Achieving the Right Balance in Dog Food
As a pet owner, one of your most important
responsibilities is feeding the dog with the right kind
of food in the right amounts at the right time. The
statement sounds simple, yes, but it can be difficult to
determine the right balance for your dog. In this
article, the basics of providing for the right balance
in dog food will be discussed although it must be
emphasized that working with a veterinarian in this
regard is still advisable.
Why the Right Balance
But first, let's discuss why the right balance -
neither too much nor too little - is essential in
feeding your dog its food. On one hand, underweight dogs
can suffer from delayed healing from injuries and
illnesses, poor muscle tone and skin quality, sluggish
movements and metabolic disorders. Your dog will
definitely not be good for shows.
On the other hand, overweight dogs have more than
their fair share of health problems, too. Arthritis,
diabetes and other chronic degenerative diseases
affecting the internal organs like the heart, kidney and
liver are all too common in overweight dogs. Physical
manifestations of obesity include lack of energy to even
move from the couch, lack of luster in the skin and
coat, and even a shortened life expectancy.
Indeed, you should also be concerned about your dog's
food consumption. As experienced dog owners will tell
any new ones, the rule of thumb is to feed your dog more
food when it appears skinny and to lessen its food when
it appears too fat. Your months of living with the dog
should give you an idea about which category - too
skinny or too fat - your dog falls into.
How to Achieve the Right Balance
So, how much is too much or too little in dog food?
The answer can become complicated when concepts like the
Resting Energy Requirements (RER) are introduced. In
this case, we suggest the following steps to determine
the right amount of commercial dog food for your pet:
- Always choose high-quality food from the first
get-go. Low-quality dog food provides little of the
nutritional requirements of pets, thus, leading to
health issues caused by poor nutrition including
metabolic, digestive and behavioral problems.
- Determine the current weight and the target weight
for your dog depending on its age (puppy or senior dog),
present and future physical demands (participation in a
race, pregnancy and other strenuous activities) and
breed. You must work with the veterinarian in this
regard as he is in the best position to know about
canine nutritional requirements.
- Feed your dog the recommended amount of food. Be
sure to also adhere to the rule of thumb for water - 2.5
times higher than the amount of dry and wet food
provided for good health.
- Regularly monitor your dog's weight - two times a
month is a good interval - to look for the desired
changes. You must adjust your dog's food intake
depending on the target weight.
In the end, your dog's appearance and state of health
will be the best barometer of whether you have achieved
the right balance in its diet. Content written by Kate
Perry of <a href="http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/cleanup/">Oh
My Dog Supplies</a>, where you can find a fantastic
collection of <a href="http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/dog-bowls/">personalized
dog dishes</a> online.
