Best Dog Food for Nursing Dogs
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What’s the best dog food for nursing dogs?
When a dog is nursing, it’s crucial to provide her with a nutritious diet that supports not just her own health but also the health of her puppies.
Choose a premium dog food that is specifically formulated for lactating or nursing dogs or one that provides complete and balanced nutrition, including high-quality proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Nursing dogs have higher energy requirements due to the demands of milk production, so you should select a food that is specially designed to meet these increased calorie needs. Alternatively, you can feed your dog regular adult dog food and add calorie-dense supplements recommended by your veterinarian.
Protein is essential for the growth and development of the puppies and for the overall health of the nursing dog. Ensure that the dog food you choose has a sufficient amount of high-quality protein sources, such as chicken, beef, or fish.
Fats are a concentrated source of energy and provide essential fatty acids for a nursing dog. Look for dog food that contains a moderate amount of healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which can support brain development in the puppies and promote the mother dog’s overall well-being.
On the list below you’ll find The Dog Food Advisor’s best foods for nursing dogs.
You’ll also learn the answer to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about nursing dogs.
Best Dog Food for Nursing Dogs April 2024
Here are The Dog Food Advisor's best dog food brands for nursing dogs for April 2024.
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1. Ollie
Fresh Lamb with Cranberries is one of 4 fresh recipes included in our review of the Ollie Fresh product line.
Ollie Fresh Lamb With Cranberries derives the bulk of its meat protein from lamb. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38.5% protein, 26.9% fat and 26.6% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 70%.
Read our review of the full Ollie Dog Food (Fresh) range here
Main Ingredients Lamb, butternut squash, lamb liver, chickpeas, kale Type Grain-free, fresh Protein Percentage 38.5 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at MyOllie.com"Absolutely love and adore this food we added to all of our pregnant and nursing mama's food!"
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2. Raised Right
Beef Puppy Growth Recipe is one of 11 fresh recipes included in our review of the Raised Right Fresh product line.
Raised Right Beef Puppy Growth Recipe derives the bulk of its meat protein from beef. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 59% protein, 23.1% fat and 9.9% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 39%.
Read our review of the full Raised Right Dog Food (Fresh) range here
Main Ingredients Beef, beef heart, carrots, beef liver, cranberries Type Grain-free, fresh Protein Percentage 59 AAFCO Standards Growth Best For Puppies and pregnant or lactating females Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at RaisedRightPets.com"Love the food. Love the company. My German shorthairs thrive on this food."
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3. Orijen
Six Fish is one of 9 raw recipes included in our review of the Orijen Grain-Free product line.
Orijen Six Fish derives the bulk of its protein from fish. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 45.5% protein, 18.2% fat and 28.4% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 40%.
Read our review of the full Orijen Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Whole herring, salmon, monkfish, acadian redfish Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 45.5 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at OrijenPetFoods.com"Our pup love this!! He puts his face in the bowl and does not move until every last crumb is gone. I like that it is grain free and is high in protein and it tells you where the fish were sourced from. I noticed a difference in his coat. It was shiny and smooth. We give it 4 paws up!!"
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4. Acana
Free-Run Poultry Recipe is one of 5 dry recipes included in our review of the Acana Dry product line.
Acana Free-Run Poultry Recipe derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 19.3% fat and 39.7% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 59%.
Read our review of the full Acana Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Deboned chicken, deboned turkey, chicken meal, whole red lentils, whole pinto beans Texture Dry Type Grain-free Protein Percentage 33 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Acana.com"I recently purchased a bag of ACANA FREE-RUN POULTRY FORMULA DOG FOOD. This dog food contains a formula consisting of free-run chicken, turkey and cage free eggs. Our dog really loves the taste of this food and the dog seems to have more energy. I am very impressed with the effort that has been made to produce a healthy product."
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5. Dr Tim's
Kinesis All Life Stages Formula is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Dr Tim’s Dry product line.
Dr Tim’s Kinesis All Life Stages Formula derives the bulk of its meat protein from chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28.9% protein, 17.8% fat and 45.3% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
Read our review of the full Dr. Tim’s Dog Food (Dry) range here
Main Ingredients Chicken meal, brown rice, pearled barley, whole oat groats, chicken fat Texture Dry Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 28.9 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at Chewy.com"With the one female that had this food before she got pregnant to after they weaned off of her. She is in prime shape and the pups are gorges! With her feeding all the milk the pups wanted... This food has every thing in it that a pet or show dog needs!"
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6. Wellness
Complete Health Turkey Stew is one of 6 wet recipes included in our review of the Wellness Complete Health product line.
Wellness Complete Health Turkey Stew derives the bulk of its meat protein from turkey. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 44.4% protein, 16.7% fat and 30.9% estimated carbs… resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 38%.
Read our review of the full Wellness Stews Dog Food (Canned) range here
Main Ingredients Turkey, turkey broth, water sufficient for processing, turkey liver, carrots Texture Wet Type Grain-inclusive Protein Percentage 44.4 AAFCO Standards All Life Stages Best For Puppies and Dogs Sample buyer review...
Read more buyer reviews at WellnessPetFood.com"Wellness is a high quality wet dog food that is filled with "real" ingredients not by products. You can see the chucks of turkey and vegetables. Our dogs love Wellness!"
More Top Picks
To view more top dog foods by category… click the link below that best meets your personal feeding needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I feed my nursing dog?
A nursing dog requires a balanced and nutritious diet to support her health and the growth of her puppies. She will need more calories as her body uses more energy during pregnancy and milk production.
Choose a premium dog food which is specifically formulated for nursing or lactating dogs with high-quality protein such as chicken, beef, and fish. The recipe should also include healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The food needs to be higher in calories to support milk production or you could try a regular adult food alongside calorie-dense supplements.
Feeding your nursing dog a premium puppy food will also ensure that the milk she produces for the puppies is high-quality and full of nutrition for their growing bodies.
Consult your veterinarian for advice on what to feed your pregnant food to ensure that any underlying medical conditions are also considered.
What should I avoid giving my nursing dog?
You should avoid feeding a nursing dog dietary supplements like milk, meats, vitamins, and minerals, if you are already providing a high-quality diet formulated for lactation and/or growth.
Feeding your dog one of these options is ideal but using both at the same time could lead to excessive amounts of calcium or vitamin D. This can cause health complications.
How many times a day should a nursing dog eat?
Nursing a litter of puppies is tiring work so your dog will need extra energy and nutrients to support their milk production. You should give your nursing dog three meals a day during the first one to three weeks, and this can be increased to four meals by week four, when milk production is at its highest.
How much and how often you feed your dog can also depend on the dog’s breed and size of the litter. A dog nursing more than four puppies might need constant access to food, but you should ask your veterinarian for feeding advice to avoid excessive weight gain.
When should I decrease my nursing dog’s food?
Dogs will nurse their pups for roughly six to eight weeks, but you can slowly decrease your dog’s food at around three to four weeks, when the puppies will be gradually weaned off mom’s milk and onto solid food.
Feeding is crucial at this time for both puppies and mom, so seek advice from your veterinarian if you are unsure how much to feed your nursing dog and when to reduce meals.
How much milk does a nursing dog produce?
Dogs produce more milk for their puppies than humans do for their babies — around 964g at 19 days and 1054g at 26 days.
This is why a balanced and nutritious diet is essential.
