Best dog food for pugs: how & what to feed pugs?
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Video: Loui's New Feeding Machine!
Pugs make wonderful companions and are generally robust little dogs, but they are notorious for eating everything in sight. Since I have a Pug, I know all too well how hard it can be to find the best dog food for pugs that works well for them. Possibly the biggest problem with Pugs is that they want to eat every second that they aren’t napping, so it is up to you to keep them from becoming unhealthily overweight.
It’s important to remind yourself that no matter how cute your dog looks when he begs, if he’s just eaten his own food he is not actually hungry, and you are not a horrible person for telling him no. Feeding Pugs, or most dogs for that matter, is a situation where you have to be a little cruel to be kind.
Giving in and allowing them to eat way more than they need will cause health problems and an unhappy dog in the long run. It’s up to you as their caretaker to make sure this doesn’t happen. When gauging portion sizes for the best dog food for Pugs, consider his weight and activity level.
There are plenty of charts and calculators available online to help you, and most dog foods have serving recommendations by weight on their nutrition facts as well. Most dogs should be fed twice a day unless otherwise specified by a veterinarian. If you’re unsure of what or how much to feed your Pug it is best to discuss it with your veterinarian.
Video: Feeding a pug puppy
Best Food for Pugs (Commercial Dog Food Options)
Video: Feeding The Pug
When picking the most optimal and healthy best food for Pugs, you need to keep your dog’s breed and size nutritional requirements in mind. Here are the nutrition requirements for Pugs:
- Puppies: approx 50 kcal per lb of bodyweight
- Adults: approx 40 kcal per lb of bodyweight
* Other factors may influence precise caloric requirement, such as daily activity levels.
There are several commercial dog food brands that would be considered as best dog food for Pugs, and many vets and dog food review websites agree on this. I researched and picked the five of the best dog foods for Pugs options below.
Dog Food Brand | Price | Quality | Rating |
---|---|---|---|
ROYAL CANIN Pug Adult dry dog food | $$ | A+ | 4.6/5 |
Purina Pro Plan Dry Dog Food | $ | A | 4.6/5 |
Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free Dry Dog Food | $$ | A | 4.8/5 |
AvoDerm Natural Chicken Meal | $$ | B+ | 4.6/5 |
Nature`s Variety Instinct Grain-Free Chicken Meal | $ | B+ | 4.6/5 |
* Click on the dog food brand for more information, prices and nutrition.
Bear in mind, you don’t have to buy an expensive dog food brand for your Pug’s diet to follow an AAFCO approval. However, if you want more specific dog food brand recommendations that are tried and true, the above ones are usually the brands that majority of Pug owners and their vets choose as the best options. For more, I recommend reading this thorough review on the top 10 dog food brands by Samantha.
Best Dog Food for Pugs: How & What to Feed Pugs?
People Food and What Not to Feed Pugs
In addition to portion control, it’s also important to consider the nutritional value of what you’re feeding your Pug. Like people, dogs have vitamins and dietary needs that often aren’t met by the food they eat. Maybe one of the most crucial things to know about the best dog food for Pugs is what they shouldn’t eat.
Video: Pug puppy feeding soft wet dog food
Many foods that are recommended for people can be dangerous and even fatal to dogs. Some of these foods to avoid are well known and some lurk under the radar a little more. Chocolate, or anything containing caffeine, and grapes are well known foods to avoid.
While cooked salmon is a healthy choice, raw salmon can contain parasites that can lead to fatal illness in Pugs.
The sneakiest and most dangerous foods are spices and flavorings. Garlic and onion are both fine in very small amounts, but when used in excess they can damage your Pug’s red blood cell count. Nutmeg, baking soda, and artificial sweeteners are also toxic to dogs. It is safest to avoid giving your dog any baked goods.
There are many dog-friendly options that do not contain these ingredients if your Pug has a sweet tooth. Because fruits like bananas and berries are safe and healthy for Pugs, these are some of the best dog food for Pugs to use as treats.
It’s crucial to recognized that any fruit with a pit can not only be a chocking hazard for dogs, but can also be poisonous if gnawed on or ingested.