Please do not use this article in the place of a
veterinarian’s diagnosis
When you get a puppy or dog, you will suddenly find total
strangers walking up to you and lecturing you about how and what to feed your
canine companion. This happened to me as
a first-time puppy owner when I was living in England . Now that I and my grown-up puppy live in America , I
still get total strangers lecturing me about what to feed my dog. I had people telling me what my puppy should
eat, how much and how often.
If this happens to you, just nod politely at the stranger
and go on following the tips from your veterinarian, your breeder or your
animal rescue center. But for the
average, healthy dog, the top five nutrition tips are the same.
Number Five: Give
Small Treats
Dogs are excited by the whole ritual of getting a treat that
they do not care how large the treat is.
Treats should not make up most of a dog’s diet. When they do get treats, say as reward in
clicker training, these treats can be as small as possible. For a Labrador retriever, the pieces can be
as small as the pink part of your thumbnail.
Dogs with very small mouths can take smaller pieces.
Number Four: No Free Choice
Feeding
Free choice feeding is a method used by cat owners. A bowl of dry food is left out all day and
all night so the cat eats whenever he feels like it. This method works well for cats and their
temperamental appetites, but is not recommended for healthy dogs and
puppies. Dogs will stuff themselves
until they puke – and then they’ll eat the puke. Unless your veterinarian recommends free
feeding, never leave a bowl of kibble out all day long. Remove any uneaten kibble ten minutes after
placing the bowl down.
Number Three: No
Sudden Diet Changes
Any new foods need to be slowly introduced to a dog, or they
may suffer gastrointestinal upsets such as vomiting and diarrhea, notes ASPCA
Complete Guide to Dogs (Chronicle Books; 1999.) Even changing over to a new brand of kibble
should be done gradually over the course of 7 to 10 days.
Number Two: Feed More Than Once Per Day
My dogs do best on two meals per day, plus a few small
treats here and there. Sometimes, they
may skip breakfast, but they have yet to skip dinner because that’s the meal
where they get a bit of canned food added to their kibble. Neither of my dogs are prone to bloat or
hypoglycemia. Dogs that are need to be
fed at least twice a day for the rest of their lives.
Number One: No Added
Supplements
Healthy dogs and puppies will not need nutritional
supplements or vitamins, according to Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook (Howell Book House; 2007.) Supplements are not only expensive, but they may do
more harm than good. Supplements – even
vitamins – should only be given as instructed by a veterinarian to treat a
specific medical condition. For example,
your vet may recommend adding chondroitin sulfate for an arthritic dog. But there is no need to give it while the dog
has full mobility.
References
- Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM, et al. Howell Book House; 2007.
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