Probably the majority of dog owners don't really think about what to feed their dog. There is such a selection of both dry and canned dog food, and most people would assume that their pet is getting the correct nutrients from whatever the choice of food is.
However, like us, a dog actually has very specific nutritional needs, and if these aren't met, again like us, they can get sick.
So in this article I am going to address some do's and don'ts on what to feed your dog to keep him healthy.
What Your Dog Doesn't Need To Be Fed
Table Scraps
These tend to be our leftovers such as fat off the steak or crusts off the sandwich. Most table scraps contain very little nutrition to benefit your dog; if you don't start this habit in the first place they don't know the difference, and it will have the added benefit of not having your dog hang around the table at meal times.
Poor Quality Food
Unfortunately a lot of dog food sold in stores contains too much fat or too many fillers and not enough nutrients. Learn what your dog needs and check the nutritional panel on the side of the bag or the can. Poor quality food can also cause a gas problem in a lot of dogs, so by feeding your dog a better quality food, it will not only make him more healthy but less smelly to be around! Another tip on how to cut down on the farts is to check the treats you are giving him, as a lot of these can be high in fat.
Too Much Food
As many as 40% of dogs suffer from obesity as some stage, so it is very important to understand what to feed your dog to keep them healthy.
The following amounts are the weight of dry food recommended by vets for healthy dogs, ie not dogs that are already overweight.
Less than 10lbs (4.5kgs approx): 1/3rd to 1 cup per day
10 - 25lbs (4.5 - 11kgs): 1 to 2¼ cups per day
25 - 50lbs (11 - 23kgs): 2 - 3 cups per day
50 - 75lbs (23 - 34kgs): 3 - 5 cups per day
Over 75lbs (34kgs): 5 - 8 cups per day
Regularly eating more calories than they need can lead your pet to become obese, which in turn could lead to symptoms such as breathing difficulties, or even illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
However, simply by making sure he gets his daily exercise plus ensuring his food is healthy and nutritious, cutting out food scraps and counting his treats as part of his daily intake, can keep your dog in good health and at the correct weight for his breed.
Foods You Should NEVER Feed Your Dog
There are actually quite of lot of foods which can cause illness or quite severe reactions, and can sometimes even be fatal to dogs. The following are just some of the foods people are more likely to feed their dogs, not realising the harm that can be done.
Onions, chocolate, baby food, cooked bones, cat food, fat trimmings, macadamia nuts, raw fish, fruit with pits, some mushrooms, avocado, grapes
To Sum Up
- Have set feeding times - don't just leave a bowl of food there all day.
- Don't overfeed him
- Make your dog 'earn' his food, either by playing games such as fetch and drop, a walk or practicing some tricks. It is also good practice to make him sit and wait for the food bowl.
- Make his treats part of the amount of food he has each day, not an extra. Ideas for healthy treats include American rawhide, large beef bones (size depends on your dog breed), jerky (this can be broken up into extra small pieces for training). My dogs also love fruit and vegies such as apples (minus the pips), melon and carrots.
- Make sure he always gets his daily walk.
Follow these rules on what to feed your dog, and you and he will both benefit - your pet will remain healthy and you won't have so many vet bills!
Always remember dogs are pack animals, and by communicating with him in a way he understands, you will get a better result for everyone concerned.
It is important that training starts as soon as you get your dog or puppy home. Puppy School helps socialize your dog, plus there is plenty of information on the internet about training dogs.
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