What should I feed my dog?

WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY DOG?

With so many brands and types of dog food available it can be very difficult to know what is best. The nutritional needs of your dog have evolved in the natural or wild nvironment, so when feeding you must provide everything that would be found in the natural diet.

Dogs in the wild eat the entire body of their prey including skin, bones, muscle and intestinal contents, so it is not surprising that meat alone (muscle) doesn't provide
everything for your dog. Additionally, a dog's dietary requirements change depending on its stage of life, activity level and physiological state. For instance, a growing puppy requires high levels of many nutrients, like protein, to develop strong bones and muscles. Older dogs do not require nearly as much protein, in fact high-protein diets can over-tax body organs such as the kidneys and actually shorten the dog's life.

Supermarket Dog Foods usually provide your dog's basic nutritional needs but make use of cheaper ingredients such as cereals, off al and soybean products, resulting in reduced palatability and digestibility, flatulence and a larger volume of stools with more odour. The balance of fatty acids, vital for a healthy skin and coat, is not optimal.

Veterinarian Recommended Products are quality pet foods available from veterinary clinics and some pet food stores. They are available in formulations to suit dogs of all ages and activity levels in both tinned and dried varieties.

WHY CHOOSE HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS?

Veterinarian Recommended Products have a variety of nutritional benefits for your dog such as:

Containing high grade quality protein that is of a high biological value and are particularly important for a healthy skin and coat, and to help control inflammation and itching due to allergies.
Highly digestible diets, resulting in a smaller volume of stools with less smell, especially important with recent concerns regarding environmental contamination with canine faeces.
No artificial colours or flavour enhancers are added.
Optimal fibre level. Too much dietary fibre results in reduced digestibility and interferes with the absorption of other good nutrients.
They contain special ingredients promoting "good bacteria" in the bowel. These bacteria stop harmful bacteria and produce acids which make the cells lining the bowel healthier
In fact, in some dogs, long term diarrhoea problems have been solved or improved by switching to one of these diets.
They are highly palatable which means less waste through uneaten food. This means your pet will eat a smaller amount yet still receive a complete nutritionally balanced diet.
Dry foods don't "go off " therefore your pet can graze on this food rather than eating it all at once. This is much better for their digestion and metabolism.

DO THEY COST MORE?

Your first impression may be that these premium diets are expensive compared with supermarket brands. However, because of their high digestibility and high caloric density, your dog needs less of these foods to meet its nutritional needs. When this is taken into consideration and a cost per day is calculated, they compare favorably, especially when the quality of the ingredients and the consequent benefits listed previously are considered.

KEEPING TEETH CLEAN AND HEALTHY

We recommend that all dogs be fed raw meaty BONES once or twice weekly to keep teeth and gums healthy. Dogs should be given bones appropriate to their size. For example brisket bones for small dogs and large marrowbones for large dogs. They should not be given chop bones or any bone small enough to lodge in the mouth or throat and must never be given cooked bones.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I FEED MY DOG?

Different brands of pet food recommend different amounts of food depending on the size, age and energy requirements of your dog. The instructions provided on the packaging of food should give you an indication of the amount you should serve.

We also recommend that you speak with one of our nutritional experts who can advise the right type and amount of food for your friend. We encourage you to discuss your concerns with us, particularly if you are worried about weight loss/gain or feeding a new puppy.

WHAT ABOUT MILK?

Some dogs can find it hard to digest cow's milk as they may lack the enzyme lactase to digest the milk-sugar lactose and this causes diarrhoea. Be cautious when feeding your dog milk.

AND WATER?

Don't forget to provide free access to fresh water at all times. A dog can get ill and die quickly from dehydration if access is denied