Health Care For Your Dog — A Quick Guide
While our food provides complete nutrition, maintaining your dog's overall health requires consistent care. Good food is just the beginning.
A Healthy Dog Starts in the Bowl
Good nutrition impacts everything — energy, coat condition, dental health, digestion, and immune strength. When a dog is fed the right food in the right portions, the difference is visible within weeks.
Heritage Foods Kenya's product range is designed to support your dog's health at every life stage — from a nursing puppy to an active adult working dog.
Below is a breakdown of how each of our products supports specific health outcomes, plus a quick veterinary care guide for new and experienced dog owners alike.
Veterinary Checkups & Immunisation
Ask your vet to give new puppies or any new dog a checkup. A new puppy will require several vaccinations over a six-week period and will need boosters throughout its life.
Deworming Schedule: Recommended by age, sex, breed and climate. Always follow the recommended dosage rates.
Nutrition & Health — By Product
Each Heritage Foods product is formulated for a specific purpose. Choosing the right one for your dog's life stage and condition makes a measurable difference.
Puppy Nutrition — Getting the Start Right
The first 12 months of a dog's life are the most critical for development. Puppies have fundamentally different nutritional needs to adult dogs. Feeding an adult formula to a puppy — or underfeeding — can cause permanent developmental problems that cannot be reversed later.
What Puppies Need
- ✓28% protein — supports muscle development and healthy weight gain from week one.
- ✓DHA (Omega-3) — supports brain and eye development during the critical early months of neurological growth.
- ✓10% fat — provides concentrated energy for puppies' fast metabolism and constant movement.
- ✓Calcium & phosphorus — builds strong bones and teeth, especially important for large breeds.
- ✓GMO-free ingredients — cleaner inputs for sensitive, still-developing digestive systems.
Vaccination Schedule Reference
| Age | Vaccination / Action |
|---|---|
| 6 – 8 weeks | First distemper & parvovirus |
| 10 – 12 weeks | DHPP booster |
| 14 – 16 weeks | DHPP + rabies vaccine |
| 12 – 16 months | DHPP & rabies booster |
| Every 1 – 3 years | Ongoing boosters (vet advises) |
Digestion & Gut Health
A healthy gut means better nutrient absorption, firmer stools, and a more comfortable dog. Our formulas include digestibility enhancers to support your dog's gastrointestinal tract. Signs of poor digestion — loose stools, bloating, or a dog that eats a lot but stays thin — can often be improved by switching to a higher-quality, correctly portioned feed.
Coat, Skin & Energy
When to Switch from Puppy to Adult Food
Most dogs can transition from puppy to adult food between 10 and 14 months of age, depending on breed size. Larger breeds take longer to reach full skeletal maturity and benefit from staying on a puppy formula slightly longer.
- Small breeds (under 10kg) — transition at 10–12 months.
- Medium breeds (10–25kg) — transition at 12 months.
- Large breeds (Boerboel, German Shepherd, Rottweiler) — transition at 12–14 months or as advised by your vet.
Always transition gradually by mixing old puppy food and new adult food in increasing ratios over 7–10 days. A sudden switch can cause digestive upset even in healthy, adult dogs.