Feeding Your Dog

The nutrition of dogs is a subject of considerable interest to someone like yourself who naturally wants to provide the best food possible for your new pup. There is an urgent need for you to get the feeding "right" from day one, because your puppy will grow so quickly and a deficiency in the feeding may cause irreversible damage to his or her growth and development, especially if it is a large, fast growing breed.

Puppies have special needs, for example, high levels of nutrients (such as protein and minerals) and low bulk in the food compared to the adult dog. For these reasons, we recommend vitamins, minerals (F-vite) and calcium be added to the prepared dog foods which are available.

Good quality canned foods (Nature's Gift, My Dog and Puppy Pal) are convenient for our modern lifestyle, but do not promote healthy teeth and gums. These prepared foods are good nutritionally, but you need to provide your pup with rawhide chews from a young age so that the teeth remain clean and exercised. The rawhide chews are also used to stop your puppy from chewing household objects such as your best pair of shoes.

Diets consisting of muscle meat alone are not suitable for the dog mainly because of the low level of fibre, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A and iodine found within meat. Milk may be high in calcium and protein, but is not given to pups because it often causes diarrhea, as does uncooked starch (raw potatoes, vegetables, etc.) and spicy foods. We believe that some chunks of meat and dry food or a raw marrow bone or brisket bone should be given after a meal rather than before, so that there is some roughage in the bowel to help the pieces of bone pass through. The function of the hard bones, etc., is to satisfy the dog's need to chew to exercise his jaw and clean his teeth.

Puppies need two or three times as much food as an adult dog the same size, so it is very important to give your pup the opportunity to satisfy his nutrient needs. For this reason, we recommend that puppies under 10 weeks of age have a total food allocation divided into at least 4 equal meals, the number of which are gradually reduced as the dog matures. For maximum benefit, these meals should be spread as far apart throughout the day as possible.

The question of "how much food to feed?" is always difficult to answer in grams per kilogram terms because this will invariably tend to underfeed the smaller breeds and overfeed the larger breeds. The easy way around the question is to feed enough so that the tummy is full but not bloated, or to put a measured amout of food (say 1 cup) in the bowl and see what, if any, is left and next meal adjust accordingly. It is important not to allow your puppy to become fat as a young dog because of the extra burden the joints (especially the hips and elbows) must bear during adolescence.

Your dog also be given healthy treats, such as those offered from Sassy Treats. Sassy Treats was conceived in August 2001 as a result of a lack in the Australian market place of tasty treats and truly nutritious meals for dogs. All Sassy Treats are hand-made organic and natural with no preservatives and no artificial flavours. Sassy Treats are 100% delectable. If your dog suffers from skin allergies and is sensitive to preservatives, Sassy Treats are what you're looking for. They even have a gluten-free selection. Sassy Treats come in different flavours and sizes, because, like us, dogs have unique tastes. Even the fussiest pet will find a Sassy Treat just right for them. If you have any enquiries or would to like to place an order for Sassy Treats, please call 02 9356 2509 or visit their website at http://www.sassytreats.com.au.

Introducing New Foods

Serve foods at room temperature, as this is closer to what they would get without human interference. Many cats have become addicted to pet foods given as kittens; other cats do not accept a new diet purely because they are not hungry; some cats go crazy just hearing the can opening. Under such circumstances, the body's natural instinct for selecting a healthy, balanced diet is diminished.

When changing your cat's food, it is best to do so over a 7-10 day period. Mix the new food at a gradually increasing amount in with the current food at a gradually decreasing amount. This not only gives your cat time to get used to the new taste, but also gives its digestive system time to adjust.

Rules of Good Nutrition for Your Puppy

Rule 1: You must first ascertain that your pup is healthy and not picky because it is unwell.

Rule 2: Feed an 8 week old puppy a maximum of three times a day. Cut this down to two meals as soon as the pup shows any disinterest in food, or at 12 weeks of age at the latest. From 16 weeks of age, give one meal only at a time to suit yourself.

Rule 3: Leave uneaten food after 10 minutes at the most and make the next meal smaller.

Rule 4: Do not give tidbits between mealtimes.

Rule 5: Make fresh water available at all times.

A complete and balanced diet is crucial for the development of a healthy and happy dog. Puppies and adult dogs require a diet made up of meat proteins, vegetables and cereals to obtain all the essential nutrients. There is no need for vitamin or mineral supplements if your dog is receiving the right diet.

Many dogs in the community are overweight, which can lead to other health problems, so try not to overfeed your dog. You should be able to easily feel your dog's ribs with light pressure. If not, then your dog is overweight!

Copyright © 2002 Rob Marshall, All Rights Reserved.