This post is paw-wered by our pals over at Purina who want to spread the word about Just Right® by Purina® where you can personalize your pup’s food from scratch! For a limited time, use the code “MYLOVEBUG” at checkout to get 20% off your order! (YUMMERS!)
When you bring your first dog home, you’re a new parent navigating the tricky waters of dos and don’ts. You’ve got to run through the new parent checklist. And almost always, food is the first thing on it.
I brought Benji home last October. A 20lb Terrier mix, he is a chunky nugget of adorable. When I first got him he was a 2-year-old shy pup who had yet to come out of his shell. Cautious and tentative, he barely played and always found ways to curl up right next to me.
I’ve had family dogs before, but he was the first fuzz-butt that was solely my responsibility. So, I did what any new pup parent would do. I took him to his first vet visit, and I bought him the coolest leash, collar, harness, winter coat, and miscellaneous other unnecessary accessories. I also bought him a bag of dog food that looked expensive and high quality.
Now, it wasn’t until I sat down to really research, “What should I feed my dog?,” that I realized I wasn’t feeding my dog the best food for his unique needs.
Here are 4 signs that made me realize how much thought and care I need to be putting into the dog food that I feed Benji.
1. No matter how hard I tried he didn’t seem to want to be active in any way. I always assumed his inactivity and lethargy was just him not being interested in playing. Turns out it had a lot to do with what he was eating.
2. I wasn’t 100% sure about how much food I should be giving him and for the first couple of months that I had him, I was definitely giving him more dog food than he needed.
3. Due to the amount I was feeding him, he got a bit chubby, which in turn contributed to his inactivity.
4. Unlike us humans, who can explicitly say what we prefer and what we don’t, dogs can’t. Benji always ate what was in his bowl, but he just didn’t seem too excited to about it. It was when he got excited about his bone that I realized he needed a change in his food routine.
An experienced pup parent suggested that I try a more deliberate approach to Benji’s nutrition by actually observing his tastes and preferences thoroughly and seeing how his body responded to different dog foods and flavors.
The last bag I tried? Just Right® by Purina®. It takes the guesswork out of what and how much you should be feeding your pup, and seriously lets me breathe easy knowing that he’s getting the best nutrition that’s PERSONALIZED for him.
A switch in diet showed me his spunky side. He now does a dance when he knows it’s time for supper. He’s leaner, fitter, happier and a whole lot more active than he ever was. It’s lovely seeing him really come out of his mellowness.
Just Right gets the nitty gritty details about your pup like your pup’s current weight, eating style, activity level, stool consistency, coat quality and more. They even ask you for your dog’s favorite flavor!
They then come up with a blend that is tailored to your dog’s needs with a comprehensive food label that doesn’t just break down the ingredients, but also explains the amount of calories your dog should be getting and how many cups he should be fed per day.
They took the guesswork out of feeding my dog, and the best part is that if I see any changes in Benji’s activity level, coat, or anything else, I can just go back and re-personalize his food accordingly!
If you, like me, are concerned about your pup’s nutrition needs, bounce on over to Just Right® by Purina® and create your pup’s very own blend of puptastic dog food using the code “MYLOVEBUG” at checkout to get 20% off your order*! (YUMMERS!)
*Offer valid for 20% off one (1) order (up to $68.85) of Just Right® by Purina® dog food through August 31, 2015. Offer valid on JustRightPetFood.com only. For full terms, visit www.purina.com/terms-and-conditions.
