1. Dog Food

Growing puppies need a dog food, like Hill’s^® Science Diet^® or Hill’s^® Ideal Balance, that is specially formulated for their developmental stage— the “puppy” life stage. Puppies need certain nutrients to grow strong bones and muscles, to feed their developing brains, and to build their immune systems without overdoing it on the calorie count. Optimal nutrient profiles are especially important for large breed puppies, as they can develop painful bone conditions when they are allowed to eat foods with a high calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and thus grow too quickly. Look for large breed puppy foods for puppies which will be 55 pounds or more once fully grown as an adult.

2. Dog Treats

Dog treats are the highlight of a puppy’s day. They can make dog training a snap --- consider Hill’s^® Science Diet^® Soft & Chewy Training Treats --- and improve the human-puppy bond through a positive reinforcement program. However, because it’s easy to overdo, make sure dog treats are small enough to be a tiny bite of flavor … not a meal replacement. In fact, treats should not account for more than 10 percent of your puppy's daily calories.