Canine nutrition has been the subject of much research in recent years. Since prepared dog food accounts for a greater volume of supermarket sales than any other single grocery item, the commercial incentive is tremendous. As a result, American dogs are the best fed in the world, probably the most expensively fed, and certainly the most often overfed.
Kevin Durney of suburban Glen Ellyn recently visited his local Petco store to buy the usual round of dog food.
“I was feeding my dogs general, run of the mill dog food. I noticed a lot of additives and they were all words that I couldn’t even pronounce. Looking some of them up online, I wasn’t very happy with what I saw. Since then I have switched to an all-natural organic dog food, and I have seen great results. My dog has more energy, a healthier coat and overall just looks healthier. I also have a friend that makes all of his dog food at home. We are both in the same mindset.”
There are benefits to feeding your dog homemade dog food if you have the time to prepare it, and make sure you have recipes that give the correct ratio of nutrients, as well as the vitamins and supplements you'll need to add. These can be mixed up in a bag, stored, and sprinkled in every meal.
Dogs should have a minimum of 18% protein for maintenance when they are adults, and 22% for reproduction and growth. Fat should be a minimum of 5% for adult dogs, and 8% for reproduction and growth. But the fatter that is in the diet, the more protein there should be. Fat makes dogs, as well as people, eat less by making them feel full. If they eat less, and there are less of other essential nutrients like protein and vitamins and minerals, the dog will not get the nourishment it needs.
Generally, commercial pet food is made according to the appropriate guidelines, but care should be taken if significant amounts of other food is added to the diet, and it is high in fat.
But whether you're feeding your dog commercial dog food, or home made dog food, there are a few things to keep in mind so you don't end up with a fussy dog:
* Dogs should be fed once a day when they are no longer puppies, or two small meals, no more. Feeding your dog too frequently when he is older can make him appear like a fussy eater, when he is actually full.
Feeding your dog too regularly can get him into the routine of expecting to eat at those times, too, and may lead to weight gain. Letting him get hungry and feeding sensibly, will not harm him. In the wild, dogs would eat for once a day until they were completely full.
Don't stand and stare at your dog waiting for him to eat. He will likely think something is wrong, or something else is coming, and won't eat.
Don't give into your dog and give him something else straight away if he refuses his meal, as he's effectively training you and not the other way around.
There's nothing wrong with feeding your dog a varied diet, but don't keep changing the food because he seems fussy and won't eat it. Make sure nothing is wrong with him physically first, then if he is healthy, take charge of the situation. Put his food down; leave him to it, and then 30 minutes later go and check to see whether it's been eaten. If it hasn't, take it away, then at the end of the day put down some fresh food. Repeat the process, and take it away 30 minutes later if it still isn't eaten. This way you'll train your dog to eat his food, and not reinforce his behavior.
If your dog suddenly goes off his food, it could be because he has dental problems, or a stomach problem. Get him checked out by the vet.
Some dogs do actually prefer a certain type of food, just as people do. Try your dog with a variety of foods, and if he only eats one type, and will starve himself if he doesn't get it, the best solution can simply be to feed him that type of food.
Don't feed your dog a high fat diet, or junk food, including chocolate.
Biologists describe the dog as a carnivorous mammal. But modern authorities say that his cohabitation with man has caused him to become like us, omnivorous. Dogs are remarkably adaptable to different kinds of diets, including diets that are high in vegetable content.
The dog's digestive system is not exactly like ours. The general process is the same, but the timing is different. First of all, mastication is less important in canine digestion. The dog's teeth and jaws are designed for tearing meat and grinding bones with amazing efficiency and up to 300 pounds of force. Dogs chew little and swallow rapidly. They cannot chew with their mouths closed.
The dog's taste buds are situated under his tongue, but his food passes quickly, practically untasted, through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach, where the principle digestive process takes place. The dogs gastric juices are much stronger than ours, allowing him to digest matter which would give us a severe stomachache, to say the least.
Your dog's stomach is very elastic, and can expand to a capacity of one pint in a small lap dog, while large dogs make room for 8 quarts of food. The gastric juices in his stomach are high in acid and food remains there longer than it does in ours. This is why they require a richer, more concentrated diet than we do. Digestion takes place mostly in the stomach, very little in the mouth.
The dog's nutritional requirements are similar to ours. However, puppies since they grow and mature faster than we do need a richer diet than do babies, with more protein and less bulk. Baby food, except for all-meat products is unsuitable for puppies. Adult dogs need a balanced diet including proteins for body building, fails and carbohydrates for supplying energy and heat, bulk for elimination, vitamins and minerals to catalyze various body processes, and a total caloric intake that corresponds to individual living conditions, age, weight, metabolism, and activity.
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