Although it was once common practice to feed dogs whatever scraps came from the dinner table, today we realize that there is much more to feeding an animal than we thought. It is important to give them foods that will provide them with a healthy life and a long one too. In fact, a number of researchers dedicate their lives to understanding what your pet should and shouldn’t eat. You can bank on what they have found that should be in your dog’s diet.
It is important to provide your animal with the right type of food. That means that you should give him/her food that is right for the dog’s age and activity levels and that is right for his/her size as well as their health. Ideally, dogs and cats should eat raw, wet meat. Food that is consistent with the Balanced Raw food diet (you can Google it for more details). Unfortunately, consistently following this diet can become expensive and you will find yourself resorting to buying food in the pet food grocery aisle or the pet store. There you will find a wide selection of products to choose from. It is wise to purchase the best quality of food for your pet that you can afford to buy. Realize that if you purchase poor quality food for your animal, his health can be lacking.
Your pet’s diet should include some dry food because the crunch will help to keep their teeth clean and it will also help with gum health. It provides the fiber in your dog’s diet that is necessary. You can use wet food, but don’t give them too much of it. For example, pour some over your dog’s dry food instead of giving them the whole can. If you are interested in providing your pet with home made foods, find dog specific recipes throughout the web to use. It is important not to give your dog leftovers from your meal though. You need the food to provide nutrition to your dog based on his needs. Things like fats, and fillers in human food, as well as spices, can make a dog sick.
As a puppy, your dog needs to eat frequently throughout the day, about three or four smaller meals, until they are about three months old. Then, cut it down to only three meals a day for the next three months. Ideally, your adult dog should eat twice per day. You should provide your dog’s food to them for up to twenty minutes. At that point remove it if they have not eaten it and are not in the process of doing so. This will help to stop picky eaters. You do need to provide a constant amount of clean water for your pet to drink as well.
Ideally, you will need to get recommendations about the amounts of food to feed your dog from your vet. Sometimes, information is also available on the food bags as well. Not sure if your pet is eating the right amount? Here’s a test. If you run your hand against the dog’s side, you should feel her ribs without pressing. If you can not feel them without pressing, she may be overweight. If you can see them, though, she is underweight.
It is not always easy determining which brand of food to purchase for your pet, but if you are sure to read the labels and look for food that contains “meat name”, “meat name” by products, or “meat name” (ie chicken, turkey, beef) meal, you are on the right track. Because you can never know the source of the meat used to make generic by-product meals, purchase of pet food products containing anonymous names should be avoided. Anonymous names include meat meal, meat and bone meal, meat by-product meal, and animal by-product meal. Source: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/animal-by-products/
Since dog food is filled with preservatives and fillers, adding supplements to their diets will help make up for what is lacking in the food. Just like us, as humans, the food we eat does not contain all of the nutrients necessary for us to live at our optimal health. So, we supplement our diets with vitamins. This is the same for our furry loved ones. Be sure to invest in high quality nutritional supplements for your pet to bridge those nutritional gaps left by the quality of food that is available today.