dont feed your puppy just before you put her to bed for the night.
I like to leave at least a four-hour gap between the puppys last meal and her bedtime. This helps to reduce the risk that she will want to use the bathroom at 2 am.
Example Puppy Feeding Schedule
Just to help you on the way, here is an example puppy feeding schedule. Of course, you can adapt this to suit your own routine as long as you pay attention to the above advice.
Feeding schedule for an 8 week old Labrador puppy
My puppy feeding times for 8-week-old puppies tend to be something like this:
You dont need to be a slave to the clock, but this is just to give you an idea. A few minutes or even half an hour earlier or later wont cause problems.
12 Weeks Old
Feeding schedule for a 12 week old Labrador puppy:>
If you want to make an early start with training your puppy, you can use all or part of his daily rations during training sessions. Again, spread these out throughout the day, and dont feed too close to bedtime
What If My Puppy Is Still Hungry?
One of the things people most often ask is, what if my puppy is still hungry? They have followed the guidelines on the packet, but the food doesnt seem to be enough to satisfy the puppy.
If your puppy clears up his food in a few seconds and begs for more, dont panic. This is perfectly common and perfectly normal.
Your puppy doesnt know for sure when his next meal will be along, so it makes sense to him to eat as much as he possibly can right now!
(paid link)And, your puppy will be very good at using every trick in the book to win you round.
Stand firm!
What if My Puppy Wont Eat?
As most experienced Labrador owners know, not all puppies are greedy. And studies have shown that puppies in general eat more when they are fed in a group with other puppies
Your puppy might go off their food for the first few days they spend at home. They eat a few bits of kibble then refuse any more. The puppy may eat from your hand but not their bowl. If your puppy wont eat at all for more than four hours, then call your vet for advice. Call sooner if the pup is listless or showing any signs of being unwell.
Otherwise, a somewhat reduced appetite, to begin with, is probably nothing to worry about. Just mention it to your vet when you take the pup for his first check up, or in the next day or two.
Changing From Puppy To Adult Food
Puppy kibble manufacturers often recommend feeding your Labrador puppy kibble for puppies up to 12 months of age, before changing to adult kibble.
Some breeders and experienced dog owners do switch their lab puppies on to adult food before this, but not usually before they reach six months of age.
The Labrador Site Founder
Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.
She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program
Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website
