Dog Nutrition - Understanding Your Dog's Needs
Dog nutrition is every bit as important as your own! Your dog needs to get a certain amount of protein, calories, and fat in their diet in order to stay healthy and strong. Most people don't understand much about dog nutrition, and they just buy food hoping it will keep their pet healthy. If you stick with good brands like Pedigree and Iams that's ok, but it's still a good idea to know what to look for.
The first thing you should know is how to understand the list of ingredients in the dog food you buy. The ingredients that make up the bulk of the food (according to weight) are listed first, all the way to the ones that only make up a tiny amount of the product.
You'll usually see meat listed as the first ingredient.
Sometimes you'll see that dog food contains byproduts. They are ok, and include things like liver, udders, bone, stomachs, cleaned intestines, tongue, and esophagus. Those might not sound too appetizing, but your dog will actually love them.
Dog Nutrition Requirements
The first thing you need to understand about dog nutrition is the fact that there's not a one size fits all approach. If your dog is very active and the right weight, they're going to be able to eat a lot more than one that lies around all day.Before you can practice portion control, you need to make sure your dog is eating the right food. If they're not, they won't be able to get all the nutrition they require. When food is properly formulated, it will say somewhere on the package that it meets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards.
If your dog is a puppy (usually less than 7 to 12 months for most breeds), then it is crucial for them to eat puppy food. The reason is because puppy food is specially formulated with extra nutrients, protein, and fat. They need all the nutrients they can get, and the adult food isn't designed that way.
A dog is considered to be an adult when it is around 90% of its maximum weight. When your dog is at this point, you should move on to the adult food. This is where you need to check the labels to pick the right type for your specific pet. If your dog doesn't get exercise or is a little overweight, you need to make sure their food is designed for adult maintenance.
If you have an active dog that frequently gets exercise and is the right weight, the food you get for them should be labeled, "all life stages."
Dog Nutrition Facts
It is very easy to tell whether your dog is gettign the nutrition they require or not. You have to observe them over a period of a couple weeks and see what happens with their fur. If it remains shiny and bright, then your dog is probably getting what they need. On the other hand, if your dog starts to act sluggishly and their fur looks dull and rough, you should switch foods.You can also tell whether or not a dog is eating the right food by their feces. If there are quite a bit, then your dog might not be able to fully digest what you are giving them. Try switching brands and see what happens.
The main thing you should watch with your dog is portion control. Most veterinarians will agree that dogs are not usually malnourished. Most owners don't need to worry about dog nutrition because the food they are giving their pets is properly formulated. It's far more likely that your dog will get overweight! In fact, did you know that 25% of all dogs that veterinarians see are heavier than they should be?
Your actual dog's food needs will vary greatly depending on what breed you have, how much exercise they get, and how old they are. On most food packages, there will be a chart that says how many scoops should be given each day. This is where you will need to take your own dog's situation into account.
If you are finding that your dog is getting a little plump and they don't get a lot of exercise, you should probably cut back on how much food they get. Take the recommended amount on the food package minus 10%. That should give you a more realistic idea about what your dog should be getting so they can return to their optimal weight.
For those that exercise their dogs daily, they will need a little more than the recommended amount. You can add as much as 20%.
Your veterinarian will be able to tell you whether or not you need to be cutting back on how much you feed your dog. They'll also be able to help you understand how much they should be getting when they are either seriously sick, nursing, or pregnant.
Dog Nutrition - Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can I give my dog human food (or table food)?Answer: It's generally not a good idea to give your dog any processed human food (especially from the table) unless you really know what you are doing. Some people choose to make homemade dog food because they understand what types of foods dogs can eat.
Giving a dog scraps from dinner is one of the easiest ways for them to get overweight, and you'll also teach them to whine and be a pest around those with food.
Question: Should I give my dog treats?
Answer: Treats are a good thing for dogs, but you have to use them in moderation. Your pet should never get more than 20% of their calories from treats.
Ideally, you should save treats to use as rewards when you are training your dog and trying to teach them how to be obedient. If you want to teach your dog how to do tricks, treats are a powerful tool.
When your dog is older and you are not still training them, you can give them treats every now and then for no reason at all.
Dog Nutrition - Understanding Your Dog's Needs
Dog nutrition is every bit as important as your own! Your dog
needs to get a certain amount of protein, calories, and fat in
their diet in order to stay healthy and strong.
Most people don't understand much about dog nutrition, and they
just buy food hoping it will keep their pet healthy. If you stick
with good brands like Pedigree and Iams that's ok, but it's still
a good idea to know what to look for.
The first thing you should know is how to understand the list of
ingredients in the dog food you buy. The ingredients that make up
the bulk of the food (according to weight) are listed first, all
the way to the ones that only make up a tiny amount of the
product.
You'll usually see meat listed as the first ingredient.
Sometimes you'll see that dog food contains byproduts. They are
ok, and include things like liver, udders, bone, stomachs, cleaned
intestines, tongue, and esophagus. Those might not sound too
appetizing, but your dog will actually love them.
Dog Nutrition Requirements
The first thing you need to understand about dog nutrition is the
fact that there's not a one size fits all approach. If your dog is
very active and the right weight, they're going to be able to eat
a lot more than one that lies around all day.
Before you can practice portion control, you need to make sure
your dog is eating the right food. If they're not, they won't be
able to get all the nutrition they require. When food is properly
formulated, it will say somewhere on the package that it meets
AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards.
If your dog is a puppy (usually less than 7 to 12 months for most
breeds), then it is crucial for them to eat puppy food. The reason
is because puppy food is specially formulated with extra
nutrients, protein, and fat. They need all the nutrients they can
get, and the adult food isn't designed that way.
A dog is considered to be an adult when it is around 90% of its
maximum weight. When your dog is at this point, you should move on
to the adult food. This is where you need to check the labels to
pick the right type for your specific pet. If your dog doesn't get
exercise or is a little overweight, you need to make sure their
food is designed for adult maintenance.
If you have an active dog that frequently gets exercise and is the
right weight, the food you get for them should be labeled, "all
life stages."
Dog Nutrition Facts
It is very easy to tell whether your dog is gettign the nutrition
they require or not. You have to observe them over a period of a
couple weeks and see what happens with their fur. If it remains
shiny and bright, then your dog is probably getting what they
need. On the other hand, if your dog starts to act sluggishly and
their fur looks dull and rough, you should switch foods.
You can also tell whether or not a dog is eating the right food by
their feces. If there are quite a bit, then your dog might not be
able to fully digest what you are giving them. Try switching
brands and see what happens.
The main thing you should watch with your dog is portion control.
Most veterinarians will agree that dogs are not usually
malnourished. Most owners don't need to worry about dog nutrition
because the food they are giving their pets is properly
formulated. It's far more likely that your dog will get
overweight! In fact, did you know that 25% of all dogs that
veterinarians see are heavier than they should be?
Your actual dog's food needs will vary greatly depending on what
breed you have, how much exercise they get, and how old they are.
On most food packages, there will be a chart that says how many
scoops should be given each day. This is where you will need to
take your own dog's situation into account.
If you are finding that your dog is getting a little plump and
they don't get a lot of exercise, you should probably cut back on
how much food they get. Take the recommended amount on the food
package minus 10%. That should give you a more realistic idea
about what your dog should be getting so they can return to their
optimal weight.
For those that exercise their dogs daily, they will need a little
more than the recommended amount. You can add as much as 20%.
Your veterinarian will be able to tell you whether or not you need
to be cutting back on how much you feed your dog. They'll also be
able to help you understand how much they should be getting when
they are either seriously sick, nursing, or pregnant.
Dog Nutrition - Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can I give my dog human food (or table food)?
Answer: It's generally not a good idea to give your dog any processed human food (especially from the table) unless you really know what you are doing. Some people choose to make homemade dog food because they understand what types of foods dogs can eat.
Giving a dog scraps from dinner is one of the easiest ways for them to get overweight, and you'll also teach them to whine and be a pest around those with food.
Question: Should I give my dog treats?
Answer: Treats are a good thing for dogs, but you have to use them in moderation. Your pet should never get more than 20% of their calories from treats.
Ideally, you should save treats to use as rewards when you are training your dog and trying to teach them how to be obedient. If you want to teach your dog how to do tricks, treats are a powerful tool.
When your dog is older and you are not still training them, you can give them treats every now and then for no reason at all.
Dog nutrition is every bit as important as your own! Your dog
needs to get a certain amount of protein, calories, and fat in
their diet in order to stay healthy and strong.
Most people don't understand much about dog nutrition, and they
just buy food hoping it will keep their pet healthy. If you stick
with good brands like Pedigree and Iams that's ok, but it's still
a good idea to know what to look for.
The first thing you should know is how to understand the list of
ingredients in the dog food you buy. The ingredients that make up
the bulk of the food (according to weight) are listed first, all
the way to the ones that only make up a tiny amount of the
product.
You'll usually see meat listed as the first ingredient.
Sometimes you'll see that dog food contains byproduts. They are
ok, and include things like liver, udders, bone, stomachs, cleaned
intestines, tongue, and esophagus. Those might not sound too
appetizing, but your dog will actually love them.
Dog Nutrition Requirements
The first thing you need to understand about dog nutrition is the
fact that there's not a one size fits all approach. If your dog is
very active and the right weight, they're going to be able to eat
a lot more than one that lies around all day.
Before you can practice portion control, you need to make sure
your dog is eating the right food. If they're not, they won't be
able to get all the nutrition they require. When food is properly
formulated, it will say somewhere on the package that it meets
AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards.
If your dog is a puppy (usually less than 7 to 12 months for most
breeds), then it is crucial for them to eat puppy food. The reason
is because puppy food is specially formulated with extra
nutrients, protein, and fat. They need all the nutrients they can
get, and the adult food isn't designed that way.
A dog is considered to be an adult when it is around 90% of its
maximum weight. When your dog is at this point, you should move on
to the adult food. This is where you need to check the labels to
pick the right type for your specific pet. If your dog doesn't get
exercise or is a little overweight, you need to make sure their
food is designed for adult maintenance.
If you have an active dog that frequently gets exercise and is the
right weight, the food you get for them should be labeled, "all
life stages."
Dog Nutrition Facts
It is very easy to tell whether your dog is gettign the nutrition
they require or not. You have to observe them over a period of a
couple weeks and see what happens with their fur. If it remains
shiny and bright, then your dog is probably getting what they
need. On the other hand, if your dog starts to act sluggishly and
their fur looks dull and rough, you should switch foods.
You can also tell whether or not a dog is eating the right food by
their feces. If there are quite a bit, then your dog might not be
able to fully digest what you are giving them. Try switching
brands and see what happens.
The main thing you should watch with your dog is portion control.
Most veterinarians will agree that dogs are not usually
malnourished. Most owners don't need to worry about dog nutrition
because the food they are giving their pets is properly
formulated. It's far more likely that your dog will get
overweight! In fact, did you know that 25% of all dogs that
veterinarians see are heavier than they should be?
Your actual dog's food needs will vary greatly depending on what
breed you have, how much exercise they get, and how old they are.
On most food packages, there will be a chart that says how many
scoops should be given each day. This is where you will need to
take your own dog's situation into account.
If you are finding that your dog is getting a little plump and
they don't get a lot of exercise, you should probably cut back on
how much food they get. Take the recommended amount on the food
package minus 10%. That should give you a more realistic idea
about what your dog should be getting so they can return to their
optimal weight.
For those that exercise their dogs daily, they will need a little
more than the recommended amount. You can add as much as 20%.
Your veterinarian will be able to tell you whether or not you need
to be cutting back on how much you feed your dog. They'll also be
able to help you understand how much they should be getting when
they are either seriously sick, nursing, or pregnant.
Dog Nutrition - Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can I give my dog human food (or table food)?
Answer: It's generally not a good idea to give your dog any processed human food (especially from the table) unless you really know what you are doing. Some people choose to make homemade dog food because they understand what types of foods dogs can eat.
Giving a dog scraps from dinner is one of the easiest ways for them to get overweight, and you'll also teach them to whine and be a pest around those with food.
Question: Should I give my dog treats?
Answer: Treats are a good thing for dogs, but you have to use them in moderation. Your pet should never get more than 20% of their calories from treats.
Ideally, you should save treats to use as rewards when you are training your dog and trying to teach them how to be obedient. If you want to teach your dog how to do tricks, treats are a powerful tool.
When your dog is older and you are not still training them, you can give them treats every now and then for no reason at all.
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