Posts Tagged ‘Calories’
Every owner these days seems to have their own ideas on what constitutes a healthy balanced diet for their dog. How many of them are reliably imformed though? The following questions are designed to critically assess your dogs diet. Please read them, for your dogs sake.
1) How many times a day do you feed your dog?
There is no set rule for adult dogs but the general consensus is that twice a day is a sensible amount. Some owners feed once a day, some three times a day. How much your dog is fed is far more important than how often really, but it is useful to set guidelines nevertheless. The reason many experts suggest twice a day rather than once a day is that once a day feeding encourages the dog to gorge his or her food as he or she is so hungry, having last had a meal a full 24 hours ago. Eating too quickly can cause reflex regurgitation or vomiting. Also it has been theorized that deep chested large breed dogs are more likely to suffer from a twisted stomach (gastric dilatation and volvulus), a life threatening condition, if they are fed one large meal daily rather than two smaller meals.
Clearly more active dogs will burn far more calories than others but these variables are best reflected in portion size rather than frequency. Some dogs with medical conditions may benefit from multiple meals of smaller portions, for example those recovering from gastroenteritis. Puppies must be fed more often than adult dogs as they have a higher metabolic rate, around 4 times a day from weaning to around 5 months old, then drop down to 3 times a day until 7 months old, then down to twice a day thereafter.
2) Is your dogs diet manufactured specifically for dogs or do you give human food or food from the butchers?
There is a misconception around that human food is higher quality than dog food, and therefore better for them. This is by and large nonsense. Reputable dog foods are formulated after extensive trials by pet food companies to provide the mixture of protein, carbohydrate and fat that suits canine physiology best. Dogs on balanced dog food diets do not get nutritional deficiencies but dogs on human food do. Certain human titbits can play havoc with your dogs digestive tract, chocolate being a prime example.
Your dog need ingest nothing other than a complete dog food and water to have a complete and balanced diet. Remember, dogs do not need variety in their diet! They are perfectly happy having the same boring looking meal every day! So keep it simple and safe, feed your dog either a complete dog food (dry or tinned, dry is better for their teeth) or standard dog biscuits and tinned dog meat together. Of course human leftovers every now and again or a bit of tripe or heart from the butcher is fine, but do not make it the day to day diet.
3) Which is the best dog food to choose?
There are so many different brands of dog food on the market, the best one is basically a matter of opinion. Certainly palatability is a factor, there is no point in purchasing a particular food if your dog cannot stand it, although this is occasionally a necessity in dogs with food allergies, for example. Rather than recommending you a specific brand, we suggest that you choose one which adheres to the criteria below.
Dog foods labeled as complete and balanced must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. There are now two separate nutrient profiles for dogs – one for growth (puppies) and one for maintenance (adults). Maximum levels of intake of some nutrients have been established for the first time because of the concern that overnutrition, rather than undernutrition, is a bigger problem with many pet foods today. The standards include recommendations on protein, fat, fat soluble vitamins, water soluble vitamins, and mineral content of foods. If you are prepared to get technical, you should choose a food that comes closest to AAFCO recommendations.
In summary, consider the following points.
Choose a food that suits your dogs age, breed and overall health. Most big pet food companies will have different foods for small vs large breeds, and puppies vs adults. Dogs with medical conditions may be recommended special prescription diets.
Choose a food that come closest to AAFCO recommendations.
The ingredients contains the truth about a particular food. Everything else is there only for marketing purposes.
There are no legal and scientific definitions for the terms premium, super premium, quality, or natural.
Use dry matter numbers to evaluate and compare foods.
The source of ingredients (e.g. animal vs vegetable) does not matter, except in the case of food allergies.
Avoid supplementation. All commercial dog foods have more than enough protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Too many minerals can lead to severe skeletal problems in growing dogs.
Feeding your dog a good food incorrectly can lead to significant problems. For example, overfeeding puppies can lead to serious skeletal problems. Neutered dogs require portions 20% smaller than unneutered dogs or they will put on weight.
4) How many times a day do you give your dog treats?
It is hard to resist those puppy dog eyes begging you for a little piece of what you are eating. Indeed treats promote a special bond between you and your dog and it gives such pleasure when they have a delicious morsel to savor. The key word is MODERATION. If you are giving your dog regular treats, you must subtract this amount from the portion given at meal time to maintain a appropriate calorie intake. As a rule of thumb the amount of treats should never exceed 10% of your dogs daily food intake. It is far easier to make your dog obedient if you reserve treats for rewarding good behavior rather than just giving them willy nilly, where they become meaningless.
5) What do your dogs treats consist of?
Quality dog treats are usually far healthier and lower in calories than table scraps. Many dogs are fed scraps habitually from the table while families are eating, particularly by children. This only encourages further begging and feeding with often unsuitable high calorie treats which are forgotten about when it comes to measuring the dogs daily portion(s).
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Dr Matthew Homfray is one of the veterinary pet experts at www.WhyDoesMyPet.com. Our dedicated community of caring pet experts are waiting to offer you advice, second opinions and support.
Fiber is very important in our diet. As humans we need it. But what about dogs? Is there a benefit of having fiber in their diet? Is making sure there is adequate fiber in dog food giving them the best dog food possible? At one time fiber was considered a simple filler, however today, we know that adding fiber to a dog`s diet has benefits.
So what is fiber and what are the benefits? Fiber is a carbohydrate and like other carbs too much is not a good thing. Like us, because fiber is not highly digestible, too much can wreck havoc on our digestive system. So it is equally important that dogs get the right amount of fiber in their diet as well for the best possible dog food.
Pets that are overweight can be benefited by having extra fiber in their diet. Because it helps in keeping your dog feeling full they will not pig out on calories. Even though fiber alone cannot achieve weight loss on its own, it can make a difference by maintaining a healthy weight. This will contribute towards a longer and healthier life for your pet.
If your dog needs more fibre in the diet to aid in constipation, then insoluble fibre such as found in fruits and vegetables are fine. Most dogs won’t eat many fruits, but will eat washed raw vegetables – my dog likes carrots, peas and broccoli. Go figure.
As a dog reaches the senior years, constipation can become a problem. An increase in fiber can help this condition become manageable. How does fiber help in the aid of constipation? Fiber absorbs water which gives the contents in the intestines more bulk and this causes movement within the intestines.
You will know if your dog is getting too much or too little fiber in there diet by their consistency. Too much fiber will result in a loose and messy stool but the right balance will result in a normal regular movement. Another benefit of fiber is that it can assist in the management of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is frequently diagnosed in pets five years of age or older. This is also known as Type II or adult-onset diabetes.
Simply put, diabetes mellitus is a failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. Diets high in fiber are preferred because they are generally lower in sugar and slower to be digested. This means that the dog does not have to process a large amount of sugar at one time. Additionally, the fiber may help stimulate insulin secretion in Type II diabetes.
Because too much fiber can be harmful to your pets it is important that you buy the best dog food available that contains just the right amount. Better yet consider making your own dog food. It is easy and affordable and you will then know exactly what your dog is getting.
Other types of foods that contain fiber would be Beet pulp, Soybean hulls, Rice bran, Apple and Tomato pomace and Peanut hulls. Grains such as oats and rice are also types of digestible fiber. If your dog needs fibre for some sort of bowel disease, then soluble fibre, such as psyllium or oat bran should be used.
Yes fiber does have benefits for our pets when used in moderation.
Fiber is very important in our diet. As humans we need it. But what about dogs? Is there a benefit of having fiber in their diet? Is making sure there is adequate fiber in dog food giving them the best dog food possible? At one time fiber was considered a simple filler, however today, we know that adding fiber to a dog`s diet has benefits.
So what is fiber and what are the benefits? Fiber is a carbohydrate and like other carbs too much is not a good thing. Like us, because fiber is not highly digestible, too much can wreck havoc on our digestive system. So it is equally important that dogs get the right amount of fiber in their diet as well for the best possible dog food.
Pets that are overweight can be benefited by having extra fiber in their diet. Because it helps in keeping your dog feeling full they will not pig out on calories. Even though fiber alone cannot achieve weight loss on its own, it can make a difference by maintaining a healthy weight. This will contribute towards a longer and healthier life for your pet.
If your dog needs more fibre in the diet to aid in constipation, then insoluble fibre such as found in fruits and vegetables are fine. Most dogs won’t eat many fruits, but will eat washed raw vegetables – my dog likes carrots, peas and broccoli. Go figure.
As a dog reaches the senior years, constipation can become a problem. An increase in fiber can help this condition become manageable. How does fiber help in the aid of constipation? Fiber absorbs water which gives the contents in the intestines more bulk and this causes movement within the intestines.
You will know if your dog is getting too much or too little fiber in there diet by their consistency. Too much fiber will result in a loose and messy stool but the right balance will result in a normal regular movement. Another benefit of fiber is that it can assist in the management of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is frequently diagnosed in pets five years of age or older. This is also known as Type II or adult-onset diabetes.
Simply put, diabetes mellitus is a failure of the pancreas to regulate blood sugar. Diets high in fiber are preferred because they are generally lower in sugar and slower to be digested. This means that the dog does not have to process a large amount of sugar at one time. Additionally, the fiber may help stimulate insulin secretion in Type II diabetes.
Because too much fiber can be harmful to your pets it is important that you buy the best dog food available that contains just the right amount. Better yet consider making your own dog food. It is easy and affordable and you will then know exactly what your dog is getting.
Other types of foods that contain fiber would be Beet pulp, Soybean hulls, Rice bran, Apple and Tomato pomace and Peanut hulls. Grains such as oats and rice are also types of digestible fiber. If your dog needs fibre for some sort of bowel disease, then soluble fibre, such as psyllium or oat bran should be used.
Yes fiber does have benefits for our pets when used in moderation.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Written by Troy Foote. Pet advocate and owner of Pamper Pet Care Your online resource for pet health care and nutrition.