Dog nutrition frequently asked questions
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Good nutrition doesn't just happen, it's planned. Good nutrition is essential for a happy, healthy dog. Just like children, if you let your dog eats what it wants, he's not going to get the essential nutrients it needs to stay healthy and happy. Teaching your dog to eat 'good' food takes patience, dedication and an iron will. Believe me the effort is well worth it!
It is absolutely vital that your dog has a complete and balanced diet. Your dog's body needs water, carbohydrates, protein, essential fats as well as vitamins and minerals. You'd be surprised to know that your dog's body is made up of 60 percent water by body weight so it is important to keep him hydrated for optimal health.
Common questions that are asked about nutrition include :
1. How often should I feed my dog?
Puppies (like children) need food more regularly and therefore should be fed at least 4 times a day - preferably 5. Once puppies are 3 months old, they can be fed 3 times daily until they are about 6 months old. Thereafter, dogs can be fed either once or twice daily. I prefer twice daily - it's better for dogs and makes them less likely to wolf their food down because they haven't eaten all day. I guess the main thing to note is to establish a routine and stick to it. One way to reduce 'begging for table scraps' is to feed the dog when you sit down to eat your family meals.
2. Do I need puppy food?
Puppy food is formulated differently from adult dog food as it is specially designed and has more calories which suits puppies which are growing rapidly. The first year in a puppy's life is when he will do the most growing. You will find that your dog is likely to stay on puppy food till they are about 9 months at which time you can then switch to adult dog food. This is true for most dogs with the exception of giant breed dogs like Great Danes. They take a while to do their growing (they have a lot of growing to do!) and require specially formulated diets for giant breed dogs. Giant breed pups are fed on this special diet till they are about 18 months old.
3. How much should I feed my dog?
This would vary according to the brand of food you've bought for your dog, the stage of life your dog is at ie puppy, pregnant etc, how active your dog is and also what body condition your dog is at currently ie overweight, malnourished. It is essential that you pick a quality brand name dog food - IAMS and Hills Science Diets are great choices. Start by weighing your dog and then use the guidelines on the packaging as a rough guide. Adjust accordingly for your dog - just because the package recommends you feed it 3 cups daily doesn't necesarily mean that's what your dog needs - he may need more if he's really active, or less if he's a couch potato.
4. I want to change my dog's diet - how do I do that?
Let's say you want to change dog food brands or you're moving from puppy food to adult food. Unless you want to give your dog diarrhea, do NOT change his diet all at once. It's highly recommended that you adopt a gradual approach. Start by feeding him 1/4 new food and 3/4 old food. Do this for a few days to allow his gut to adjust to it. Then increase it to 1/2 new food and 1/2 old food. Again feed this for a few days
. 3/4 new food and 1/4 old food for another few days and then move onto the new food completely.
5. Can I give my dog bones?
The jury's out on this one. As a vet I've seen dogs with bones stuck inside or lodged in their mouths. I feed my dogs bones - uncooked ones ONLY. Cooked bones are brittle and increase the likelihood of splintering in the gut. Small dogs can be fed uncooked chicken wings and larger dogs uncooked brisket bones.
6. My dog just loves cat food - is it okay for him to eat it?
Dogs can eat cat food and often love it. That's because it has a higher protein and fat content so unless you want your dog to stack on the weight, I wouldn't advise you allow him to snack too often on cat food.
7. I'm a vegetarian, can my dog be a vegetarian too?
If you opt to take this route with your dog, it is possible but just ensure that he gets a well balanced diet and discuss the diet with your veterinarian. Your dog may not like the food though so stay flexible and be prepared to go back to the meat diet if needed.
8. What is dog food made of?
Most dog food have a variety of ingredients which include meat products, poultry, seafood, grain byproducts, vitamins and minerals. Grain byproducts are parts of an animal or plant not suitable for human consumption although they still must meet federal standards for safety and nutrition. You will also notice that some dog foods contain preservatives and food coloring - these are approved by the FDA and are similar to those used in human foods. All quality dog foods have the seal of approval by the Association of American Feed Control Officials and have been proven to be completely balanced for your dog - this should be visible on the packaging.
9. What about raw hide treats and Greenies®?
Not all dogs tolerate rawhide well. Some dogs have sensitive stomachs and don't cope with it so I would suggest that if you opt to give your dog rawhide to give it sparingly and if they show any signs of gastric discomfort, then to stop it. As for Greenies® - read this article - the truth about Greenies®. Personally, a lot of the doggy treats out there can be high in calories and your dog doesn't need them. If you really want to feed your dog treats, then vegetables are great. Healthy Food For Dogs: Homemade Recipes.
10. Do I need to vary his diet - won't he get bored eating the same thing every day?
No. Your dog doesn't have the range of tastes that humans do therefore I would think that he would appreciate today's breakfast just as much as he would the first time he tasted it. Dogs do like sugary items though but I wouldn't recommend feeding him lollies or the like. Chocolate is toxic to dogs so don't even go there.
11. My dog just sits and stares (and drools) when we eat, can I feed him table scraps?
If table scraps have bones in them, then avoid these altogether. Most dogs are best without table scraps - they are too fatty for them plus you run the risk of feeding them things that could possibly be toxic to them eg onions. It's a bad habit that they cultivate so make it a rule NOT to feed them table scraps.
12. Which pet food brand do you think is best?
I like Iams (Eukanuba), Hill's (Science Diets), Purina and Waltham. Flint River also make a good dog food. Not all dogs like Iams for example - so you need to work out what works best for your dog and your budget. Sometimes if your dog has a particular medical condition, you will need to go on a special diet so that needs to be worked into the diet plan as well. Personally supermarkets don't always stock the best brands, you'll need to visit a pet store for that.
13. Should I feed my dog canned or dry food?
Dry dog food tends to be higher in calories than canned food and that's only because canned food has a lot of water in it. The advantage of dry dog food is that it tends to make the dog work harder chewing and therefore tartar build up is reduced. Smaller dogs can be hard to convince to eat dry food though and tend to cope better with a mix of the 2. Larger dogs on the other hand need less dry food to get the necessary calories so it would be better for your hip pocket.
14. What about vitamins and supplements?
Over-supplementation is a big problem in dogs - especially giant breed dogs. Truth is, if your dog is eating a balanced commercial diet, he's getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs and shouldn't need additional supplements.
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