Dogs are omnivores and do need a varied but balanced diet. In order to have a healthy and hardy dog, it is necessary to check its diet carefully for both quantity and quality. Just like us they require protein, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fibre. Too much protein is not healthy for your dog and can also cause your dog to become hyperactive or aggressive. Fibre and fat are also important in a dogs diet too but too much fat can be harmful to your dog, just like it is to humans. Essential nutrients include vitamins and minerals, if your dogs diet is lacking in these then he may start to show signs of deficiency. For example, not enough sodium can make dogs overly restless. Supplements should not be given (unless your veterinarian prescribes them) as this can actually cause an overdose of certain vitamins. And of course water must be available at all times, especially in hot weather.
It is best to buy a high quality or premium brand dog food which is usually made from a fixed recipe meaning that each bag contains the correct amount of nutrition required by your dog. Avoid supermarket food if possible and opt for natural or organic food that is free from chemicals and preservatives. You get more for your money with a high quality food because it is denser and not full of cheap ingredients and fillers so therefore your dog fills up quicker and it lasts longer than cheap food. Try to look for a dog food that says Complete or Balanced on the bag. As a general rule, you get what you pay for! Research suggests that feeding dried dog food does have a few more advantages than feeding wet food but it is really down to your personal preference. If you do decide to feed only dried dog food day in and day out, consider it from your dogs point of view! Would you like to eat the same food every single day? A strip of cooked chicken or a few cooked vegetables mixed in can be a nice and healthy treat.
Alternatively, you can give your dog human food consisting of cooked chicken, beef, liver, past, rice, potatoes and vegetables. Obviously this will take a lot more planning and effort on your behalf to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients required.
Some human foods are extremely harmful to dogs. This includes chocolate, fried foods and poultry bones (such as chicken or turkey) to name a few as there are many more out there. Chocolate can be toxic and can kill, while bones can splinter and cause a ripped intestine or life threatening infections. It is now recommended that you never offer your dog raw meat because unfortunately these days we cannot trust that the meat is infection-free in its raw state.
Treats can be given to your dog either during a training session or as good boy reward and it is advisable not to give treats regularly as they can seriously affect your dogs weight and health. Supermarket bought treats are usually full of unhealthy ingredients so maybe offer a small piece of cooked chicken, beef or liver instead.
If you plan to change your dogs diet around it is necessary to do this over a 5-7 day period to allow your dogs intestines to get used to it. Start by mixing a very small amount of the new food with the old food and slowly begin to wean out the old food over the next 5 days or so. Failure to do this can mean uncomfortable stomach cramps for your poor dog and a lovely ugly mess all over your house or lawn…you have been warned!!
Just like humans, you are what you eat! If your dog is a couch potato and doesn’t get much exercise or if your dog is an endless bundle of energy, then its diet needs to be adjusted to reflect that. If you have any questions regarding feeding your dog email me now on
Article written by Sharon Haslam Dog trainer, to contact email
info@happytailstraining.com
http://www.happytailstraining.com
No comments:
Post a Comment