Good nutrition for your dog is important; it makes for a happy and healthy dog and helps to prolong its life. But the bewildering choice in dog food available makes it difficult for the dog owner to choose the correct one. And then there’s the advice from nutrition experts and vets in the media, on the internet and on social media! How do you make sense of it all, particularly if you’re fairly new at owning a dog, and just want to make sure it eats well balanced, tasty food that’s good for it – and doesn’t break the bank?
If you follow some basic advice, you can feed your dog what’s best for it and also balance the quality of the dog food with the cost. However, if you have a dog with serious health or skin issues, you need to get professional advice from your vet.
Dogs need different food at different ages: A puppy, once it’s weaned, requires special puppy food to help with all the nutrients needed for growth. There is food for different breeds on the market – or you can stick to puppy food for small, medium and large dogs.
You can change to adult food when the dog’s growth in height slows, from about 12 months in smaller breeds to 24 months in large breeds. The choice available varies greatly in price and there are the general ones, those that cater for a specific breed, and food suited for different size dogs – your Yorkie will not want to eat the same food as the neighbors’ Alsatian!
The older dog may have problems chewing and digesting food, so changing to a softer food, and speaking to your vet should ensure that it still gets food that’s sufficient for its needs.
What is the best food for your dog’s needs? The main argument has to do with the balance between carbohydrates and protein (sounds familiar?). Research indicates that your dog needs a fairly high quantity of protein in its diet. A high protein low carbohydrates diet corresponds with the dog’s diet and anatomical psychology and promotes health and well-being. However, today’s dog food typically has a 40%-60% protein/carbohydrate make-up. Start by reading the labels on the dog food; the first ingredients mentioned are usually those that make up most of the product. For instance, if it lists maize or corn first the product is mostly corn based and high in carbohydrates. Ideally you’d want the first items on the list to be chicken, turkey, eggs etc. Also, the more detailed the description, the better the quality; for ‘chicken livers’ is better than ‘animal byproducts’.
Dog food comes mostly in dry, hard pellet, form and soft tinned food. Advantages of dry food are that it’s easier to store, cheaper and helps to clean teeth. Disadvantages are that it’s not as tasty, can be hard to chew for dogs with dental problems and the picky eater. Soft dog food come mostly in tins and is tasty even for the fussy eater, it has a high moisture content, and it’s also easy to chew for older dogs. Disadvantages are that it’s more expensive, must be kept in the refrigerator once opened and can cause plague and tartar build up on the dog’s teeth. A solution that seems to work for many people is to mix wet and dry dog food.
Dogs love treats! That’s not news, but it pays think what you give your dig as a treat. Many people give left-over food from the table to their dogs. This is not ideal as dogs have different nutritional requirements than people. Another danger is that the dog can get so used to ‘people food’ that it refuses to eat dog food. It’s best to avoid giving the dog spicy and rich food – no matter how they beg for it. A bit of bland carbohydrates and protein now and then wouldn’t hurt them, but they shouldn’t be used to being fed from the table. And bones, except for marrow bones, are a no-no; they can get stuck in a dog’s throat, damage their teeth and cause digestive problems. Rather buy one of the many chew products on the market – it’s safe and helps with cleaning teeth.
If you want to reward your dog with treats (as you should) there are many to choose from on the market – just read the label and buy the best you can afford.
If you have the time and inclination, you can prepare food and treats for your pet. It is fun baking your own dog nibbles, so you know exactly what goes into them. And if you want to add protein to dry food, a good idea is to buy affordable quality meat in bulk and prepare it all at once. Just cook it and freeze every day’s portion in containers, you know it’s healthy and it’ll also work out cheaper than buying the finished product.
There are pet shops that specialize in dog nutrition – from Omega tablets to specially formulated food for ailments like itchy skin etc. The people at these shops are usually knowledgeable about dog nutrition and may help with many minor health problems. However, for specialized care the best is to visit your vet.
If you take care of your dog’s food, you’ll have a happier and healthier dog. There are helpful websites available. But be sensible about it; as in human nutrition, moderation is the key.
1Salomi is a contributing blogger ,dog lover and avid learner ,you can see more of her articles on her website
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