Elevate Your Puppy s Well Being Understanding Ava Puppy Food Ingredients

Find out if Ava puppy food is good enough to provide all the nutrition that your growing puppy needs, as we take a close look at the ingredients.

Advanced Nutrition Vet Approved known as AVA is a high-quality premium brand which is produced by Pets at Home.

Designed to support wellbeing and health, as well as provide superior nutrition, AVA puppy food has a special blend of nutrients to support your growing pup.

Pets at Home produce a range of other foods and products; theyre not just a retailer.

They have created AVA to be a particularly gentle and natural addition to their products, perfect for pooches who are on the sensitive side.

AVA puppy food includes both wet and dry food so you can select the option that suits your pet.

But what do the AVA puppy food reviews make of this product?

Heres a look at whats inside the packaging.

Range of Foods

When you purchase dog food, some brands offer different options depending on the size of your dog.

AVA goes one step further and caters specifically for certain breeds, such as Shih Tzu, Yorkshire terrier, and many more.

Thats not the case with their puppy food though; this more selective type of food is only available with AVA adult dog food.

AVA puppy food is available in either a wet or dry format. The whole range is made from premium, natural ingredients only and is completely free of pork, soya, dairy, wheat and gluten.

Therefore if youve got a dog whos prone to allergies, this puppy food could be a top pick.

The wet puppy food they offer includes:

• Chicken pate
• Chicken and lamb pate

And their dry puppy food:

• Small breed chicken kibble
• Medium breed chicken kibble
• Large breed chicken kibble

Both 2kg and 15kg size bags are available.

The kibble is sold in bags for either small, medium and large breeds, which is a simplified version of their breed-specific adult food.

Its important to pick the type that corresponds with your poochs breed because the individual kibble will be sized for your dogs mouth.

Kibble which is too small wont feel satisfying for your canine, and if its too big, they may struggle to eat comfortably.

Recommended:We take a close look at Burns puppy food in our latest guide.

Health Benefits of Ava Puppy Food

No matter which type of AVA puppy food you select, your dog will be enjoying natural ingredients with no artificial additives.

The formula focuses on skin, coat and digestion to help your dog look and feel their best.

Puppy food has very different requirements than adult dog food and AVA has received official approval from vets.

It has been formulated to deliver a high-calorie diet which is rich in important nutrients to encourage healthy growth and development.

The protein is carefully chosen to be easily digestible by immature canine systems. It contains slow-release carbohydrates to support steady energy levels plus soluble and insoluble fibre to aid digestion.

Ongoing brain development, kidney health plus skin and coat conditioning are supported by nutrients which include Omega-3 and Omega-6.

Recommended: Dont miss our Acana puppy food review next.

Beneficial Ingredients

AVA is a dog food which aims to go beyond just providing good nutrition; the blend of ingredients help to improve your poochs health and get them in tip-top condition.

It does this by not only relying on the highest quality proteins and ingredients but including their own special blend of nutrients.

Known as +Imuvita, this collection of extracts has been carefully selected to boost your dogs wellbeing. It includes green tea extract, cranberry, beta-glucans and pomegranate.

Brewers Yeast is also included as an ingredient because of the health benefits its linked with. In dogs, Brewers Yeast is believed to promote healthy function of the eyes and liver, plus boost the hair and skin.

Brewers Yeast includes B vitamins as well as a whole host of minerals including chromium, selenium, zinc, potassium and iron.

These are good for your canines body in many different ways, such as supporting the immune system and helping with the production of red blood cells.

Recommended:Make sure to check out our Bakers puppy food review after this.

Is Ava Dog Food Good Value for Money?

AVA puppy food is geared towards dogs who have sensitivities and owners who want to ensure that theyre buying high-quality, all-natural ingredients.

This means its not aimed at the budget market and is competing with other premium brands.

Compared to other puppy foods which have a similar profile, AVA is middle of the range.

Its not the cheapest food nor is it the most expensive. Broadly speaking, its on a par with brands such as Iams.

Are There Any Negatives?

Although Brewers Yeast is associated with many health benefits in dogs, it can be problematic for some.

If you notice your dog is suffering with more gas than usual or is bloated, this could be due to the Brewers Yeast in the food.

Most dogs only suffer from mild symptoms which quickly pass but for others, the problem can be quite severe.

This is more likely to occur in dogs which have known digestive difficulties or a breed which has a tendency to bloat.

Larger breeds with deep chests are more likely to have tendency to bloat (such as St Bernard, Weimaraner, Irish Setter and Great Dane).

Brewers Yeast also has the potential to interfere with any medication your dog may be taking.

This is especially the case if the medication includes any Brewers Yeast already. Although the amounts involved are quite small, its best to clear it with your vet first.

Conclusion

AVA puppy food is one of the premium brands from Pets at Home that offers dog owners the opportunity to buy a natural, hypoallergenic formula which has been carefully blended to provide optimal health benefits.

Compared to lots of other dog foods, AVA stands out for its commitment to quality, receiving vet approval on the formula.

AVA dog food puppy reviews reflect this fact with the majority of owners praising it, and describing the positive effect on their canine.

If you want a dog food that will deliver a real bargain, AVA probably isnt what youre looking for.

However, if youre searching for a premium puppy food that contains high levels of protein and no hypoallergenic ingredients, this formula is very affordable.

Alternatives to AVA include Iams, Eukanuba, Skinners and Autarky, which range from cheaper than AVA to more expensive.

However, even with the alternatives, there are very few which are high in protein, a complete food, and hypoallergenic in the same way that AVA is.

For this reason, its widely rated by veterinary professionals as a top food for your pup.

Puppy Nutrition

Get all the essential information on puppy nutrition from UK Pet Food to ensure you get your puppy's diet right from the start. Set your pup up for a happy, healthy life!

Puppies have a lot of growing up to do in a relatively short space of time. They have to develop their muscles, bones, skin and fur, teeth and internal organs very rapidly, as well as learn the important skills of socialisation. Getting the diet right from this early stage will set them in great stead for this amazing growth period.

Puppy's Nutritional Needs

Weaning is the process of gradually moving on from a diet of just milk to solid food. Our nutrition experts highlight that in the first 6 months or so, puppies' nutritional needs are changing very quickly, leaving very little margin for error. This often happens at the same time as neutering, which means theyll need fewer calories. It is important that the nutrients and calories he needs from his food are all present and correctly balanced for optimal development, as well as being both highly digestible and palatable.

By feeding specially designed puppy food, owners can have complete confidence theyre addressing all their puppys nutritional needs.

Do all puppies have the same nutritional requirements?

Depending on physical size and breed, puppies mature at different rates and have different nutritional needs.

Rapid growth occurs during the first few months in all breeds, but in larger breeds such asGreat Danes, Labrador Retrievers, and Doberman Pinschers, this period is longer. Whilst most dog breeds mature at around 12 months, in large breeds it may take up to two years to reach their full adult dog size.

In addition to general puppy foods, there are diets tailored for small, medium or large breed dogs, along with a range of breed-specific foods.

Puppy Diets

Puppies have a lot of growing up to do in a relatively short amount of time. They have to develop their muscles, bones, skin and fur, teeth and internal organs very rapidly, as well as learn the important skills of socialisation. Getting the diet right from this early stage will set them in great stead for this amazing period of growth.

Puppy Diets for Large Breeds

Generally speaking, larger breed puppies need fewer calories per unit of body weight and mature slower than smaller breed puppies. Taking on too many calories can lead to an accelerated growth rate and excessive weight gain. Both accelerated growth rate and excessive puppy weight put increased stress on the skeletal system of growing large breed puppies.

Large-breed puppy foods are designed for gradual, healthy growth and are often lower in calcium and phosphorus than other puppy foods to help avoid skeletal problems developing in them. Some large-breed puppy foods may contain special ingredients to help control appetite, which can help reduce the risk of developmental skeletal problems occurring due to accelerated growth. Large breed puppies might be self-restricting but their food intake and weight need to be monitored.

Puppy Diets for Small Breeds

By comparison, small breed puppies have a very fast growth rate and need up to double the amount of energy per unit of body weight compared to an adult dog.

Specific small breed puppy foods usually includeincreased levels of protein, fat and vitamin B to help them with these elevated energy levels

Feeding Guidelines for Puppies

Puppies need to be fed little and often, taking small portions from their daily food ration, which has been weighed out. This can be given at regular intervals throughout the day.

Feed your puppy four meals a day up until the age of four months, and then reduce the feed to three meals a day until he is six months old. From six months, you can change to two meals a day, and keep to this regime for the rest of his life.

Any uneaten wet food should be taken and thrown away after about half an hour. The dish should be washed before being used at another mealtime.

Dry food can be left in the dish for longer but remember the food will become less palatable the longer it is left out.

Make sure a constant supply of fresh, clean water is always available for your puppy.

Do puppies need supplements?

There is no need to supplement a complete and balanced commercial puppy diet. The term Complete, which you will see on the pet food packet, is a legal definition. This means that the product must, by law, contain all the nutrients a pet needs for healthy bodily function.

Supplementation of a complete diet can be risky and lead to growth abnormalities, especially in large and giant breed dogs. Always follow the manufacturers guidelines.

There are many different types of puppy foods on the market. The most important factor in choosing a diet is that the product is clearly labelled as 'complete' for the 'puppy' or 'growth' stage of life.

When should you switch puppies to adult dog food?

Once puppies have reached 90% of their expected adult weight, they should switch from a growth diet to one thats suitable for maintenance (an adult diet). Whilst most breeds mature around 12 months, small breeds may finish growing by nine to 12 months and for large/giant breeds it may take up to 2 years.

Avoid any sudden change of diet. A change from one food to another should be done gradually (over 7-10 days), with the new food increased day by day until that is the only food fed. The same goes for a switch from one brand to another any sudden change may upset the dogs digestive system.

Puppy Weight Management

Follow the feeding guidelines on the pet food packet when deciding how much to feed. Remember guidelines are a starting point. You may need to adjust the amount fed dependent on the needs of the individual dog. Factors such as age, weight and levels of activity will all affect how much you need to feed your puppy.

Its a good idea to weigh out the food at the start of the day. This can then be apportioned throughout the day, dependent on your routine and the feeding recommendations.

Healthy treats should only be given occasionally to avoid excess calories. When treats are given regularly for training reasons, they should form no more than 10% of the total energy intake (meaning 90% energy from complete food and up to 10% from treats).

Its useful to monitor your dogs weight on an ongoing basis as their habits change frequently. You can keep an eye on your puppy's size by using our Dog Size-O-Meter.