The 8 Best Foods to Feed Your Adult and Puppy Havanese

The Havanese is a fun and friendly little dog known as much for his wavy coat as for his playful temperament. These dogs make great family pets and they form strong attachments to the people they love. If you are looking for a loyal companion pet, the Havanese is a great breed to consider! The Havanese is considered a toy breed. Your Havanese will do well eating either a toy breed food or a small breed food.

If you aren’t sure where to start when shopping for dog food, you’ll be glad to know that we’ve done the hard work for you! Keep reading learn what foods to feed a Havanese.

Havanese Diet and Nutrition

The first thing you need to know about canine nutrition is that different dog breeds do NOT have different nutritional needs!

At least, not in the way that low-quality brands like Eukanuba and Royal Canin would have you believe. Basic dog nutrition is the same across the board, though there are some differences in energy needs and certain breeds may benefit from certain kinds of diets based on their health profile.

So, what do you need to know about Havanese diet and nutrition?

First and foremost is protein. Protein is made up of amino acids which are the building blocks for healthy cells, tissues, muscles, and organs. As a puppy, your Havanese needs plenty of protein in his diet to support his growth and development. As an adult, your dog needs protein to help him maintain his lean muscle mass.

Fat is the second most important nutrient for your dog because it provides a highly-concentrated source of energy. This is particularly important for small-breed dogs like your Havanese because smaller dogs have faster metabolisms than larger dogs. This simply means that they burn through calories more quickly and therefore need a higher number of calories per pound of bodyweight.

What about carbohydrates? Dogs don’t have specific needs for this nutrient and there is a great deal of controversy regarding whether it should even be present in a dog’s diet. Whatever you believe, carbohydrate can provide your dog with energy as well as essential vitamins and minerals, not to mention dietary fiber. Just make sure that the carbs come from digestible sources and that the protein content isn’t too high – a maximum of 5%.

Best Foods to Feed an Adult Havanese

Now that you have a better understanding of your Havanese dog’s nutritional needs and energy requirements, you can make an educated decision when it comes to choosing a dog food product. If you have never shopped for dog food before, however, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices available.

If you want some help getting started, here are our top picks:

American Journey Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Peas, Rice Bran
Key Features :

• No corn, wheat, or soy
• DHA and ARA for brain and eyes
• Antioxidants for a healthy immune system
• Nutrient-dense

American Journey Chicken and Brown Rice is a balanced recipe, specially crafted to meet the nutritional demands of your dog. With real, deboned chicken as the first ingredient to support healthy muscle development, antioxidants added to help support a healthy immune system, omega fatty acids to help maintain skin and coat health, and a precise blend of calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones and teeth, this food is sure to keep your pet healthy and happy. American Journey dog food also contains DHA and ARA, naturally occurring fatty acids to help support brain and vision development. Plus, it’s made with nutrient-dense ingredients. There is never any wheat, corn, soy, chicken or poultry by-product meals, or artificial preservatives, colors or artificial flavors.

Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food

Healthy Ingredients : Turkey breast, turkey liver, kale, carrots, lentils
Key Features :

• Human-Grade
• Subscription-based
• Portioned Individually for your dog
• Auto-ships direct to your door

Ollie is a human-grade, fresh food option if you are in the market for a super premium dog food. Just like fresh food diets are gaining popularity with humans, they are becoming popular with pets. Ollie’s ingredients are all human-grade and are cooked slowly to preserve their nutritional integrity. No artificial flavors or fillers are used in any of their recipes, so you can be sure your dog is getting whole, fresh ingredients and nothing more. When you sign up for Ollie, you fill out a profile about your Havanese to help them create a customized recipe and delivery schedule just for you. The food is delivered to your doorstep and stored in your fridge or freezer. Although Ollie is more expensive than other dog foods, there are a lot of added benefits that make a fresh food diet something to consider!

Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry

Healthy Ingredients : Venison, Lamb Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Peas, Lentils
Key Features :

• Small kibble pieces
• Grain-free
• Not suitable for growing puppies
• Protein-rich

Specially formulated for small breeds like your Havanese, this Taste of the Wild recipe is not only extremely popular, but a healthy pick for your pet! It is grain-free which can be great for pets with food sensitivities, and it includes venison as the main protein to provide lasting energy for your active dog. Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley is a natural recipe with the added vitamins and powerful antioxidants your pet needs for overall health, as well as the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids necessary to support healthy skin and coat. Made in the USA by a family-run company, there’s no mistaking that Taste of the Wild is one of the most popular brands we review.

Now Fresh Small Breed Adult Recipe

Healthy Ingredients : De-Boned Turkey, Whole Dried Egg, Peas, Pea Flour, Potatoes
Key Features :

• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Small kibble pieces
• Protein rich
• Grain free

The Petcurean brand of pet food offers four different product lines for dogs and the Now Fresh line features fresh, wholesome ingredients. This particular recipe is formulated for small-breed adult dogs, made with smaller kibbles that are easier to chew. With deboned turkey as the first ingredient, this formula is protein rich and it is supplemented with other animal proteins like salmon and duck. In addition to being protein-rich, this formula is completely grain-free. It also includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables which offer natural sources for key nutrients. This is important because synthetic supplements offer limited bioavailability to dogs. Natural sources are always better.

Merrick Classic Small-Breed Recipe

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Peas
Key Features :

• Full of natural flavor
• Protein rich
• Digestible carbohydrates
• Probiotics for digestive health

The Merrick Pet Care company is committed to providing pets with wholesome, high-quality nutrition and that is exactly what this classic small-breed recipe delivers. Featuring deboned chicken and chicken meal as the first two ingredients guarantees that this formula is protein-rich and full of natural flavor. Peas and brown rice provide digestible carbohydrates for energy and dietary fiber while nutritious chicken fat provides a concentrated source of energy. Other beneficial ingredients include chelated minerals and probiotics. All in all, a great choice for your Havanese.

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small-Breed Adult Lamb and Brown Rice

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Lamb, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal
Key Features :

• Probiotic support
• Great source of protein
• Chicken fat and flaxseed for energy
• Formulated for small breeds

Blue Buffalo is one of the top pet food companies on the market, and for good reason. Not only do they offer a wide variety of product choices, but each of their recipes is made with high-quality, natural ingredients. This particular recipe features unique ingredients like deboned lamb and it is specially formulated for small breeds. It contains digestible whole grains like brown rice and barley as well as supplemental proteins such as turkey meal and chicken meal. Chicken fat and flaxseed provide concentrated energy as well as a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. You’ll also be glad to know that this formula is supplemented with chelated minerals for maximum nutrient absorption as well as dried fermentation products for probiotic support.

Top 3 Best Foods to Feed a Puppy Havanese

As important as it is to choose a high-quality kibble for your adult Havanese, what you feed your puppy is even more important. The quality of the diet you provide for your Havanese puppy will have a direct impact on his growth and development – you don’t want to skimp!

If you want some suggestions for quality brands of puppy food, here are our top picks:

Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Puppy Recipe

Healthy Ingredients : Anchovy and Sardine Meal, Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)
Key Features :

• Rich in protein
• Has healthy animal fats
• Formulated to support digestive health
• Assortment of fruits and veggies

Holistic Select is a company that believes that pet food should not only taste good, but it should be good as well – good for your pet. Every recipe is supplemented with the Holistic Select “Unique Digestive Health Support System” which features prebiotics, probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes to ensure maximum nutrient uptake and healthy digestion. This particular recipe is designed for small and mini breed puppies like your Havanese. It is made with anchovy and sardine meal as the first ingredient so you know that, not only is it rich in protein, but it is full of healthy animal fats as well. This formula also contains brown rice, oatmeal, and an assortment of fruits and veggies.

Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Puppy Formula

Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Ground Barley
Key Features :

• Packed with protein
• Includes healthy whole grains
• Uses fresh fruits and veggies
• Made for small breed puppies

The Wellness brand of pet food is known for following a holistic approach to pet nutrition. They use only the healthiest, high-quality ingredients and each of their recipes is formulated for optimal nutrition and balance. If you’re looking for a healthy puppy formula for your Havanese, give this Wellness Complete Health Small Breed recipe a try. Not only is it formulated for puppies, but specifically for small-breed puppies. It features deboned turkey, chicken meal, and salmon meal as the top three ingredients, so you can rest assured that it is packed with protein to support your puppy’s growth and development. It also contains digestible whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and probiotics.

How Much Should You Feed Your Havanese?

Unfortunately, there is no standard formula for how much to feed your dog.

Why? Because every dog and every dog food is different.

When it comes to determining how much to feed your Havanese, you’ll need to consider multiple factors including his age, sex, and bodyweight as well as the nutritional information for your dog food of choice. Even if you picked three bags of kibble off the shelf that all had the same main ingredients, if you took a closer look at the nutrition information you would probably find that all three contained a different number of calories per serving.

So, how do you know how much to feed your dog?

You have two options. Your first option is to follow the feeding recommendations on the food label. Simply take your dog’s bodyweight and read the label for the corresponding daily portion. Your other option is to calculate your dog’s specific calorie needs and use that to determine how much to feed him. Which option you go with is up to you.

How Many Calories Does My Havanese Need?

If you really want to make sure that your dog’s energy needs are met, you should take the time to determine how many calories he needs on a daily basis. As it has already been mentioned, smaller dogs have very fast metabolisms and therefore need a higher number of calories per pound of bodyweight than larger dogs. But just how many calories does a Havanese need?

First, you need to consider that dogs need an average of 30 calories per pound of bodyweight in general. If you factor in the faster metabolism of this breed, however, you’ll probably end up with something closer to 40 calories per pound. The Havanese only weighs between 7 and 13 pounds in adulthood which gives you a calorie range of 280 to 520 calories per day.

Want to get a little more specific? Here is the formula for calculating your Havanese dog’s specific calorie needs based on his bodyweight:

Resting Energy Requirement (RER) = 70 x (bodyweight in kg)¾

After calculating your dog’s RER, the energy requirement for a healthy, altered adult dog, you can multiply it by one of the following factors depending on his age, sex, and alteration status:

Description	Factor
Puppy 0 to 4 months	RER x 3.0
Puppy 4 to 12 months	RER x 2.0
Intact Adult Dog	RER x 1.8
Altered Adult Dog	RER x 1.6
Active, Working Dog	RER x 2.0 – 5.0
Weight Loss	RER x 1.0
Weight Gain	RER x 1.2 – 1.8
Obese or Inactive Dogs	RER x 1.2 – 1.4

Simply plug in your Havanese dog’s RER (according to the formula above) then multiply that number by the correct factor according to this chart. Once you have your dog’s daily calorie requirements, you can use the nutrition information on the pet food package to determine how much to feed him each day.

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What to Look for in a Good Havanese Food

Okay, so now you have an idea what your dog’s nutritional needs are and about how many calories he needs – how do you find a high-quality dog food that meets these needs?

First, you need to consider your dog’s energy requirements. Because the Havanese has such a fast metabolism, your best bet is to pick a dog food formulated specifically for small breeds. Many of the top dog food brands offer small-breed formulas, so that’s a great place to start.

After you’ve narrowed down your options to small-breed formulas, take a look at the guaranteed analysis on the package. Compared to the average kibble, small-breed recipes tend to be higher in fat – that’s where the extra calories come from. You want to make sure, however, that there is still plenty of protein and a limited amount of carbohydrate.

In addition to making sure that all of the important nutrients are accounted for, you should look for a few other things in a quality Havanese dog food. Make sure that the first ingredient is a source of animal protein, not a grain – and don’t buy a product that includes wheat or corn because these are generally low-quality fillers that don’t provide much in the way of nutrition.

Probiotics (usually in the form of dried fermentation products) and chelated minerals are also great additions to dog food. And avoid products made with artificial ingredients like preservatives, colors, and flavors. They serve no nutritional purpose.

Havanese Dog Food Comparison Table
Rank	Product	Price	Rating
Most Popular	American Journey Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.49/lb	A+
Human Grade	Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Save 50% Here	Varies	A+
Best Value	Taste of the Wild Appalachian Valley Small Breed Grain-Free Dry  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$1.55/lb	A+
#1	Now Fresh Small Breed Adult Recipe  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$3.16/lb	A+
#2	Merrick Classic Small-Breed Recipe  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$2.10/lb	A
#3	Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small-Breed Adult Lamb and Brown Rice  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$2.00/lb	A-
#4	Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Puppy Recipe  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$5.00/lb	A+
#5	Wellness Complete Health Small Breed Puppy Formula  Buy Online  Customer Reviews  Brand Review	$2.77/lb	A

Conclusion