Nutrition Basics
More and more people are
realizing how critical diet is to a healthy lifestyle… not just for them, but
their beloved pets as well. However,
after feeding your pup processed dog foods and calling it a day for so long,
the switch may require some research. What should I be feeding my dog? How much
should I be feeding them? What kind of dog foods are there? These are very
common questions that you will need the answers to in order to get your dog to
their peak.
There are three basic types of
dog food, according to Feeding Your Dog:
Dry or Kibble (contains 6-10% moisture) which is the most popular form of dog food
due to its inexpensiveness; Soft-moist food (contains 23-40% moisture) which
has a long shelf life; and Canned food (contains 68-80%) which is the most
palatable type of food. There are also emerging types of food such as raw,
frozen, and dehydrated. Most dehydrated food has all of the nutrients your dog
needs, but is just missing the moisture which you add by mixing water into the
food.
For a more in-depth breakdown of
the contents of these food types, consult this
link (Feeding and Nutrition from MSU.)
Tufts has provided these
3 important questions to consider when deciding what to feed your dog:
• Is the food complete and
balanced?
• For which stage of a pet’s life
is the food intended?
• How are the claims on the label
substantiated?
Puppies, like babies, need to be
fed more often and should be fed up to 4 times daily when they are less than 3
months old. They should be fed 3 times from the age of 3-5 months, and can move
down to 2 times or even once a day in adulthood. Just remember to keep them on
a good routine schedule!
Lisa Freeman suggests using the
following simple guideline for determining whether you are feeding your pet too
much: “If you can easily feel the ribs, without pushing hard, then you’re
feeding the right amount. If you have to push hard to feel the ribs—or you
can’t feel them at all—you’re feeding too much.”
As always, be sure to monitor how
much water your dog is taking in. Dehydration is a growing concern especially
for active puppies. Auburn
has found that In general, a dog only gets about 25% of their required water
intake from drinking water. The rest must be compensated by the moisture
content of the food being given.
Found an orphaned puppy or cat?
Follow these
special feeding instructions courtesy of UMN to get them back to health and
then use the guide above.