Top Nutrition and Fitness Tips for Large Puppies

The nutritional and fitness requirements of large pups differ from those of small puppies. Examples of large breeds are German shepherds, labradors and more. If you pet these dogs, you need to buy German shepherd food and labrador puppy food in particular to give these species the exact nutrients that they need. Likewise, if you make them do agility courses, you have to keep their breed size in mind. To know more, here are the top nutrition and fitness tips for large puppies. 

Give Them Nutritious Food Suited for Large Breeds

Consider German shepherd food or labrador puppy food that contains the following nutrients:

• Colostrum, loaded with natural antibodies, proven to improve the immune system
• DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) from fish oil to help in vision and brain development
• Colostrum to balance the intestinal microflora and keep away common intestinal upsets
• Minerals and natural glucosamine for the healthy development of teeth, joints and bones
• Highly digestible quality ingredients that the body can absorb easily
• Scientifically proven antioxidants to improve the immune system

Make sure that the chosen dog food has no added preservatives, flavours or artificial colours. 

Encourage Them to Do Physical Exercise

First, train your pup how to walk on a leash. Initially, he may see it as a toy but gradually, he will get used to it and can walk with it better.

You must also try to walk a puppy. Begin with short and slow walks and slowly transition to long walks. Start jogging with him only once he is at least 6 months old. After he is 15 months old, you can go for long jogs.

You can also try different types of puppy exercises as follows:

• Playing with toys: You can play fetch with any favourite toy of your puppy. If he is less than 6 months old, play the game for not more than 10 minutes once or twice a day. Once your puppy fetches the toy successfully, give him a small amount of labrador puppy food or German shepherd food as a reward.
• Tug of war: Your pup is expected to enjoy this game as well. Just remember that he has baby teeth. If you play the game with a rope, consider pulling gently. Else if you play with a toy, allow your pup to do the tugging and you can simply hold the toy in a fixed position.
• Obedience training: Training your pup to act on basic commands for 10 minutes once or twice daily. You need not stick to a spot as he learns new tricks. Consider moving around your house to test his ability to focus in spite of distractions. You can mix low-impact activities into his daily routine to keep them active for a longer time. But make sure to avoid overstimulation.

 

Remember that proper nutrition and regular exercise go hand-in-hand to keep anyone fit. The same goes for your puppy. Once you choose quality German shepherd food or labrador puppy food, consider sticking to the same brand.