Feeding Your DogWhen a new dog owner is faced with the vast array of commercial pet foods which are available in our shops it can be quite confusing for them to decide what type of diet is most suitable for their pet. In this article I will discuss the general considerations which you should bear in mind when choosing how to feed your dog. If you feed your dog a healthy diet you will be giving him the best chance of living a long and healthy life.
Dogs should always have free access to clean and fresh water. This should be provided at all times. Access to water is especially important if your dog is fed a dry, biscuit based diet and during hot weather. Dogs generally drink tap water readily. Some dogs will drink water out of the toilet, but this should be avoided by keeping the bathroom door closed and the toilet lid down. Dogs should not really drink milk as this is a common cause of digestive upsets in this species. If you do give your dog dairy products do so only as an occasional treat.
Dogs are often given food only once per day as adults and this is fine. However many dogs do appreciate a small breakfast as well as their main evening meal. If your dog has a very delicate stomach then you may find that several small meals spaced throughout the day are tolerated better than one large evening meal. Take care not to feed your dog within about two hours of exercise since a great deal of physical activity on top of a full stomach may lead to a gastric torsion, especially in medium or large dogs.
The type of food you should offer your dog to a large extent depends upon your personal preferences. Most good quality brands of dog food are nutritionally balanced and will meet all your dog's dietary needs. Once you have decided upon a particular type and brand of food it is wise to stick to it as far as possible. Dogs do not really need the variety in their diet which we enjoy. Regularly changing the brand or type of food offered to your dog may lead to tummy upsets, food intolerance and a fussy eater. If you choose a branded "complete" dog food your pet will not require additional vitamins or minerals in the diet. Supplementation with extra minerals or vitamins when a complete diet is being fed is not only a waste of your money, but may also lead to health problems.
I personally prefer the wet types of food over the dry biscuit varieties. "Wet" or tinned foods are a better mimic of the natural food of the dog (i.e. small birds and mammals) and have a higher water content than dry foods. Wet foods do not stay fresh all day and need to be taken up if not eaten within a reasonable length of time. The dog therefore has less opportunity to snack during the day than if left with dry food available all the time. As in people, constant snacking can lead to weight problems and I often see overweight dogs which are fed a dry food diet. Dry foods do have the advantage of staying fresher all day and can help to keep the teeth healthy, but overall I do prefer to feed dogs the wet foods with a few biscuits on top as a crunchy treat. There is currently a movement towards feeding dogs a raw diet. This is O.K. as long as you are aware that your dog is more at risk of contracting certain diseases which are carried in raw meat. Overall it is probably a very healthy diet.
Many owners do enjoy giving their pets table scraps and biscuit treats. This is perfectly acceptable and can lead to a deepening of the human-animal bond between them. However dogs should not be overfed with treats. If too many treats are given throughout the day this can lead to the diet becoming unbalanced and problems with the pet's weight.
If you ever need to change the diet of your dog it should be done gradually in order to prevent tummy upsets. At first mix a small amount of the new food in with the old diet. This will allow your dog to become used to it without having to eat too much. Over the course of about ten days gradually increase the amount of new diet and decrease the amount of old food in each meal until your dog is eating the new diet exclusively. You should not allow your dog to go completely without food for longer than 48 hours, so if your dog really does not like the new diet you may have to take care that he eats something. It is O.K. to warm or moisten dog food to increase the palatability of it and in some cases you may need to hand-feed your dog to ensure that it takes something at first. Most healthy adult dogs usually take to a new diet relatively easily, but if your dog is unwell or elderly or does not seem to be eating well at all it would be advisable to speak to your vet.
Remember that feeding your dog a good diet will give your dog a better chance of a long and healthy life. Dogs may choose to eat foods which are not very healthy if given the chance (just like children) but it is your job to choose the diet which is most appropriate for your dog and ensure that a balanced diet is provided for him or her.
© Samantha Coe. All rights reserved. Further information, news and pet-related healthcare articles are available at vetbase.co.uk
Questions Answered
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