What food is best for my gundog puppy?

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What food is best for my gundog puppy?

Pups are best fed a complete, balanced puppy food.

By Neil McIntosh

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

I'm 15 years old and about to buy a ten week old cocker spaniel bitch. At the moment it is being fed on Beta puppy food as I'm planning to work her when she’s older.

Would you consider changing her to minced meat? If so, what type would you recommend? Beef or chicken?

GUNDOG FOOD
Neil McIntosh
Great question. The answer is NO! First, make sure you get a reasonable quantity of the food the breeder is feeding the pup so that you do not have to change her diet in the first few days.

Pups of this age are best fed a complete, balanced puppy food designed for medium sized gundogs.

I do not think there will be any benefit changing to minced meat.

Indeed, it would be very difficult for you to achieve a balanced diet by doing this as you would have to add the correct vitamin and mineral supplement etc.

Puppies cannot develop properly on meat alone!

Training gundog pups is hard enough without having to spend time making up complicated food so I suggest you use all the time available with your puppy and take advantage of the food companies’ expertise.

It doesn't work out any dearer.

Beta is adequate. (Again, make sure it is puppy diet).

There are lots of others - Hills and Royal Canin are probably the pick of the rest.

Make sure and have your new pup checked by your own vet within 24 hours (and tell your breeder you will be doing that).

Your vet will give you personal advice about parasite control, vaccination and can assess your pup’s body condition, which may alter my general advice. Good luck.