Posts Tagged ‘Good Food’
Since the first time one of our pre-historic ancestors tossed a scrap of meat at a wolf, dogs have been living off the leftovers from their master’s table. While this is a common practice in many parts of the world, it isn’t the best nutrition for the dog. As with humans, dogs also require a well-balanced meal, be that in the form of fresh foods or packaged, store-bought food. Either way, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what constitutes a healthy diet for your dog.
Water is probably the most vital yet often overlooked part of a dog’s diet. A bowl of clean water should be available to a dog at all times, so that it can drink whenever it gets thirsty. If you’ve been feeding your dog foods that are unusually salty, keep a close eye on their water bowl, as your pet will want more water (and need to pee afterwards) once they’re done with the salty food.
Meat provides many things for the naturally-carnivorous dog (though, ideally, only about half their diet consists of meat), including proteins and fats. Though cooking is good for all meats fed to a dog, only pork and rabbit really need to be cooked. Processed and heavily spiced or salted meats, such as beef jerky, salami, or pork rinds, aren’t as easy on a dog’s digestive system as they are on a human’s digestive system.
Dogs will also gladly eat eggs and fish, though a few words must be said about both first. Fish should be thoroughly deboned, lest a stray fish rib pierce a dog’s windpipe, and it should always be cooked. Dogs love eggs, and they don’t know the difference between brown eggs and blood spots and ordinary eggs, so you can save some money by buying cheaper eggs.
Grains are another good food for a dog, especially since grains offer all the carbohydrates they might need. Breads, rice, and cereals are all good grains, though all grains should be cooked before you feed them to a dog. However, as important as grains are, they shouldn’t be more than half of a dog’s diet.
Vegetables are a perfectly fine addition to a dog’s diet, though foods like peas and beans should be avoided. Carrots, lettuce, celery, potatoes, and potato skins are fine for a dog to eat. Cooking vegetables is purely optional, though the less time spent cooking the better for your dog, at least in terms of nutrition.
Cheese and dairy products are another good bet, as they provide a healthy amount of proteins and a larger dose of calcium for older dogs. However, not all dogs will appreciate cheese, so know if your dog in particular enjoys it. Dogs can also consume cow’s milk in their diet, though newborn pups shouldn’t drink cows milk. Further, too much milk in a dog’s diet (save for newborn pups), will leave them with a case of diarrhea.
Dogs can become fat and out of shape or undernourished just like their owners. When deciding how much food to give your dog, the general formula is an ounce of food for every pound of the dog’s weight. Another factor to take into consideration would be how active your dog is. If he’s working herding cattle or sheep all day, as opposed to lounging around a penthouse apartment with not much to do, you will have to adjust the amounts of food appropriately.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Jeff Clare runs Dog Training News where you can read many more articles on dog training schools. For more general advice on dog food go to Dogs And Dog News.
You love your dog. And like most dog-owners, you likely consider your dog to be a part of your family. That is why your dog’s health is so important. Just as you would be concerned about the health of a child, you should be concerned about the health of your dog. Fortunately, if you’ve already looked after your children, or even if you are concerned about your health, looking after your dog’s health should be easy. It requires all the things that you would expect: preventative care, paying attention to warning signs, knowing what to do when your dog is sick, and finding a veterinarian you and your dog can trust. If you follow all these steps, you will help ensure that your dog has a long and healthy life.
The key to keeping your dog healthy is, not surprisingly, a healthy lifestyle right from the start. Most importantly, this means only giving your dog nutritious dog food, throw those scraps away! Look for dog food that has been endorsed by veterinarian groups. While it may be more expensive than generic or even some brand name dog foods, in the long run it will help with your dog’s health.
Along with good food, your dog will need a lot of exercise. Although the amount of exercise each dog needs will vary according to the breed, no dog’s health will be improved by being stuck inside a cramped apartment everyday. Dogs need walks and time outside to play. Incorporate your dog’s exercise routine into your own. This will help your dog’s health, and your own health.
Finally, get your dog a veterinarian and have your dog’s health checked regularly. Along with spotting problems, your veterinarian will also be able to give you tips and suggestions on preventative dog health.
So you’ve decided to pick a veterinarian. You open the Yellow Pages and find dozens and dozens of veterinarians to choose from. Where do you start? Right off the bat, you will want to find a veterinarian that has a “small animal” practice, which will include dogs and cats and other common pets. These veterinarians will know the most about dog health. Most veterinarians are similar to a doctor who is a general practitioner. These veterinarians will be able to deal with and identify a wide range of problems related to your dog’s health, and are what you should use as your main veterinarian. Once you’ve found a general “small animal” veterinarian to deal with your dog’s health, they will be able to refer you to specialists as required.
If you’ve identified some possible veterinarians, start asking your friends and colleagues with pets for recommendations. And most importantly, talk to your prospective veterinarian. Ask about prices and availability for emergency care. Finally, before you chose any veterinarian to help you look after your dog’s health, be sure that you are comfortable with them and trust them to look after your pet.
After a lot of consideration, you’ve picked a veterinarian that will keep track of your dog’s health, and have started a preventative regime of good food and exercise. No matter how careful you are about your dog’s health, however, your dog will get sick. Either from contact with other dogs, or accidents while you are out on your walks, something will likely happen to your dog that will require the attention of a veterinarian. The problem is that it is not always obvious when your dog is sick. Unlike children, your dog can’t tell you when it is feeling down.
There are a number of sign you can look for, however. Is your dog more tired than usual lately? Does it seem depressed? Does it have a dry nose? Is it limping? Does your dog’s feces look off or runny? These are just some warning signs. In the end, it all comes down to whether you think your dog is sick or not. This requires you to have a close relationship with your dog to know when it is acting differently, and this attention will be the best support for your dog’s health.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Steve Dolan is a dog lover and long time dog owner. For more information about dog health click Dog Health and Dog Grooming and for more about dog trining and keeping your dog happy click Dogs and Puppies Online.