The first few months of your puppy’s life are really important for all sorts of reasons.

First up, you’re putting good habits in place as you teach them correct behaviours, obedience and even some clever tricks! But their diet is also crucial in these early stages of life. Your puppy’s diet is a huge contributing factor to their future health, so we’ve pulled together all the tips you need to help ensure your new furry friend grows up healthy and strong and lives their best life well into their golden years.

For big breeds like Great Danes, Labradors and Rottweilers, it’s particularly crucial to have a slow-growth feeding plan. Slow-growth diets prevent large breeds from sprouting up too quickly and having skeletal abnormalities as they mature to their full size.

Why do puppies need a special diet?

Puppies are rapidly growing, so they have higher nutritional requirements than their adult dog counterparts. However, an excess of calories or calcium can speed up growth and potentially cause health problems like hip dysplasia or osteochondrosis, a condition that particularly affects large dog breeds’ bone development.

Will slow-growth feeding affect my dog’s size?

Don’t worry, slow growth feeding won’t affect the overall size your dog will grow to. Instead, they will reach their full size at a healthier and safer rate. Puppies aren’t able to limit their absorption of calcium and other minerals, so it’s important to keep the levels of these ingredients in their food at a controlled amount. Trying to grow your large dog to its full size can risk their health, so a slow-growth diet can help to protect and maintain their development, whilst never affecting their adult size — it’s a no-brainer for any large breed lover!

Why do companies make specific large-breed puppy foods?

Traditional puppy foods tend to be too calorie-dense for large and giant breed puppies, so pet food companies have developed foods lower in calcium and overall calories for these types of dogs. Lyka is a great healthy and natural alternative to this, as our recipes are made for dogs of all life stages.

So, how do I slow growth feed?

Unlike adult dogs, puppies need food that’s proportional to their weight to ensure they receive the necessary nutrients required to play and grow. Always follow the guidelines on your dog food label, but keep in mind, your dog’s activity levels and body shape may affect their dietary requirements. If in doubt, always speak to your vet.

How can Lyka’s fresh food help?

Lyka’s bespoke approach to dog food goes a long way in helping to create the perfect diet for your pup. Each of our recipes has been developed by our in-house Integrative Vet, with all meals exceeding the higher nutritional requirement targets set by AAFCO, whilst always maintaining safe levels to avoid an excess of minerals or calories. Best of all, our tailored serving sizes mean that your dog will always be chowing down on a perfectly sized meal made just for them.

Are you ready to make the change today? Build your first box.