Dog Food

Dog Food

     Food is essential for good health as much in dogs as in humans. Through your dog’s diet, he has to get everything his body needs: from the energy needed to keep chasing those balls to the incredible array of nutrients that make up every tissue and keep every cellular process going. Too much or too little of any one of those nutrients can quickly cause upsets and if something gets into your dog’s diet that shouldn’t be there, you can be sure that problem won’t be far away.

Feeding

     Two light meals a day of a high protein diet will make your dog more content, as opposed to one large meal. To promote good manners, train your dog to sit by its food, and only allow it to eat on your command. If you have more than one dog in your household, feed them separately to avoid food guarding.

Remember– never approach a dog when it is eating. It is natural for dogs to protect their food.

Feed your dog premium dry food

      Dogs need premium food for energy and health. A quality dry biscuit is recommended. Biscuits might help to keep your dog’s teeth healthy and are more nutrient-dense than soft foods. Premium food is available at most vet clinics.

Dogs need some variety in their diet – discuss options with your vet.

Water

      Your dog should have easy access to fresh, clean water at all times, inside and outside.

Foods to avoid

1. Human food has salt, sugar, or additives that can be harmful, fattening, or cause severe reactions
2. Cat food is not suitable for dogs.
3. Cooked bones can splinter and get stuck in the throat or gut. Only provide uncooked bones (e.g. lamb brisket, chicken carcass) and always supervise when eating.
4. Do not give your dog milk as most are lactose intolerant and will get diarrhea.

Introducing a new food

      Introduce any new food gradually over one or two weeks to avoid stomach upsets. Mix new biscuits in with the old, slowly changing the proportions.

Choose food for the age of your dog

      Puppies need high-energy puppy food for bone growth and a healthy immune system. After 12 months, most dogs need adult dog food for healthy weight and nutrition maintenance. Larger dog breeds may need puppy food until 18 months. (Discuss with your vet). Dogs over seven years old need a senior diet with reduced calories, lower proteins and elements to support bone structure.

How much and how often?

       Puppies need to be fed more regularly to provide regular nutrition for growth.

• Feed puppies under six months three times a day

• Feed puppies between six and 12 months twice a day

• Feed adult dogs once or twice a day

Access your dog Health

       It is normal for dogs to eat less as they get older, but they should still have a healthy appetite. If your dog is eating a lot less than normal or refuses to eat at all, this could be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Kidney disease, diabetes, cancer or dental problems can all affect your dog’s appetite, so you should visit a vet as soon as possible for a diagnosis.

Food for Unhealthy dogs

     Once serious causes have been ruled out, there are a few things you can do to make food more appealing to a senior dog. These include:

• Try to make your dog’s food more palatable, as senior dogs can be fussier about what they eat - often due to a reduced sense of taste. Adding cooked chicken is an easy example, although make sure you don’t accidentally overfeed.
• If you’re using dry kibble, try mixing it with warm water to make it softer and more appetizing. Low-sodium chicken broth can be even more appealing.
• Multiple smaller meals throughout the day may be easier for your dog to digest than one or two large meals.
• If your dog is suffering from joint pain, discuss pain medication with your vet. It can be difficult for a dog to feel like eating if they are in pain.
• Some types of medication can affect a dog’s appetite. If you think this might be the reason for your pet eating less, discuss alternative medications with your vet.
• Older dogs sometimes find it difficult to eat from bowls on the floor. Consider getting an elevated dish, so that your pet doesn’t need to bend his neck so much to eat.

Common signs of ill health in dogs that are often overlooked:

• Very smelly poop

• Greasy, smelly coat

• Rapid plaque build-up

• Occasional vomiting

• Runny eyes

• Obesity

• Itching

• Recurring ear problems

• Hyperactivity

• Chewing of the paws

• Recurring anal gland problems

• Constant molting

• Bad breath

    But there is a fairly huge light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, diet is the source of many of these problems but it can also be the cure. By getting your dog's diet right, often by simply moving to better quality food, you can give your dog a new lease of life and often stop all of the problems mentioned above in their tracks.

•  And feeding better dog food doesn't have to break the bank either. With fewer fillers and far more nutrients per gram, you actually have to feed much less of good food than of a low-grade food - sometimes as much as half. When you also factor in vet bills, feeding good food can actually work out considerably cheaper in the long run.
•  From weaning right through to old age, it is diet more than any other factor that will determine the quality and the length of your dog's life and, the truth is, that most complete foods are failing our dogs.

     

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