The Ultimate Puppy Nutrition Solution Unlocking the Power of Ava Puppy Food
Ava Wet Food Puppy Review
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Suitable for all breeds of dogs
Private label(or
white label) pet foods are pre-formulated recipes that companies can order from certain factories, add their own label or packaging and retail to the public as their own brand. They are therefore available from numerous suppliers.
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Mixing bowl composition
This is the ingredients list as printed on the packaging or manufacturer's website.
Think of the 'mixing bowl' composition like a recipe - all the ingredients you would need to put in a 'mixing bowl' in order to make the food.
Ingredients have to be listed in descending order of their weight so the higher it appears, the more there is.
Highlighted ingredients
Ingredients that we believe to be controversial or inferior are highlighted in yellow with particularly low grade, highly contentious or excessively vague ingredients in red.
As fed composition
While the 'mixing bowl' composition is useful for knowing what went into the food, it doesn't always reflect what your dog is actually eating. This is because the processes that turn the ingredients into the finished pet food can significantly alter the relative weights of the ingredients.
For this reason we've calculated the approximate 'as fed' percentages for the main ingredient categories in the finished product.
Please note that these figures are very approximate. They are estimates based on the information provided by the manufacturer in the ingredients list so the clearer the terminology and the more percentages they provide, the more accurate our estimates will be. Wherever information is lacking, we always assume the worst.
Ingredient categories
Meat ingredients: includes all meat and fish ingredients except isolated fats/oils.
Added oils and fats: includes all isolated oil and fat ingredients.
Carb-rich ingredients: includes all ingredients derived from grains, pseudo-grains, potatoes and other starchy root vegetables, sweet potato and legumes (except whole peas which are categorised under fruit and veg) except for isolated protein and extracted oils. Also includes fibre supplements.
Fruit and veg: includes all whole vegetables and fruits.
Other: all other ingredients. Mostly made up by nutritional supplements and additives.
For more information on any ingredient, please take a look at our Dog Food Ingredient Glossary
The dry matter level of a nutrient is the percentage there would be in the food if all of the water was removed.
With water taken out of the equation, these figures allow the nutrient levels of foods of different types (like wet and dry) to be compared on an even playing field.
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The
price per dayof feeding this food based on feeding the manufacturer's recommended daily amount from 395g cans bought at their rrp to a dog of:
Note:All suggested feeding amounts and costs are only approximate and may vary considerably from dog to dog. Be sure to contact the manufacturer if in any doubt.
78 out of 100-Good
Our unique product ratings are calculated based on a number of characteristics including the quality and quantity of the stated ingredients, certain nutritional and technological additives and the processing methods used to create the food. They are designed to indicate how beneficial we think a food is likely to be for the majority of dogs when fed on a daily basis for an extended period. Click here for more information
Country of origin: United Kingdom
A technological additive is any substance added to a pet food "for a technological purpose and which favourably affects the characteristics of feed".
The most common categories of technological additives include preservatives and antioxidants, gelling agents and thickeners and probiotics.
While the primary effects of technoloical additives are certainly 'favourable' (increased shelf life in the case of preservatives & antioxidants, better food texture and consistency in the case of gelling agents and thickeners etc.) some have been linked to health problems in pets and should be treated with caution.
Unfortunately, many technological additives do not have to be declared by the manufacturer so just because they do not appear on the label does not necessarily mean they are not in the food. If in doubt, ask the manufacturer directly exactly what technological additives their foods contain.
Puppy Nutrition
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.
