Help! My Puppy Doesn’t Like Puppy Food! (Vet Answered)
This question has been answered by a vet
Veterinarian & Animal Behaviorist
With nearly two decades in veterinary medicine, Dr. Paola brings hands-on experience across multiple species. A graduate of the University of Guadalajara, she specializes in preventive care, animal welfare, and positive reinforcement training.
The Question
“ My tiny Maltese puppy Mindy has decided she no longer enjoys the Royal Canin wet puppy food we had been feeding her. She’s only 4 months old and 2.7 lbs, I’m wondering if it’s OK for us to try the Hill’s Science small breed dog food, or which other foods we should try? ” – Elaine
Quick Info about Mindy
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Elaine,
Since you mention Mindy is a puppy, you shouldn’t swap her food for adult food just yet. Puppies require a “growth and development” formulation AKA “puppy food” to support their ever-changing anatomy during this crucial part of their lives. The Hill’s Science small breed dog food is for adults. Since most dog foods follow the AAFCO requirements for this life stage, which are based on the minimum important nutrients (such as protein, fats, calcium, etc) that a food can contain, if you feed adult food to your puppy they will be deficient in nutrients and eventually become ill. If you are looking for some great foods to feed her, I would highly recommend looking at less processed fresh, and natural ingredient diets. Most of these are formulated to cover the nutritional needs of all life stages because they have enough nutrients for all. Puppies and adult dogs love them and can live a healthy and happy life obtaining the best nutrition.
Best wishes!
Dr. Paola