Many dog owners are usually confused about how to feed their dogs. Some believe they should be fed only bones. Others think their dogs should eat what they eat.
You must pay attention to what you feed your dogs. Feeding your dog the right food with a well-balanced diet is important to their overall health.
It is also important to understand the nutritional requirements of dogs. As a dog owner, you need to know the meals that contain the required nutrients. If you are in that dilemma, this article provides all the information that you need.
Feeding Your Dog According to Stages
Dogs, like other mammals, develop in stages. For dogs, the stages are puppy, adolescent, pregnancy, adult, and senior.What and how you should feed your dog is determined by its stage. If you’re looking for more information on dietary considerations for dogs with specific health conditions, ChiDog offers valuable insights on what to feed a dog with inflammatory bowel disease in their informative blog post.
1. Nutrition for Puppy Dogs
Puppies eat a lot, so they need larger quantities of food. At 6 to 8 weeks of age, puppies need to be fed about four to six meals a day. When they get to 6 months, the quantity of food is decreased. They can now be fed two to three meals a day.
A good-quality puppy dog food has more advantages than adult dog food. It has been specially formulated to meet the puppy’s nutritional requirements. Thus, it is important to pay attention to dog nutrition early.
Note that nutritional mistakes made during puppyhood will be more severe. Some may even cause lifelong consequences. Some recommended puppy foods are fish, potatoes, carrots, etc. You can use these dog food ingredients to prepare homemade meals.
You can also buy processed food from online pet supplies stores for your dog. ‘Grain-free petite pot pie’ is a puppy food you can buy online.
2. Nutrition for Adult/Adolescent Dogs
Dogs reach adulthood at around two years. You can switch from puppy food to adult when your dog is getting close to adult weight. They need food with less concentrated fat to maintain their weight. In addition, their food should include nutrients like glucosamine. This helps with their joint formation.
You can feed your adult dog a pure kibble diet. You can mix it up with cooked or raw meat, fish, vegetables, and rice. You can also prepare a chicken liver treat for your adult dog.
3. Nutrition for Senior Dogs
Dogs around 7-9 years are senior dogs. As a dog gets older, it becomes less active. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to your diet. This is because the wrong diet can complicate its health.
Senior dogs need fewer calories. However, they also need plenty of fiber and protein. You can feed your senior dog with fresh steamed or canned green beans.
4. Nutrition for Pregnant Dogs
Pregnancy requires special nutrition for dogs. A pregnant dog needs plenty of vitamins and minerals. They also need more calories at this stage.
Pregnant dogs need a diet that supports lactation and gestation. You can easily go back to feeding your dog puppy food at this stage. This is because it is easier to digest and will help absorb nutrients.
Also, feeding a pregnant dog puppy food gives nutrients to the unborn puppies. You can continue to feed the dog this way until she weans her puppies. After weaning, you can slowly reduce her calorie intake to help her return to her natural weight.
Another thing, the stage of pregnancy determines the amount of food. In the early weeks, she won’t need extra food. You can slowly increase her food intake for a month when she gets to around five weeks.
At 6-8 weeks, you can reduce bone intake and increase fat. Give her more red meat than white meat however, meat like duck, pork, and beef are recommended.
What Food Is Good For Dogs?
Dogs are not entirely carnivores. That means they eat other things apart from meat. Needless to say, dogs need a balanced diet. Balanced dog nutrition should contain the six classes of food. They include:
1. Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a major source of glucose. They provide energy for the body. Although they are not a major nutrient for dogs, they can supply some important vitamins and minerals. They also contain plant-based nutrients that promote dog health.
You can find carbohydrates in dog food ingredients like chicken with veggies, gluten-free grains, and other plant-based meals.
2. Protein
Another thing that dog foods should contain is protein. They provide amino acids that are important to dog health. Proteins are vital for healthy hair, skin, muscles, and bones. They also develop hormones, enzymes, and antibodies that keep the dog healthy.
Proteins make good puppy dog food. You can find protein in the pure beef liver for dogs. Fish and beans are also good sources of protein.
3. Water
Water makes up 70% of a dog’s body mass. Water helps in dissolving and moving food nutrients to the cells. It also regulates body temperature. Therefore, dog food should always contain high-quality water from a good source.
4. Fats
Fat supplies a concentrated source of energy. It provides fatty acids that help the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Fats also protect the internal organs and body temperature. You can find fats in oils from plants and fish.
5. Minerals
Minerals have a lot of benefits for dog nutrition. They carry oxygen around the body and help heal wounds. They also regulate the fluid balance of the body system. If you’re looking for food with a great source of minerals, feed your dog with dog bone meals, chicken nuggets, oyster, fish, etc.
6. Vitamins
Vitamins are food nutrients that contain carbon. They are required in small quantities for a healthy metabolism.
Vitamins help in regulating calcium and boosting the immune system. They also enable blood clotting and maintain the nervous system. Dark leafy greens are rich in vitamins and can be included in dog food.
7. Dog Gut Health
The gut health of your dog is very important. A balanced diet maintains the dog’s digestive health. You can add certain foods to a dog’s diet to improve its gut health. Examples of such food include:
- Raw food
- Fermented food
- No-grain meals
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Probiotics, etc.
8. Homemade or Processed Dog Food
Many dog owners are torn between making dog food at home or buying it. Unfortunately, there is no yardstick to determine which is better. As long as the food contains the right nutritional value, you can feed it to your dog.
This choice can also depend on your preference, dog’s age, and breed.
So, as a dog lover, your dog’s health is at topmost priority. Ensure you go for the best meals at all times. The meals should be balanced and easy to digest.
If you do not know how to go about it, contact a dog food advisor. This way, you will learn the proper diet and dog food supplements to implement.
Feature photo by Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev
