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The 9 Best Foods For Australian Shepherd Puppies

Australian Shepherds are exceptionally clever, high-energy dogs; thus, it is crucial to offer them kibble that meets all of their nutritional requirements, especially when they are pups. However, locating such a kibble is much more difficult than it seems.

If you compare labels and advertising claims for any length of time, you will quickly realize that canine nutrition is quite complex. BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has evaluated the best foods for Australian Shepherd puppies on the market to decide which is best for these pets, so you don't need a degree in veterinary medicine to pick a fantastic kibble for your dog.

In the following evaluations, we'll disclose which foods earn a place in your Australian shepherd's bowl, as well as which ones we wouldn't dare offer to our own dogs.

Reviews

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Food

Active pups want as much protein as possible, and Taste of the Wild High Prairie provides it in abundance. Its total amounts are above average at 28%, but the variety of meat sources distinguishes this dish.

There are buffalo, lamb meal, eggs, chicken fat, bison, venison, beef, and fish meal in each bag. Almost anything that walks, flies, or swims is included in the combination. This provides your dog with an excellent assortment of important amino acids per serving.

There is more than just flesh within. In addition to fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, blueberries, raspberries, and flaxseed, you’ll also discover additions such as salmon oil, chicory root, and potato fiber.

The formula has an abundance of probiotics, so it should help maintain the health of your dog’s digestive tract. Additionally, it contains taurine, which is great for heart health.

The recipe contains a significant amount of plant protein. This is undesirable since plant sources do not provide the same amino acids as animal sources.

Taste of the Wild High Prairie isn’t flawless, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a kibble that will do a better job of insuring that your Shepherd begins life on the proper foot.

Pros

  • An astonishing array of meat sources
  • High levels of protein
  • Containing probiotics
  • Contains healthy fruits and vegetables such as cranberries.
  • Contains taurine to promote heart health

Cons

  • Uses quite an amount of plant protein

 

Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Food

Typically, inexpensive kibbles are inexpensive for a reason, which is that they include substandard meat to keep prices down.

The opposite appears to be true with Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy. It manages to be inexpensive without the use of animal by-products or low-quality meat. As a consequence, we recommend it as the best value puppy food for Australian Shepherds.

However, there are a few problematic components included. These inexpensive fillers supply little more than empty calories, and many dogs have trouble digesting them.

Beyond that, though, there is little to criticize about this. With chicken and chicken meal as the first two components, your dog will receive an ample amount of high-quality meat. You will also discover vegetables such as carrots, cranberries, and peas, which all provide essential nutrients.

Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy is not the greatest kibble available for feeding your dog. However, it offers enough value to be an excellent option for budget-conscious dog owners.

Pros

  • Great budget food
  • Contains no animal products
  • Real poultry is the primary component.
  • Contains healthy ingredients such as carrots and cranberries.

Cons

  • Contains fillers such as maize and soy
  • May cause stomach difficulties in certain dogs

 

Life Protection Blue Buffalo Puppy Food

LifeSource Bits, which are included in each bag of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula, are one of its most enticing features. These appear to be charred kibble, but they are really rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

The actual kibble is really excellent. It contains chicken and fish meals, giving it a 27% protein content overall. We appreciate the inclusion of chicken meal and chicken fat, which provide glucosamine and omega fatty acids, respectively, for your dog.

You’ll also discover complex carbohydrates like brown rice and oatmeal, which are not only high on the glycemic meter but also friendly to developing stomachs.

Obviously, all of these luxury ingredients come at a price, since this dish is not inexpensive. It also contains more salt than we want.

Neither element is sufficient for us to severely penalize Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula.

Pros

  • Contains exclusive LifeSource Bits
  • Plenty of poultry within
  • An abundance of glucosamine and omega fatty acids
  • Gentle on stomachs

Cons

  • Fairly expensive
  • A lot of sodium

 

Iams Health Smart ProActive Dog Food

Iams ProActive Health Smart is a confounding food; on the one hand, it has high-quality ingredients, while on the other, it is rife with poor-quality components.

Let’s begin with the positive: this item contains a significant quantity of lean protein. Chicken is the initial component, and the chicken meal is also present (albeit by-products).

We like the presence of chicken fat and fish oil, which are both high in antioxidants. Your developing dog needs every nutrient possible. There are many other nutritious vegetables, such as carrots.

The bad news is that this dish is loaded with corn. This is the second component, indicating that the producers stuffed the kibble with empty calories to keep the price low. It is also heavy in salt, which is likely to stimulate your dog to devour the corn.

There are also artificial colors present. This is always perplexing because these chemicals contribute nothing to the diet; they are only used to make the kibble appear attractive to the owners.

The meal Iams ProActive Health Smart is average. It has beautiful traits, but its numerous flaws prevent us from ranking it higher.

Pros

  • Includes lean protein
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • Includes excellent vegetables like carrots

Cons

  • Dense with corn
  • Utilizes animal derivatives
  • Includes artificial colors
  • A lot of sodium

 

Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy Puppy Food

If you read the packaging for each bag of Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy, you will see that the first ingredient is genuine chicken. True, and it’s likely said to divert you from the maize, animal by-products, soy, and other components that follow the chicken. They also bring artificial colors, fake tastes, and salt along with them.

It is sad that Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy has all of these components, as none of them belong in puppy kibble. There is also little fiber.

On the bright side of the ledger, there is plenty of rice and oats, which should mitigate any gastrointestinal irritation induced by the maize and soy.

This dish has a few beneficial qualities, but they are overwhelmed by all the negatives it conveys.

Pros

  • The essential element is genuine chicken
  • Rice and oats are stomach-friendly.

Cons

  • Contains cheap filler
  • Contains synthetic colors and flavors
  • May induce gastrointestinal discomfort.
  • Lacking fiber

 

Purina Pro Plan Focus Dry Dog Food for Puppies

Purina Pro Plan, Unfortunately, the ingredient list gradually degenerates following the inclusion of genuine chicken.

This dish has virtually every “questionable component” you can imagine. It contains animal by-products, maize, wheat, and unidentified animal fat.

The protein content is above average at 28%, however, the fiber content is negligible at 3%. You’ll need to keep a careful eye on your dog when they have to go and be prepared to supplement this kibble if they appear backed up.

It’s pretty heavy in calories, which is not necessarily a negative thing; what troubles us is that virtually all of those calories are empty. However, it does include the fish meal and oil, thus omega fatty acids are present.

Pros

  • Adequate quantity of protein
  • Considerable omega fatty acids

Cons

  • Has pretty about every problematic ingredient conceivable
  • Highly caloric
  • Little nutritional value

 

Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Food

German Shepherds and Australian Shepherds are sufficiently similar for this Royal Canin food to be suitable for both breeds. The first component is nevertheless a chicken by-product meal.

This is a double-edged sword, since it supplies glucosamine but is derived from exceedingly low-quality beef. Find a meal that does not include by-products, or take a glucosamine supplement.

After that, there is a procession of wheat, corn, and other dubious substances, including rice. It’s also extremely pricey.

We get the appeal of feeding your dog a breed-specific diet, but Royal Canin German Shepherd just does not include enough high-quality ingredients to merit a space in your dog’s bowl.

Pros

  • Elevated in glucosamine

Cons

  • Contains virtually every bad component imaginable
  • Stuffed with inferior meat
  • Expensive

Conclusion

Taste of the Wild High Prairie is our preferred puppy chow for Australian Shepherds since it has a variety of meat sources. In addition, it contains high-quality fruits and vegetables and probiotics for digestive assistance.

We recommend Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy if you’re looking for nutritious dog food that won’t break the wallet. Although it has a few problematic ingredients, it packs a surprising amount of nourishment at an affordable price.

Choosing a nutritious diet for your Aussie Shepherd puppy can be a daunting task, and BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hope that our reviews about the best foods for Australian Shepherd puppies have made your selection easier. After all, these high-powered canines require the greatest fuel you can provide, and they are likely able to read labels to discover whether you have been shortchanging them.

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Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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